I don't have a more imaginative title, I'm sorry.
I know it's late also to be writing a blog, but hey. Better late than never?
I have a lot of things rolling around in my head, and lots of amazing experiences that I've just had though, so I thought it would 'vale la pena' (be worth it) to write some downnn.
Because I'm realizing that unlike the faithful bloggers this year, I won't have millions of blogs to read and remember when I'm sitting bundled up in hoodies beside an electric heater next winter.
I mean, I do have journals full of stuff, and pictures, but those don't really count.
ANYWAYS. continuing on.
first of all - hello all. Just over 3 weeks til I touch down in Winnipeg. What an intense feeling.
I'm left with the typical end of year emotions - sadness, stupid excitement, more sadness, more excitement over opening the fridge when I get home, more sadness as my kids start telling me 'no vaya profeeeeeeeee' (dont gooo), and then more excitement again and I think of all the things that are waiting for me at home. BUT, then sadness to leave this heat, culture, colours, micro rides.. ok. thats enough. the point has been made.
I think we're all reaching the point though where.. we've been starting to have our 'despedidas' - goodbye parties.. our families are realizing we're leaving.. our workplaces.. it's just getting to be enough. There's a point of knowing that you're leaving and saying so many goodbyes thats just sad and draining - it's just about time to go.
But, a few last things to take care of before we go.
SUCH AS.
buying thingssss. If anyone has last requests for Bolivian 'things' let me know. I'll be loading up on touques, mitts, legwarmers, fabric, sweaters, etc before I leave. Mostly for me, but hey. Send a request, it's yours. But not fo free! Cmon, I've been volunteering all year and am broke - I ain't no sucka! ha.
OK, moving on once again.
This past weekend I finally got to go to the small town where my mom grew up, and it was one of the coolest experiences I've got to have here so far. More than anything it was a great way to say goodybe to the mountains, tropical rainforests, flocks of wild peacocks and parrots..
but more than that it was just a great last experience with a Bolivian family. Just getting there.. the town is such a typical small bolivian town.. colour, andian tiles, cobblestone and dust, in the middle of the tropical mountains.
The house there too is a very typical old Bolivian house. One that has been added on and on over the years, and has an open setting. Walk in off the street through rooms, go outside and about 50 feet to the kitchen, turn the corner through my grandpas workshop, past the clothes lines of hanging meet to make 'charcas' or jerky, up the stairs to where the bedrooms are. Or should I say two bedrooms where about 20 of us slept.
It's a house that I would have loved to grow up in as a kid. So much to do, huge hiding spaces, you can walk on the multiple roofs, really close to the market. It was just a really cool place.
And my grandma had baked soo much bread, and meat and food.
Anyways, my mom and I arrived late the Friday night after the most awkward bus ride I've had yet. 7 hours of people packed completely in. In the aisles, kids under my feet, chairs that have no recline. My mom is a very funny person and was openly complaining, but mostly for me. I find it very endearing how protective my mom gets over me when she can tell that I'm in discomfort. "EXCUSE ME, you're arms are pinning down her hair. EXCUSE me, you're all over her arm rest." It's a little embarrasing, especially when I don't mind - but shes such a fiesty wonder tiny woman, that I just can't help but laugh and find her terribly endearing.
So anyways, went to bed after a late meal with the WHOLE family that was rolling in at different times during the night, and woke up bright and early Saturday morning to go out to the 'estancia' or i suppose, farm for the annual cow branding, ear cutting.. time. lol.
I love how Bolivians do things though. It could have been a boring event with 3 guys lasso'ing and cutting and branding..
but noooooooooooooooo.
We get there at about 9 probably.. and immediatly are invited for a drink that I completely forget the name of.
BASICALLY, it's a shot of vodka mixed with cinnamon and sugar, and then we went up to one of the workers sitting beside a cow, who squirts milk straight out of the cow into your glass. Bottoms up.
It was actually super super good, frothy and tasty. But apparently you're supposed to have ALOT of alcohol in your first drink to kill all the things in the milk - and then apparently you're 'fine' after that. But my mom was dead set against me having a hearty glass of vodka.. as was I. I was still waking up. So needless to say, I was sick for the rest of the weekend.
But anyways, after drinking my glass - and laugihng around as many others drank manny a glass, they started with the cow branding and ear cutting. They invited me to try, but I just couldn't bring myself to sprint from an open pit of fire with a questionably hot rod 50 feet over to a bulging eyed calf and push it as long as it took to stick onto his back. AYE. lol.
Anyways, lots of the women were outside of the cow area (theres probably a more ranch term for that, but I can't find it) preparing a calf that had been killed, and mote (which is basically corn).
So about an hour later we had a pre-meal of 'pica' or just a variety of things. Cheese, meat, corn, hotsauce. But... once again, the meat was really tasty, but had probably been out for awhile - and even though my stomach has gotten so much tougher, it still didn't hold up super well later to all of what I was eating. But whatever, I didn't think about that at the time. That meat was good.
Thennnnnnnnnnn the chicha came out. Oh, chicha. It's basically the Bolivian moonshine drink I would say? Some carbonated grape wine type drink I suppose you can call it. I don't really know what's all in it. I know for a fact that this stuff was so much better than the stuff we all tried in cochabumba. That stuff we all ran away from as countless people tried to 'invitar' us.
This stuff, I definitely had a second glass. It was hot outside, and it was good.
Anyways, after that I wen't with some of the cousins to a lagoon while they continued on lasooing the 70 odd calves that had to be done. The lagoon was really cool, filled with flocks of parrots and so much wildlife. And cow crap, since that's where they drink.
AFTER that we came back, and they all started up around the guitar, singing I suppose you could call 'mariachi' type songs, although Bolivians would kill me for that because it's very Bolivian styled. Very traditional lyrics, often about a smuck trying to get a hot girl, or lost loves, or a drunk man who falls in love with a girl, or about the beauty of Bolivia. My family is blessed with amazing voices though, from my grandma down to Carla (my sister) so I just sat there watching cows get branded, soaking in the sun, and listening to four part harmony racious mariahi. I shouldn't saw racious, I just mean that they sing with passion. pride. fuerte. (strong). they have strong voices.
It was just another one of those moments, and I knew probably one of the last of the moments I had here where I just felt.. in a corny/cliche way - perfect? Out of body. watching a culture just living. It was amazing to see the joy in my family too. Most of them have now moved to Santa Cruz, the big industrial booming city where I live. But it was amazing to see how happy and rejuvinated they were, back in the country, all together, singing and just being.
I don't know, I think it's cool in any family to see everyone get together - all the joy it brings being in the places you grew up.. etc. It was just really cool to see that side of my family, get a different perspective on where they came from - other than the lives they now lead in Santa Cruz.
It was also just so peaceful there. There's so much noise in this city. So many cars, people everywhere, selling everything, micros, taxi's. There's always so much going on. It made me miss my home in lockport. Just hearing quiet, feeling peace.
Anyways I'll stop. Just sitting there, watching/laughign with the rest of my faily at my great aunt trying to lassoo a cow after a few two many cups of chicha and telling everyone how they used to do it in the old days is something I will remember for a while. Oh, and she's mean with that lassoo. Seriously, it was impressive.
Ok, moving on. Then we had a huge churasco (meat, a special rice, salad, yuca) for my grandpas birthday at night with a huge cake. I got to be with all the woman in the family preparing the meal, making the cake, eating the left overs with the cousins - it was great. It once again made me miss my family. Laughing with my mom in the kitchen.
THEN, on Sunday. OK, this once again just made me laugh. Oh, Bolivians.
I told my mom that I had to be back sometime in the afternoon because I did a big money report for MCC that I by-accidently (sp?) deleted on the Friday right before we left.. (typical) and I had to do it for that sunday, before Monday work day hit.
