Volunteers for Peace, Part 2 - Timber-framing and Plastering with Clay

              It was that time again.  Everyone arrived at different times and had to be picked up in Montpelier. This session Bernice and Wong from China were the ones missing the target date and we did not hear from them so we could only imagine that something happened with their visas.  The volunteers settled into their tents and three men would sleep in the new hut. Again  divided, one group would finish the clay plastering on the outside of the octagon house and the other group would cut the joints for the post and beam outdoor kitchen.  On the first day we had our orientation and went over chores and what the work projects entailed.  By this time Bernice and Wong arrived. They had been stranded in New York and had to take a bus to Montpelier but communication was challenging.  As Bernice explained the situation I could easily see what happened.  She told the bus company she was going to Montpelier and the bus terminal employee replied, “You need a visa to go to Montreal”.  Bernice responded, “I didn’t know you need a visa to go to Montpelier”.  He again assured her that you need a visa to go to Montreal.  As she explained this I heard Montreal and Montpelier sounding very similar and I realized that neither one could understand the other.  We had such a laugh and they were sure glad to finally reach their destination.

              The building of our house took many turns and detours.  Last year, the Volunteers for Peace helped us with some of the straw bale construction and plastering the walls with a mixture of clay, sand and fresh cow manure.  We didn’t finish the plastering so one of the projects of this session was to finish the plastering.  The group that took on this project was focused and did an incredible job.

Jimin from the Republic of Korea adds to the base coat. The base coat has to be applied before the finishing coats.

Qian (Bernice) from China applies the finish coat.

Cheng-Ting (Lavine) from Taiwan smoothing out the last of the base coat.

Lavine wets down the wall so more plaster can be applied.

Pablo from Spain.

Pablo and Jimin mix up more plaster.

              The second group helped cut the joints for the post and beam outdoor kitchen.  Thanks to the first group the beams were all hewed and ready to go.  Wood grain is not always straight and takes skill to know how to make use of a chisel.  The mortises (rectangular holes) were first drilled out then chiseled to make a rectangular hole that the tenon would fit into.

Using a drill, chisel and hammer, Hero, from Japan, produces a mortise.

Jeongah (J-A), from the Republic of Korea, cleans up a tenon so it will fit the mortise.

When fitting a wall together it’s “all hands on deck”. It takes many eyes to pull the post and beams together.

J-A and Hector fitting a mortise and tenon.

The posts were heavy and took many people to lift them up.

Hector, from Spain, cleans out a mortise.

Runxian (Wong), from China, eyes up the beams.

The timbers had to be pulled together with chains and comealongs.

              This group was very social and loved any activity that brought them together.

Lavine, Hero and Pablo focus on their origami.

J-A and Wong watching carefully as Pablo demonstrate a card trick.

Bernice and Pablo.

Bernice with a plateful of dumplings.

Lavine, Pablo, Bernice and J-A.

Time for frisbee.

Hero cooks up a Japanese dinner over our outside masonry stoves.

Mary and David holding up their new chop sticks.

Many meals are enjoyed at the outside table.

Pablo loves to play games and was always up for a card game.

Wong and Lavine show us some of their language’s written characters.

Fans from Japan. Lavine, Hero and Hector.

Bernice and Lavine make dumplings.

Pablo and Jimin.

              Once again we arrived at Vermont Compost and this time David, Mary and I were ready for the tour.  We had an idea what Carl was going to talk about and we had already discussed the background information needed to understand the tour.   To me, one of the main ideas that are so impressive is that the upper section of land where the composting process begins has been terraced and some of these areas are 14 feet deep with fertile soil.  Vermont Compost, besides raising chickens to produce eggs, solving a local organic waste problem, and making compost, is building a terraced farm that faces south which will be able to grow food for the future generations inhabiting Montpelier. 

              Everyone in the group, in spite of the language barriers is focused on what Carl is saying.  

J-A, Lavine and Hector experience Vermont Compost.

              The town experience becomes new for us as we get to see all of the different cultures of the group interact with our culture and we get see the town with new eyes and a new appreciation.

Jimin and Lavine investigate a local map.

At Lifecycling there is limited internet and electricity, and the trip to town offers a chance for the volunteers to connect to the world.

Pablo and Hero share music and photos of their life.

              A parade we attended at the capitol building in Montpelier was so enthusiastic that Bernice wanted to join.  The parade ended by entering the capitol building.  The security personnel were extremely helpful and polite.    

The parade gathering on the front lawn of the capitol.

Bernice in the parade.

Parade marching up the capitol steps.

It is a tribute to the Vermont capitol to allow such a parade to enter into the building.

Sitting together in front of the capitol.

              This session we took our hike up White Rock.  Again, sections of the mountain trail presented a challenge.

Lavine and Hero feel the power of the mountains.

Fury, David’s partner, helped out in so many ways. She was instrumental in the social dynamics of the group. Her skills in the “simple lifestyle” and laughter permeated the camp.

Bernice and Jimin.

Wong.

Hector.

Jimin.

Pablo and Jimin.

              Our message at Lifecycling is simple. Our world, with its many cultures, lifestyles and languages, needs to share the global resources while at the same time making sure the Earth also flourishes.  Instead of fighting we can learn to laugh at ourselves, at each other and to collectively reduce our throughput by reducing our needs.  The experience of sharing this concept with other cultures is so rewarding.  Increasing our communication skills is needed to even begin this path and I myself continually learn the complexity of communication.  During the second session I had given instructions to the post and beam crew to move heavy timbers and to set them in specific places.  I once again asked if everyone understood, (I myself am a slow learner) and yes, they all nodded their head.  I went back to the work I was doing and after about twenty minutes I looked up and realized that all of the timbers were set in the wrong places.  I gathered them together and said, “I see two possibilities here, either you all understood what I said and are feeling you’re not getting enough exercise and want to carry heavy timbers around or, you were all nodding your head when in fact nobody really understood what I was saying”.  We all started laughing so hard that no one could even talk.  Nobody wants to look like they don’t understand, especially when the instructions seem to be so simple.  Besides, someone in the group will understand and I can probably just follow along.  Personally, I think it can be a blessing when a person allows herself to appear to lack understanding and can then laugh at herself.  For this to happen, the person must feel safe within the group and it can feel very uncomfortable being outside the parameters of the group’s dynamics.  What if the parameters can include being laughed at and having the opportunity to make mistakes?  Mistakes and humor stimulates progress and lowers stress.  What was so special about both volunteer groups this summer was that we all found humor in the communication obstacles and laughed throughout our time together.  In the second session I talked to individuals about throughput and sharing throughout the two weeks and made sure they left with some of the concepts.  In the years to come it is this age group that will lead the global decisions and it will take all of the cultures of the world to overcome the many challenges we now face and go forward.

After the Volunteers left the rafters and the steel roof were installed and the solar panels were moved into place.

The rafters and strapping are in place and it is ready for the steel roof.

The steel roof is on and solar panels are in place.