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海外建築ボランティア体験談
Overseas Building Volunteer Report

英語/English 一覧

Philippines: TUC SH Youth (Tokyo Union Church)

Team Name	TUC SH Youth (Tokyo Union Church)
Country	Philippines, Calauan, Laguna
Work site	Bayani Juan sa Calauan. One story steel-framed houses
Itinerary	9 Day(s) 12-Jun 2010(SAT) ～ 20-Jun 2010(SUN)
Member	Total: 12 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 5, High School(F): 5
Expense	Traveling:58000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:4000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Tokyo-->Manila (PAL) Manila-->Tokyo (PAL)
Report	Every morning, from the City of Spiring Hotel, we jumped on a jeepny to go to our worksite: BayaniJuan sa Calauan breathing in the air of Calauan and seeing the life of people on the street with our own eyes. At the work site, we worked with home partners and local Habitat workers. They supported us so much and we became good friends working very well together laughing and singing while sweating in the heat. We made bricks, assembled long lines to pass them, grouted them with cement, and did other bits and pieces of small tasks. On the second day of work, we visited a Habitat community nearby to the completed houses. We enjoyed playing basketball and spending time with the children there, which motivated us to work better for the following days. It was fulfilling to see the houses became taller and soon livable by the time we said good bye to the site. The Habitat staff (who also took us to wonderful Pilipino restaurants after long days of work), home partners, and workers gave us a big farewell, which we all enjoyed very much. At the very end of our stay in Calauan, we went to the International Rice Research Institute and the Museum of Natural History in the University of the Philippines. One of the greatest experience we had throughout the trip was to be able to work directly with the home partners and the local workers everyday and be inspired by their hard work and warm hospitality!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年06月12日 03:07 | パーマリンク

 

Mongolia: Seisen Phoenix (Seisen International School)

Team name	Seisen Phoenix (Seisen International School)
Country	Baganuur, Mongolia
Work site	Baganuur 1 families, small (one room), wooden frame structure with brick finish
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 07-Jun 2010(Mon) ～ 16-Jun 2010(Wed)
Member	Total: 31 Adult(M): 2, Adult(F): 3, High School(M): 1, High School(F): 25
Expense	Traveling:100,000 JPY (taxes included) / person In-country: 4,000-4,500 JPY (taxes included) / person / day
Route	Narita-->Ulaanbaatar (Miat Mongolian) Ulaanbaatar-->Narita (Miat Mongolian)
Report	▼We worked for five days (June 9-13) on a worksite in Baganuur about three hours by bus from Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia. The first two days we only worked in the morning due to rain in the afternoons, but we were able to unload all the wood and bricks for the house on the first day.▼On Day 2, we did a lot of wood work and constructed the four walls.▼Day 3 saw us raising the four walls for this single family dwelling and begin work on the roof.▼Day 4 we worked on insulating the walls with styrofoam as well as fiberglass and we continued work on the roof.▼On Day 5, our final day, we finished the woodwork on the roof and begun brick-laying. At the end of Day 5, we had a small celebration with the family and local workmen. The local accomodations in Baganuur were good and I would recommend them to any future team. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. We ate all our meals in the hotel dining hall and the food was good, though there was very little variety. Local R and R involved visiting a national park with a variety of 13th century Mongolian camps and an overnight stay in a ger, a typical Mongolian home. This was a good way to end our trip and a great opportunity to learn about Mongolian culture and history.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年06月07日 00:00 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Class of 2010 (Hokkaido Intl. School)

Team name	Class of 2010 (Hokkaido International School)
Country	Philippines
Work site	Calauan, Laguna 50 Families, interlocking block construction / row houses
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 02-Jun 2010 (WED) ～ 09-Jun 2010 (WED)
Member	Total: 14 Adult(M): 1, Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 3, High School(F):
Expense	Traveling: 82,000 JPY (taxes included) / person In-country: 5,000 JPY (taxes included) / person / day
Route	Chitose ⇔ Incheon (Korean Airlines) Inchoen ⇔ Manila (Korean Airlines)
Report	▼We had a wonderful experience in the Philippines at the Calauan site. We were able to work onsite for part or all of four days and go to experience all of the jobs connected to the construction of the interlocking block homes. We enjoyed getting to know home partners who had directly benefited from the efforts of Habitat by receiving their own home. We also greatly enjoyed getting to know the construction workers who we worked with. They were receptive, very helpful and friendly towards us.▼I believe that one of the things that could have improved our experience would have been to share more space with the local workers onsite. At breaks we spent out time under a separate shelter that was apart from the workers rest location. Although we were free to go back and forth, it made it hard to get to know them and to communicate effectively from the start. I also understand that problems could occur if proximity was too close but sometimes I felt the “divide” was too clear.▼Our R&R visit to a beach in the province of Batangas was wonderful. We enjoyed the natural beauty of the Philippines and were truly able to relax. We also had another short afternoon trip to the IRRI (International Rice Research Institute), which was very informative and impacting. I would recommend that others go to this institute if they are in the Calauan area.▼The acommodations on the first night, Makati Towers, was a little bit of a concern. They were not necessarily clean or pleasant as they were located in a seedy part of the downtown core. The beds were hard, the linens smelled of smoke and in general we did not sleep well. The hotel during the rest of the stay, Splash Mountain Hotel (part of Splash Mountain Resort) in Los Banos Municipality, was a wonderful location. We had a great stay and because of the size of the resort and the level of security, safety was never an issue.▼Hokkaido International school has had a 10 year relationship with Habitat. We continue to be supportive of the Habitat trip and believe it to be a worthwhile experience for our students. It helps us to directly cap off our curricular goals as a globally-minded institution.
Photo	Upper left: Homeowners Upper right: Interlocking block homes Lower left: The new housing area Lower right: Splash Mountain Hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年06月02日 00:00 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: St. Mary's International School

Team Name	Saint Mary's International School (Saint Mary's International School)
Country	Philippines HFHP
Work site	BayaniJuan sa Calauan, Caluan, Laguna 6 Families one story steel-framed houses
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 20-Mar 2010(SAT) ～ 27-Mar 2010(SAT)
Member	Total: 23 Adult(M): 5 , High School(M): 18
Expense	Traveling:65000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:4000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Manila (PAL) Manila-->Narita (PAL)
Report	Three rented air-conditioned vans took us to Splash Mountain Resort Hotel in Los Banos, Laguna. The rooms were clean and the food was excellent. On Day 1, after the orientation by the site engineer, we uprooted grasses, digged canals, and dumped soil on six lots, On Day 2, we continued digging and dumping soil on the lots to make the surface even. On Day 3, we assembled steel wall frames in the morning. We visited Site 1 after lunch. We distributed coned-ice cream to 400 lucky children and 22 bags or 2,200 pieces of lollipops to the remaining members of the community. We distributed assorted school supplies in bags to 23 lucky children chosen by lottery. The rest of our donations, composed of school supplies and used clothes, were turned-over to a representative of ABS Foundation. On Day 4, we left for Puerto Galera. On day 5, we went to Pagsanjan Falls in Cavinti, Laguna. This was the hightlight of our rest and recreation. Everybody enjoyed this part of the trip.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners Upper right: building Lower left: finished building Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年03月20日 18:24 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Canadian Academy

Team Name	Canadian Academy (Canadian Academy Habitat)
Country	Thailand Rayong
Work site	Rayong 1 Families Family 1 storey reinforced concrete frame concrete brick house
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 19-Mar 2010(FRI) ～ 26-Mar 2010(FRI)
Member	Total: 15 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 6, High School(F): 7
Expense	Traveling:65000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:2000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	KIX-->BKK (Thai airlines)
Report	This was my second Habitat trip and was even better than the first. Art our man on the ground in Rayong was fantastic, the perfect mix of work and fun. Art was organised and efficient while still be fun and approachable. When we arrived in Bangkok we were met at the airport and bused to Rayong, a 2 hour journey. The accommodation in Rayong was comfortable and centrally located, meaning the kids to hang out with minimal supervision. Our worksite was well organised, and safe. It was good to see the progress we made each day, working with the family and workers. Art organised wonderful R and R trips which were perfectly timed. Overall this was an excellent trip.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners Upper right: building Lower left: finished building Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年03月20日 10:17 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Viking Builders (Nishimachi Intl. School)

Team Name	Viking Builders (Nishimachi International School)
Country	Thailand, HRC North
Work site	Chiang Mai - Papai Community, 8 Families, 3 room concrete block single family home, also put in 2 septic tanks
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 18-Mar 2010(THU) ～ 27-Mar 2010(SAT)
Member	Total: 20 Adult(M): 4 , Adult(F): 5, High School(M): 6, High School(F): 5
Expense	Traveling:70480 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:4500 yen/person/day JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita<-->Bangkok<-->Chiang Mai(Thai Airline)
Report	We arrived in Chiang Mai and were warmly greeted by Malinie and her Habitat Team with a big "Welcome Viking Builders" banner and flower necklaces!! We spent the first 3 days enjoying R&R activities such as Thai Cooking Class, Wien Kum Kam temple bicycle tour, Elephant Nature Park, and Flight of the Gibbon. We stayed at the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel which was fantastic for our group of teenagers as it included breakfast, was close to the Night Market and even had a pool so they could cool off after a day of building. We built a 3 room cement brick home for a wonderful family which included a mom and 17 year old daughter. Along with their extended family, they helped us build the house. We were provided with delicious Thai snacks and lunches that were brought to our worksite daily. We worked hard and enjoyed every moment of it. Our entire team really felt that this family was very grateful and appreciative of our team and we felt lucky to be the ones giving this family a new home. Our children took this project seriously and we worked as a team with the help of several skilled workers to construct a home that we hope will bring this family many years of happiness. Our Thailand coordinator, Malinie, was just top notch in every aspect. She clearly spelled out our daily objectives and made sure we stayed safe. She set up group dinners for us that were really delicious and fun (one was even on a river boat cruise). The house dedication ceremony was very touching and with all of the family members crying, it was hard for us not to. The final dinner that our team shared with the Habitat family was so enjoyable and we really felt a connection to them. The daughter danced a beautiful Thai dance for us in her traditional dress and we just all really enjoyed each other's company. Another highlight was our visit to a local orphanage where we played games and interacted with some of the most wondeful kids and staff! Habitat is such a well run organization. All the information I recieved as a Team Leader was clear and accurate and I have nothing but praise for our experience and all the staff!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年03月18日 00:00 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: ASIJ (American School in Japan)

Team Name	ASIJ (American School in Japan)
Country	Philippines, Pasig
Work site	Pasig, 416 Families Apartment
Itinerary	7 Day(s) 14-Feb 2010(SUN) ～ 20-Feb 2010(SAT)
Member	Total: 23 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 8, High School(F): 12
Expense	Traveling:65000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:6000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Manila (Phillipines)
Report	We had an easy flight from Narita to Manila. We were greeted at the airport by our liaison and she took us to our accommodations, the Legend Villas hotel. The accommodations were very nice: nice rooms, nice pool, and a staff that went out of their way to make things easy for us. The hotel was a short walk from a small mall and a 20 minute ride from a much larger one. Transportation was in vans or “jeepnees.” Our work consisted mostly of hauling concrete blocks, 7,507, according to the report. For whatever reason (inclement weather, funding, or whatever -we never got a clear answer) the affiliate did not seem to have much work for us other than carrying blocks. We touched up plaster in a few rooms and painted a little, but it wasn’t until our last work day that they had more than a few paint brushes. It was frustrating to know that they were under time pressure to get the first building finished, but to not be able to do anything to help them with that. Wile the work was less than exciting, the contact with the home partners made up for that. For several reasons, including the welcoming nature of the people, the amount of English that they spoke, and the fact the there were so many families involved, this was by far the most interaction we have experienced on a build. The worksite was full of conversation and laughs. The real highlight was the tour through the slum area where they now live. It was an eye-opener for all of us in many ways, and it brought home just how important decent housing can be for families.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: last day of work, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年02月14日 02:22 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: NIS (Nagoya International School)

Team Name	NIS (Nagoya International School)
Country	Thailand, HRC-Central
Work site	Rayong, 1 Families, Cement Blocks
Itinerary	9 Day(s) 09-Feb 2010(TUE) ～ 17-Feb 2010(WED)
Member	Total: 10 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 6, High School(F): 2
Expense	Traveling:63000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:2953 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Bangkok (Thai) Bangkok-->Nagoya (Thai)
Report	Here is the report from NIS! Thank you for having us. It was a great experience. When we arrived in Bangkok, we were welcomed by Pin. She took us to our work town, Rayong. She showed us around that night and we spent some time at the market. After a good night, we were ready for work. The next morning Art was there to take us to our working site, It has been a tough week, working under extreme weather conditions. We all worked very hard. But we were happy doing it. The worksite was very safe and the owner always had something for us to munch on. Every night we had something planned, we got time for great thai massages, shopping and visiting sites. On Friday, we visited a local school and spent an afternoon with lovely kids who spoke great English surprisingly! We also decided to spend a day on Samed Islands and it was lovely. Like our reward after all the hard work. We stayed at a very nice hotel that was localted about 10 minutes from downtown. Hotel Madina has big and clean rooms. The breakfast is buffet style, perfect for those growing teenagers. The students loved it and the teachers too: not being in the center was good, we didn't worry about the students getting out at night. All together, it was an amazing experience. The house dedication ceremony was very touching. The best comment came from a student: "they give us more than what we give them." Right there we knew the trip was worthwhile. On behalf of NIS, thank you so much.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2010年02月09日 03:53 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Team Habitat KIST (K International School)