My mom told me the night before, "ok we have the tickets for the bus, we're going at 11"
They my aunt told her, no no, we can give you a ride home in the afternoon. "Ok kathleen, we're giong wtih the aunt" "ok."
Wake up, and my mom says "kathleen you ahve to get up! we have to go to the market to get stuff for the bus" "Oh, so we're going on the bus?" "Of course! we have tickets" "Ok."
go to the market, get apples, and a bunch of veggies because its so much cheaper.. and because they think everything in Comarapa (the town) is the best tasting in Bolivia.
Head back to the house, I go upstairs, come back down with my bag ready in a rush...
"Oh, kathleen, we're going with the aunt now." ".. (mentally, haha) Ok."
And then, they were indignant because I wasn't going to see the "Laguna verde" the green lagoon thats famous there.. so they were like "Ok well we'll just go there a sec, I promise you wont be home that late." "Ok."
Hit the road out to this place, we stop along the way... finally get out there. Tour around, see the lagoon that was gorgoues.. head back. Stop to visit my grandpas mill where they make do all the flour for the community.. they took time to show me how everything works, made the workers turn it on for me to see, took pictures with me with it.. etc.
Finally leave after cutting plants to take.. etc and get home at like 3 in the afternoon. Have a late lunch, and hit the road at about 4. Stopped about 3 or 4 times for food.. twice at peoples houses.. got home at about 10:30 at night.
It was just so funny and typical.. and a liitttllee frustrating. But i've gotten so used to the relaxed pace, that I juts kind of laugh now, and make it work. I was falling asleep over my money sheet though as I drank coffee and cranked it out until like midnight.
That kind of stuff though is good for my North American self. We get frustrated if people are dallying for 15 minutes.. we make plans for what we're doing days in advance.. we get upset when things don't go our way. Everything is about time, and how much we can squeeze into it. I'm glad I've learned how to make plans on the fly now, staying calm and relaxed, stopping to chat with people and eat with them if we run into people. It's been a hard thing to learn, but such a good thing to learn.
Ok, so that was basically my trip in a large nutshell. Sorry if I went into huge detail, it's maybe a ltitle selfish of me, but like I was saying. I want to be able to read these things when I get home and remember a bit.
Anyways. So now! Getting everything ready to go home.. last minute stresses and saying goodbyes to host families etc.
We're kind of in the calm before the storm. The storm hits next Friday as we leave work, have the 50th anniversary of MCC Bolivia which is going to be huge, leave our host familys the following Tuesday and are gone to the states that Friday the 17th.
So, I'm trying to enjoy the calm. Be chill, get things knocked off my list - buying things, saying goodbyes, visiting places, etc.
I'm nto looking forward to saying goodybe to my kids, or my host family, but I'm looking foward to having that done. Putting those goodbyes behind me, and being able to move on.
Change always excites me. Whatever it is. It brings new challenges.. new anything. I'm so excited to come home.
So anyways, it's late.. I'm going to go crash into bed.
Theres lot's more to say, but I'm home in a few weeks - so I'll jsut be able to TALK to pepole soon.
love you all, see you SOON.
kathleen
ps i'm not reading this over - so please excuse run on sentances and bad grammer and horrible punctuation. kthanks.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
It's easter, I'm going to go buy me some chocolate.
helllllllllo everyone.
it's easter:). happy easter. since my mother's easter package (containing what I hope to be many a mini egg) has gotten heldup somewhere in south america, I will walk to the tienda later and buy horrible chocolate to try and make up for it.
But nothing will make up for my mother's paska. sigh.
Anyways, hello all. It's been forever. Really, life has just been busy! And other than travelling, lots of the same, so. I didn't have too much to write a blog about.
Anyways, here I am now.
I just came back from a great weekend trip to Samaipata. I'm really going to miss that place. It's a really cute town up in the mountains.. very touristy, close to ruins and waterfalls, but just gorgeous and a lot of fun.
Four of us SALTer's went (toni, sita, heidi and i), and then 3 volunteers from my work came along too.
It was a little bulky travelling with all 7 of us sometimes.. like our taxi ride up and back (2 in the front, 4 in the middle, one in the back trunk area), or trying to find room in holy week at a hostel, or places at restaurants..
but other than that, it was so great to travel all of us together. and a great weekend was had, swimming in waterfalls, and generally just bumming around in the sun. Oh, and in the coldness at night! ughh, it was so nice to put on sweaters, and wake up with my nose cold. sigh.
Going back to santa cruz was like an overwhelming hit in the face of humid and hot. Maybe it's just me, but it is HOT today. I hope it rains soon.
Anyways, I'm posting pictures on my facebook as I speak of travels.. if they decide to work. The internet connection has frankly been crap today.
So feel free to check those out.. or if you're a bit older.. check them out on a younger relatives account (coughmomcough) :).
Ohk, moving on from travels. I think the last time I blogged was before I left to La Paz with Heidi? Or maybe it was right after?
Anyways, the pictures will show you all that trip. A lovely time had as well.
And since then, I have really just been working my trasero off.
The kids all came back in the beginning of February, and we've been doing things very differently. New programs for them, including computer classes, arts and crafts type classes, farming, and a lunch program for some. Those programs, coupled with a higher student enrollment have just really equalled a ton more work for all of us.
We've all settled now, but it was just a lot of figuring stuff out.. getting into a rhythm.. getting used to the pace.. etc.
But for the most part, we've all gotten there now. Oh, yes. The old Bolivian volunteers left as well in December (their year ended then), and so we've had a new Bolivian named Natanial join as, as well as two Canadian girls from Morden. All of us have become really close, and that is awesome. It's so great to have a good Bolivian guy friend here, and nicole and sharmayne (they'll be in my newest pictures) are fantastic, and it's maybe a little bit of a selfish treat but such a good one to be able to speak and joke around in english a bit throughout the days. Although our kids keep us in check, because they hate when they can't understand us lol.
Oh yes, and speaking of that. It's been so great to get new kids.. I've gotten so attached to all of them. They are quite hilarious, and my morning class especially is quite cute.
I'm teaching the grade 1 and 2 kids in the morning, and they are all just fantastic. Some of them are a little off the wall, but you know. That's fine. I was too.
My afternoon class I have some older students. Although I have less, they are alot more challenging. They are great kids, however they just often come in with a lot of baggage from home that they have to work out with us. But once they get it out of their system, they're great. And my girl, Arasmelly (Araseli) is in my class, and she just brightens my mood everyday. She is literally the most hilarious kid I have ever met. I'll get some videos of her (and the rest of my kids) hopefully up soon.. if my internet decides to cooperate.
Anyways, what else has been new. This past week there was 'dia del nino,' and I was in charge of food along with Sharmayne and Nicole, so we came up with the idea of doing make your own pizzas. It was great, and turned out super well and the kids loved it. But holy hannah, it was a little stressful.. just getting all the ingredients for 70 people.. doing quotes on prices.. getting everything prepared.. it was just lots of work. But the kids loved it, and were so excited about all the shapes of their pizzas. Basically, if they couldnt make a circle we'd just make it into something else and be like 'look! it's better!' .. before they cried and got upset lol.
So we had a few butterflies.. some hearts.. some dinosaurs.. you know. It was great. But I was so exhausted that it was just silly.
Oh, yah, we also had games and stuff with them that the other profe's planned. It all was just fantastic.
Other than that.. man it's been a long time.
I had dengue fever for my 21st birthday. That was not very fun at all. But at least I'm certain that for my 22nd birthday in February in Manitoba, I will be certain not to have a mosquito airbourn desease. Thank the Lord.
