Thanks to you...

^ A couple friends and me in the sulphur clouds of the Uyuni desert! ^

Angels are everywhere, ya know? They often come along just when you need them. This struck me the other day, as I was by an ATM, trying to figure out how to get my VISA card back after the ATM decided to eat it. A random lady just angelically appeared out of “nowhere” and asked if she could help me.

But she was just one of the many angels I know… namely all of YOU. This is a tribute to those who have continued to absolutely bless my socks off, even being 4000 km away for 5 months.

There are my parents who I’ve talked with almost every single day (and my mom sends me loving “prayer of the day” emails)… my brother who at least USED to talk with me, before he found lovelier company... :) My grandparents who got a Facebook account just to see my pictures… Those who send me messages of all sorts… those who have spent hours Skyping/IMing me, including “staying by my side” as I proceeded to lose my cookies on the floor, haha… Those who drop random notes to say they’re thinking of me or are counting down till I get home… and last but not least – anyone who has commented on my blog or pictures, for great is your reward in heaven =)

I don’t pretend that this was exactly a mission trip, and I have certainly learned way more than I have accomplished. Nevertheless, whatever I have done in the past 5 months – or my whole life, actually – I largely credit to my amazing peeps! Behind every person who goes are many more, just as important, supporting them and cheering them on. Ya’ll are the best. Thanks for being the most awesome friends I could imagine.

I'm coming home March 23!

Over and out.

Not a Drop of Sympathy!

So while escaping a pursuer armed with a bucket of water, I (in a full-out run carrying my purse, a notebook, and a bag of fruit) attract the attention of another group of teens armed with water balloons. More running and dodging.

Let’s just say I arrived home with a wet back and bruised fruit. J

Happy Carnival, everyone… NOT! J

*for the full long boring version of the story, click here

Miscellaneous...

We have a 2 year old now!!!!!! Everyone loves her!

Favorite Recent Moments:

--- (Background: The kids have an intense fascination with water. The garden hose, spray bottles, the sink, mud puddles… you name it. J The bathroom is a popular place to congregate and ultimately throw water all over the floor.)

So I’m cooking, and a kid comes trotting from the direction of the bathroom through the kitchen.

Me: What’d you just do?

Kid: Number 2!

Alriiiiighy…. J

--- Making pizza with the Holman kids (I absolutely LOVE that family!)

David: I don’t like the feel of flour

Me: Hmm… then you probably won’t be a baker when you grow up, huh?

One of the girls to me: Are YOU going to be a baker when you grow up?

Me: Yeah… when I grow up… I’ll probably be a baker.

And it’s true! I’ve loved baking and cooking for the kiddos down here. I probably shouldn’t evaluate my cooking based on the reactions of a bunch of 4-7 year olds, but they are generally complimentary.

Except this time:

Kid: “Tia, we don’t eat this in Bolivia. This is gross. Do they cook this in your country?”

Me: “No… we don’t eat this in my country either” (*laughing, ‘cause I wanted to say, “Honey, hate to break it to you, but this was today’s lunch that you didn’t like. But I did some tweaking to it and you don’t even recognize it…”*)

Kid: “Well, if it’s not eaten in Bolivia, and it’s not eaten in your country… then WHY DID YOU COOK IT????”

I think she’ll grow up to be a lawyer. J

--- Jiggling the 2-year-old to sleep in my arms in the dark, watching a sunset over the mountains, and silent lightning across the sky, feeling the strong breeze through the open window…

--- Seeing a cow in a taxi. Yes, a real live calf. (Since relatively few people down here have their own cars (or trailers!), one sees all sorts of things in public transportation!)

--- The personally-owned vehicles are none too boring either – the other day I saw a big old Nissan truck… with 2 old nuns driving/riding!

Take 2, They're Big!

Besides breakfast, lunch, and dinner, food is offered here upon one’s awaking, arriving, departing, and many times in between. “Yes please” and, “No thank you” are both somehow translated, “Yeah, give me food.”

The mom/cook/hostess always fills everyone’s plate. Portions are large.

Here's a few real quotes to give some perspective:

Host mom: “Eat! The sick who don’t eat die. I eat when I’m sick, and I haven’t died!”

Kid: “Tia, why do you exercise?”

Me: “Because I want to be strong.”

Kid: “But for that, all you need to do is eat.” (Silly, stupid Tia am I! And all this time I thought…)

Host mom (the moment my roommate walked in the door tonight): “Hola! Eat! Here’s fruit salad!”

Roommate: “Oh no thank you, I’m good for now.”

Host mom: “But you like fruit salad!"

Roommate: “Yeah… sometimes”

Host mom: “You like it. Why don’t you don’t want fruit salad???”

Roommate: “I like it for breakfast, but not now.”

Host mom: *shakes head in bewilderment, chuckles* “That girl, such is she. Eh, it’s ok, I’ll make her oatmeal!”

Who's this kid? (Or is it the cook...?)

If a Picture's Worth 1000 Words...

...then this post is worth 38,000, 'cause THERE'S A BUNCH OF NEW PICTURES ON FACEBOOK!!!!

Thanks for all of your picture requests!

Click the link to see the photo album:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=120825&id=657656924&l=95fb8339a0

Let the Good Times Roll!

Spiffy, huh!?!

"Oooh, a big vehicle with WHEELS!"

Yes, I do in fact spend massive amounts of time with 4-year-old boys. I can't help it. :)

Actually, this post is dedicated to Dad, whose photo request was for forms of transportation down here.

So, the colorful short busses are called "Micros." You pay when you get on.

The modified vans are called "Trufis." You pay when you get off.

The idea with both micros and trufis is to pack 1) as many people in as possible without anyone actually suffocating and 2) as many stickers, stuffed animals, and "Toyota" trinkets as you can fit on your dash!

To catch a micro or trufi, you stand by a curb and watch for one with the number or letter of the route you need. Usually their main destination is also listed. And look closely! There are micros with the same letter, but different routes! One has a little heart symbol by it, the other doesn't! When your number/letter/symbol comes, you just flag it down by holding out your hand. Then it and all of its many passengers come to an abrupt stop to let you on, and you go along your merry way.

When you want to get off the micro/trufi, you call out, "Corner please!" If you're too squished in the back for the driver to hear you, your request gets passed along telephone-game-style to the front until the driver stops. Then begins the fun of everyone shifting or getting off to let you down.

The public transportation routes were definitely designed by a woman. I'm pretty sure she was also either drunk, blond, or both. No offense. As a blond girl, I pretty much have the right to pick on my own species. :)

I usually take a taxi. Their condition varies greatly. Their common denominator is an awesome sound system and other spiffy little upgrades no matter how clunkerish the car is!

Oh, and bonus picture, here's a fruit car:

That's a megaphone on top, through which the driver announces his wares while driving slowly through neighborhoods.

"I Kissed A Bug...

... and I liked it!"

It wasn't exactly love at first sight...

But we warmed up to each other...

Or rather he thawed out a bit, since I did put him in the freezer before our little photo shoot... :D

In the end, my little cold, horny (no, those aren't oxymorons... :) anyway, my cold and horny friend obliged me for this picture: