So here's how the empanadas looked as they were being fried first thing this morning. I have to say while they were ok - I wouldn't rave about them and they certainly were not worth all the bother.

Mark is on the mend although he has lost a lot of weight (some people have it good) - he went back to work today although he still wasn't feeling 100%. Chad too was working so it seems us gringo's are back on deck. We girls in the kitchen are still doing a lions share of the work but hopefully there will be some changes as the brother in charge of the construction team has noticed that we are there making and serving every meal and doing the dishes as well. Of course it is a privilege and I am not really moaning - just venting.
Tonight though - I was much more comfortable with the preparation of dinner, as Pizza was requested. Finally I could make something without having to ask for directions - I think they went down well too so I am happy.

Sorry this photo is a bit off - but I wanted to give you the idea

The women here go to a lot of trouble making their food and it seems like a big waste of time and energy to me. Today we spent 2 or more hours making empanadas (not sure of the spelling) out of green bananas - first they had to be cooked till soft - then minced up (top picture). Then they make a dough out of it with butter, salt etc and roll it out between plastic. Cheese is put in the middle and then it is folded over cut and pinched together. This lot is for tomorrows breakfast so I imagine they will be fried as always. I am sure they will be very nice but really not worth all the trouble and manpower involved.

Not a particularly good day today. I woke up with a headache but headed off to work at 6 am drugged up. Chad got a nail through his foot the other day and the tetanus injection he had to get made him feel pretty bad. Mark came home at around ten and flopped into bed - he's got some flu with high temperatures (lets hope it's not THE flu eh) and Michele, well she is exhausted. This build is killing us "gringitos" off - maybe we are just not strong enough for it - having all been used to 4 day quick builds!

Dia especial de asamblea

Today was our special assembly day and guess what - after nearly 20 years for Mark being on cleaning and me in the audit department (not for that long but a fair few years) in New Zealand - we both had the exact same jobs and that meant we were last out again! Thankfully Hermano G waited for us to finish to give us a ride home with the rest of the Gringo Team. On the subject of counting money - I have never been so confused in all my life. They do things so differently here and of course there is a bucket load of coin to count so we had a mammoth task. I hope I don't ever get that job again!
Tomorrow I have the day off but poor Mark has to work half the day guarding the bodega - he will get to sleep in just a little though so don't feel too sorry for him! Then on Tuesday we have the CO and his wife coming to stay for 2 weeks. The first week they will be in another congo and the second week with us. Phew - stop the world - I think I want to get off!

Progress report:

This was the hall before work started last Saturday

And this is what it looks like now

Gross!

Michele got quite a surprise when she pulled the chicken out of the bag - thankfully another sister was on hand to do the honors - otherwise I think we would have had trouble getting the head off without being sick!

This lady must have a stomach of steel - she has cut up so many chickens in the last two days - she deserves a medal!

Interesting job we had to do today - peel the outer husk off chick peas. Talk about mind numbing - an hours worth of work for 4 of us just so the beans looked better - oh please!!!

By the way - I think I found out what Jefa (boss) really means - chief dishwasher!
Three people didn't turn up for their shift today at lunchtime so we had to wash the dishes again - it took us till 3 pm - not really what you want to do after a 6am start!

Kitchen Kapers

The other day Michele was telling me how it's the done thing to try the food as it is cooking by putting the spoon in the pot, take a taste, then return the spoon to the pot. Ewwwh! We were hoping that the sister here to train us would put a stop to that practice but I cracked up when she did the exact same thing - even offering me a taste, then returning the spoon to the soup!
Everyone seems to have a different idea as to how things are cooked so it is a continual battle for Carina (boss lady). She is very patient though and goes with the flow. She is only here for 2 weeks and then Michele is on her own. I say that it is her on her own and not me because I would have absolutely no show telling these woman what to do.
So the schedule is this: Be at the kitchen by 6am and get prepared for breakfast, which usually involves frying something in copious amounts of oil. There are 10 on the team so breakfast is not so bad really. Lunch starts getting made at 8.30am. It always a soup first then a plate of rice with meat of some sort, salad, fresh juice and maybe a dessert. I thought I had a good plan after lunch today when I started washing the trays (we fed about 40 for lunch) so I could go home early. Ended up doing all the washing so won't be rushing to do that again. At 3 cooking starts again. And it is another plate of rice, meat and salad. Of course most of the brothers have gone home to their wives by dinner time so it's not as mad. We understand these guys have to be fed properly but they are pretty picky - one guy even refuses vegetables! It's a little annoying.
So only the second day in and I have broken all my nails from all the washing dishes. Incidentally they have to be rinsed first, washed, then passed through boiling water as the tap water may be contaminated, so it is a long process. I also have the sorest back cause all table and sinks are made for Ecuadorian size people - and I am definitely not that size!
Roll on July!