Say Llama?

Okay, here's just a few random notes and journals from the past few days for all my die-hard fans J: 

 

Llamas are a highly revered animal here. They have long been a part of Bolivian culture, used for farming, yarn, food, and rituals. (Some believe that burying a Llama fetus under the cornerstone of a new house will bless the house). There are wild Llamas on the mountains, the fetuses are sold at the market, and really cool “cave art” style Llamas are embroidered on much traditional clothing.

 

The standard greeting here is a “kiss” on the side of the cheek. It’s not necessary to actually touch one’s lips to the other person, just the sides of your cheek while making a kissing sound. Everyone – men, women, and children – do it upon arriving and departing.

 

The people here are interesting. I’ve been spending lots of “Spanish-only” time with Maite & Teresa (hosts) and my tongue is finally loosening up to the language. There are also people here from Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Switzerland, and Tanzania! It’s really weird to be talking with someone else in Spanish who also speaks it as a foreign language. Lots of fascinating stories.

 

Maite is my buddy down here. We walk all over town together, have long conversations, talk and play on a see-saw like chicititas, and dare each other to try Tabasco sauce in mint icecream (an improvement in my book… whoever thought of putting toothpaste on cake anyway???J)

 

Saturday (10-24): I went to a concert at CIC (Cochabamba International Church). True to Latin American culture, they had AMAZING sound and lighting equipment – and this was just a temporary outdoor setup! Christian songs were played with traditional Bolivian instruments, and there was also some people dancing in traditional costumes. Keyword: LOUD!

Sensory overload!!

 

Sunday (10-25): Went to CIC, then to another church for a musical puppet show for the kids. (A couple days ago, Maite asked me if I wanted to come to watch their puppet show practice. {Me *laughing: “Why not?”} So, today was the show and I got to operate a puppet. I made sure that it sang its head off, lol.)

I never see gringos walking around town, but there were a lot at the cross-cultural church today. Even though I’m trying very hard to not permit English to enter my ears or escape my mouth, there is something very refreshing about simply talking with your own countrymen. It’s more than the language, though. “Home” is the people who know the place. And it’s lovely to have a bit of home here. Oh, and at the evening sermon today, the preacher started talking in Quechua (a major local Indian language). Then, I realized that it wasn’t Quechua after all, but English in an extremely thick New Zealand accent! 

Not DOT Approved Either!

Oh, and I’ve been learning a lot about the capacity of various vehicles.

It IS possible to carry a refrigerator, 2 TV’s, and a cooler on 1 hand truck (dolly).

It is also possible to transport 5 mattresses with a station wagon.

And just because the bus is too full to close the doors, does NOT mean it’s too full to let more people on. Don’t know which ride was more interesting – the one in which I rode in the doorway, or the one when I sat on a wooden seat between the driver and the driver’s window.

Pedestrians do not exactly have the right of way here. You can kill them, just try not to injure them because then you’ll have to pay their medical bills for the rest of their life. A good precaution for drivers is to simply honk your horn before each intersection that doesn’t have a stop sign (which is a lot of them).

The insides of the buses are interesting. Decorations galore! From red velvet with yellow tassels adorning the dash, to “Jesus te amo” stickers and Winnie the Pooh pendants – all in the same bus.

Good times. J

Not FDA Approved

This morning I went with Maite & Teresa to the Cancha – an expansive outdoor market that covers 15 blocks and is packed with everything you can imagine and some things you probably can’t.

Anyone want to buy some raw sheep’s feet? They’ve only been sitting out in the sun for a few hours, and have even been de-skinned for you.

Or how about some cassettes? A sample of the seller’s ware is playing energetically from his booth – the only problem is that it is surrounded by 5 other booths also selling music, and also blaring theirs at full volume.

The cobs of corn look good – and the lady sitting right on the pile of corn would be happy to sell you some. 

Cooking oil comes in handy old "Rum and Coke" plastic bottles!

There were women with long braids and full velvet skirts frying sausages in oil and squeezing fresh orange juice (smelled SO good!). There were booths of spices, shoes, electrical supplies, dishes, cloth, shower curtains… all blended together in a chaotic maze of people, animals, motorcycles, and busses.

Fresh broccoli was spread on a cloth on the sidewalk right next to cleaning supplies and toilet paper. Babies played in cardboard boxes or piles of vegetables while their moms called out to and did business with customers.

Very few things have their price labeled. Papayas in the same pile were selling for differing prices. The seller pointed to each and rapidly named a price with confidence as if it were written on it.

Good times. :)

 

Here

I arrived in Cochabamba yesterday!

Quick update -

A nice little group was there to greet me at the airport - Kartrina (in charge of the orphanage while Jennifer is gone), Maite (my host sister), Mr. Holman (missionary), and 2 toddlers from the orphanage.

Maite and her mom, Teresa - are so sweet and hospitable. They live in a fresh, sunny house with another roomate - Lauren. She's a Christian, veterinarian, doing volunteer work with another organization, and is going to the same language school as me. 

Yesterday I got a tour of "Baby Home 1." There are 3 homes in different parts of the city, divided by age. Home 1 is mostly 1 and 2 year olds, and is where I'll be doing most of my work. Met Savannah, another volunteer who lives at Home 1 with Katrina. She's really friendly, has been here a month, and I'm always asking her questions like, "Um, can I eat the fruit here?"

Went out to a delicious dinner with 5 other girls. The restaurant looked like a typical crumbling building on the outside, but was beautiful inside and had amazingly gourmet food for $3 a plate! If I ever learn how to navigate in this crazy town, I'm definitely going back. 

Right now, I'm at language school waiting for Lauren to get out of class and take me around town. I just had an assessment interview in Spanish which was fun. 

My weeks will consist of working at Home 1 about 4 days, plus a day at Home 2 every other weekend, 2 language classes, Bible studies, etc. 

I have internet here at school, but none at home. 

Gotta go now. I miss everybody back home and am not just saying that. As they say here, "Ciao!" :-)

Girl of Many Hats

“Bolivia.” All day, the word kept echoing around in my head with alluring mystery. Curious, and unsure exactly where in South America it was, I set about researching the country. Soon, I had a whole sheet of facts and figures. What struck me most were the appalling medical conditions and how many children died of disease. Having long felt called to the mission field, I suddenly felt that Bolivia held some inspiring destiny. Yes, I would go to Bolivia!

Then, I discovered an earth-shattering thing about Bolivia which altered my plans: natives wore odd hats. 

I told Mom about the devastating news as she fixed dinner. “All the native women wear these goofy little hats on top of their heads! Just on the TOP of their head. The hats are way too small for them. It looks so ridiculous. I don’t like those hats. I could NEVER work in Bolivia!”

This was all back when I was 13 years old. J

My mom’s reply? “If you lived there, you would learn to love them. You would love the people despite the hats. I think you should go, just because of that.”

 

Despite my mom’s prophetic wish, I completely put Bolivia out of my head, and almost forgot about the conversation until after I had purchased tickets 7 years later… to none other than Bolivia itself. J

Now, I look back at the ironic conversation with amusement. I am so thankful and excited for how the Lord is guiding and already teaching me so much through this! Please join with me in praying that I will have a humble, cooperative attitude, especially since I will be working very closely with a variety of personalities. I am so excited to meet and get to know a whole new set of friends! As my mom assured me so long ago, I will certainly love them. As for the hats… well, we’ll have to see. J

P.S. I'm leaving October 21 at 18:30 and will arrive in Cochabamba (Lord willing!) on October 22 at 14:30. Yay!!!!!