Saturday, February 12, 2011
Take a moment...
Today will be my day of rest. As I sit here, recovering from a late night of dancing, I am able to reflect on the last tw0 weeks of my life.
I am proud to say that I have now upgraded from Spinglish to Spanglish. Day by day, it becomes a bit easier. Don't get me wrong-- I still manage to hear a completely different story than the one being told all the time but, poco un poco.
On a daily basis, Bolivia never ceases to amaze me. I have been filled with happiness at the sight of Bolivian babies, bundled tightly on the backs of their mothers; their rosy cheeks peeking through the colorful fabrics. I have been overcome by peels of giggles while trying to follow my Zumba Instructor's lead ( she dances like Shakira)... I daresay, I have too much "zumba" to Zumba. I am humbled everyday through what I learn from my family, and I have been enraged and enlightened by the complicated history of this beautiful country.
For sake of time, I am going to list some of the things that I have done/ have happened-- both good and bad:
- I have discovered the scrumptious-ness that are saltenas y empanadas. Muy rica!
- On my third day here, I was in the front seat of a bus when it hit a puppy. The bus driver got off and wrapped the little one up in his coat and left it by the road. There are many stray dogs here and this sort of thing happens all the time. Due to my love of animals and my fatigue I had a waterworks session all the way home; the little Amaryan man sitting next to me watched me curiously and gave me a Kleenex.
- Attention for all with itchy armpits (yes, you heard me); Lime juice is a savior. I made the mistake of scratching my upper arm and mi mama ran and cute me a lime. The concept of rubbing fruit under your arms is ridiculous, but now, I am a believer.
- Protests are a normal occurrence here; just the other day los micros ( the buses) went on strike.
- I have now eaten cow stomach...
- One of my directors, Ismael, shared with us a very personal part of his life through film. He was put in jail and tortured for political reasons during the 90s. His story is incredible.
There are many more; I will share them later. This experience thus far, has forced me to challenge my thinking. I get to share my days with the most intelligent peers, caring directors, and fantastic familia Boliviana.
One thing that is always on my mind is, "Vivir bien". This saying is all over Bolivia. It basically means, "Live well" as opposed to "Better Living".
Bolivia is the poorest country in South America and yet they live happily and strive for personal successes. They make the best of what they have and enjoy life. Its all about what you make of the situation; your choices; your passions. Situations are not always ideal but life goes on; you make do; you LIVE.
I will leave you with this, "What do you live for?"
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Bonita Cochabamba
Hola Everyone!
I arrived in Cochabamba with a majority of my abroad group. We landed at 7:45am and didn't stop until 11pm... Aye. Orientation lasted only 3 days but it felt like 2 weeks. I hate to admit it, but I think it was some of the hardest days in my life so far haha. I am so used to traveling and such, but this time, I am on my own. We went over health and safety, our curriculum, and finally our ISP; we did this all in Spanish. Needless to say, my head was swimming. On the second day, Our directors took us up to the Cristo, which is a statue of Christ (similar to Brazil's) overlooking the entire city. This is where they left us. We were divided into pairs, and from here , we took a tram down the hill and were left to discover the city for ourselves. I was paired with Seth, and our task was to locate Aldeas SOS, a non-profit that works with orphans in Bolivia. We had 4.5 hours to find it and return to our hotel. With Seth's mad map skills, and my... "help" we found it within 2 hours. After that, we were free to roam the city.
Cochabamba is beautiful (muy linda). It is located in valley and surrounded by mountains. The weather is perfecta. It is just like spring or a cooler summer. The city is full of beautiful homes cascading down the valley, and the fruit is incredible. Bolivianos are very friendly and on most occasions, they prove to be very helpful. The diversity is very interesting. There are those of the upper class (yes, there is a kind of class system) in more modern clothing, and then there are many men and women in traditional clothing, carrying babies and fruit on their backs. There are many parks in every zone of the city, and the night life is bustling. We even stumbled upon a protest dealing with coca leaves. Coca leaves are only a small ingredient in cocaine; otherwise it is used on a daily basis by Bolivians in their teas and and just to chew. It helps to curb hunger and to boost energy. The protest was basically to remind the governments that coca leaves are not cocaine.