Team Name	Team Habitat KIST (K. International School Tokyo)
Country	Chiang Mai Thailand
Work site	1 Families, Concrete Block
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 08-Jun 2009(MON) ～ 17-Jun 2009(WED)
Member	Total: 19 (Adult(M): 3 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 6, High School(F): 9)
Expense	Traveling: JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	N/A
Report	The house walls outside and inside were completed, but the finishing exterior was not. I have no photos of the accomodations however, they were very nice and all the team members enjoyed the trip. The planned activities and meals were outstanding and the Habitat for Humanity host was very accomodating. In all, the trip was a total success for the students who participated and the adult supervisors.
Photo	Upper left: team and family photo, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年06月08日 11:35 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Hokkaido IS Class of 2009

Team Name	Class of 2009 HFH Team (Hokkaido International School)
Country	Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan, Philippines
Work site	Barangay Bahile, Puerto Princesa City; 3 Families, One story house of concrete interlocking brick technology
Itinerary	11 Day(s) 03-Jun 2009(WED) ～ 13-Jun 2009(SAT)
Member	Total: 17 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 7, High School(F): 8
Expense	Traveling:113100 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:6600 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Sapporo-->Manila (Korean Air) Manila-->Puerto Princesa (Philippine Air)
Report	The Hokkaido International School high school Class of 2009 formed a GV team in June, 2009. We traveled to the Philippines to work at Barangay Bahile, Puerto Princesa City under the guidance of Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan Habitat for Humanity. Work commenced on 3 houses in various stages of completion. At the conclusion of four and a half days of work, all three houses were nearly finished, and these three house were dedicated and handed over to the home partners. Construction was based in the concrete interlocking block technology. Team members assisted skilled workers and home partners in various tasks, including brick making, brick laying, concrete mixing (for the concrete floor), rebar form making, and septic tank hole excavation. During tour stay in Palawan, lodging was at Balay Inato pension in central Puerto Princesa City. One evening, night, and morning was spent in Barangay Bahile as part of a homestay experience. Each team member was housed in the local community, most members staying in the type of house we were constructing. Of the 11-day trip, 5 days were spent at the worksite, 2 days were for travel, and 4 days of exploring the Philippines. Of those four sightseeing days, one day was at Puerto Princesa City, two were visiting the natural beauty of Palawan Island, and one was spent in the shopping district of Ayala Center in Manila.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年06月03日 12:19 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Sendai JETs

Team Name	Sendai JETs
Country	Philippines, Zion Puerto Princesa Habitat for Humanity
Work site	Barangay Bahile, Palawan, 5 Families, 1 story houses made of interlocking, cement blocks
Itinerary	15 Day(s): 25-Apr 2009(SAT) ～ 09-May 2009(SAT)
Member	Total: 11, JET(M): 6, JET(F): 5
Expense	Traveling:64320 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita, Japan-->Manila, Philippines (Philippine Airlines) Manila, Philippines-->Puerto Princesa, Philippines (Cebu Pacific Air)
Report	Our Sendai JET team assembled in August 08 to begin a 9 month long fundraising process that resulted in an unforgettable, fulfilling week of working alongside volunteers and families to build houses in Puerto Princesa (PPS). Gathered from the U.S., Canada, Japan, and New Zealand to teach English in Japan, some of us knew each other for less than a month before committing to H4H. Though we had two veteran volunteers, no one anticipated the amount of work & sweat that went into the fundraising, preparation, and building of the houses. What we also didn’t realize was how life-changing this trip would be, and how much we would take back from it. AFFILIATE: The Zion Habitat Palawan volunteers were a pleasure to work with and made us feel amazingly welcome in Palawan. Straight off the airplane at PPS, they greeted us with a huge “Mabuhai” sign, shell leis, and warm hugs, which set the tone of the trip. During the first night in Palawan they presented a very organized and informative powerpoint presentation, explaining the H4H organization on international and local scales. They spoke about the history and specific goals of their affiliate program and clarified questions we had regarding the itinerary and expenses. On site, they introduced us to the Bahile Community and led our opening and closing ceremonies. They supervised our daily routines, making sure that we had food, water, and transportation. They also organized our R&R days: island hopping and snorkeling in the pristine waters of Honda Bay, and visiting Sabang beach on our last day. Whenever we had a question or concern, they would gladly help us out. ACCOMODATION: Just 5 minutes from PPS airport, we drove to the Balay Inato Pension which was our accommodation throughout building week. It was simple, clean, safe, and affordable. We had 4 rooms of 2-3 people, most with single twin beds and some with a shared double bed. There was cable TV in the rooms and the hotel had internet access and laundry services. The staff was very friendly and breakfast good and ready by 7:00AM! We had no difficulty storing our valuables in a safe box in a locked room. We did however encounter problems with the showers and toilets throughout the week. BUILDING: We drove 45 minutes to the Barangay Bahile village and worked from 8AM-4PM every day. Pat, our engineer, explained the layout and dynamics of building a house and assigned us tasks and goals. We also worked closely with skilled workers and home partners from Bahile. Tasks included: laying the houses’ concrete flooring by mixing & pouring bags of cement & dirt, digging the base for the septic tank, wheel-barrowing cement bricks, laying bricks in formation & pouring concrete to reinforce them, making the interlocking concrete blocks, and twisting wires around the metal beams for support. By the end of the week we blessed & dedicated 5 houses: completing 3 previously begun houses and starting 2 more. It was muscle-straining and hot, but Pat had a first-aid kit on site for safety, and volunteers monitored our breaks, giving us water, snacks, and a gourmet lunch buffet. Holistically, the H4H experience was a beautiful experience: beautiful people, beautiful cause, beautiful place, but I think we’ll most remember the individual faces and names that touched us and contributed to making our trip successful. Aside from the Palawan volunteers, our drivers & bodyguards became our friends, sharing stories and laughs over dinner. The Bahile community welcomed us with open arms: from the smiles & “Magandang Umaga,” to the children performing folk dances, the daily conversations on and off the worksite, and families welcoming us into their homes for homestays. Many of us have names, pictures, and exchanged information to sustain the relationships we’ve formed. In the end, we learned that the H4H experience was more than just building houses; it was about home, family, and finding the common thread that ties together those from all walks of life.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年05月28日 02:44 | パーマリンク

 

Malaysia: Nagoya International School

Team Name	Nagoya International School (-)
Country	Malaysia, Kutching
Work site	1 Families, Concrete
Itinerary	7 Day(s) 17-May 2009(SUN) ～ 23-May 2009(SAT)
Member	Total: 12 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 4, High School(F): 6
Expense	Traveling:84760 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:18000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Singapore (Singapore Airlines) Singapore-->Kutching (Silk Air)
Report	The Kutching Affliate was a well-organized group of people that really made us feel welcomed, prepared and comfortable. Angelina was fantastic. She was very knowledegable and took great care of us. All the people that we met were extremely kind and generous. Eric gave us great demonstrations and guided us on the worksite. When we arrived, the roof was built. Eric directed us on building the foundation. All the students were given jobs to hammer, bend metal, saw or organize. Throughout the week, although it was very hard labor, the studens were well supervised and worked hard. The family was amazing and the students made such nice friendships with them all. The mother cooked us delicious lunches and desserts. We will never forget them. We stayed in a hostel which was very clean and convenient. The girls were in a dorm room and the boys had twin beds. After work, we would shower and walk around Kutching. We ate at restaurants every night except for the last night. On the last day (our R&R day) Angelina helped us set up a tour of the Orangutan conservatory and the Long Houses, a community of houses built on stilts. Everyone had a such a positive experience and we are grateful for having met everyone in Malaysia HFH (Kutching).
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年05月17日 11:04 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines：JET Christian Fellowship

Team Name	JET Christian Fellowship
Country	Philippines, Puerto Princesa
Work site	Bahile, Puerto Princesa, 4 Families, Concrete block home
Itinerary	8 Day(s); 02-May 2009(SAT) ～ 09-May 2009(SAT)
Member	Total: 20; Adult(M): 1 , JET(M): 5, JET(F): 14
Expense	Traveling:52000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:35000 Yen JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Osaka-->Manila (Cebu Airways), Manila-->Osaka (Cebu Airways)
Report	This trip was a wonderful opportunity to get a glimpse of life in the Philippines and be immersed in the culture, if only for such a short time. The small community of Bahile was very warm and welcoming and the swarms of children were always waiting to greet us and play with us each day - so adorable! We spent 5 days at the village and during our time there we worked on 4 different basic concrete block homes. We helped by making bricks, carrying bricks, brick laying, shoveling, making cement, pounding the foundations, digging holes and more. HFH aim to build is 400 in total for families in need. We were also blessed to have the opportunity to have a one-night homestay with some of the local families on the last night. I think this was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. Good food and company and a small insight into the simple lives they lead. The last two days of the trip was the rest and recreation part. The first day we all went to the underground cave in a boat and then spent a relaxing afternoon at the gorgeous beach! The second day we broke up in groups with some of us shopping and roaming the city, island hopping and swimming with the whale sharks - amazing! We stayed at a very comfortable hotel called The Bran Pension Hotel which was reasonably priced, clean and spacious and had good meals. Here is a comment sent through from one of the team members on the trip: "I had high expectations for my Habitat trip to the Philippines, and they were surpassed! I couldn't have asked for a better experience -- working on a house with new friends, playing with adorable children, eating fantastic food and enjoying myself in the tropical paradise atmosphere. It's a week that I'll remember for the rest of my life, and I treasure the memories!" Thank God for this wonderful opportunity and His unconditional love and blessings! May He continue to work in the hearts of all those we met and HFH worldwide.
Photo	Upper left: building, Upper right: team with Habitat staff Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年05月02日 02:43 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: St. Mary's International School

Team Name	Saint Mary's International School (Saint Mary's International School)
Country	Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan, Philippines
Work site	Barangay Bahile, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; 3 Families; Concrete one-story house
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 21-Mar 2009(SAT) ～ 28-Mar 2009(SAT)
Member	Total: 26 Adult(M): 3 , Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 21
Expense	Traveling:75000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Manila (Philippine Airlines) Manila-->Puerto Princesa (Philippine Airlines)
Report	This is the 6th annual trip of Saint Mary's International School to the Philippines and its second visit to Zion Puerto Princesa. The international and domestic carrier of the team was Philippine Airlines. The trip was held in a total of eight days. The team had an overnight stay at Shalom Center in Manila. This hotel was just a block away from Robinson's Department store. In Puerto Princesa City, the team was accommodated at Balay Inato, The rooms were spacious, clean, and staffed with polite, kind, and courteous employees. In our first day of work at Barangay Bahile, an orientation was held to familiarize us with the policies, procedures, and daily work routines. We kept our belongings in a storage room at the worksite's office with the key entrusted to me. We worked on three lots with the inititial foundations of the supposed houses ready. We carried bricks, laid bricks for the walls, mixed cement, put gravel in bags, carried bags of gravel and sand, fabricated bricks, poured cement into the crevices of the laid bricks on the walls, filtered the big chunks of stones from the mixture of gravel and sand, and dig two septic reservoirs. We had our daily breakfast at Balay Inato and lunches and snacks in Purok Hall at the project site. The food served during lunch was excellent! We enjoyed eating fresh ripe mangoes, sweet pineapples, and ripe bananas for dessert. We went sightseeing at the Underground River and Nature's Park; swimming at Taraw Beach; island hopping, swimming, and snorkling at Honda Bay; and shopping at the local markets for souvenirs. We took part in the dedication of five houses to the new homeowners. We donated some school materials to the Day Care Center; distributed chocolates to the children and villagers; and donated some construction materials to the affiliate, We also had a Basketball Friendship Game with the local Youth Team. This trip was indeed a very rewarding experience!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年03月21日 10:04 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: SUAC HABITAT FOR HUMANITY JAPAN (Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)

