Tag Archives: construction

In A Country of Teenagers, A Young Man Grows Up

Posted on 06/10/2012 by paulefallon

Haiti is a country of teenagers.  I did not originate that saying, Renee did, but it is the best single description of the place I’ve heard.  Teenagers are unformed yet egotistical, lack competence yet are overconfident, wound others recklessly yet … Continue reading →

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Bang It Out!

Posted on 04/30/2012 by paulefallon

The Haitian approach to work follows the dictum, “Work requires banging.” Most Haitians are remarkably strong, and much of the work site camaraderie is based on shared displays of physical prowess.  There is nothing praiseworthy in the carpenter who cuts … Continue reading →

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Twin Construction of Different Fathers

Posted on 04/28/2012 by paulefallon

I am spending more time at the Mission of Hope School site this trip to Haiti. The Be Like Brit orphanage is moving along very well; there is so much repetition now the crews need less supervision while some work … Continue reading →

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Making the Corner

Posted on 03/29/2012 by paulefallon

Here is the way that Haitians determine where to locate the corner of a building.  You take a group of guys, at least six, eight is preferred.  You run a nylon string along the length of one wall, about a … Continue reading →

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Photo Tribute

Posted on 03/07/2012 by paulefallon

Yesterday we finished pouring the concrete on the second floor of BeLikeBrit orphanage, a task that took seven weeks from building the formwork to installing the rebar to placing the concrete.  The last pout was 55 cubic yards of concrete, … Continue reading →

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Ad for Construction Assistance for MoHI School

Posted on 03/02/2012 by paulefallon

I hope my regular readers will pardon me putting an ad in the blog.  We are looking for a consturction supervisor for the MoHI School; this post is linked to several job search sites. Use Your Construction Experience to Help Rebuild … Continue reading →

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Lean Thinking Comes to Haiti

Posted on 02/03/2012 by paulefallon

One of the more peculiar paradoxes of my life is that I spend two weeks every month in the Unites States, where much of my work deals with Lean process improvement, and two weeks in Haiti, where the concept process … Continue reading →

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Construction by Hand

Posted on 01/04/2012 by paulefallon

A five gallon bucket is a foot in diameter and just over a foot tall.  It will take over 11,000 buckets of concrete, carried from the mixer by hand and up a ladder, to pour the second floor of the … Continue reading →

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What Am I Doing Here?

Posted on 01/01/2012 by paulefallon

It’s Sunday, New Year’s Day in Haiti. I have the day off.  People have wondered what am I doing here, so perhaps this is a good time to lay out a day in the life of Mister Paul, l’architect, which … Continue reading →

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