How to Build a Bamboo House.

(After the foundation, beams, and tin roofing has been done for you!)


1) Find yourself some BAMBOO!


2) Saw off any "bad parts" and cut each piece into the appropriate length.


3) Split the bamboo into 4-6 pieces. This requires some serious tools - a rock, a block of wood, and a "khukuri" (scary knife). Once you hear a certain sound (this is all very specific, right?!), you can stop using the block of wood and khukuri and use manpower to complete the splitting process. Be sure to watch out for young children and wild animals!


4) Do the hokey pokey. It's a fun way to teach English to the local kids :)


5) Use a khukuri to shave each piece of bamboo until it is thin and flexible. The pieces must be "weave-able" after this not-so-enjoyable cleaning process is finished. [Sidenote: the house we built required 1431 bamboo pieces! That's A LOT of shaving!!!!]


6) If your khukuri gets dull during the process, find a rock and try to sharpen it yourself. If you fail to do so, ask a friend to try. If your friend fails to do so, become BEST FRIENDS with the mason and use sign language to explain what you need!


7) Take a tea and cookie break. At least twice a day :)


8) Use the clean pieces of bamboo to construct the skeleton of a wall. Begin to weave the pieces into the wall following the pattern laid out by the mason. Green side up times two. White side up times two. Alternate thick ends up and thick ends down to keep the wall even. Use a "whacker" (a.k.a. wooden block) to hit the bamboo pieces into place. Your wall should have as few gaps as possible!


9) Play a game (or two!) of badminton! It's impossible to say no to a birdie made of chicken feathers!


10) It's time to MUD! But, first you have to make it! A truck will bring you the dirt and a person who likes to pump the well will bring you water. A team is also required to break up any major chunks of soil or clay before it can be turned into a useable building material.


11) Add some straw to the mixture, take off your shoes, roll up your pants, and start dancing! That mud needs to get mixed and the "I Love Lucy" approach seems to work best!


12) Put the ready-to-go mud into small bowls. Be sure to judge the strength of the designated "porters" prior to doing so. Little strength = little mud. Great strength = lots of mud. Oh - and LIFT WITH YOUR KNEES! When those start to hurt, trade off!


13) Put on some medical gloves and start the application process! The mud must be smeared onto both sides of the wall - but you only do one side at a time. Once one side has dried up, the other side may be mudded too. Despite your attempts at making the wall as smooth and thin as possible - you will likely be criticized by the local professional, who will "fix" your work with her BARE hands.


14) Clean up, recruit the team, gather the community and celebrate the house you built together!



P.S. A second coat must be put on all of the walls once they are dry. However, the second coat does not involve mud and rather involves manure. Coincidentally (haha), our time on the build site was UP at this point!