Life is moving really great out here now though. Month 7 (February) was a little crappy.. but judging to the 'culture shock chart' that we saw before coming, it was going to be. Just coming off the high of the half way point.. realizing that theres still alot to go.. that you would actually really like to go home for a bath and a home cooked meal.. that kind of stuff.
The dengue didn't help for me. I'm sure glad that phase is over. But now.. goodness, we have 3 months left here. Three months. That's just silly.
And so now we are really just enjoying ourselves. Soaking everything in. We have such a tight group at work now.. and with all my kids.. and Carla (my sister) and the rest of my family..
I'm just really loving my days. I'm really going to miss it here.
I'm glad it's that way though, and didn't stay in the 7 month phase.. or the 2 month phase.
I'm glad I love my life here now. I think I'm just going through an early mourning phase of leaving.
However, on the flip side, I think things are so much more fun for all of us.. because we know that in before long, we'll be home. And there is such a weightlessness that comes with that feeling, that it just really lets you enjoy your time.. no holds barred? For lack of a better term.
In 3 months (and a few days), I'll be getting myself a tim hortons mocha and having dinner on the deck with my family. That thought makes me silly happy.
I think just in general however, i'm really seeing more and more the fruits of my time here, and more of who God is. I have gone through times where I've questioned why I'm here.. what I'm doing.. how I'm going to get through a bad week alone.. and I just feel like I'm truly coming out the other side of those times. That God is showing me why I came, what I was meant to learn, and is filling me up with all these thoughts and lessons to take back with me.
Coming here was the perfect thing for me to do this year, and it really is just a great feeling to come out of some hardships, and see the payoffs of endurance and faith. It has me smiling/singing my days away.
Anyways, on that note. It's getting late, and facebook will just not let me upload pictures.
I'm going to go home, take a shower, and crawl into bed.
Hopefully, however this time I'm not making any promises, I will write in a little bit.
Either way, I will see you everyone shortly. I hope spring finally done teasing everyone, and will make an apparence soon. I wont lie, I am QUITE glad I missed this spring. lol.
Ohk, oh, and if a few of the Schellenberg gang are reading this tonight.. happy easter! I love you all. Stop Adam from quoting Will Ferrel all night long, and freeze a piece of paska for me please. I miss you all alot. That John Denver's full of shit eh?
On that note.
Big gulps eh?
See you later,
Kathleen
it's easter:). happy easter. since my mother's easter package (containing what I hope to be many a mini egg) has gotten heldup somewhere in south america, I will walk to the tienda later and buy horrible chocolate to try and make up for it.
But nothing will make up for my mother's paska. sigh.
Anyways, hello all. It's been forever. Really, life has just been busy! And other than travelling, lots of the same, so. I didn't have too much to write a blog about.
Anyways, here I am now.
I just came back from a great weekend trip to Samaipata. I'm really going to miss that place. It's a really cute town up in the mountains.. very touristy, close to ruins and waterfalls, but just gorgeous and a lot of fun.
Four of us SALTer's went (toni, sita, heidi and i), and then 3 volunteers from my work came along too.
It was a little bulky travelling with all 7 of us sometimes.. like our taxi ride up and back (2 in the front, 4 in the middle, one in the back trunk area), or trying to find room in holy week at a hostel, or places at restaurants..
but other than that, it was so great to travel all of us together. and a great weekend was had, swimming in waterfalls, and generally just bumming around in the sun. Oh, and in the coldness at night! ughh, it was so nice to put on sweaters, and wake up with my nose cold. sigh.
Going back to santa cruz was like an overwhelming hit in the face of humid and hot. Maybe it's just me, but it is HOT today. I hope it rains soon.
Anyways, I'm posting pictures on my facebook as I speak of travels.. if they decide to work. The internet connection has frankly been crap today.
So feel free to check those out.. or if you're a bit older.. check them out on a younger relatives account (coughmomcough) :).
Ohk, moving on from travels. I think the last time I blogged was before I left to La Paz with Heidi? Or maybe it was right after?
Anyways, the pictures will show you all that trip. A lovely time had as well.
And since then, I have really just been working my trasero off.
The kids all came back in the beginning of February, and we've been doing things very differently. New programs for them, including computer classes, arts and crafts type classes, farming, and a lunch program for some. Those programs, coupled with a higher student enrollment have just really equalled a ton more work for all of us.
We've all settled now, but it was just a lot of figuring stuff out.. getting into a rhythm.. getting used to the pace.. etc.
But for the most part, we've all gotten there now. Oh, yes. The old Bolivian volunteers left as well in December (their year ended then), and so we've had a new Bolivian named Natanial join as, as well as two Canadian girls from Morden. All of us have become really close, and that is awesome. It's so great to have a good Bolivian guy friend here, and nicole and sharmayne (they'll be in my newest pictures) are fantastic, and it's maybe a little bit of a selfish treat but such a good one to be able to speak and joke around in english a bit throughout the days. Although our kids keep us in check, because they hate when they can't understand us lol.
Oh yes, and speaking of that. It's been so great to get new kids.. I've gotten so attached to all of them. They are quite hilarious, and my morning class especially is quite cute.
I'm teaching the grade 1 and 2 kids in the morning, and they are all just fantastic. Some of them are a little off the wall, but you know. That's fine. I was too.
My afternoon class I have some older students. Although I have less, they are alot more challenging. They are great kids, however they just often come in with a lot of baggage from home that they have to work out with us. But once they get it out of their system, they're great. And my girl, Arasmelly (Araseli) is in my class, and she just brightens my mood everyday. She is literally the most hilarious kid I have ever met. I'll get some videos of her (and the rest of my kids) hopefully up soon.. if my internet decides to cooperate.
Anyways, what else has been new. This past week there was 'dia del nino,' and I was in charge of food along with Sharmayne and Nicole, so we came up with the idea of doing make your own pizzas. It was great, and turned out super well and the kids loved it. But holy hannah, it was a little stressful.. just getting all the ingredients for 70 people.. doing quotes on prices.. getting everything prepared.. it was just lots of work. But the kids loved it, and were so excited about all the shapes of their pizzas. Basically, if they couldnt make a circle we'd just make it into something else and be like 'look! it's better!' .. before they cried and got upset lol.
So we had a few butterflies.. some hearts.. some dinosaurs.. you know. It was great. But I was so exhausted that it was just silly.
Oh, yah, we also had games and stuff with them that the other profe's planned. It all was just fantastic.
Other than that.. man it's been a long time.
I had dengue fever for my 21st birthday. That was not very fun at all. But at least I'm certain that for my 22nd birthday in February in Manitoba, I will be certain not to have a mosquito airbourn desease. Thank the Lord.
Life is moving really great out here now though. Month 7 (February) was a little crappy.. but judging to the 'culture shock chart' that we saw before coming, it was going to be. Just coming off the high of the half way point.. realizing that theres still alot to go.. that you would actually really like to go home for a bath and a home cooked meal.. that kind of stuff.
The dengue didn't help for me. I'm sure glad that phase is over. But now.. goodness, we have 3 months left here. Three months. That's just silly.
And so now we are really just enjoying ourselves. Soaking everything in. We have such a tight group at work now.. and with all my kids.. and Carla (my sister) and the rest of my family..
I'm just really loving my days. I'm really going to miss it here.
I'm glad it's that way though, and didn't stay in the 7 month phase.. or the 2 month phase.
I'm glad I love my life here now. I think I'm just going through an early mourning phase of leaving.
However, on the flip side, I think things are so much more fun for all of us.. because we know that in before long, we'll be home. And there is such a weightlessness that comes with that feeling, that it just really lets you enjoy your time.. no holds barred? For lack of a better term.