Team Name	SUAC HABITAT FOR HUMANITY JAPAN (Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)
Country	Philippines, CAGAYAN VALLEY
Work site	HIWALAYAN BACONG, SAN LUIS AURORA; CONCRETE
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 05-Mar 2009(THU) ～ 14-Mar 2009(SAT)
Member	Total: 19 Univ. Stud.(M): 3, Univ. Stud.(F): 15, Chaperone: 1
Expense	Traveling: JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	NARITA-->MANILA (NW78-NW 1) MANILA-->NAGOYA (NW 72)
Report	We arrived safely at NINOY AQUINO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT at 11PM on the 5th of march. The program administrator Adriang Saturno was waiting for us as planned. We boarded a bus at 12:30am and drove for 8 hours to our final destination,BALLER AURORA PROVINCE. We went directly to AMCO BEACH RESORT, where we stayed for the whole trip. - Day One: That morning we had breakfast and met some people from the Municipal Hall, together with the ex-Major of Baller Aurora. After breakfast we had some time to relax before heading to the work site HIWALAYAN BACONG, SAN LUIS AURORA. When we got there, we were so surprised that they had prepared us such a nice warm welcome party with fanfare, singing and some lovely speeches. It made us really happy! - Day Two: For our first day of work at Hiwalayan Habitat, we began to understand the complex artistry of a carpenter's job. The work wasn't so easy, but we had lots of fun at the same time. The families were so nice to us and the workers were very patient and kind. Also the kids were so lovely and fun to be around. And the food was great! - Day Three: Second day of work at the site. We started to familiarize ourselves with the tools and techniques we were using. The team members were doing great! And the relation ship between the families and us, was very harmonic and friendly; So we worked until late afternoon. Then we played with the kids for a while. - - Day Four: We woke up at 4:50am and went to the beach to see the sunrise, then went back to the hotel room and slept for one more hour. After breakfast, we went to see the oldest tree of the Philippines. It was so amazing! Then after lunch ,we worked at the site for a few hours. Then we were introduced to the families, one by one. After the formal introductions we played London Bridges withe all the kids from the neighborhood until late at night. -Day five: Our forth day of work at the site, we were so happy to see some results from our efforts since day one. At 3pm we visited the Municipal Hall. As usual we had a very warm welcome from them, with drinks,snacks and a very special and beautiful hand made hat for each of us. - Day Six: We worked until 3pm and then we went visit the elementary school of San Luis Aurora. It was so nice ! There were lots of kids and they danced for us. We talked and took lots of pictures together. -Day seven : We were so sad that it was our last day of work and specially spending such a wonderful time with the local families and kids. -Day eight: In the morning we went see a stunning fall. And the college of technology. After 4PM we left Baler Aurora and headed to Manila. -Day nine: After a good night sleep in a hotel in Manila, we had a nice breakfast and went to the sight seeing, such as: one of the oldest church and a museum. After lunch we went to the Mall to buy some souvenirs to our dear ones in Japan. We left Manila airport around 6:40AM and arrived safely in Nagoya airport four hours after. If I have a chance to go back to the Philippines, I would definitely go visit Baler Aurora Province. People there are so kind and warm. And thanks to Mrs. Adriang Saturno and Mr. Robert who were so generous and helpful to us the whole time, we had a great and unforgettable time there!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年03月05日 14:24 | パーマリンク

 

Malaysia：Keiwa International Volunteers (Keiwa College)

Team Name	Keiwa International Volunteers (Keiwa College)
Country	Malaysia, Kuching
Work site	wood post construction
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 16-Feb 2009(MON) ～ 25-Feb 2009(WED)
Member	Total: 8 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, Univ. Stud.(M): 3, Univ. Stud.(F): 3
Expense	Traveling: 88,670 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 3,125 Yen JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita--Kota Kinabaru--Kuching (Malaysia Airlines), Kuching--Kuala Lumpur--Narita (Malaysia Airlines)
Report	Once again the KIV had a brilliant time working on a house. One thing that stood out this year was that the house was a wood post construction rather than the concrete block construction that had been our experience for the past 5 years. Eric, our supervisor in Kuching, managed us all very well with the right mix of humor and attentive instruction. Our school visit went very well, giving our students a chance to meet young school pupils and to convey something about Japanese culture to them. Our R&R was to the Iban Tribe's longhouse, a trip that involved a long boat ride up river in an Indiana Jones movie atmosphere. We look forward to the opportunity to participate again next spring!
Photo	Upper left: Team, Upper right: First day of work Lower left: Last day of work * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年02月16日 04:29 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: ASIJ (American School in Japan)

Team Name	ASIJ (American School in Japan)
Country	Thailand, Korat
Work site	2 Families, Concrete block
Itinerary	8 Day(s): 15-Feb 2009(SUN) ～ 22-Feb 2009(SUN)
Member	Total: 27 Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 8, High School(F): 17
Expense	Traveling:88000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:4000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Bangkok (Singapore)
Report	We left home early in the morning to make our 11am flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. The Habitat affiliate director, Pug, and a volunteer liaison, Jup, greeted us and took us to our bus. The 3 ½ hour long ride was comfortable and air-conditioned. We arrived at the Hotel Saiba, a new hotel about 30 minutes from our work site and were given the first of many incredible meals. The food alone is a good reason to choose Thailand as a destination for building houses. We met the homeowners at dinner, which was a bit awkward at first, as you might imagine. We were greeted warmly at the work site the next day, and we settled down to work. Twelve students went to one house and 13 to the other. The work was just the right amount for the number of students that we had. A few more students per house, and we might have been sitting around looking for something to do. A few fewer students and we might have found it hard to get the work done. The pillars and roofs were already put up before we got there and our task was to build the walls with concrete block and to pour the floor. The homeowners were right there working with us the whole time, and we quickly got beyond the awkwardness of the language barrier. Our R and R consisted of a visit to a local pottery making area and a historical site based around a huge ancient wat. In the evenings we had the options of the local mall or the night market. There were several good restaurants that could accommodate a group like ours. The highlight of our time away from the work site, however, was the visit to the local school. Our students broke up into groups of 3 and visited individual classrooms, interacting with the students through song and dance, The dedication ceremony was very touching and just the right length. After it was over, our group and the homeowners shared a meal in the newly completed house. We cannot say enough about the warmth, organization, and dedication of the Korat affiliate. Pug and Jup went out of their way to accommodate us and make this a special trip. The construction supervisor on one site, Tiger, really boded with some of our guys and spent a lot of time putting together a video, which he burned to dvds and gave to each of us on our way out. We highly recommend the Korat affiliate as a place to work. We’ll be back.
Photo	Upper left: With homeowners, Upper right: Between building Lower left: Finished building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2009年02月15日 02:57 | パーマリンク

 

Malaysia: Canadian Academy Habitat For Humanity Group

Team Name	Canadian Academy Habitat For Humanity Group (Canadian Academy)
Country	Kuching, Malaysia
Work site	2 Families Brick walls and concrete floors
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 24-Oct 2008(FRI) ～ 31-Oct 2008(FRI)
Member	Total: 23 Adult(M): 2 , Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 9, High School(F): 10
Expense	Traveling:110000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:2000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Kansai-->Kuching (MH51-MH385) Kuching-->Kansai (MH618-MH52)
Report	We boarded the bus on a gray raining Friday morning, happy in the knowledge that we were missing an extra day of school. A more moderate sized group than in previous years, 19 students volunteers and 4 chaperones depart Kansai International airport at 11am for Kota Kinabalu and our ultimate destination Kuching. We stayed in the comfortable Telang Usan hotel. Kuching Habitat is very well organized and on our first morning Angelina gave the group a thorough briefing and we were ready to go. Following our briefing Sara and Sean, aided by their parents Sam and Min gave us an overview of Kuching and a wonderful walking tour of Kuching. Kuching is a small manageable city with many interesting places that you can safely explore. Sam and Min arranged for our group to try a traditional Malay breakfast, which set us up for the day ahead. The work site was between 45 and 60 minutes from the hotel, depending on the driver and therefore the route. All the drivers were friendly but some had a better sense of direction than others. Thankfully Malaysian GPS (stop and ask someone to lead you) worked like a charm! The worik site was in a beautiful spot, nestled on the edge of the jungle and over looking the local elementary school. Habitat was building two houses for two brothers. The sister was already living next to the site and one of the brothers was sharing the house. The families were warm, friendly and happy to see us and we settled into our work straight away. The person that made our trip so special was Eric Yap our awesome site manager who approached everything in a positive helpful manor. This isn't an easy task when you have 20+ novice builders with 20+ questions. Eric was fantastic and marshalling, encouraging and working with us. On the Sunday of our trip the villagers challenged us to a soccer match, at this point I should point out that I played for the home team - just to integrate cultures etc. The final score, home side 7 visitors 6! It was a great way to meet the villagers and have some fun in the process. We were also lucky enough to be asked to visit the local elementary school and we were well prepared with gifts from Japan. The students had just completed their exams and were getting ready to break ofr a long Christmas holiday. Our visit culminated in the biggest game of duck, duck, goose I have ever seen! On the site, Eric and the family had already built the roof, which gave us welcome shade from the sun. Our job began with digging trenches for foundations and bending steel for the reinforced concrete. We mixed a lot of concrete during our time and learnt a great deal about reinforcing this concrete. The final day we were able to start laying bricks and seeing the hard work we put into the foundations really pay off. We left the site with mixed emotions, happy that we had worked so hard but sad that we couldn't have seen the project through further. Our last day in Kuching was spent with the Orangutans and souvenier shopping before and 8pm flight back to Kuala Lumpur and onto Osaka. If you are planning a Habitat trip and Malaysia is on your short list, visit Kuching. The Kuching group is well run by people who truly care. Angelina and Eric are just two of the wonderful people from Habitat Kuching that helps us derectly, behind the scenes is dedicate group of people helping Malaysians, build homes and build hope.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年10月24日 10:55 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Tochigi JET

Team Name	Tochigi JETs (Tochigi JETs)
Country	Thailand Rayong
Work site	1 Family A one-story concrete house made from concrete bricks
Itinerary	9 Day(s) 07-Aug 2008(THU) ～ 15-Aug 2008(FRI)
Member	Total: 10 Adult(F): 3, JET(M): 2, JET(F): 5
Expense	Traveling:100000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:2600 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Bangkok(Singapore Airlines) Bangkok-->Narita(Singapore Airlines)
Report	Every year, a group of JETs living in Tochigi Prefecture organizes a team through Habitat to build houses in South East Asia. From August 7th - 15th, our ten-member team volunteered to help a family living in Rayong, Thailand. This is about two and a half hours southeast of Bangkok. On the first day we met the Habitat staff who then introduced to us the homeowners of the house we were to build. Meeting the couple was important because we worked alongside with them throughout the week. The cooperation and teamwork built unity among the members of our team and foster better relations with not only the family we were helping but everyone in the village. Each day the construction supervisor gave our team goals to attain, so that progressed could be made at the end of the day. Though professional workers were also at the site to show us how to use tools and teach us various construction methods, our group was vital in making the cement and carrying materials necessary for the building project. During the week, some local teenage volunteers joined our group and assisted in the project. It was good to see the youth take an active role in helping people from their community. It also gave our team the chance to communicate with them throughout the day. During the break and lunch times, a famiy was chosen to provide all the meals. We were provided with a variety of different foods and fruits that energized us for the strenuous work. After a long day of work, we got on our rented jeepney and rode to our accommodation. Besides being only a 20 minute drive from the worksite, it also had air-conditioning, a TV (with some English channels), and laundry service for a reasonable price. The friendly staff always greeted us with a smile and provided assistance if we had any troubles. There was also a huge supermarket nearby to go shopping in the evening. While Habitat provides volunteers to interact with people at the worksite, they also provide opportunities such as homestays and the chance to go to an orphanage or a school. During the middle of our work experience, our team had the opportunity to visit an elementary school. Upon arriving, the children, dressed in their traditional costumes, danced and performed a song for us. We also played games and shared some fun English-related activities with the kids. This experience not only gave us a break from working but also allowed us to interact with the local people and learn some of their customs while also sharing our own. It is definitely worthwhile to have this chance to do something in the community. It will enrich your overall experience with Habitat.
Photo	Upper left:Team Members with Home Owners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年08月07日 12:11 | パーマリンク

 

Mongolia: Tokyoites

Team Name	Tokyoites
Country	Mongolia Erdenet
Work site	8 Families Concrete block walls, wooden roof structure, aluminum roof
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 02-Aug 2008(SAT) ～ 11-Aug 2008(MON)
Member	Total: 15 Adult(M): 4 , Adult(F): 3, High School(F): 8
Expense	Traveling:135000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:3500 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Ulan Batar (MIAT)
Report	Our team of 15, 7 adults and 8 high school girls, worked at the HFH Mongolia site at Erdenet. We worked on 8 early-stage houses, though the site contained many more finished and occupied homes. Work performed: carrying wood, water & sand, pouring concrete foundations, building concrete block walls, erecting a brick chimney, fabricating and installing wooden roof support structures, nailing roofing panels, painting, laying wooden floors, hanging a door, external plastering/stucco. Work not performed: insulation, interior finishes or electrical work. The local affiliate representative, the translator and the professionals at the work site were extremely helpful. Family members worked hard alongside us. On the second day we were joined by a team of 10 Korean high school & college students. The local professionals were adept at overcoming the language barrier. Something to keep in mind: Mongolians don't point at things. On the first day, we all worked hard to divine what the pros were indicating by nods of their heads. After that, we either learned the Mongolian words or made sure that the commonly asked for tools were kept far apart from each other. Accommodation on arrival in Ulan Bataar (""UB"") was at the Guide House Hotel, which was serviceable. The next day we did some sightseeing and attended a Mongolian cultural performance, which was fascinating, and exceeded everyone's expectations. That evening we boarded a Soviet-era overnight train to Erdenet. The 1st class compartments hold four people each. Bring your own food, toilet paper and water. A longer ride than taking a taxi, but you get to sleep much of the way. In Erdenet we stayed at the Erdenet Hotel, a pleasant place with bright rooms, good plumbing and plenty of hot water for showers, only a short drive from the site. We chose to eat lunch at the site, rather than to spend time driving back into town. The first day we did take-out from the hotel, but on subsequent days we had our translator obtain food from the better, and less expensive, ""National Mongolian Fast Food"" restaurant in Erdenet. The vegetarian on our team even found some acceptable dishes. (In general, Mongolia is a tough place for vegetarians and bringing one's own peanut butter or other portable food is recommended for those with dietary restrictions.) On the last day of work we had an afternoon gathering with the families, workers and our team. Our high schoolers sang ""Lean on Me"" with tight harmony, and the Mongolians sang traditional song for us. A few tears were shed as we said goodbye. We spent the final two days in Mongolia staying in gers at the Majaa Resort. In a beautiful location, we hiked, rode horses, picked strawberries and watched a ger disassembly/erection demonstration. Food was excellent. Living in the gers solidified our understanding of why families want real housing, even if there is no indoor plumbing. Finally, we took the overnight train back to UB, going directly from the train station to the airport for our 10:15 am flight home. Before arrival, several team members expressed concern about what they would be able to accomplish, due to their lack of experience in building. By the end of the trip, every team member felt that he or she had made a real contribution to the families' living conditions and that it was a valuable and rewarding experience.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年08月02日 11:45 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Seisen International School

