Cocobolo Boy: ASP 2009

I have just returned from my second year on the Appalachia Service Project, this year in Wolfe county Kentucky. ASP is pretty much the same as habitat for humanity, except it is more religious based (although I am not religious myself) and it usually groups consisting of kids from one town and some adult advisors. Describing my experience is next to impossible impossible. when some one asks, "did you have fun," I respond with, "yes, I had a great time, the most fun I have had this entire summer." But when someone asks "how was it fun" I can't really answer. We slept in an old school that had temporary bathrooms, not so excellent food, we found lizards in our beds, frogs in the bathrooms, spiders in the showers, and dead bats on the retaining wall, we were told that we had been playing ultimate frisbee in a leeching field, only after we had all fallen into the puddle of what we thought was mud and water. We would work eight hours a day on a roof in 80+ degree weather on a house that had wasps, snakes, and mold. But still we all had a great time. More specifically, the job for the week was to remove the existing OSB on a trailer, sister the 2x3 rafters with 2x4s and then put in new OSB, tar paper it, then put tin on it. there was a ton of work to be done, and we got half of the roof done in one week, double what the goal was for us. We could have easily done more work had one vent not taken up so much time. But the amount of work completed did not matter, it was the fact that we were there that brightened our family's spirits. They were continually thanking us, bringing us water, and they even cooked us a pasta lunch on Friday which was a great change from the usual peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Life in the center (where we spent our time not working) was just as good because all of my friends were there. There would be a nightly game of frisbee or football on the leeching field, or a basketball game in the gym. The visits to walmart and riding the bikes around were also very enjoyable. Overall this trip was a blast, and I am sure to return next year, and since I am at a loss of words, I shall supply some pictures of the trip. If you want more information, or pics from last year, or wish to donate, visitwww.cohassetasp.org (if you are donating then click support a volunteer, and the ambassador's name would be Andrew Fewsmith).

Wake up at 6:00 am to leave