In 3 months (and a few days), I'll be getting myself a tim hortons mocha and having dinner on the deck with my family. That thought makes me silly happy.
I think just in general however, i'm really seeing more and more the fruits of my time here, and more of who God is. I have gone through times where I've questioned why I'm here.. what I'm doing.. how I'm going to get through a bad week alone.. and I just feel like I'm truly coming out the other side of those times. That God is showing me why I came, what I was meant to learn, and is filling me up with all these thoughts and lessons to take back with me.
Coming here was the perfect thing for me to do this year, and it really is just a great feeling to come out of some hardships, and see the payoffs of endurance and faith. It has me smiling/singing my days away.
Anyways, on that note. It's getting late, and facebook will just not let me upload pictures.
I'm going to go home, take a shower, and crawl into bed.
Hopefully, however this time I'm not making any promises, I will write in a little bit.
Either way, I will see you everyone shortly. I hope spring finally done teasing everyone, and will make an apparence soon. I wont lie, I am QUITE glad I missed this spring. lol.
Ohk, oh, and if a few of the Schellenberg gang are reading this tonight.. happy easter! I love you all. Stop Adam from quoting Will Ferrel all night long, and freeze a piece of paska for me please. I miss you all alot. That John Denver's full of shit eh?
On that note.
Big gulps eh?
See you later,
Kathleen
Friday, January 23, 2009
One more timee.
Well, I have finished my month of vacations, and am now a few days away from the half way point.
A pretty neat feeling to be starting up the second half of everything, but one I haven't quite had time to process yet since this past month has been such a whirlwind.
But, now with things (kind of) settling back down, it's about high time that I sit down and debreif a little on my blog.
This past month, and a suppose bit now, was just fantastic.
Starting with experiencing Christmas here..
Everyone celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. We had two dinners, one at about 8:00 with one family, and then went over to my uncles house and had second dinner at about 11:15, since the big celebration comes at 12:00. It was actually one of the coolest cultural experiences I have had.. every family in Santa Cruz shoots off fireworks for about 30 minutes (or as long as they last) at midnight. In the streets.. parks.. right by your house.. back yard.. anywhere. We did it in the street, and shot off just cheap fireworks (but TONS of them). While I kept thinking of how potentially dangerous this was, I was easily distracted by how beautiful and crazy it was to see thousands upon thousands of fireworks literally light up the entire sky. It's definitely something I'll remember in my future Christmas' to come.
We didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning though, and since our parents were gone to visit my mom's parents in a small town (it didn't work out for Carla and I to go) Carla and I promptly slept in til noon.. something 'crazy' with the locals here.. Carla couldnt get over it, and I didn't quite want to tell her how it is with teens over holidays in North America. lol.
But anyways, we slept in and watched the 'look who's talking' movies in Spanish for the day (does it GET much better than that??), before going to an evening service at the church. A pretty good Christmas day, I'd say.
Although phoning my mom on boxing day was a little harder. I think all of us found Christmas a little hard just in terms of missing home. We all didn't realize how much you can miss the little normal holiday traditions. Just the family gatherings, all of the great food (on the Vitt's side, grandma's halopchis.. mmm), all of the great family jokes that happen, present opening, a Christmas tree. I found myself missing all of that alot, and all of my family alot. PS, thankyou so much from those family members who sent me cards etc - they were more wonderful to read than you may realize, and all of them brought chuckles (and maybe a few tears) to my eyes.
Anyways, enough about Christmas missing - since I don't really want to dwell on that :P, and once my mom came on the 30th, all of it promptly transformed into joy:).
We had such a great time together. Mom and I have never had a chance to kind of go off together alone and do some travelling, and let me tell you, we shared some laughs and some good times. For 97% of the time we travel great together lol, and really, it was just such a wonderful thing to get to have my mom come for the half way point.
It was a little surreal at the same time though when she first got here though, since, my life here is just completely seperate from home. I associate Bolivia largely (and maybe subconciously) with me away from my family and friends. That anything from home is NOT here. So it was just a bit surreal and kind of like 'wait, why are you here again?' a few times as I looked at my Mom.
Sharing the new year here with her under a shower of VERY close fireworks in the main plaza with her was wonderful, and as she left I really felt re-juvinated, and like I was starting my new year and second half with some good family mom love and a nice travelling break from life here. (oh, and also with a crap load of candy and gum. YES.).
Anyways, after my mom left my friend Heidi and I headed off to La Paz and surrounding areas for about 6 days to end my vacation. It was really great - all up in the Andies mountains. La Paz is one of the highest cities in the world, but, since I had just come from Sucre (a still very high city, but not quite as high), it didn't affect me too badly.
La Paz was a crazy city. Tons of people packed into kind of a bowl or two in the mountains. It was a workout for the legs as well, let me tell you. Especially at that altitude (about 4000 m), you take about 3 steps up hill with your backpack on and your heart is pounding and you look at how much of the hill you still have to climb and your heart just sinks.
We stayed at a few different hostels though, and they were all great. One was especially fun - it was owned by some Irish people, and was chock full of people from all over Europe.. Australia.. etc. Awesome place to meet some backpackers, who all were great fun.
After La Paz we heading up to lake titicaca, the highest lake in the world, and it was breathtaking. We stayed at the top of an island there.. higher up than La Paz, so that climb sucked. But, it was all just very gorgeous though - tons of culture, tons of great people, and an extraordinary amount of amazing landscape/sea scape to see.
Yah, so that basically spelled out my month of break. This week back to 'reality' hasn't quite been that. Us SALTers first went to meet the new PROJUSE workers..
its basically the Bolivian equivalent of our SALT program, one year of service for youth, but starts and ends in January. So we met all of them, I met the two guy's I'll be working with (they seem sweet). Although for the first time I was the kind of 'older student' (they were all fresh out of highschool).. and so that was an interesting experience. It made me feel 21 years old (in two weeks) that I'm getting old. Ha.
Anyways, apart from that, It's now our MCC Bolivia/Paraguay focus weekened (happens about twice or three times a year.. but is during the week so noone understands the title), so everyone was in once again for these past two days from all the towns and stuff. And thats always a blast. All of us SALTers and our friend Kelsey from paraguay spent the night here yesterday watching movies and Friends.. and just laughing lots and hanging out. Such a nice break, and some good 'North American' bonding time. (Not like I'm really in a need for that right now though, with all of my travels etc).
And today we all spent time around here painting etc together. These buildings havent been painted in a while, and our one facing the street was kind of this 80's hospital greeny blue.. anyways. Very much needed to be changed. So we all spent a day painting, eating and hanging out together. Very fun. And it looks so fantastic now.. kind of a tuscan reddy brown on the bottom and a beigy white on the top. Very MCC ten thousand villages colours, but they look great.
But, in typical me form, I have paint everywhere. Just everywhere. So I'll go scrub that off soon. Oh, and then we played volleyball which was fun. But I was playing barefoot on super hot concrete, and now I have some wonderful blisters on the bottoms of my feet. fantastic.
Once again though, funny how my body (/everyone's bodies) have adjusted to the heat. It was 34 today in the shade, probably around 38, and no one said a thing, and in fact I thought it was a quite pleasent day, if not a little on the warm side.
Judging from the struggles with the cold I had in Sucre (where Mom and I went), and La Paz.. I'm just not looking forward to the cold of Manitoba next year. Although, how much I miss hoodies and warm clothing will hopefully make up part of the gap. We're all also missing snow and lovely winter things, although definitely not the bitter cold. Maybe Calgary really is the place to be? I heard about the plus15 weather there. Can anyone say global warming.
Oh, speaking of Politics etc., I was lucky enough to somehow get Tuesday morning off before our retreat with the new PROJUSEs, and was able to sit down and watch Obama's inognoration (sp?).
