BFT

This is the BFT. They tell the groups that it stands for Big Fun Truck, but I'm pretty sure it's really Big Fuckin' Truck. Either way, the most important part of the acronym is big. I have wanted an excuse to drive it since I got here, and today I got one.

Before actually arriving in the DR, I was given a job description that was all over the place, so I was expecting to be thrown into a lot of different and unexpected work situations. One job I was not expecting was to be a construction advisor (some one who takes a crew to the work site and teaches them how to build the house). A few days ago Bill told me that in March, I would be taking groups by myself to a worksite to build a house, a prospect that kind of stressed me out eight months in advance. Yesterday afternoon, Jon told me tomorrow (today now) that he was going to stay on the property with one group, and I would be taking the other group, by myself, to the worksite in Luperón, by myself, and teach them how to build the house, by myself. As I said before, I still hardly know what I'm doing in construction in general, and now after being here for 10 days I have to teach something that I don't really even know myself!

Fast forward to right now, it actually went better than expected. We didn't make as much progress as we would have if Jon had been there, and we had to do somethings over again two or three times, but we at least made progress on the house, so what more could I have asked for really? At the end of the day, Bill came and picked us up in the BFT. We had everything and everyone packed up in the back of the truck, and Bill asked me if I wanted to drive. I felt a nervous twinge in my stomach that lasted all of one second, and then I took the keys. Driving it was pretty awesome, you're way high up above everyone else, and everyone gives you the right of way. The most difficult part about driving it is that there is no rearview mirror and you have to take the turns extremely wide on relatively narrow streets. So far I've driven the 4 runner, the pick up, and now the BFT. Next up, the motorcycles, which I am extremely excited for.