Team Name	Seisen International School (Seisen International School)
Country	Thailand HRC North
Work site	Chiang Mai, 1 Family
Itinerary	12 Day(s) 12-Jun 2008(THU) ～ 23-Jun 2008(MON)
Member	Total: 19 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 2, High School(F): 16
Expense	Traveling:82930 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:3000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Tokyo-->Bangkok->Chiang Mai (Thai Air) Chiang Mai-->Bangkok-->Tokyo(Thai Air)
Report	Our initial impression of the CH Hotel was unfavourable, as the dinner on arrival I had ordered, was not prepared. Also, an excess of rain recently meant that some toilets were non-functional! However, afterwards things greatly improved as the staff tried very hard, and I would strongly recommend this hotel to any future Habitat team, especially as the twin rooms only cost $25 ! The rooms are spacious with good A/C and good, hot showers; and after toiling at the construction site our students greatly appreciated the small swimming pool. I would recommend eating in the hotel restaurant every alternate night or so as the food proved to be plentiful, tasty and extremely good value at 120 Baht p.p. The hotel is located immediately adjacent to the night market, and we found that it was safe to allow the girls to wander by themselves in groups of four, up to 9:30 p.m. Very near the hotel is an efficient and cheap laundry (60Bt/Kg to wash, dry and iron; I carried the team’s dirty clothes there every two days or so), and next door to this there is a respectable Thai massage salon with well-trained professional staff (200Bt/Hr) - the girls greatly enjoyed this and returned repeatedly. There is also adjacent a 7/11 shop and an ATM machine. The construction site itself was excellently organised by the local Habitat staff (Malinie, Art and others) with safety considerations paramount. The briefings, constructional instruction, toilet and lunch provision, medical emergency arrangements etc were all meticulous. Malinie in fact was an ideal local leader - friendly, hardworking, and helpful in every possible way! Concerning the weekend recreational trips, on one day I would recommend visiting... (a) the Ban Hmong hill tribe centre (excellent) (b) the orchid/butterfly farm, where lunch can be obtained (c) the snake farm (spectacular - a highlight!) (d) the San Kamphaeng silk village (time permitting) (e) the Walking Street market (after dinner) On another day... (a) the Wat Phra That Doi Suthep Temple (b) a walking tour inside the city walls of the 3 major temples located there (take umbrellas). [I think the students would benefit from a brief introduction to Thai architecture and culture before the trip!] The elementary school visit (on a weekday afternoon) was a tremendous success, and I would like to thank Art for planning the games and gifts - his ideas worked very well! A third weekend possibility, low-key, but greatly enjoyed by the students, and recommended as a culmination of the whole trip, was to the Mae Taeng elephant centre, with a demonstration, an hour’s elephant ride, and an hour’s bamboo rafting down-river. At the end of our working week, the house-dedication ceremony was extremely moving, bringing tears to the eyes of the new home-owner, and provoking the students to reflect seriously on what they were achieving.Just before leaving, we visited a local HIV orphanage, and also went to see the impoverished and rather shocking accomodation that our home-owner was being released from. All this contributed to the education of our students. We actually held pre-dinner 45 minute “reflections” four times over the trip, in a meeting room provided by the hotel, and these were genuinely valuable in encouraging articulation of the student’s observations and thoughts, we felt. Lastly, in terms of funding the 2009 trip, and taking into account increasing costs, I would recommend the parents be charged a flat fee of 100 000 yen (except for any scholarship cases), thus allowing sufficient money for a sizeable donation to the very well-run and worthwhile local Habitat organisation; but still direct a major effort towards Seisen fundraising by the students themselves i.e via the Talent Show, the free dress day, the Teacher’s Banquet, the White Elephant Sale, ice-cream, hot-dog and twice-weekly Bake Sales etc. In 2008 the total amount raised by these and other activities exceeded 800 000 yen, but be warned, it was hard work!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年06月12日 14:58 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Hokkaido International School

Team Name	Hokkaido International School class of 2008 (Hokkaido International School)
Country	Philippines Bicol
Work site	Balatas, Steel frame
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 01-Jun 2008(SUN) ～ 08-Jun 2008(SUN)
Member	Total: 19 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 8, High School(F): 9
Expense	Traveling: JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:32100 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Sapporo-->Naga City (Jal and Phil. Air) Naga City-->Sapporo (JAL and Phil. Air)
Report	Hokkaido International School, a team of 19 people; 17 high school seniors and 2 adults. Worksite was the Balatas neighborhood, Naga City, Bicol Philippines. We were treated with fine hospitality and warmth. Our accomodations (Naga Regent Hotel) were more than satisfactory (COLD AirCon!) and convienient to the heart of Naga City, although those travellers expecting "five star" lodgings and luxury may be disapponted . Our host coordinator was professional and attentive. Our R&R activities included a day trip to Atulayan Island (recommended!), shopping and time to explore the Naga City environs, hearty meals and visits to alternate work sites, the local university, and an audience with the Mayor.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年06月01日 11:53 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Osaka International School

Team Name	Osaka International School
Country	Thailand Udon Thani
Work site	Nongnakam Village, Udon Thani Province, 1 Family
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 24-May 2008(SAT) ～ 02-Jun 2008(MON)
Member	Total: 13 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 7, High School(F): 4
Expense	Traveling:79860 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:3000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Kansai-->Bangkok-->Udon Thani (THAI AIR) Udon Thani -->Bangkok-->Kansa(THAI AIR)
Report	We took a group of final year high school students to Udon Thani province in Thailand for a week long build. We were charged with building 1 house for a family in Nongnakam Village where there are a number of Habitat houses. The afiliate group were sensational! Tasani, the leader in Udon Thani, Pear who organised our group particularly, and all the guys on the worksite were both really pleasant and welcoming and also really helpful and very good company. I can only say good things about them and their organisation! Our school have been to Udon Thani several times before and so we knew what we were going to and I would highly recommend that we continue to go there and continue to forge close ties with that particular afiliate. The worksite felt safe and was very well stocked with water, food and drinks for the whole week. Of course the heat is an issue, but the guys there are very careful to ensure that you take enough breaks and take in enough fluid. The jobsite orientation was sound and we did see several highly poisonous snakes and scorpions throughout the week, but they were quickly dealt with by the experts. Lunch was also fantastic! On the final day we took the option to visit the Thai Laos Friendship Bridge, ate lunch by the Mekong River, shopped a little at the Indo China Market, and visited some fantastic stone sculptures. It was an excellent finish to an excellent week. The kids enjoyed the down time and it wasn't too much in terms of a sightseing day - highly recommended. We used the Chareon Hotel again - absolutely more than adequate. It was a 20 minute ride to the jobsite and is comfortable if not luxurious. There are a couple of good and reasonable restaurants in the hotel, particularly the one overlooking the lake, and it has a decent pool that is safe to swim in! There is a large and popular nightclub attached to the hotel, but then where is there not in Thailand!! It is also very convenient for both the airport and for central Udon Thani. In fact it is only a 10 minute walk into the centre where there are a multitude of places to eat out. Overall a great experience and a great team in Udon Thani. The farewell dinner and the welcome dinners were a lot of fun and a nice touch. Highly recommended!! One extra thing: we had an excellent half day at a local school playing with the kids and teaching them dances and songs from Japan. We took some money and purchased an amount of sports equipment for the school - this went down really well.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年05月25日 14:31 | パーマリンク

 

Mongolia: Nagoya International School

Team Name	Nagoya International School
Country	Mongolia Darkhan
Work site	2 Families Cinder Block House
Itinerary	6 Day(s) 18-May 2008(SUN) ～ 23-May 2008(FRI)
Member	Total: 19 Adult(M): 2 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 7, High School(F): 9
Expense	Traveling:117280 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:30000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Korea-->Ulaanbaatar (Korean Air) Ulaanbaatar-->Korea-->Nagoya (Korean Air)
Report	Habitat for Humanity Mongolia was a very fulfilling experience for us all. Our leader, Batbold Bor and our guide Bina, were extremely helpful and accommodating. Bina guided us through our work days and also gave us wonderful insight into the Mongolian culture. We are were able to work at two sites plastering the houses with sand and cement. We split the students up among the two houses. Habitat provided plastering tools and gave us a brief demonstration on how to plaster. If we would go again, we would bring our own tools, for there were not enough for all students. The worksite was in an open field surrounded by other Habitat Homes. We worked for two and a half days. One evening after work, Bina took us around Darkhan to a poverty housing area. On the second and third days, the weather was not very good. We were met with rain and a sand storm, so work was halted. Because of the poor weather, Bina took us for a tour of the countryside. In between the rain, we were able to ride camels and go to the Black Market. On the last day before our R&R, we helped the families move bricks and put in installation. We then presented gifts that the students had brought for the families. Our R&R days were very memorable. We went to a national park outside of Ulaanbaatar where we camped in traditional gers, saw a star constellation presentation and rode horses. When we arrived back to Ulaanbaatar we went to Zaisan Hill and saw The National Song and Dance Ensemble, "Tumen Ekh."It was a trip that the students will take with them for a long time.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年05月18日 13:26 | パーマリンク

 

India: Saga JET

Team Name	Saga JET
Country	India
Work site	Vambapet, Pondicherry, 90 Families Concrete
Itinerary	12 Day(s): 24-Apr 2008(TUE) ～ 05-May 2008(SAT)
Member	Total: 13 /JET(M): 4, JET(F): 9
Expense	Traveling:110000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:70000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Fukuoka-->Bangkok (Thai Airways)
Report	From the moment we arrived in Pondicherry, our Habitat Host Affiliate took care of all of our needs and concerns and made everyone feel welcome. Many of us weren't sure what to expect (some of us had prior Habitat or prior Global Village experience, but none in India), but we were given all of the information we needed. Our days at the worksite were intense and rewarding, though many of us felt that we wished that we had been able to do more. The amount that we were able to work was limited by a number of factors, including the heat, illness, a death in the village, etc. We were able to lay foundations for three houses and start brick laying work on one of them, and though we all felt productive, we all wish we could have completed more. The worksite was in close proximity to the homes that are currently in use, so we got to interact with the villagers and families during breaks, and sometimes as we worked. Playing with the children was probably the best experience in terms of feeling like we got to know the families. I think the large number of families at the Vambapet site makes it difficult to establish a one on one feel with any particular family, but the children's friendliness more than made up for that. Our recreation time was also well scheduled. Our meals were always great and we always had more than we could eat. because it was summer we didn:t get to visit any schools, but we did have opportunity to make donations of school supplies to the community. Our accomodations were much nicer than we expected. Some of our members had concerns about security, as there was an incident involving someone's doorknob being rattled in the middle of the night, but it seems likely to have been a guest who was mistaken about their room, and our affiliate as well as the hotel staff took these concerns very seriously, and the issue was resolved quickly. The professionalism and eagerness to make sure we weer comfortable was always a reassurance.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners Upper right: with local kids Lower left: building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年04月24日 14:46 | パーマリンク

 

New Zealand: Kyoto Gaidai Nishi Habitat Club (Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School)

