Hi Mom and Dad,

I’m happy to report that I have arrived safely in Mozambique. After an exhausting flight, I was met at the airport by the volunteer coordinator for Global Habitat Organization, who drove me to the village of Nahino, where the school-building project that I’m working on is taking place.

You wouldn’t believe the weather here. Last week was so hot that a few of the other volunteers became ill. Our supervisor said that this heat wave was really extreme and that he was not surprised to see some people were affected by it. Apparently, the weather is back to normal now, but it still feels pretty hot and humid to me.

Despite the hot weather, we’ve made impressive progress. The frame of the school is completed, and we’ll start on the roof next week. This organization has extensive experience getting volunteers and local people to work together efficiently, and, while most of us are completely untrained when it comes to building, we’re all willing to learn and to work hard. The local construction workers know all about the best types of structures and materials to use in this climate. I’m learning a lot about how their ventilation systems work.

We’re confident that the school will be open by September. Sixty students from the village have already enrolled, and two full-time teachers have been hired. It’s so exciting to see the kids who will be attending the school come by almost every day to watch our progress and help in any way they can. It’s fantastic to be working on a project that will help so many people, and I’m already thinking of volunteering for another project next summer.

Yesterday, we took a break from the project and went into the city for some entertainment. We sampled the local cuisine at a restaurant, and, afterwards, we went dancing, so I had an opportunity to meet some local people and get to know some of the other volunteers better. Bill and Katie have become two of my friends here, and we’re planning a short excursion to see more of this fabulous country before returning home. After this experience, we’re all somewhat reluctant to return to our dull classes in the fall.

Hope you’re having a good summer,

Mike