Project Photospheres - January 10, 2015

Work continues to quickly progress on the East Wing. Third floor shuttering work is nearing completion and steel reinforcing work will start this week.

(Drag and Scroll to move around Photospheres below - click button on top right of each to go fullscreen)

Photosphere from December 13, 2014 - Working on the 2nd Floor Steel

Views: MCH Project - December 13, 2014 by Jonathan Barrett

Photosphere from January 10, 2015 - Working on the 3rd Floor Shuttering

Views: MCH Project - January 10, 2015 by Jonathan Barrett

Photosphere from January 10, 2015 - Working on the OPD Waiting Area (Main Entrance)

Views: MCH Project - January 10, 2015 by Jonathan Barrett

Jon

Girls Soccer - New Jerseys

When I was home in PEI this summer, the soccer team I've played with for several years (Winsloe Senior Women's - Globe) graciously let me join for 5 weeks of summer league.  I heard the club had an excess of some relatively new jerseys they didn't need/want and my coach Grant helped me fill my car after a game.  Jon and I carried several sets (over 100 jerseys) back to Bangladesh.

I have been holding weekly sports classes (with a focus on soccer) for the junior and senior girls over the past couple years.  We may have a language barrier but we have fun and the girls have been improving and enjoying practicing their skills.  I handed over the jerseys at a school picnic for a photo op with some of the girls.  The kids are just starting a new year of classes after exams and holidays.  I'm looking forward to meeting again this month.

Some of the MCH high school girls class 6,7, and 8

Putting on their Game Face

MCH high school girls class 9-10

MCH high school principal and senior boys folding a set of royal blues (they are hoping to share these ones).

Holly

Holidays

Merry Christmas and Happy 2015!

We enjoyed a few low key days over the Christmas holidays.  We hosted a family of 7 who are currently living in Chittagong for language study.  It was fun to have them and so many other guests who visited for the holidays this year.  We played games by the fire, ate lots of chocolate and cheese straight from North America, went on elephant rides, played sports, and rang in the new year with an annual jump in the pool.

Missed ya family and friends back home!!

Our guests helped make our house more cheery with a decorated tree and lights

Dark chocolate Jon bought for me online (carried in luggage of guest from US)

Christmas party with Dejongs, both our staff and their families

Christmas morning service at nearby village church.  Celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Boxing Day Activity - Elephant rides for all in MCH's back yard (Hollywood Bowl).
   

We were all very impressed to watch him smash and pierce open coconuts and tuck snacks in the gap between his tusk and trunk to save for later.

Happy Birthday Jon! Thanks to Meghan for the delicious gf chocolate cake!

Pool Jump - Round 2 (missing a few)

Jon getting some air and anticipating the cold

Holly

2014 MCH Project Time-lapse

Time-lapse video of construction in 2014

Second Floor East - Poured

The second floor of the East wing was cast a few days ago.  You can see the details on the latest post of the hospital renewal site here or visit the home page at www.mchrenewalproject.com/

Panorama of 2nd Floor Slab

 

 

MCH - Project Office Visit

This past week our direct supervisor (Bill Hanson) and an Architect (Tim Hunsicker) that has started to work for the Project Office were able to make a visit to the project. It was good to finally meet with Bill for the first time in person. We have been talking on the phone, Skype and email for over two years now. It was a good time to review the project status, budget, funding, design, safety, etc.

Holly, Tim & Bill taking a photo with the new building project

 

Jon reviewing the plans with Tim & Bill

 

Bill, Jon, Holly & Tim in front of the new hospital project

Out for a half round of golf (next to the airport so we arrived a bit early for the flight to get a few holes in)

Bill, Brett, Tim & Jon enjoying a fun game of golf.

 

Jon

Quality Control (and an unfortunate balloon mishap)

Quality management is a big part of our job here in Bangladesh as project managers for a large construction project.  From the supply of raw materials such as sand, stone, cement, and bricks to pipe, electrical components, doors, and windows to the installation of these items and construction of structural slabs, columns and brick walls.  It is a constant theme.  It particularly can be a challenge in a country where this kind of thing is widespread.

Actual Men's Size Medium Shirt with RL insignia, Oshkosh tag - made by....not sure

not real Blu-ray - copies of movies sold at many shops

not real Nike - cricket bat

 

Pepsi, Coca-Cola and a nice Nic Nac...

not real Doc (I was just observing but unfortunately this is a real issue in Bangladesh)

Well I recently played victim to poor product quality when I purchased a couple packs of balloons. It even had an English warning that I missed "Fake Product with Bad Quality & High Defects".  While trying to blow a balloon just a little bit bigger it exploded on my eye.  I'm fine but it was sore for a few days.  I wasn't a big fan before this event, but I think I'll be swearing off balloons forever now....

#readthelabel

Lasik eye still intact

 

 

 

 

 

Holly

Five Year Aniversary

We celebrated five years of marriage last weekend (November 27).  Twelve years since we met, seven years together, lots of adventures along the way, such as living and working in Bangladesh.  More to come!

Couple Photos were taken by Yorke Photography - More Here

We were able to have a bit of extra fun last weekend with a boat trip down the river with friends to a sandy section of Maheshkali island, a progressive American thanksgiving dinner, and a game of ultimate (frisbee). 

Our [Mostly] Secluded Beach Destination

 Jon running through deep mud to reach the "bridge to nowhere" (no road or on-ramp)

Carrie, Shannon and Jon contemplating the plunge with a curious onlooker

They went for it.  Extra thrills when the Sharwar (women's long top) covers your face.

And now back to the main event five years ago........so many memories jogged by browsing our photos.....here are just a couple........

The moment Jon realized he turned on the water with his back during a photo session before the ceremony- I love his face.

We had the honor of being married by this wonderful man - the late Lynn Erskine

Holly

MCHRP - Second Floor East Shuttering Work

The shuttering for the First Floor East Slab is in the process of being removed and moved up a level to start preparing for the Second Floor East Slab (Male ward, Private/Semi private rooms & Nursing station). The goal is to be ready to start slab casting on December 20th.
 

View from on top the existing hospital roof - Dec 3, 2014

Setting up the shuttering for the second floor slab (East)

Site overview from South - Dec 3, 2014

Removing shuttering on the ground floor east wing

Jon

Hospital - Automatic Voltage Stabilizer

Grid power in Bangladesh is sporadic at the best of times with regular load shedding (power outages) due to the fact that electrical demand is much greater than the available supply, especially during the hot seasons.  A year ago November the hospital was able to obtain a priority line that has reduced load shedding on average a couple hours per day which has been a great blessing. Even with this new priority line voltage conditions at the hospital have been consistently low (regular brownouts with voltage as low as 150-180v when designed to receive 220v). When the voltage drops below a certain point the campus generators would have to be turn on so that medical equipment, hospital compressors and even florescent light would work properly. In order to fix this issue a new voltage regulator was purchased for the hospital which will correct the worst of brownouts and supply the hospital with required voltages. This new AVR is of special importance to the new hospital building as the proposed Oxygen & Suction machines, Elevators, Chiller, Medical equipment, etc. all require stabilized voltage. Over the past month this new unit has been keeping the voltage very stable. (One can not tell the difference from the generator supply or grid supply vs previously when the generator was on lights and fans etc. all ran about 25% brighter/faster.)

 

Inside the new voltage regulator panel

Energypac and the workshop connecting the lines back into the existing transformer

AVR, Transformer & Generator Shed behind

Gary and the workshop finishing the connections on the AVR

Jon