Team Name	Kyoto Gaidai Nishi Habitat Club (Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School)
Country	New Zealand Central North Island
Work site	Otorohanga, 1 Family Single storey, tri-panel construction
Itinerary	12 Day(s) 23-Mar 2008(SUN) ～ 03-Apr 2008(THU)
Member	Total: 13 Adult(M): 2 , Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 1, High School(F): 8
Expense	Traveling:138830 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:7103 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Kansai-->Kuala Lumpur-->Auckland (Malaysian)
Report	Our group left Kansai International Airport on March 23rd and traveled to Auckland, New Zealand via Kuala Lumpur, arriving on the morning of the 24th. We were met there by our local coordinator, Shirley Bennett and her husband, who then drove us in two rented vans to our build site in the picturesque little country town of Otorohanga, some two and a half hours to the southwest. Aftera very long trip, we were all very tired, so following a brief orientation, we retired to our rooms at the Palm Court Motel. This motel is conveniently located at the edge of the commercial district and was less than ten minutes on foot from our build site. It was very clean, spacious and comfortable and the staff were kind and helpful, but oddly there were no closets or chests of draweres to keep our clothes in - so we lived out our suitcases the whole time. The morning following our arrival we went straight to work. We helped to build a single storey, three bedroom, tri-panel home for the Tane family. Iwas very impressed by how easily and well our hight school members caught on to the work and fit in, working in harmony with the local volunteers and staff. The Kiwis were happily surprised too, as a previous negative experience with a junior high group from another Asian county had made the Central North Island chapter wary of accepting secondary school aged groups. We helped with every aspect of construction except installing the electrical system. Also very impressive was how quickly we could build such a solid and substantial house. The method of the construction seemed little differnt from a comparable professionally built house in Japan or the US. By the time we left, the exterior was nearly finished and the interior was well on it's way. Seven members of our tema (two adults and five students) could only stay for five full days in NZ due to other commitments. So they only had a half day of R&R in the afternoon of their last building day (3/28). The highlight was visiting a native bird park in town that is famous for its successful kiwi (the bird) breeding program. The rest of us had a whole weekend. On Saturday, March 29th, while the gang of seven reluctantly returned to Auckland, we visited one of the famous glow worm caves in Waitomo and attended the annual sheep muster in the town of Te Kuiti. The sheep muster is the highlight of a town fair in withich over 2000 sheep are herded along the main street of the town, On Sunday, we visited Rotorua, the tourist center which is famous for its hot springs, geysers and Maori cultre. As for our meals, we took care of our own breakfast, stocking up at the supermarket that is across the street from the motel. But lunches and morning and afternoon teas were catered by local volunteers led by Ann, who welcomed us into her cozy home most evenings to enjoy her traditional New Zealand style home cooking, heaty and simple fare that included rost lamb, potatoes, yams and a variety of vegetables. Lunches and teas consisted of a wide assortment of sandwiches, quiches, cakes, pies, cookies and other goodies that froced us to work very hard in order to avoid gaining too much weight. I think it was all planned...:-) Ours was the first Japanese group ever to do a GV build in New Zealand and for all of the members except myself, it was our first build. It was a wonderful and rewarding experience and satisfaction from having extended what they had presumed to be the limits of their abilities (and perhaps even discovering some new talents!). The Tane house is Otorohang stands as an accomplishement that we can all be proud of. We wish the Tane family many many happy years there! Our heartfelt thanks go to all of the NZ volunteers and staff who made us feel at home and who patiently guided us along in our tasks, Till we meet again...Kia ora!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年03月23日 10:45 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: St. Mary's International School

Team Name	Saint Mary's International School
Country	Philippines, Coco Palm Quezon
Work site	Barangay Banot, Sampaloc, Quezon, 2 Families Concrete, one stories
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 22-Mar 2008(SAT) ～ 29-Mar 2008(SAT)
Member	Total: 27 Adult(M): 3 , Adult(F): 4, High School(M): 20
Expense	Traveling:70000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Manila (PAL) Manila-->Narita (PAL)
Report	The Spring 2008 Habitat for Humanity Youth Team of Saint Mary's International School in Tokyo was composed of twenty high school boys and seven teachers. The team traveled to the Philippines from March 22 through 29. The staff of Coco Palm Quezon Habitat for Humanity Affiliate met us at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, led us to a tourist bus, and took us to Patio Rizal Hotel in Lucban, Quezon. We had late lunch, shopping, and change money at the Foreign Exchange at SM Sucat on our way to Quezon. The trip took us less than four hours. The hotel was nice and clean. The food was excellent! We had a courtesy call to the Local Government Officials of Sampaloc, Quezon. We took part in the construction of two concrete-one story houses for two families in Barangay Banot Core Housing in Sampaloc, Quezon. Although we left with the two houses' roofs unfinished, we were able to grace the blessing and dedication of eight completely constructed houses to eight qualified and lucky homeowners. Each day of the working week, a staff oriented us of the tasks for the day. We dug two septic reservoirs, sacked gravel and sand, mixed cement, shoveled cement into buckets, carried and passed buckets of cement, poured cement onto the floorings, fetched and carried buckets of water, piled blocks on the walls, poured cement into the crevices, and cut iron bars. The team enjoyed the facilities of Pueblo por la Playa Beach Resort in Quezon. The Shooting the Rapids at Pagsanjan in Laguna was the highlight of the trip for the boys. We also had the chance to visit the "Kamay ni Jesus" healing church in Lucena City. The boys enjoyed shopping at the SM malls in Manila and Lucena City. Overall, the trip was a very rewarding experience.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年03月22日 11:01 | パーマリンク

 

India: Mie JET

Team Name	Mie JET
Country	India Chennai, Pondicherry
Work site	Vambapet, 97 Families Single household
Itinerary	11day(s) 21-Mar 2008(FRI) ～ 31-Mar 2008(MON)
Member	Total: 10 JET(M): 1, JET(F): 9
Expense	Traveling: 130000 JPY(taxes included)/person In-country: 48 USD (taxes included)/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Singapore-->Chennai (Singapore Airlines)
Report	Our team had an amazing time in Pondicherry! The GV coordinator, Mr. J. Anna Charly, was an amazing coordinator and host. He organized our time well, and he anticipated any needs that we might have. Any time that we had a concern about some aspect of our trip or the program, Mr. Charly took the time to speak with us and explain why certain decisions had been made. The worksite where we built had no finished Habitat houses yet, but the home partners were living nearby. Due to weather concerns, our team worked with just one mason, a project coordinator from another small NGO, and one or two Habitat employees. We were building single-family, brick homes. Most of our time was spent transporting sand, mixing mortar, and laying bricks. By the end of our work week, we had worked on several partially-completed houses. Our R&R activities included vising Auroville, an international commune; visiting a temple with an elephant; visiting a local school; and shopping. We were given a lot of free time in the evenings for shopping or walking around Pondicherry. We would have enjoyed a chance to visit more temples, or historical areas. Our accomodations were at Hotel Mass in Pondicherry City. We stayed three people per room to save money. We ate our breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the worksite, and in the evenings, we tried various local restaurants. The accomodations were very satisfactory. More than one of my team members said that this was the best week of their life, and many hope to stay involved with HFH. So, I want to sincerely thank all the people in Japan and India who made our trip a success.
Photo	Left: team and the homeowner, Right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年03月21日 12:02 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Osaka JET

Team Name	Osaka JET
Country	Philippines, Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan Habitat for Humanity
Work site	Barangay Bahile, 107 Families, Concrete interlocking blocks
Itinerary	12 Day(s)　20-Mar 2008(THU) ～ 31-Mar 2008(MON)
Member	Total: 11 JET(M): 4, JET(F): 7
Expense	Traveling:88750 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:6800yen / person / day JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Osaka-->Manila (Philippine Airlines) Manila-->Puerto Princesa (Philippine Airlines)
Report	The Osaka JET team of 11 members flew to the Philippines to volunteer with Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan Habitat for Humanity from March 20th-31st in the wonderful village of Barangay Bahile. All team members were English teachers working through the JET Program in Japan. From the moment we all stepped off the plane in Puerto Princesa we felt as if we gained a new Filipino family. We were greeted not only with a personalized welcome sign and shell necklaces, but also such warm hugs and contagious smiles. Soon after arrival, we were transported to our beautiful and very comfortable accommodation at the Balay Inato Hotel. Most members shared double beds in very clean rooms with hot water showers and private bathrooms. The staff members here were very friendly and the food was also quite delicious. Breakfast was provided for us every morning, bright and early! Because it was during the Easter holidays when we arrived, we immediately began our trip with some fun R & R options. On day #1 our team did an island hopping tour in beautiful Honda Bay. On Easter Sunday, a few members had an early start to their day by attending a sunrise 4:00am Easter mass service, followed by a full day of everyone enjoying sightseeing around the famous Underground River. After a well organized orientation and briefing by the Palawan Habitat for Humanity members, we traveled to our work site for another amazing warm welcome. The village had prepared dances, songs, flower necklaces, introduced us to the home owners and skilled builders and much more entertainment to welcome us into their community. Wow, were we impressed and excited to begin! Next it was time to begin the work we had come to do… brick by brick, time to build some homes! Even though it was very sunny and hot everyday, our team worked hard for 6 days to nearly complete building three concrete homes in the village where there had been 107 homes already built. Every morning, we traveled to our work site by jeepney, accompanied by our two friendly security guards, numbering off, singing songs, playing games, enjoying the gorgeous scenery, with the wind blowing through our hair. This one hour ride every morning and evening was a great time for team bonding! On site, we were able to become involved in almost every part of the home construction process, which included mixing cement, making the interlocking concrete blocks, excavation, tree planting, foundation laying, cement pouring, brick laying and more. It was amazing to see the houses grow more complete day by day. And yes, our muscles did grow as well! We worked and sweat side by side with skilled friendly Filipino builders as well as the dedicated home owners. Even though none of us had ever built a home before, everyone on site was so patient and kind to help teach us every step of the way (even if we did make many mistakes!). During our work days we were provided with home-cooked delicious Filipino lunches and snacks. Fresh fish, tropical fruits, tender meats, scrumptious vegetarian options… oh so much wonderful food! During our break times, our team loved playing and getting dirty with the children too! Towards the end of our week, each team member was also individually assigned to a homestay family where we had the unforgettable opportunity to spend an evening living together in the community. Within the community our team was also lucky to be invited to two school graduations. We also attended the city foundation day celebration. We joined in the parade, watched the children’s performances, as well as entertained the crowd with our own songs and crazy Japanese dances! During the week we visited the Iwahig Prison and a crocodile farm. On another evening our team was generously invited for dinner at one of the Habitat for Humanity board of director’s homes, followed by a bit of disco dancing with our Habitat ladies! Our final day on-site, we had a lively warm-hearted farewell party with the community and Habitat for Humanity members. More dancing, singing, birthday celebrating, hugs, tears, smiles, prayers, thankful words, laughs, smeared cake on faces, stories shared, photos and lots of fun were had by all. The evening finished with yet another huge delicious feast to feed us all. It was hard to believe the build was over. After the build, most members traveled north to enjoy the unspoiled tropical paradise of El Nido and the surrounding islands for a few days. A perfect ending to a perfect trip! So many great memories were made that will last for a lifetime. We are already all looking forward to returning to Palawan again… hopefully someday soon! Thanks for everything Palawan Habitat for Humanity and our Bahile community! We’ll miss you!
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners Upper right: building Lower left: finished building Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年03月20日 17:38 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Hokkaido JETs

Team Name	Hokkaido JETs
Country	Philippines, GMM (Greater Metro Manila)
Work site	SNKI-Agape, Camarin, Caloocan City, 12 Families, Two-storey houses made from concrete hollow blocks
Itinerary	15 Day(s) 15-Mar 2008(SAT) ～ 29-Mar 2008(SAT)
Member	Total: 10 Adult(M): 1 , JET(M): 5, JET(F): 4
Expense	Traveling:79600 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:5000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Chitose/Incheon-->Incheon/Manila (Korean Air) Manila/Incheon-->Incheon/Chitose (Korean Air)
Report	On March 15th, 2008, our group of Hokkaido ALTs departed Chitose International Airport for Manila. We arrived at midnight and were greeted at the packed airport by our co-ordinators and some welcomed warm weather. The van that picked us up was unusually late, even for Philippine standards, due to traffic, and it was an indication of the beginning of the summer season. About an hour later, the team arrived at the guesthouse, which we would call home for the next two weeks. We were really happy with the accommodation, not only because it was a nice, spacious place and a convenient starting point for many destinations, but also because it was staffed with warm, helpful people that made our stay memorable. Did I mention free laundry service? With a clang of the bell at 6:30 in the morning, we started off our days with breakfast at the guesthouse, then on to a 40-minute jeepney commute to the nearby city of Caloocan, snarling through the chaotic but somehow systematic Manila traffic: loud, bumpy, and uniquely Filipino. When the team arrived at the work site, we wasted no time getting acquainted with the SNKI community homepartners and with the task at hand. We were assigned a variety of jobs over the course of 6-days: digging ditches, clearing garbage, passing concrete buckets, filling bags of sand and gravel, and laying concrete hollow blocks. It was tough, but it was exactly the kind of work we wanted. As it was the beginning of summer, the hot sun got the best of us at times. Luckily, the breaks were just as fun. They gave us not only some much-needed rest, but also a chance to try some authentic Filipino foods like fresh spring rolls and ripe mangoes picked from nearby trees. Afterwards, we winded down by playing with the neighbourhood kids, rain or shine. After applying a new coat of sunscreen, we went back and passed more concrete buckets while the kids called for our attention. When the work for the day was done, all sweaty and dusted with cement powder, the team headed back to the guesthouse, often arguing over who gets to use the shower first. We wasted no time cleaning up, and from there it was a cheap taxi ride to the mall for dinner. As a majority Christian country, the Philippines observed the season of Holy Week, and on our first Thursday and Friday there we did not have to work. So we opted to visit the slums of Baseco on the other side of Manila where a few team members volunteered with Habitat for Humanity last year. The next day, we took a chartered jeepney to the countryside to witness a crucifixion re-enactment play that involved somebody actually getting nailed on a cross. It was definitely a sight to be seen. On our last day, a community party was held where the kids of SNKI gathered to put on a show for us. We gladly joined in, even though we looked totally out of place. After that, we presented the community with some gifts (toys and new construction equipment), and after repeating goodbyes, headed back. It was a great way to wrap up our time there, and a testament to how amazing people can bond so quickly in a volunteer trip like this regardless of their background and economic status. The first day of our R&R was spent at the Villa Escudero resort outside of Manila, where we went on a museum tour, ate lunch beside a man-made waterfall, and enjoyed the swimming pool. On our second day, we were originally scheduled to climb Mt. Taal, also outside of Manila, but the boat operators taking us there decided to take liberties with their prices when they saw a van full of foreigners, so we opted not to continue on. Instead, we just had lunch at a restaurant overlooking the volcano. The following day, we went on a three-hour van and boat ride to a beach in the nearby island of Mindoro. We stayed there until the next day, getting some much-needed rest and relaxing under the sun. The people at the resort we stayed in were extremely nice and hospitable, which is something we can say for most of the people we met in the country. For those looking to volunteer other than in the usual places like Thailand or India, give the Philippines another look.
Photo	Upper left: team with the homeowners and volunteers, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年03月15日 20:20 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Shizuoka University of Art and Culture