Speaking of coca leaves, I did try them. On the second night, our group went to the home of my academic director, Ismael. I do I describe Ismael? It is so difficult. I want to say he is like a cross between a Hippie and Jackie Chan. That is not even a close or accurate comparison but, you get the idea. He is not only an academic director but a lawyer, teacher, and Tai Chi instructor. His house is 3 floors and he and his wife designed it. There are two Tai Chi studios--one in the yard and on as the first floor. He holds classes for paying students and our group as a special option.
Before we entered their home for dinner, Ismael and his wife prepared a special Hindu/Buddhism/Indigenous ritual for us to do. All I can say is, the gong at the end was the icing on the cake. I was not sure where it was going, but it turned out to be a fantastic start to the semester. The ritual involved mother earth, coca leaves, numerous corns and grains, and red and white wines, all ritually placed on the fire. We each took turns completing the series of rituals. What a night!
The next night, I meet my family, which is completely nerve-wracking. We went to dinner at this fabulous restaurant, complete with traditional Bolivian music, tropical birds, and lots and lots of dancing! I danced with my host papa, Bruno, and my host mama, Tirsa. I met one of my 3 siblings that night as well. Aside from an awkward silences and broiled chicken flying off my plate, it went relatively well.
Yesterday, orientation came to a close (Thank God). It was concluded with a workshop fears and expectations. It was lead by Micheele and Pachi, two good friends. It consisted of art and movement. It really calmed my nerves. After that, I hopped into a taxi with my host family, and we traveled to my new home. Bruno y Tirsa have a landscaping/gardening business, and so their house/yard is open and airy. Their courtyard has a greenhouse and numerous potted plants. My room is right by the front door and it is perfect! The whole house is very simple with good light. There is one bathroom and a small kitchen, living room, and dining area. Tirsa loves to paint and design, so the interior is very nicely done. Besides 5 family members, I am now sharing a home with 2 dogs (one is 2 months old!) and 2 cats. They will definitely be a comfort!
After I unpacked, Andrea, mi hermanita ( she is 11 years-old) took me on a walk around the neighborhood. We lost track of time and walked around for hours! Our house is located in zone Villa Moscu. The focal points of the city are many recreation areas and a huge Morman temple.
I start classes tomorrow, which I am both excited for and dreading! I begin my history seminars in Spanish and 3 hour Spanish classes. They will prove to be helpful. After only a few days, I feel like my Spanish has improved quite a bit, although a majority of the time i just smile and nod and use choppy Spanish. I can't wait to see what three months does! In two weeks, my group will take an excursion to La Paz. I can't wait!
Love to all--
I arrived in Cochabamba with a majority of my abroad group. We landed at 7:45am and didn't stop until 11pm... Aye. Orientation lasted only 3 days but it felt like 2 weeks. I hate to admit it, but I think it was some of the hardest days in my life so far haha. I am so used to traveling and such, but this time, I am on my own. We went over health and safety, our curriculum, and finally our ISP; we did this all in Spanish. Needless to say, my head was swimming. On the second day, Our directors took us up to the Cristo, which is a statue of Christ (similar to Brazil's) overlooking the entire city. This is where they left us. We were divided into pairs, and from here , we took a tram down the hill and were left to discover the city for ourselves. I was paired with Seth, and our task was to locate Aldeas SOS, a non-profit that works with orphans in Bolivia. We had 4.5 hours to find it and return to our hotel. With Seth's mad map skills, and my... "help" we found it within 2 hours. After that, we were free to roam the city.
Cochabamba is beautiful (muy linda). It is located in valley and surrounded by mountains. The weather is perfecta. It is just like spring or a cooler summer. The city is full of beautiful homes cascading down the valley, and the fruit is incredible. Bolivianos are very friendly and on most occasions, they prove to be very helpful. The diversity is very interesting. There are those of the upper class (yes, there is a kind of class system) in more modern clothing, and then there are many men and women in traditional clothing, carrying babies and fruit on their backs. There are many parks in every zone of the city, and the night life is bustling. We even stumbled upon a protest dealing with coca leaves. Coca leaves are only a small ingredient in cocaine; otherwise it is used on a daily basis by Bolivians in their teas and and just to chew. It helps to curb hunger and to boost energy. The protest was basically to remind the governments that coca leaves are not cocaine.