It was great to kind of share in that from over here (even though Carla couldn't understand why I was SHHing her when she was yelling things at me from the other room during Obama's speech.. or why I was so pumped about this political change).
We can feel it over here in Bolivia though. Even though everyone is more focused on the referendum vote over the new constituion on Sunday (that's really another blog post in itself.. but a new consitution is trying to be passed, and this country is just worked up over it.. from the supporters.. to those who think this is the worst thing ever.. everyone has a strong opinion, and it's insane how much people get into their politics here. I'll have to write another blog after Sunday shakes down.) Im going to start talking out of parenthesis lol. No, on Sunday everything in the entire city is closed down for the vote. Should be interesting times, especially here in Santa Cruz who is very anti the new constitution, when it most likely passes. Lots of uprisings against it. You should check this all out in the news though. Basically the new constituion promotes more human rights, indigenous rights, and opens the door for abortion and homosexuality (as well as a bunch of other stuff). But Santa Cruz is very against those new proposed changes, and.. anyways yes. Like I said. Interesting times ahead :).
Ohk where was I.. Right! Evo, our President, has made talks about making a new leaf with the states now that Obama is in power.. which is big since we tossed out the US ambassador here a few months ago. Obama has a chance to make a lot of new beginnings, and hopefully this will be one with Bolivia.
Anyways, phew. This post was a doozer. .. By that I mean basically just huge. But thankyou for sticking in there! I will be better and more consistant again with blogs this new year, and that will hopefully lead to shorter, less mentally strenous posts.
Half way though. It feels good. A huge uplifting feeling. My time left here really feels kind of short now. When it was like '9 months left..' sometimes it could feel a little long.
And now that I have a great community here from work, to SALT/MCC, to my family etc etc set up here, I'm really expecting a great second half. It's looking to shape up well.
So, what is it, Friday now? Yes, the kids come back on Monday (I miss them, and am actaully quite excited to see them) - and it will all settle back into some sort of ruitine.
Hopefully I'll write again in a little while when work has started back up.
But, anyways. It's time to head home, it's been a long past little while.
My heart feelsl ight and happy now, as I know that I get to enjoy the rest of my time here, but that home is ever drawing nearer and nearer with each passing month.
I hope that everyone at home is doing well, and that the beginning of 2009 has been a good one. I just have a feeling that this is goign to be a good year.
Missing you all always, once again thanks to all of you who were able to send out a little message with my mom at Christmas time.
Tons of love,
Kathleen
A pretty neat feeling to be starting up the second half of everything, but one I haven't quite had time to process yet since this past month has been such a whirlwind.
But, now with things (kind of) settling back down, it's about high time that I sit down and debreif a little on my blog.
This past month, and a suppose bit now, was just fantastic.
Starting with experiencing Christmas here..
Everyone celebrates Christmas on Christmas Eve. We had two dinners, one at about 8:00 with one family, and then went over to my uncles house and had second dinner at about 11:15, since the big celebration comes at 12:00. It was actually one of the coolest cultural experiences I have had.. every family in Santa Cruz shoots off fireworks for about 30 minutes (or as long as they last) at midnight. In the streets.. parks.. right by your house.. back yard.. anywhere. We did it in the street, and shot off just cheap fireworks (but TONS of them). While I kept thinking of how potentially dangerous this was, I was easily distracted by how beautiful and crazy it was to see thousands upon thousands of fireworks literally light up the entire sky. It's definitely something I'll remember in my future Christmas' to come.
We didn't get home until the wee hours of the morning though, and since our parents were gone to visit my mom's parents in a small town (it didn't work out for Carla and I to go) Carla and I promptly slept in til noon.. something 'crazy' with the locals here.. Carla couldnt get over it, and I didn't quite want to tell her how it is with teens over holidays in North America. lol.
But anyways, we slept in and watched the 'look who's talking' movies in Spanish for the day (does it GET much better than that??), before going to an evening service at the church. A pretty good Christmas day, I'd say.
Although phoning my mom on boxing day was a little harder. I think all of us found Christmas a little hard just in terms of missing home. We all didn't realize how much you can miss the little normal holiday traditions. Just the family gatherings, all of the great food (on the Vitt's side, grandma's halopchis.. mmm), all of the great family jokes that happen, present opening, a Christmas tree. I found myself missing all of that alot, and all of my family alot. PS, thankyou so much from those family members who sent me cards etc - they were more wonderful to read than you may realize, and all of them brought chuckles (and maybe a few tears) to my eyes.
Anyways, enough about Christmas missing - since I don't really want to dwell on that :P, and once my mom came on the 30th, all of it promptly transformed into joy:).
We had such a great time together. Mom and I have never had a chance to kind of go off together alone and do some travelling, and let me tell you, we shared some laughs and some good times. For 97% of the time we travel great together lol, and really, it was just such a wonderful thing to get to have my mom come for the half way point.
It was a little surreal at the same time though when she first got here though, since, my life here is just completely seperate from home. I associate Bolivia largely (and maybe subconciously) with me away from my family and friends. That anything from home is NOT here. So it was just a bit surreal and kind of like 'wait, why are you here again?' a few times as I looked at my Mom.
Sharing the new year here with her under a shower of VERY close fireworks in the main plaza with her was wonderful, and as she left I really felt re-juvinated, and like I was starting my new year and second half with some good family mom love and a nice travelling break from life here. (oh, and also with a crap load of candy and gum. YES.).
Anyways, after my mom left my friend Heidi and I headed off to La Paz and surrounding areas for about 6 days to end my vacation. It was really great - all up in the Andies mountains. La Paz is one of the highest cities in the world, but, since I had just come from Sucre (a still very high city, but not quite as high), it didn't affect me too badly.
La Paz was a crazy city. Tons of people packed into kind of a bowl or two in the mountains. It was a workout for the legs as well, let me tell you. Especially at that altitude (about 4000 m), you take about 3 steps up hill with your backpack on and your heart is pounding and you look at how much of the hill you still have to climb and your heart just sinks.
We stayed at a few different hostels though, and they were all great. One was especially fun - it was owned by some Irish people, and was chock full of people from all over Europe.. Australia.. etc. Awesome place to meet some backpackers, who all were great fun.
After La Paz we heading up to lake titicaca, the highest lake in the world, and it was breathtaking. We stayed at the top of an island there.. higher up than La Paz, so that climb sucked. But, it was all just very gorgeous though - tons of culture, tons of great people, and an extraordinary amount of amazing landscape/sea scape to see.
Yah, so that basically spelled out my month of break. This week back to 'reality' hasn't quite been that. Us SALTers first went to meet the new PROJUSE workers..
its basically the Bolivian equivalent of our SALT program, one year of service for youth, but starts and ends in January. So we met all of them, I met the two guy's I'll be working with (they seem sweet). Although for the first time I was the kind of 'older student' (they were all fresh out of highschool).. and so that was an interesting experience. It made me feel 21 years old (in two weeks) that I'm getting old. Ha.
Anyways, apart from that, It's now our MCC Bolivia/Paraguay focus weekened (happens about twice or three times a year.. but is during the week so noone understands the title), so everyone was in once again for these past two days from all the towns and stuff. And thats always a blast. All of us SALTers and our friend Kelsey from paraguay spent the night here yesterday watching movies and Friends.. and just laughing lots and hanging out. Such a nice break, and some good 'North American' bonding time. (Not like I'm really in a need for that right now though, with all of my travels etc).
And today we all spent time around here painting etc together. These buildings havent been painted in a while, and our one facing the street was kind of this 80's hospital greeny blue.. anyways. Very much needed to be changed. So we all spent a day painting, eating and hanging out together. Very fun. And it looks so fantastic now.. kind of a tuscan reddy brown on the bottom and a beigy white on the top. Very MCC ten thousand villages colours, but they look great.