Team Name	SUAC in Support of Habitat for Humanity(Shizuoka University of Art and Culture)
Country	Thailand HRC-Northeast (Udon Thani)
Work site	1 Families 2 room steel frame, cement block house with corrugated iron roof
Itinerary	11 Day(s) 04-Mar 2008(TUE) ～ 14-Mar 2008(FRI)
Member	Total:16 Adult(M): 2, Adult(F): 2, Univ. Stud.(M):1,Univ.Stud.(F): 11
Expense	Traveling:79780 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:Approx. 2,350 (not including surcharges for members with single rooms etc.) JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Chubu international airport-->Bangkok (Thai) Bangkok-->Udon Thani (Thai)
Report	When you are greeted at an airport with red roses and a welcome banner, you can be pretty sure that you are going to have a wonderful stay. The welcome that the Udon Thani staff gave us was warm and thoughtful and typical of their general hospitality to us throughout our visit (Thank you, Tasani and your team!). After checking into our rooms at the Karin Hotel (big, clean rooms; a TV with both Japanese and English channels; great value; but, yes, skip the breakfast option!) we were driven off to lunch in our very own pair of Songthaews. For the whole week we were driven around by two volunteer drivers who had taken time off work to help. Driving around on the converted back of a brightly painted pick up, with the sound of Thai pop music blaring from the car radio and squeals from our group as we saw yet another beautiful temple, cute kid, water buffalo – you fill in the gap – was a fun and blissfully airy way to travel in hot weather. The next day, when we were driven out into the surrounding countryside to see the house we were to build (the foundation, the steel frame, and the roof had already been erected by volunteers from the village) it was impossible to believe that we could finish all six walls in just four days. However, after going through the safety orientation and being shown what to do, we soon got the hang of brick-laying and began to really bond as a team (despite some of us never having met before). The hardest day was the second day when we mixed the concrete for the floor by hand. It was really physical work but everyone pitched in and whenever the staff saw us tiring they were quick to cheer us up with a joke or a song (thanks Bomp!). Other Thai volunteers helped, as well as the drivers, and although the home owner couldn’t be present because of her job, her elderly mother always made us welcome. Big, delicious, home-cooked style lunches also helped - as did a Thai massage for our poor backs later that night! Our stay fell over a weekend so after laying the floor we had two days to recover before finishing the walls. Although Udon Thani is one of the poorest regions of Thailand and doesn't get much of a write-up in many of the tourist guides, there is actually a lot to see there. As well as the amazing pottery at the Ban Chiang World Heritage Site, we enjoyed hiking through the Phu Phra Bat Historical Park, cruising on the Meakong River, visiting a temple, and shopping near the Thai-Laos friendship bridge. Other activities included visiting a local primary school, where we taught the older grades how to make origami frogs that hop; touring a village working, in partnership with World Vision, to show local farmers how to use local resources to farm more sustainably; having a Thai dancing lesson; and visiting Sarnelli House, a home for children with HIV/AIDS. The last activity was one of the highlights for me. Seeing the children’s pleasure at having 16 young visitors come to play for a morning quietened my worries that they might feel gawked at, although it was heartbreaking to have to leave. I would really recommend going if you have the time (and take more water pistols – they were a big hit!). In the evenings there was lots of free time to enjoy Udon Thani's night market (very popular with certain shopaholics searching for huge numbers of ""omiyage"") and on our last afternoon Candi in Bangkok was kind enough to hastily organize an additional last minute trip into the centre of the city for some sight-seeing and, yes, more shopping!! The house dedication ceremony on our final full day was very emotional as many of the homeowner's mother's friends and neighbours came around to give us a special local blessing. In the end over twenty women came in to sit in the circle and as we shuffled around in front of them on our knees, each one tied a simple knotted bracelet around our wrist, thanked us and prayed for our happiness. Later that night her mother and a few neighbours also joined us for a farewell dinner at a beautiful lakeside restaurant where Bob managed to get us all up for at least one shot at the Thai karaoke. Possibly one of the hardest things for us to understand was the background situation of the homeowner because there was a lot that we were not told, but seeing the tears of joy on her mother’s face, the happiness that the other villagers felt for her, and her smile as she danced with us that night, confirmed that we had done a good job. In the end nobody wanted to go home and we felt as though we had been given far more than we had donated, in the form of so many fantastic memories – of the children at Sarnelli House, of the Udon-Thani staff, of seeing even the shyest members of our team blossom in confidence as they succeeded in communicating across the language barrier. It was a great experience and I would recommend going to Udon Thani to any team, especially those made up of first-timers who might feel a little bit nervous about what taking part in the GV entails.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners　Upper right: building Lower left: finished building 　 * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年03月04日 10:51 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: The American School in Japan Habitat Club (American School in Japan)

Team Name	The American School in Japan Habitat Club (The American School in Japan)
Country	Thailand
Work site	Udon Thani, 1 Family 1 room cement block house - 6m by 7m
Itinerary	6 Day(s) 17-Feb 2008(SUN) ～ 22-Feb 2008(FRI)
Member	Total: 20 Adult(M): 1, Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 4, High School(F): 14
Expense	Traveling:93500 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:5079 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Tokyo -->Bangkok (Singapore) Bangkok-->Udon Thani (Thai)
Report	The American School in Japan High School Habitat Club left Tokyo on February 16 and arrived in Bangkok mid afternoon. Candi Montonchaikal was at the airport to meet us and had arranged to have transportation take us to the Airport Suite Hotel located which was 45 minutes away and close to the Don Muang(dometic) Airport which is where we departed from the following morning. The beds at the hotel were not the best, but the buffet breakfast (included in the hotel cost) was excellent. The following morning we flew into Udon Thani and were greeted by the entire Habitat staff. It was a very warm reception and a wonderful "Welcome to Udon Thani" for my team. We went to the Karin Hotel where we stayed for the remainder of our trip. The accommodations are clean and although the sheets and towels are quite worn, the beds were comfortable and a variety of television channels was appreciated. The hotel staff were very friendly and accommodating. The only drawback to this hotel is the breakfast that came with this package. On a few occasions we decided to eat elsewhere. The worksite was tidy and the safety & construction orientation briefing we received was well presented. The students were immediately able to begin the process of constructing a house. Plenty of Habitat staff were available to assist us along the way. Everyone was contributing and we all felt a sense of accomplishment at the end of each and every day. The snacks and meals (lunch) were plentiful and tasty! In addition to building the house, time was set aside for us to enjoy a number of activities such as: visit a city park and go for a bicycle ride, have our feet and backs massaged, visit on orchid farm, hike through Phu Phrabat National Park and visit the night markets. We appreciated having some activities planned for us in the evening, but also enjoyed time to ourselves. The drivers who transported us drove safely and were always willing to take us wherever we wanted to go and whenever we wanted to go. The Farewell Party was a lot of fun... a nice variety of food, a karaoke machine, a few speeches and a traditional Thai dance performance by the Habitat staff. We felt that we were truly appreciated and left that evening feeling good about ourselves and glad that we were able to participate in building a house and be a part of the Habitat cause. We took many photographs with the new home owners who were also present at the party. This was a wonderful trip and a memorable experience for the American School in Japan Habitat Club and I recommned Udon Thani to others interested in being a part of this very worthy cause and who would like to see a part of Thailand off the beaten path.
Photo	Upper left:Building, Upper right: Building Lower left: Accommodation, Lower right: Accommodation * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2008年02月17日 18:26 | パーマリンク

 

Vietnam: Canadian Academy

Team Name	Canadian Academy Habitat (Canadian Academy)
Country	Vietnam Tien Giang
Work site	My Tho, 2 Families Bricks, Concrete (flooring)
Itinerary	8 Day(s) 27-Oct 2007(SAT) ～ 03-Nov 2007(SAT)
Member	Total: 32 Adult(M): 5 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 3, High School(F): 23
Expense	Traveling:80000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:6000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Osaka-->Ho Chiminh (VN941) Ho chiminh-->Osaka (VN940)
Report	We left Kobe on a cool and sunny Saturday morning. The group was the biggest wehave ever had in the CA Habitat history-26 sutudent volunteers. It was also the most ethnically diverse with students originally from Australia, Switzerland or the US but with many also from south-east Aisa: Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, India. We even had three volunteers from Japan which is an accomplishment since I have always find it challenging to attract Japanese students, However, the participants are not equal gender-wise: 22 girls and 3 boys. Every one was very motivated since every student had to raise his mandatory donation for HFH Japan. We arrived at Ho Chi Minh and were greeted by 2 Vietnamese translators. They ushered us to the bus ans we went straight to My Tho, a small town in the Mekong delta and the location of the Habitat site. On the bus, we chat with the translators and I quickly realized tht HFH Vietnam was experiencing some difficulties dealing with its exponential growth. We arrived in our hotel, the Raddin in My Tho and were welcome by Gail and Toan who are in charge of all GV teams. During her orientation talk, Bail gave out one of the most precious tools to be used on the worksite: the Vitnamese conic hat. After a great dinner and a good night sleep, we were all off to a small introduction ceremony organized by the local authorities. Under the gaze of Uncle Ho we listened to the commentaries sipping the mineral water theyhad put in front of us. There were no clouds, and the heat was hard on the group. After a few pictures, we proceeded to our site. The group was divided itto three, each one working on a different house. The work in Vietnam usually consists of repairing existing houses but in our case we made it a point to build by adding extra donation to finance the purchase of the material. These houses have a name, they nare called ""love houses"" even if many of may colleagues/students laughted when I told them that. Our task was very different on each site because mainly of what had been done prior to our arrival. At first there were some difficulties mainly because there was a lack of translator, and some workers did not trust our girls to do a good job. Though after a couple of days every one was enjoying each others' company and it all went smoothly. We always had delicious fruits for snacks and coming from Japan this was definitely a blast. Our site supervisor told us that we ate 50% more fruits than any other group he had ever seen. We also had the opportunity to work with a local youth group who were a model for our students on how hard they could work. On house 2 we worked with Kim Chi and we learned that though she was talented and was accepted into two good local colleges, her family could not afford to send her. We met as a group and from wanting to buy jewelry, we moved to collect the money for her tuition and boarding for a year. Because it was too late for this school year to enroll, she is currently taking English and computer classes in order to prepare for next year. After a few days we reallly felt the connection and during the dedication ceremony everyone was proud of the work accomplished but sad at the same time of leaving. The last evening was spent at a local Vietnamese high school in a cultual show. They sang for us and some of our students performed and Indian dance as well as the excellent Vietnamese food. Our hotel the ""Happy Inn"" was very clean with a central location inthe old district. One group went to the Ku-chi tunnels ouside the city and it provided students with a glimpse on the Vietnamese war. We flew back with the night flight, our bags filled with many souvenirs: coconut candies, clothes and our heats filled with the wormth and the hospitality of the Vietnamese people. Au revoir Vietnam!
Photo	Upper left:3 girls, Upper right: building Lower left: building, Lower right: building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年10月27日 15:26 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Yokota US Air Base Team

