So, the last post was still from the airport, but we did indeed get to Rapid City late Sunday, and we’ve been finding our way around South Dakota and the reservation since.
We had some car trouble Sunday night- something was wrong with the transmission- but luckily someone told us the car was smoking and pulled over to help (yes, out here they actually stop and talk to you…much friendlier than in NY). So we waited a couple of hours for a replacerment car, and finally stopped by a Brst Western for the night. On Monday, we continued traveling and got to see the site for the first time. The house was mostly finished, but there were still a lot of things left to do.
Tuesday and Wednesday were really fun- I helped put up gutters, framed windows, and was generally happy becuase I got to use power tools. 
And our nights have been great, too- on Tuesday night we visited Jerry’s house (Jerry is the guy in charge) and saw his buffalo up close; we also got to swim in his lake. He has this huge property, and it’s all just rolling hills and grass for miles. It’s gorgeous.
Finally, last night, we did a sweat lodge with Jerry, and I have to say that it was one of the best experiences of my life. He warned us that it would be very hot, and it was, but I just breathed slowly and stuck it out, and got used to it. Our group actually did it with this church youth group from Chicago, which was cool. It wasn’t just sitting and sweating together that made it such an experience- it was the sharing that made it special. There was a point at which we went in a circle and each got to say a prayer, and some people got very personal and emotional- I felt like that made the whole experience that much more meaningful. And when I got out, even though I was soaked in sweat, it didn’t feel gross; it felt good. And I think everyone was in a really great mood when they came out, so the rest of the night was just relaxed and fun.
Okay, so I have to go b/c we need to get to the site (we’re painting today! I think) and b/c this post is waaay long. So that’s it for now.