But, in typical me form, I have paint everywhere. Just everywhere. So I'll go scrub that off soon. Oh, and then we played volleyball which was fun. But I was playing barefoot on super hot concrete, and now I have some wonderful blisters on the bottoms of my feet. fantastic.
Once again though, funny how my body (/everyone's bodies) have adjusted to the heat. It was 34 today in the shade, probably around 38, and no one said a thing, and in fact I thought it was a quite pleasent day, if not a little on the warm side.
Judging from the struggles with the cold I had in Sucre (where Mom and I went), and La Paz.. I'm just not looking forward to the cold of Manitoba next year. Although, how much I miss hoodies and warm clothing will hopefully make up part of the gap. We're all also missing snow and lovely winter things, although definitely not the bitter cold. Maybe Calgary really is the place to be? I heard about the plus15 weather there. Can anyone say global warming.
Oh, speaking of Politics etc., I was lucky enough to somehow get Tuesday morning off before our retreat with the new PROJUSEs, and was able to sit down and watch Obama's inognoration (sp?).
It was great to kind of share in that from over here (even though Carla couldn't understand why I was SHHing her when she was yelling things at me from the other room during Obama's speech.. or why I was so pumped about this political change).
We can feel it over here in Bolivia though. Even though everyone is more focused on the referendum vote over the new constituion on Sunday (that's really another blog post in itself.. but a new consitution is trying to be passed, and this country is just worked up over it.. from the supporters.. to those who think this is the worst thing ever.. everyone has a strong opinion, and it's insane how much people get into their politics here. I'll have to write another blog after Sunday shakes down.) Im going to start talking out of parenthesis lol. No, on Sunday everything in the entire city is closed down for the vote. Should be interesting times, especially here in Santa Cruz who is very anti the new constitution, when it most likely passes. Lots of uprisings against it. You should check this all out in the news though. Basically the new constituion promotes more human rights, indigenous rights, and opens the door for abortion and homosexuality (as well as a bunch of other stuff). But Santa Cruz is very against those new proposed changes, and.. anyways yes. Like I said. Interesting times ahead :).
Ohk where was I.. Right! Evo, our President, has made talks about making a new leaf with the states now that Obama is in power.. which is big since we tossed out the US ambassador here a few months ago. Obama has a chance to make a lot of new beginnings, and hopefully this will be one with Bolivia.
Anyways, phew. This post was a doozer. .. By that I mean basically just huge. But thankyou for sticking in there! I will be better and more consistant again with blogs this new year, and that will hopefully lead to shorter, less mentally strenous posts.
Half way though. It feels good. A huge uplifting feeling. My time left here really feels kind of short now. When it was like '9 months left..' sometimes it could feel a little long.
And now that I have a great community here from work, to SALT/MCC, to my family etc etc set up here, I'm really expecting a great second half. It's looking to shape up well.
So, what is it, Friday now? Yes, the kids come back on Monday (I miss them, and am actaully quite excited to see them) - and it will all settle back into some sort of ruitine.
Hopefully I'll write again in a little while when work has started back up.
But, anyways. It's time to head home, it's been a long past little while.
My heart feelsl ight and happy now, as I know that I get to enjoy the rest of my time here, but that home is ever drawing nearer and nearer with each passing month.
I hope that everyone at home is doing well, and that the beginning of 2009 has been a good one. I just have a feeling that this is goign to be a good year.
Missing you all always, once again thanks to all of you who were able to send out a little message with my mom at Christmas time.
Tons of love,
Kathleen
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
feliz (early) navidad
helllllllllo everyone.
sorry for the lack of blogposts in the last while -
a one Kaelin Beriault informed me of this yesterday,
going to such extremes as to tell me that she clicks on this link just about daily, only to be disapointed everytime and left dejected.
and you know, i dont want that to happen kaelin.
and also IS about high time i write a fillin.
I really will try and be better with putting up some blogs. I just am, quite the procrastinator by nature though, and have been quite busy (and dealing with silly bolivian computers. im so excited for my laptop when my motherdearest comes).
But anyways, hello all:).
Wow, its December 10th already. This past month and a bit has just really flown by.
And that feels so good. I feel like ive finally hit stride with my life here,
and am feeling less in the air.. foreign.. in the ´making friends´ stage. And that really is just the best feeling.
ha, it just started pouring and my kids just came running in with drenched hugs. which was.. kind of nice? except for the drenched part, and the fact that there are computers here.
im so happy its raining though, the weather in santa cruz for the past month has been SO. HOT.
i think we hit a snap of about a week and a half that was about 37 and over. a few days im pretty sure it was 42 or 43. I mean, i love the heat, and normally am fine with it. but a few days there, i just layed under the fans at lunch on the tables lol, and tried not to move.
butt, because of that weather, i was just so cold when we travelled to Moro Moro this past weekend.
Our group of SALTers went and met up with Remi, the SALTer working in Moro Moro. Its this great little town kind of just nestled in the middle of a bunch of mountains. Really gorgeous.
But it was probably around 13 or so degrees celcius for part of the time, and i was. cold.
And that just already makes me dread next years winter lol. Im going to be one of those people who I make fun of, who cant handle the cold and complains at like -15.
I´ll just wear constant longjohns. And no one will know.
Anyways. back to something relevant. Yah, the trip to Moro Moro was great.
Not like im not really enjoying my job, but after a little while of routine day in day out for awhile.. it was super nice to get away.
The friday we went on this awesome hike winding along the outsides of the mountains, passing rural farmers who farm up the less steep slopes. It was gorgeous and fantastic and one of those times when you felt like you kind of had to stop every 10 minutes to make some sort of ´wow´ noise.
HOWEVER. that 6 hour hike also made me realize again how horridly out of shape I am. sigh.
i mean, its finne. but, those of you who know me, know that i like to stay in shape. good shape, if i can. I just love using my body , and making it work hard.
And so now, Im just not used to my muscles not knowing what to do, and failing me. Im just kind of like ´are you kidding me? you used to work. what happened.´ lol. i just kind of want to stare at my leg muscles shaking my head, with a mix of confusion and dissapointment.
soo. im trying to find ways to find physical things to do.
We had a few soccer games last week, the women of the Guardaria (day care/after school program) vs the women of the hogar (childrens home).
it was hilarious, those women are so funny. But also very serious about their futbol. We were rocking jerseys, and going (fairly) hard in like plus 36 heat for about 40 minutes.
after like 10 minutes one game i just turned to one of my little girls (who I call arasmelly.. haha, her name is Araseli. K, that may sound more rude than funny, but shes a hilarious kid, and i explained to her what it meant, and she laughed really hard, and now its an inside joke). anyways, i was just like. ´arasmelly. water. please. im going to die.´ and she just looked at me, nodded her head, and took off at a sprint to the kitchen lol.
but, other than those two games, time for physical activity is hard to comeby.
its not really a cultural norm here for girls - guys play soccer.. and girls can play volleyball, but still. its just not really a cultural thing. And i cant go running past about 8 at night, due to my host parents being worried for my safety, and actaul danger. And i just often dont get home from work or being out earlier than that.
And i just cant hack the early morning run, never have. early morning track practises and waterpolo practises in highschool were just about the death of me. i was always the last one to take my sweats off and get in the pool for waterpolo, and in track, i always tried to come 15 minutes late (to skip warmup).