Team Name	Yokota Team (Yokota US Air Base)
Country	Thailand Chiang Mai
Work site	2 Families Two room cement block with aluminum roofing
Itinerary	15 Day(s) : 16-Jun 2007(SAT) ～ 30-Jun 2007(SAT)
Member	Total 12 Adult(M): 4 , Adult(F): 5, Univ. Stud.(F): 1, High School(M): 1, High School(F): 1
Expense	Traveling: JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:500 US dollars JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Tokyo-->Bangkok (450 US dollars) Bangkok-->Chiang Mai (60 US dollars)
Report	The Yokota Team left Narita airport on June 16th and traveled to Bangkok, Thailand. We were met in Bangkok by Candi Montonchaikul who provided us with transportation to the Suk 11 youth hostel. This hostel was a fantastic place to spend our one evening in Bangkok. This evening we enjoyed a night cruise in Bangkok. The following morning we were taken to the Bangkok airport where we flew to Chiang Mai. The air transportation was easily arranged prior to the trip through Air Asia. At the airport, we were given a wonderful greeting by Malinie and Art and a host of other Habitat Workers. The two weeks in Chiang Mai were a wonderful experience for the group. We spent our time at the Hostelling International Center Place which was located within walking distance of the Night Market and numerous restaurants. The owner was outstanding and was extremely helpful. We spent the first Sunday of the trip visiting the Hill Tribe villages surrounding Chiang Mai and seeing the work of Habitat there. The opening dinner made us feel extremely welcome. We worked on two houses during our time in Chiang Mai building two room cement block houses. We spent half of our time working on an addition to a house building a bathroom and kitchen. We spent most of our time moving dirt, mixing and pouring cement, and laying concrete block. The work was long and tiring but very rewarding. We were able to finish one house and make significant progress on the other one. We spent time visiting a school, a church, an orphanage, the night safari, an elephant conservation center, and several temples during our time in Chiang Mai. The Habitat staff in Chiang Mai were extremely accommodating and helpful. We finished our trip with a closing ceremony that included karaoke and a wonderful dinner. We spent one day in Bangkok and were able to see the Royal Palace, Reclining Buddha, and the Royal Barge Museum. We capped off our trip with a stop at the Hard Rock Cafe in Bangkok. Overall, the experience in Chiang Mai and Thailand, was excellent. The staff, especially Malinie and Art should be commended for their outstanding effort to make sure that we had a rewarding experience.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners　Upper right: building Lower left: finished building　Lower right: hotel 　 　 * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年06月16日 18:39 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand : Seisen International School

Team Name	Seisen International School
Country	Thailand : Chiang Mai
Work site	2 Families A one-story house built with reinforced concrete and concrete interlocking bricks
Itinerary	11 Day(s) : 10-Jun 2007(SUN) ～ 20-Jun 2007(WED)
Member	Total: 23 : Adult(M): 3 , Adult(F): 1, High School(F): 19
Expense	Traveling:81380 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:25000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Tokyo-->Bangkok (Thai Airways) Bangkok-->Thailand (Thai Airways)
Report	On June 10th, 2007, 19 students and 4 chaperones departed for Chiang Mai from Seisen International School to build 2 houses over the course of 10 days. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the Northern Thailand affiliates and a few of the family members who we would be working alongside with to build their homes. We were driven to our guesthouse (The Bamboo Den) of which we were the only occupants during the course of our stay. The manager of the guesthouse was an incredible friend to all of us and we were able to have most of our meals there for incredibly reasonable prices. We were able to request various Thai dishes for our breakfasts and dinners. We were a 20 minute walk from the night market and a 10 minute from Walking Street (which had everything the night market had for local prices!) All of the transport in Chiang Mai was by Seong Thaw (converted pick-up trucks) which was exciting for everyone despite all the exhaust that we were inhaling.The worksite was clean and the team members were eager to start working each day. We split up into two teams and worked on two houses simultaneously filling in the floors with sand, mixing cement, laying bricks and pouring the final cement floor.The skilled workers were very helpful and everyone felt safe at all times – even when on the scaffolding. There was plenty of water and snacks during the day and we were all forced to take plenty of breaks to ensure our safety. Our lunch meals were superbly prepared Thai dishes and despite the intense heat and spicy food, no one became sick during our stay.For our R and R activities our team visited a local elementary school where the students organized six different games for the entire elementary school. We also visited the Agape orphanage for HIV positive children and there, our team was able to interact with the children ranging from infants to 12 year-olds. We were able to visit several temples along the way and the Thai Elephant Conservation Center where the students were able to feed elephants, ride them and have a “hands-on” experience with making elephant dung paper! We were also able to visit a local Hot Springs center. On the second to the last day, the local government invited us to their offices for a meal and ceremony where we all received official thank you letters and souvenirs from the local factories.For our final dinner and departure ceremony, the children of the families that we were building with treated us to some of their karaoke talents and gave us a few departing gifts. The reflections that we shared with each other every night showed the incredible impact that the experience was having on everyone. Malinie, the local Thai affiliate took some 800 pictures of us over the 10 days along with many video clips that we will be watching in our final reflection meeting in several weeks.Chiang Mai is definitely a site that we will considering returning to for future Habitat for Humanity trips.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners　Upper right: building Lower left: finished building　Lower right: hotel 　 　 * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年06月10日 18:46 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Hokkaido International School

Team Name	Hokkaido International School
Country	Philippines Naga City
Work site	100 Families Steel frame
Itinerary	9 Day(s) 02-Jun 2007(SAT) ～ 10-Jun 2007(SUN)
Member	Total: 15 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 8, High School(F): 5
Expense	Traveling:109000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 32,110 yen JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	CTS-->Hong Kong (Cathy Pacific) Hong Kong-->Manila (Cathy Pacific)
Report	When our team arrived in Naga City, Leo Borras and his team was there to welcome us and take us to the hotel. After we got settled in they took us on a tour of the university, the area, other habitat worksites, and a finished site, which was now a village, and the site where we would be working. We also had our orientation on this day. It was a full day, especially for us: only having slept for two hours. The worksite in Balatas is a brand new site with no families living there. We nearly completed the first duplex of what will be 50. Our worksite team was great. Very friendly and helpful. I just wish we had realized the needs at the worksite before we came. If we had known, we would have brought some tools with us. We worked on a steel frame structure, so some extra power tools like drills, and levels and measuring devices would have helped. Our days spent at the worksite were hot and challenging, but satisfying. We worked hard, but had fun while working. For our recreation day, we had the wonderful experience of going to Atulyan Island, which exceeded all of our expectations. Swimming and snorkeling in an underwater jungle steaming with life was incredible. If you spend time at the beach, be careful of the sun. Our whole team got sunburned, even though we were wearing sun block. The sun in powerful: respect it! Our hotel accommodations were okay. The hotel was clean and friendly, but the Internet did not work. I would recommend that you not bring a laptop with you on this trip. There are Internet cafes everywhere, which will only cost you 50 yen per hour to use. It isn't worth the trouble of bringing your own computer. The hotel was also in the city center, which was an extra plus. I only wish we would have had more time to see the city and interact with it's people. No free time on this trip, or when we were finally free, all of the local shops were closed. On our final day, we went to a village to distribute clothes and toys that we had brought from home to Habitat partners at one of the villages. It was a confusing situation, and a lot of the clothes didn't go to anyone. I would suggest if you are bringing donations of clothes to Habitat, contact them in advance to see what the needs are and what exactly you should bring. It will save you a lot of headache in the end. The experience we had was truly amazing. We came to Habitat for Humanity to help and give to others, but what we received was much more than we could ever give.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: building, Lower right: building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年06月02日 15:15 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: K International School

Team Name	K International School
Country	Thailand Lampang
Work site	2 Families
Itinerary	10 Day(s) 27-May 2007(SUN) ～ 05-Jun 2007(TUE)
Member	Total: 20 Adult(M): 2 , Adult(F): 2, High School(M): 11, High School(F): 5
Expense	Traveling:109842 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:50 000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Bangkok Bangkok-->Lampang
Report	The K International School Habitat for Humanity Global Village team left Narita airport on May 27 for Lampang Thailand and returned on June 5, 2007. The worksite was approximately a 40 minute truck ride from the Hotel, and was in a small village in a rural rice growing area. With 16 volunteers, we had the responsibility of building two houses, which were approximately 20-30 metres from each other. At the worksite, there was one cement mixer and an adequate supply of hoes and shovels, although a few more wuld have been preferable. The Lampang volunteers were very helpful and supportive through out the trip. Drivers took us out at night (for a small charge) to see some sights and markets. Because meals were so cheap, we could have (and should have) gone to a few more expensive places to eat, because five of our students had to be hospitalized with food contamination. The source was unknown. The hotel, the Regent Lodge Hotel, was clean and simple, with basic hot showers and air conditioning. Their food was excellent as waa their customer service. It was good value for meney. The visit to the local school was very enjoyable. The students there put on some entertaining performances and were extremely friendly, as were the teachers. The students went to an elephant conservation centre and found it quite enjoyable. We decided not to go too far from the town in case some more students had a stomach ailment. To summarize, the trip, even with the time spent in the hospital, was very enjoyable and everyone felt it was well worth it. The students worked very hard and were made to feel very comfortable by the affiliate staff. I highly recommend Lampang as a Global Village destination.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners Upper right: building Lower left: finished building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年05月27日 15:09 | パーマリンク

 

Fiji: Nagoya International School

Team Name	Nagoya International School (Nagoya International School)
Country	Fiji Suva
Work site	1 Families Wooden
Itinerary	9 Day(s) 20-May 2007(SUN) ～ 28-May 2007(MON)
Member	Total: 16 Adult(M): 1 , Adult(F): 1, High School(M): 6, High School(F): 8
Expense	Traveling:87500 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country:27000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Nandi (Korean) Nandi-->Nagoya (Korean)
Report	The student's experience was exceptional and probably one of the best experiences of their life to date. The work site, graciousness of the people, and lodgings were outstanding and well organized from outside appearances; however there were a few complications during our stay in Fiji. a) I feel our In-Country costs were not well figured in advance. I was asked to pay extra money for food, bus, house guest stay tips which I did not expect. These expenses should be definitely budgeted better before we left Japan. b) There were some communication troubles and political tensions among HFH Fiji staffs. c) We had students and one teacher return from Fiji with terrible Stapf infections - it turns out it might have been bites that were scratched and/or infected by the river water in which they swam daily after working at the site. The student team could have been warned about not not swimming in polluted river water (although it did look clean).
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners　Upper right: building Lower left: finished building　Lower right: hotel 　 　 * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年05月20日 14:40 | パーマリンク

 

Mongolia: Saga JET

Team Name	Saga JET
Country	Mongolia Darkhan
Work site	2 Families、Concrete blocks, fiberglass shingle roof
Itinerary	17 Day(s) 27-Apr 2007(FRI) ～13-May 2007(SUN)
Member	Total: 11 JET(M): 2, JET(F): 9
Expenses	Traveling: 116845 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 3500 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Fukuoka-->Seoul (Korean Air) Seoul-->Ulan Bataar (Korean Air)
Report	The Darkhan Affiliate was wonderful. They were very well organized and very helpful if anything came up. In Darkhan our accommodations were for the most part very comfortable. We stayed two to a room in the Utuurchin Hotel, which had good showers and plenty of cable tv. Team members were able to relax and have some personal time in the evenings there, although unfortunately there was not a communal lounge that we could comfortably gather in after dinner. Meals at the restaurant there (breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner) were good and there was enough variety on the menu that everyone could usually find something they liked (vegetarians should expect surprise bits of meat in some of the potato salads though). There was some confusion over laundry — it turned out to be much more expensive that we had thought (price is per piece, not per load) and there are apparently no public laundromats that we could use, so we ended up buying a box of detergent and washing clothes in our bathroom sinks. There was an internet cafe nearby as well for folks who wanted to stay connected. We worked on two sites, both about a ten minute drive from our hotel; the first site saw slightly more progress but both went from foundation to nearly finished exteriors in just two weeks. The pace of work was near perfect — we had a variety of construction tasks we could take part in and every day was a little bit different. There were a few short lulls towards the very end but on the whole it was one of the best Habitat builds I've been on in terms of offering volunteers an opportunity to do real work and see real meaningful progress. The homeowners and their families worked very hard right alongside (and in a few cases, ahead) of us. On Wednesday of our first week, we were able to visit a local elementary school, where we played games and sang songs with a class and brought donations of school supplies from our students back in Japan. After our build we went on a three-day tour with Mongolia Expeditions, a tour company referred to us by the HFH Mongolia offices. Although we had some long bumpy rides in the van, our R&R was also extremely enjoyable, with opportunities to see a broader piece of Mongolia's countryside, as well as go horseback riding and visit several historical sites. I summary, would highly recommend Mongolia, and Darkhan, to any future GV team leaders.
Photo	Upper left: team, Upper right: house completed Lower left: building, Lower right: building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年04月27日 15:05 | パーマリンク

 

