Wow,

I loved the video. It is interesting to watch the boys use the hand tools. When I teach my 4th and 5th graders, the first thing they want to do is to use power tools... We spend many sessions on how to use the tools correctly, safely and efficiently. It was fun to watch how the boys knock the nails back to verticle. My kids haven't seen it enough, or figured out the coordination to do that. They would definitely be awesome leaders in my class.

I wonder about the creativity issue. I wonder if there is that general malaise in their culture. Life is very hard, and if you aren't working you are letting someone down/something go. They work harder than farmers here, but have no real vision of prosperity, or advancement. (At least not realistic ones, thank you american movies...) From my vantage point, they live in a third world but their windows over look the "stuff" of first world countries. How do you manage to get the stuff from their world? Why do they really want it?

It is great to want what they have, (beautiful land and old style living) but from the comfort of my Herman Miller chair, 20 inch mac, and near by toilet and supermarkets... I think that your village is at the cross roads many are in here, but with more downsides. How do you figure out what you need, need to survive and build your spirit. I know that that is what I am trying to figure out, but not having to deal with lack of running water, electricity, ease of travel, and the list goes on.

You need to come back so we can work on the manifesto to work this all out, on stormy Oregon nights...

Go Team Chaos!

Belkar