But anyways, I tried 3 times to set my alarm for 6 am to go runnin haha, and gave myself like nighttime peptalks ´you WILL wake up kathleen! you can do this´
but the first night i rolled over at 4 oclock, and half alseep thought something just like ´ha! that was a funny hope´ and changed my alarm, 2nd night im pretty sure the same happened, because my alarm was changed again, and the third morning i actually did manage to sit up in my bed at 6, and then was just like ´screw this.´ and fell back down.
so whatever. who needs physical activity. thats my new motto. im having fun, without staying fit. ha. lol.
nah. ill find something. because my body just has so much pent up and restless energy that pretty soon ill just go run into a tree to get it out. lol.
anyways, moving on again.
so, quick fill in on some significant past monthly events?
1.) IPOD STOLEN. ughhhhh. even though it was done in a very epic manner, im still just. heartbroken. i still just cant really think about it. we were stopped in the market though on the bus, and i was sitting in a seat, and just pulled it out of my bag to change the song (stupid), and were watching me and jumped in from OUTSIDE the bus through the window infront of me (mine was closed), snagged it out of my hand, and bolted.
I think it was just so hard because it was one of my last little home connections. All my music that reminds me of people, winnipeg, etc. and plus, theres only so much spanish music a person can take. i swear if i hear ´EN MI CORRAZOONN´(in my heart) one more time. ill just, kick the radio. buuut, im trying to learn to appreciate it more, and obviously lots of latin music is great. it might all have the same beat (reggaetone), but hey. its a good one. lol.
ohk. this is starting to get long, but i still have a little more to type. i guess thats what i get for not posting for a month.
what else has happened. ohyah.
2.) heidi (other salter who works with me) and i went with a group of girls from our work to Samipatis (sp?), a cute town kind of in the mountains too, but much closer to santa cruz than moro moro. its fairly touristy, because its close to great waterfalls, inca ruins, and just the scenery and town itself is just fantastic. anyways, it was just a blast. easily one of my best weekends yet. we went and saw the inca ruins, and just hung out, and got to meet got guys from france, italy, israel, and a few other places in europe that i cant really remember.
It was so much fun, and i just think that i loved that fact that we often were in groups where people were thinking in about 4 or 5 different languages, but all of us spent all of our time together in spanish. i guess it was just nice to finally be able to make friends by using a foreign language, with people who were doing the exact same.
It did make me a little envious and wistful hearing some of the backpackers stories though, and i think i always knew i would, but i think it pretty much made up my mind on the spot that i will end up coming back and backpacking south america.
anyways. im going to about wrap this up. i have a few more stories, but ill save them for antoher time.
my month of vacations starts after next week, and when it ends, ill be at the half way point of being here. crazy.
ah, yah, i havent even touched on christmas though! ohk ill try and blog again next week lol.
my mom is coming in about 19 days though as of now, and i am just SO excited. were going to go travelling to Sucre, and it´ll just be a ´hoot´ as momma vitt is often been known to say.
i think im also going to be off travelling to comarapa with my mom, maybe some water falls with work friends, and then heidi and i are going on an undecided trip from the 10-19 after momma bear leaves.
and then after that, i think my travelling itch will be sufficiently scratched, and ill settle into the second half of my year, with some new staff here etc.
ohk. yah. im going to go sleep though, because im super tired. im getting over probably my best (or longest lasting) sickness here - and so im still feeling a little off, etc.
but ive heard that you cant win em all.
ohk, sorry if this was unfocused, ill blame it on the tired and trying to cram a month into one post.
i hope the christmas season is going well for everyone though.
Its making me miss home quite a bit right now, just hot coco, and decorating the tree with bad Rita McNeal playing in the background, baking.. snow..
yah. its been making me wistful. but thankgoodness i have a fantastic christmas present coming my way in in roughly 5 foot 2 sized packaging. :D.
ohkkkkkkk byeeeeeeee. miss you all. love you tons.
kathleen
sorry for the lack of blogposts in the last while -
a one Kaelin Beriault informed me of this yesterday,
going to such extremes as to tell me that she clicks on this link just about daily, only to be disapointed everytime and left dejected.
and you know, i dont want that to happen kaelin.
and also IS about high time i write a fillin.
I really will try and be better with putting up some blogs. I just am, quite the procrastinator by nature though, and have been quite busy (and dealing with silly bolivian computers. im so excited for my laptop when my motherdearest comes).
But anyways, hello all:).
Wow, its December 10th already. This past month and a bit has just really flown by.
And that feels so good. I feel like ive finally hit stride with my life here,
and am feeling less in the air.. foreign.. in the ´making friends´ stage. And that really is just the best feeling.
ha, it just started pouring and my kids just came running in with drenched hugs. which was.. kind of nice? except for the drenched part, and the fact that there are computers here.
im so happy its raining though, the weather in santa cruz for the past month has been SO. HOT.
i think we hit a snap of about a week and a half that was about 37 and over. a few days im pretty sure it was 42 or 43. I mean, i love the heat, and normally am fine with it. but a few days there, i just layed under the fans at lunch on the tables lol, and tried not to move.
butt, because of that weather, i was just so cold when we travelled to Moro Moro this past weekend.
Our group of SALTers went and met up with Remi, the SALTer working in Moro Moro. Its this great little town kind of just nestled in the middle of a bunch of mountains. Really gorgeous.
But it was probably around 13 or so degrees celcius for part of the time, and i was. cold.
And that just already makes me dread next years winter lol. Im going to be one of those people who I make fun of, who cant handle the cold and complains at like -15.
I´ll just wear constant longjohns. And no one will know.
Anyways. back to something relevant. Yah, the trip to Moro Moro was great.
Not like im not really enjoying my job, but after a little while of routine day in day out for awhile.. it was super nice to get away.
The friday we went on this awesome hike winding along the outsides of the mountains, passing rural farmers who farm up the less steep slopes. It was gorgeous and fantastic and one of those times when you felt like you kind of had to stop every 10 minutes to make some sort of ´wow´ noise.
HOWEVER. that 6 hour hike also made me realize again how horridly out of shape I am. sigh.
i mean, its finne. but, those of you who know me, know that i like to stay in shape. good shape, if i can. I just love using my body , and making it work hard.
And so now, Im just not used to my muscles not knowing what to do, and failing me. Im just kind of like ´are you kidding me? you used to work. what happened.´ lol. i just kind of want to stare at my leg muscles shaking my head, with a mix of confusion and dissapointment.
soo. im trying to find ways to find physical things to do.
We had a few soccer games last week, the women of the Guardaria (day care/after school program) vs the women of the hogar (childrens home).
it was hilarious, those women are so funny. But also very serious about their futbol. We were rocking jerseys, and going (fairly) hard in like plus 36 heat for about 40 minutes.
after like 10 minutes one game i just turned to one of my little girls (who I call arasmelly.. haha, her name is Araseli. K, that may sound more rude than funny, but shes a hilarious kid, and i explained to her what it meant, and she laughed really hard, and now its an inside joke). anyways, i was just like. ´arasmelly. water. please. im going to die.´ and she just looked at me, nodded her head, and took off at a sprint to the kitchen lol.
but, other than those two games, time for physical activity is hard to comeby.
its not really a cultural norm here for girls - guys play soccer.. and girls can play volleyball, but still. its just not really a cultural thing. And i cant go running past about 8 at night, due to my host parents being worried for my safety, and actaul danger. And i just often dont get home from work or being out earlier than that.
And i just cant hack the early morning run, never have. early morning track practises and waterpolo practises in highschool were just about the death of me. i was always the last one to take my sweats off and get in the pool for waterpolo, and in track, i always tried to come 15 minutes late (to skip warmup).
