Start building the master house

It is already a couple of months for me in the tropics and a lot of things have happened. My stay started with the inevitable red tape procedures involving visa, insurance and drivers licence  I was told that bureaucracy in Suriname is quite taxing. So I came prepared with a novel to read for the days of queuing,  changing desks and waiting.

That done, it was time for the next episode: building the master house. The choice of the contractor was actually already made when the lodge was built last year: Henk Dingé. Families in Suriname can be fairly large and every member has his specialty  The nephew of the brother (?) of Henk appeared to be experienced in building houses made of stone and concrete. His name? Jurman Majoko. And what work team he has!

Jurman, Frank, Rino, Jones and Etienne

The guys, all Saramacans from upriver, deliver hard workmanship every day. Whether rain or sunshine they keep on going in the humid heat from 8 in the morning till 6 in the afternoon.
Directed by Jurman, I shop for all the materials they need, transport it or get it be delivered. That way I keep up with the progress and it also offers me knowledge in building a house.

Visa

The regular visa for Dutch citizens is the tourist visa, valid for 90 days. No big deal. Just before boarding the plane in Amsterdam or disembarking at the airport J.A. Pengel in Suriname, you can buy your visa.
But to plant a garden and build a house takes probably longer than these 90 days. So one of us had to apply for a long stay visa that allows up to a 1 year stay. Dick as an anchor in the Netherlands, Jack requested for the visa.

Today the authorities in Paramaribo approved my visa application!

Coat of Arms of Suriname