Bangladesh: Hiroshima JET

Country

Team Name	Hiroshima JET
Bangladesh Satkhira
Work site	2 Families Single-storey brick homes
Itinerary	12 Day(s) 26-Apr 2007(THU) ～ 07-May 2007(MON)
Member	Total: 9 Adult(F): 3, JET(M): 3, JET(F): 3
Expense	Traveling: 107810 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 4800 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Kansai-->Dhaka (Thai Air)
Report	We worked at the Satkhira affiliate in Bangladesh, we worked on 2 homes for two separte families within the main part of the town. In some of our free time we were able to visit an orphanage run near a local Catholic church, we played soccer and some other games with the boys there. At another time we were able to walk throughout the rural part of the town and visit some parks and homes in the area. On one day off we were able to go to the the Shundabarns, a mangrove forest, a few hours from Satkhira. One our final day we were able to tour around the capital city, Dhaka. For the 2 nights we spent in Dhaka we stayed at guesthouse near the airport, it suited us fine and there were no problems. At the affiliate in Satkhira, we stayed in an NGO compound in dormitory still rooms. It was a very good set up and seemed to be the best place to stay in the area. The experience was a good one and I highly recommend it for those interested in learning about a new culture and developing relationships with some amazing people.
Photo	Upper left: with homeowners, Upper right: building Lower left: finished building, Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年04月27日 12:54 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Mie JET

Team Name	Mie JET
Country	Philippines Bicol
Work site	4 Families, A one-story house built with reinforced concrete and concrete interlocking bricks
Itinerary	11 Day(s) 27-Apr 2007(FRI) ～ 07-May 2007(MON)
Member	Total: 37 Adult(M): 2, Adult(F): 3, JET(M): 1, JET(F): 10, High School(M): 20, High School(F): 1
Expenses	Traveling: 113450 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 4049 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Manila (Northwest) Manila-->Naga (Air Philippines)
Report	Our team had a wonderful time in Bicol! The GV coordinator, Mr. Leo Borras, was an amazing host. He organized our time well, and took care of any needs that we had. Most of the Bicol Habitat volunteers were affiliated with Ateneo de Naga University, either as professors or students. The volunteers welcomed us with open arms and kept us entertained and motivated with singing, dancing, and their sense of humor. The worksite where we built was a new site, and was unoccupied. Due to some unusual circumstances, we did not build with homepartners, but with volunteers and paid laborers. We regretted that we weren't able to work side by side with homepartners, but we didn't let it dampen our enthusiasm. We were building duplex-style houses on the worksite. Most of our time was spent transporting bricks, water, sand, and rocks. We also helped to prepare the foundation for a new house, finished digging a septic tank pit, and poured cement into the brick walls. I think that we would have enjoyed the chance to lay bricks more, and to make bricks. By the end of our work week, we had finished the second half of one duplex, and started the first half of another. Our R&R activities were wonderful! We visited and swam in Malabsay Falls, as well as a several hot spring pools. We also went to Atulayan Island and spent the day swimming, laying on the beach, and snorkeling. We also made visits to Ateneo de Naga University, a finished Habitat site, and Queen of Peace orphanage. The orphanage visit was the best part of the trip for most team members. We brought balls, jump ropes, and games for the kids living at the orphanage, and then we spent 2 hours playing with the children. Our accomodations were at Penafrancia Resort in Naga City. We stayed in cottages with 2 to 4 people per room. The resort had a pavilion where we ate most of our meals. They also had fresh water pools and nice grounds. The accomodations were very satisfactory. More than one of my team members said that this was the best week of their life!! So, I want to sincerely thank all the people in Japan and the Philippines who made our trip a success!
Photo	Upper left: everyone, Upper right: construction Lower right: house completed, Lower left: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年04月27日 00:00 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Sendai JET

Team Name	Sendai JETS
Country	Philippines Bicol
Work site	10 Families, 2 family duplexes with lofts built of hand made concrete bricks with rebar reinforcements
Itinerary	14 days: 21-Apr 2007(SAT) ～ 04-May 2007(FRI)
Member	Total: 12 JET(M): 5, JET(F): 6, High School(M): 1
Expense	Traveling: N/A JPY (taxes included)/person In-country: N/A JPY(taxes included) /person/day
Route	Philippine Air
Report	The Sendai JET team spent approximately 6 days in the Bicol area of the Philippines. The team started the building of a two family concrete brick and rebar reinforced duplex in the city of Monseratt magarao. Monseratt is located near NAGA city, one of the major cities in the Bicol area - the other being Legazpi. The team spent the first day, which was a Sunday, visiting the local university, Naga city, a Habitat community and a church. The team worked together 3 full days and 1 half day at the site. On the 5th and final day, half the team worked a full day at the site while the other half visited nearby Atulayan Island for swimming, snorkling and rest. The team also visited Malabsay Falls for a trek and swimming as well as a visit a local orphange during the middle of the week. The team was guided and assisted by friendly and cheerful skilled workers as well as experienced local university volunteers. Our accommodations were clean, comfortable and pleasant: located approximately 15 mins. from the work site by jepney. Team members had an opportunity to dine at local restaurants, visit a local night club and shopping and site seeing in Naga city. The overall experience was both challenging.
Photo	Upper left: team and the homeowners, Upper right: builing Lower right: hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年04月21日 14:08 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Saint Mary's International School

Team Name	Saint Mary's International School
Country	Philippines Zion Puerto Princesa Palawan
Work site	4 Families A one-story house built with reinforced concrete and concrete interlocking bricks
Itinerary	9 Day(s) 24-Mar 2007(SAT) ～ 01-Apr 2007(SUN)
Member	Total: 26 Adult(M): 2, Adult(F): 3, High School(M): 20, High School(F): 1
Expense	Traveling: 80600 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 8000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Manila
Report	A team of 21 high school students of Saint Mary's International School accompanied by 5 teacher chaperones left for the Philippines on March 24, 2007 on flight PR431and stayed at Shalom Center overnight and left the next day for Puerto Princesa City on flight PR195. Although the team was supposed to be booked at Asturias Hotel, spent the first night at Legend Hotel due to some unforseen events. The next day, the team moved to its official accommodation at Asturias Hotel. The team was assigned to work at Barangay Bahile in Puerto Princesa City. After being briefed by the site engineer, the team was divided into 4 groups and worked on 4 houses. The team members experienced working on making concrete interlocking blocks, digging 2 reservoir for the septic tanks, filling in sand in bags and carrying these bags to designated places for mixing it with cement, layering concrete interlocking blocks, pouring in mixed cement into the crevices between the interlocking blocks,pouring mixed cement on the floorings, pouring in mixed cement into buckets and handing these buckets to students forming lines to be handed to students pouring in mixed cement into crevices in-between the concrete blocks. In the 3 days of working each team was assigned different tasks and sometimes tasks overlapped. Breaks between working hours were called depending on the work done and on the weather, enabling the volunteers to drink considerable amount of bottled water. Breakfast was served at the hotel, whereas morning snacks, lunch, and afternoon snacks were served on the working site. Dinner was served at the hotel and sometimes at some other restaurants recommended by the affiliate. The team had the chance to visit one orphanage, the Crocodile Farm, and the famous Underground River. The team also enjoyed swimming at Honda Bay and shopping at a local department store. The arranged land transportation from the hotel to the site and back was quite effective and organized. The team members enjoyed watching movies and shopping at Robinson's Department Store in Manila and was just a walking distance to Shalom Center. The staff at the affiliate at Zion Puerto Princesa were nice, kind, patient, and very accommodating. The farewell party was well organized.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年03月24日 16:13 | パーマリンク

 

Philippines: Hyogo JET

Team Name	Hyogo JET (English teachers on the JET Programme)
Country	Philippines GMM (Greater Metro Manila)
Work site	Baseco, 5 Families Steel frames homes with small loft
Itinerary	16 Day(s) 17-Mar 2007(SAT) ～ 01-Apr 2007(SUN)
Member	Total: 13 JET(M): 4, JET(F): 9
Expense	Traveling: 60000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 3000 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Kansai -->Manila (Philippine Airlines)
Report	For one week, the team painted homes at the Baseco project site, in Manila. We interacted with the children and partner families in Baseco, Working in Baseco, we saw people living in absolute poverty. This was a great learning expereince to many on the team, and hopefully motivated some to do more to help those living in poverty in the future. We also visited an orphanage, which was home to abandoned babies and todlers. And we visited the office of the mayor of Manila. After building, we spent one week travelling to Bohol, Cebu, and Palawan. Our accommodation in Manila was the the UCCP Shalom. All team members were very happy with the accommodation - the cleanliness, location, cost, staff - and would recommend it to future teams.
Photo	Upper left: team, Upper right: motorcycle Lower left: building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年03月17日 00:00 | パーマリンク

 

Thailand: Keiwa International Volunteers (Keiwa College)

Team name	Keiwa International Volunteers (Keiwa College)
Country	Thailand Pak Chong
Work site	1 Families One story house of interlocking concrete bricks
Itinerary	11 Day(s): 25-Feb 2007(SUN) ～ 07-Mar 2007(WED)
Member	Total: 17: Adult (M): 3, Adult (F): 3, Univ. Stud. (M): 4, Univ. Stud. (F): 7
Expense	Traveling: 66380 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 3025 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Narita-->Bangkok (NW)
Report	Our group of 17 members went to Pak Chong Thailand and helped in the construction of a single-family dwelling made of interlocking, concrete bricks. This was the fourth such trip for the Keiwa International Volunteers, having started in Fiji, then went to Philippines, and Malaysia last year (2006). One of our members has been on all four projects and several have been on three. For some of our members it was the first time for them to participate in this work and, indeed, the first time to travel abroad. Everyone participated actively and our supervisor told us that we worked faster than any other group he had worked with. In addition to construction work, we also visited a school where our members demonstrated a Japanese dance, getting the pupils to be involved as well. After the general assembly, we all separated and went to each of the different grade's classrooms where we conducted other activities of cultural interest to the students. In our free time on weekends, we had a number of interesting excursions, taking in some ancient ruins, a shopping mall, a silk shop and manufacturing shop and other places of interest. A meaningful time was had by all.
Photo	Upper left: team, Upper right: construction Lower left: finished, Lower left: accommodation * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年02月25日 19:29 | パーマリンク

 

Malaysia: SUAC-HFH (Shizuoka Univ. of Art & Culture)

Team Name	SUAC Habitat for Humanity (Shizuoka University of Art & Culture)
Country	Malaysia Kuching
Work site	Kampong Sikog, 3 Families, One-storey house built of reinforced concrete and concrete bricks
Itinerary	11 Day(s) 21-Feb 2007(WED) ～ 03-Mar 2007(SAT)
Member	Total: 19 Adult(M): 1, Adult(F): 2, Univ. Stud.(M): 2, Univ. Stud. (F): 14
Expense	Traveling: 94000 JPY（taxes included）/person In-country: 3500 JPY（taxes included）/person/day
Route	Nagoya-->Kuala Lumpur (MH) Kuala Lumpur-->Kuching (MH)
Report	We went to the Malaysian island of Borneo to work with the Kuching Affliliate at the Kampong Sigok worksite. We were the first of 3 teams to work on this particular house. Later in the month, teams from Hong Kong and Duabi would arrive. The Habitat carpenter had already put up the roof on the house. We were pleased because we could work in the shade it provided. During our build, we mixed cement, made the floor, and started to make the walls. We had 6 days of building. We did not have an R&R at the end of the build. Instead, we arranged time in between the build to spend one night in an Iban longhouse. It took about 4 hours by bus to get to the longhouse - we then took a 30 minute ride on a longtail boat. At night there was dancing and interactions with the local people. We went for a hike in the jungle and the locals showed us their homemade traps for hunting, how to use a blowpipe for hunting, and how to tap rubber from a tree. We took another day trip to Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre and to the Sarawak Cultural Village. On the last day, we visited Limkokwing Institute of Creative Technology and showed the students and faculty there how to drink Japanese tea. We spent about 3 hours there as they had ice breaking games and refreshments for us. Our hotel was fine - the staff were very friendly and the rooms we clean with air conditioning and hot water.
Photo	Upper right: with homeowners Upper right: building Lower left: finished building Lower right: Telang Usan Hotel * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年02月21日 18:40 | パーマリンク

 

Fiji: American School in Japan

Team Name	American School in Japan
Country	Fiji Suva
Work site	Nakoravau, 1 Family Wooden house
Itinerary	9 day(s): 16-Feb 2007(FRI) ～ 24-Feb 2007(SAT)
member	Total: 15 High School(M): 6, High School(F): 9
Expense	Traveling: 94000 JPY(taxses included)/person In-country: 4000 JPY(taxes included)/person/day
Route	Narita-->Nadi (Air Pacific)
Report	Our trip to Fiji was the 4th ASIJ has taken to Fiji in the past 5 years. All went well. We had to do lots of carrying dirt which limited our ability to work on the house the first 2 days- In the past the foundation was ready and we were able to concentrate on the carpentry. It would be better to let the GV team do more wood work. All arrangements were good. We stayed together in two houses. Smaller homestays would have been prefarable but I know that they are not always available. We had a great trip. Thanks to all of the hard work by the Tokyo office and the Fiji office.
Photo	Upper left: team, Upper right: builing Lower left: building Lower right: building * Click the image to zoom-in.

投稿者: Habitat for Humanity Japan 日時: 2007年02月16日 15:37 | パーマリンク