We survived!

cold, sleepy and extremely tired
shall update again later

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1030 pm

It has been 12 hours since I left the backyard of the BK-- our slum settlement. Yet the experience of the past 2 days were still memorable.

The settlement was an accomplishment by the 37 of us. It belongs to us. It is really a pity that not everyone stayed for the night though, because it was particularly that experience that put me into thinking.

Building the informal settlement at the backyard of our faculty is a very good experience, but I would say that the experience is not complete without staying there in your own shelter, which you call "home" for one night. Some people may think that we are crazy to stay for the night. Indeed, without any sleeping bags and fire and the idea of staying out at night in a self-built shelter sounds very insane. (Maybe because of the coldness of last night? What will happen if last night was much warmer?) But the 3 of us-- Stephan, Jasper and I, survived, and I believe all of us were happy that we actually stayed. The experience of staying in such a small, cramp self-built space with two other people who are actually millimetres away from you is simply unforgettable. I would also say that it is a pity that I am kind of overwhelmed by the coldness and I forgot to stay alert to what is happening in the environment. I guess if the security guards/ police come for us, I would not know what to do and I may end up in the prison. But these -- weather, external interference-- are things that slum dwellers need to face every single minute. It is reality in their life (actually I feel like I am in some kind of reality TV show last night). When I come to think of the fact that millions of people through out the world is actually leading such a life, my heart turned sour. I couldn't help but keep thinking what we can do to all these people (NOT in an architectural sense). Money donation? Going there to help as volunteer? Or do they actually need people to help? Are they contented with their situation?

"Everybody is his own architect." This phrase suddenly popped into my mind, when I am looking at the slums and the fact that people actually build their own houses.