Speaking of coca leaves, I did try them. On the second night, our group went to the home of my academic director, Ismael. I do I describe Ismael? It is so difficult. I want to say he is like a cross between a Hippie and Jackie Chan. That is not even a close or accurate comparison but, you get the idea. He is not only an academic director but a lawyer, teacher, and Tai Chi instructor. His house is 3 floors and he and his wife designed it. There are two Tai Chi studios--one in the yard and on as the first floor. He holds classes for paying students and our group as a special option.
Before we entered their home for dinner, Ismael and his wife prepared a special Hindu/Buddhism/Indigenous ritual for us to do. All I can say is, the gong at the end was the icing on the cake. I was not sure where it was going, but it turned out to be a fantastic start to the semester. The ritual involved mother earth, coca leaves, numerous corns and grains, and red and white wines, all ritually placed on the fire. We each took turns completing the series of rituals. What a night!
The next night, I meet my family, which is completely nerve-wracking. We went to dinner at this fabulous restaurant, complete with traditional Bolivian music, tropical birds, and lots and lots of dancing! I danced with my host papa, Bruno, and my host mama, Tirsa. I met one of my 3 siblings that night as well. Aside from an awkward silences and broiled chicken flying off my plate, it went relatively well.
Yesterday, orientation came to a close (Thank God). It was concluded with a workshop fears and expectations. It was lead by Micheele and Pachi, two good friends. It consisted of art and movement. It really calmed my nerves. After that, I hopped into a taxi with my host family, and we traveled to my new home. Bruno y Tirsa have a landscaping/gardening business, and so their house/yard is open and airy. Their courtyard has a greenhouse and numerous potted plants. My room is right by the front door and it is perfect! The whole house is very simple with good light. There is one bathroom and a small kitchen, living room, and dining area. Tirsa loves to paint and design, so the interior is very nicely done. Besides 5 family members, I am now sharing a home with 2 dogs (one is 2 months old!) and 2 cats. They will definitely be a comfort!
After I unpacked, Andrea, mi hermanita ( she is 11 years-old) took me on a walk around the neighborhood. We lost track of time and walked around for hours! Our house is located in zone Villa Moscu. The focal points of the city are many recreation areas and a huge Morman temple.
I start classes tomorrow, which I am both excited for and dreading! I begin my history seminars in Spanish and 3 hour Spanish classes. They will prove to be helpful. After only a few days, I feel like my Spanish has improved quite a bit, although a majority of the time i just smile and nod and use choppy Spanish. I can't wait to see what three months does! In two weeks, my group will take an excursion to La Paz. I can't wait!
Love to all--
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Yikes!
So... I leave for Bolivia in two days! I am pretty stoked, pretty nervous... all of the above. The anticipation is killing me. I have finished packing my monsterous backpacking backpack (if only I was as hardcore as it looks) and my school bag ( which is bursting at the seams). Congratulations to me, I am going to throw my back out.
People have been asking me what I want to get out of this. Why Bolivia? Well for starters, I am not setting my expectations too high or too low... travel and life is very unpredictable so I am going to take advantage of every moment and take it as it comes. I chose Bolivia for its diverse beauty and culture. I chose it because I wanted a challenge; both personally and academically. I chose it because my gut feeling won.
I will be living in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It is known as the city of eternal spring with average temperatures of 75-80 degrees. I will be thinking of all of you stuck with mounds of dirty snow and chilling temperatures ;). I will be staying with a very nice family of 5 in the heart of a city of 800,000 people. Isn't that bigger than South Dakota's population?
Anyway, I am very excited to embark on this new portion of my life. I will miss you all dearly and will keep in touch when I can.
More later...
People have been asking me what I want to get out of this. Why Bolivia? Well for starters, I am not setting my expectations too high or too low... travel and life is very unpredictable so I am going to take advantage of every moment and take it as it comes. I chose Bolivia for its diverse beauty and culture. I chose it because I wanted a challenge; both personally and academically. I chose it because my gut feeling won.
I will be living in Cochabamba, Bolivia. It is known as the city of eternal spring with average temperatures of 75-80 degrees. I will be thinking of all of you stuck with mounds of dirty snow and chilling temperatures ;). I will be staying with a very nice family of 5 in the heart of a city of 800,000 people. Isn't that bigger than South Dakota's population?
Anyway, I am very excited to embark on this new portion of my life. I will miss you all dearly and will keep in touch when I can.
More later...
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