First evening

I have gotten a chance to nap (a lot), get my first misquito bites (before installing my handy net over my bunk) and check out the place I will be living over the next eight and a half weeks. The house here is HUGE, four stories with living quarters mixed within. I am rooming with Sven, a German/Haitian guy about my age volunteering from New York, on the bottom floor. The hosue is placed on this picturesque hillside with vegetation surrounding it, beautiful. It gets dark around 6:30pm (2 hours ahead of San Diego) and there are sounds of frogs and crickets cascading all around, drowning out the noise of the vehicles passing by. It is impossible to get here without having 4 wheel drive since the road is on such a steep incline and it usually pretty damp and has it's share of giant pot holes. There is a substantial sized wall surrounding the house with an armed guard patrolling the gate 24/7, which is a nice comfort. The internet is extremely reliable, which is a major bonus. I was able to skype with Nicole for over a half an hour and only had one glitch, pretty cool. Just got to take my first cold shower and get changed for the evening, nice and comfortable temperatures. All the doors and windows stay open pretty much open, so we have to apply DEET all day to prevent getting eaten alive.
The meal that was served tonight mimicked the Mama Jamaicas catering dishes we had last week for my going away party: rice and beans, bbq chicken, sliced avocado, brocolli and salad. My breakfasts and dinners each day are prepped at the house, and lunch will be picked up in town during our work breaks. $25 a week for two meals a day, not too shabby!
So, I am going to be starting work tomorrow at the office, which is just a few miles away but is more than twenty minute drive with the congestion in town. We all leave together at 7:30am, private drivers escort us every where. I am excited to learn what projects I will be a part of and go over the standards they have here. Received my architecture for humanity email address, so am an official member of the team now.
This seems to be a really amazing situation. Everyone here is passionate about architecture and applying that trade toward helping others rebuild here responsibly and with sensibility to the needs of the Haitian people. I love it, can't wait to get started...