Being here is certainly more frustrating than anything else, and I don't want to glamorize life or pretend that everything is easy, but it's a very worthwhile experience overall.
In terms of daily life, the power has gone out every night for the past week and a half. I'm used to it by now, and have all my flashlights and headlamps ready to go. Blackouts are actually so common here – a serious problem for development and investment, as companies don't want to establish themselves in a country where there is common loss of power. It certainly makes stargazing incredible though! The stars are different as it's the southern hemisphere, and when there are no lights shining into the sky for miles it's very easy to see so many of them.
We started digging the holes for water harvesting tanks recently. We've completed just two holes so far but considering that each is 9ft x 10ft x 3ft, and is dug using hoes, shovels, and the labor of a group of (mostly female) farmers, I'd say that's pretty impressive. I'm excited because I found out that of the 5 tanks I know I can build so far, my two favorite old ladies are both getting one. These women seem so much younger than their years and are always laughing and smiling. They are hard-working, strong individuals, and although both are widowed and in their 70s, they still raise young orphans of the community and are out there carrying mud, digging in the dirt, and chopping down trees with the rest of the group members. They're really incredible individuals, and actually remind me a lot of my two wonderful grandmothers.