But anyways, I tried 3 times to set my alarm for 6 am to go runnin haha, and gave myself like nighttime peptalks ´you WILL wake up kathleen! you can do this´
but the first night i rolled over at 4 oclock, and half alseep thought something just like ´ha! that was a funny hope´ and changed my alarm, 2nd night im pretty sure the same happened, because my alarm was changed again, and the third morning i actually did manage to sit up in my bed at 6, and then was just like ´screw this.´ and fell back down.
so whatever. who needs physical activity. thats my new motto. im having fun, without staying fit. ha. lol.
nah. ill find something. because my body just has so much pent up and restless energy that pretty soon ill just go run into a tree to get it out. lol.
anyways, moving on again.
so, quick fill in on some significant past monthly events?
1.) IPOD STOLEN. ughhhhh. even though it was done in a very epic manner, im still just. heartbroken. i still just cant really think about it. we were stopped in the market though on the bus, and i was sitting in a seat, and just pulled it out of my bag to change the song (stupid), and were watching me and jumped in from OUTSIDE the bus through the window infront of me (mine was closed), snagged it out of my hand, and bolted.
I think it was just so hard because it was one of my last little home connections. All my music that reminds me of people, winnipeg, etc. and plus, theres only so much spanish music a person can take. i swear if i hear ´EN MI CORRAZOONN´(in my heart) one more time. ill just, kick the radio. buuut, im trying to learn to appreciate it more, and obviously lots of latin music is great. it might all have the same beat (reggaetone), but hey. its a good one. lol.
ohk. this is starting to get long, but i still have a little more to type. i guess thats what i get for not posting for a month.
what else has happened. ohyah.
2.) heidi (other salter who works with me) and i went with a group of girls from our work to Samipatis (sp?), a cute town kind of in the mountains too, but much closer to santa cruz than moro moro. its fairly touristy, because its close to great waterfalls, inca ruins, and just the scenery and town itself is just fantastic. anyways, it was just a blast. easily one of my best weekends yet. we went and saw the inca ruins, and just hung out, and got to meet got guys from france, italy, israel, and a few other places in europe that i cant really remember.
It was so much fun, and i just think that i loved that fact that we often were in groups where people were thinking in about 4 or 5 different languages, but all of us spent all of our time together in spanish. i guess it was just nice to finally be able to make friends by using a foreign language, with people who were doing the exact same.
It did make me a little envious and wistful hearing some of the backpackers stories though, and i think i always knew i would, but i think it pretty much made up my mind on the spot that i will end up coming back and backpacking south america.
anyways. im going to about wrap this up. i have a few more stories, but ill save them for antoher time.
my month of vacations starts after next week, and when it ends, ill be at the half way point of being here. crazy.
ah, yah, i havent even touched on christmas though! ohk ill try and blog again next week lol.
my mom is coming in about 19 days though as of now, and i am just SO excited. were going to go travelling to Sucre, and it´ll just be a ´hoot´ as momma vitt is often been known to say.
i think im also going to be off travelling to comarapa with my mom, maybe some water falls with work friends, and then heidi and i are going on an undecided trip from the 10-19 after momma bear leaves.
and then after that, i think my travelling itch will be sufficiently scratched, and ill settle into the second half of my year, with some new staff here etc.
ohk. yah. im going to go sleep though, because im super tired. im getting over probably my best (or longest lasting) sickness here - and so im still feeling a little off, etc.
but ive heard that you cant win em all.
ohk, sorry if this was unfocused, ill blame it on the tired and trying to cram a month into one post.
i hope the christmas season is going well for everyone though.
Its making me miss home quite a bit right now, just hot coco, and decorating the tree with bad Rita McNeal playing in the background, baking.. snow..
yah. its been making me wistful. but thankgoodness i have a fantastic christmas present coming my way in in roughly 5 foot 2 sized packaging. :D.
ohkkkkkkk byeeeeeeee. miss you all. love you tons.
kathleen
Saturday, November 1, 2008
´hey heidi, it doesnt seem too hot today - whats the temp?´ heidi: .. its 34.
hey everyone-
i know i just blogged about two days ago.
but i think im going to write another one, just to make up for about the 3 weeks that i didn´t write a thing.
plus.. im kind of just procrastinating. because i have to do my big PMR (where i write out on excel every boliviano i spent for the month.. and.. well its kind of like pulling teeth).
oh, and my blog title is just because i couldnt think of anything else, and really found that a funny exchange between heidi and i the other day after work.
anyways, cool happening today- i was strolling back from buying my lunch (an chocolate icecream bar with almonds on the outside - delicious.. and almonds? helloo, thats nutritious) when i see a white woman in professional business attire looking like how we all look when we go to a new country and are trying to find things on our own-
she was standing outside of a house, staring alternatively from her map/address back up to the house with that, slightly worried, nervous, ´i think im at the right house but they arent answering and now have no effing idea what to do´ frustrated look on her face.
i kind of found all of this amusing, but more interesting by the fact that she was outside the house of one of the families here (from bleumenort (sp?) manitoba).. and the fact that she was holding a ziploc bag which contained boxes of sourpatchkids, nerds, and mike and ikes. lol.
anyways. to make this pointless ramble shorter, we made eye contact, and she kind of shouted over `hola.. do.. youspeakenglish?´ lol. i assured her that i did, and she gave me that instant ´thankgoodness sigh.`
anyways. now for the interesting part. shes a reporter from CBC doing a documentary on the old colony mennonites here. very cool.
seems like shes a pretty high up reporter - shes from winnipeg originally (so we got to bond over that which was fantastic) but now lives in the states. She also tosses out in regular conversation things such as,
´well, when i was at a newsconference last week with the minister of defence of the united states..´
and im like, ahhh, yes of course.
anyways - i invited her into our MCC abode here and we just hung out for an hour chatting - we talked aobut the old colony mennonites lots, and she was just very interested in our whole process, life here, just everything. very cool person, and made my day alot more interesting.
we also invited her back for pizza later on with all of us tonight (were having a ´lets make pizza and watch juno´ party with all of us.. and since one of our other SALTers is in from Conception, and thats always exciting).
anyways. im going to be interested to see her documentary if i can when i get back. maybe ill get a few more details about it, so i can post a link to it later or something.
since the old colony mennonites here are fasinating. ha, since shes with CBC though she had to get one interview in french here - which, well obviously, almost proved to be impossible. but looks like she found someone. we just found that funny though, i dont know why, but a french person here in bolivia just is kind of a funny concept to me. maybe just because i dont think you can be farther seperated culturally from the culture of bolivia, to the one say of paris france.
i very much like both, but just very different vibes.
anyways. moving on.
yesterday night heidi and i had a really nice time with agroup of girls from our work. theres an indoor gokarting track here - so we went to it -and my word. we got to wear like, belaclava masks, helmets, gloves, vests with like racing stripes and stuff on it. just hilarious. i was so bummed when i turned on my camera and there were no batteries. but it was just ´a hoot´ as my mom would say, and its so much fun to get to know the girls of our workplace better.
however, unfortunately, coming around a corner i was going pretty fast and i kind of spun out and crashed into a corner (which isnt a big deal).. butt, unfortunately plastic curve of the seat jammed right into my ribs/ab on my left side. ughhhhhhhh. that felt like an explosion of.. goodfeelings.
i wonder when my abs on my left side will ever heal (i tore them in march) - i think they were doing really well for awhile, but now that im working with kids all day long - well. yes, i know mom, i can tell them not to jump on me. but they remember that for about 3 seconds, and then jump on me again.
and when babies/toddlers stick their arms up to be held (from the other classrooms, when i stop by to say hi) .. i mean i just cant turn them down.
anyways. just a hard thing not to be frustrating now. its hard not to feel like all that time i put into not lifting things and being really careful with my body (which i hate) is potentially now for not.
not to mention that well, plain and simple, it doesnt feel wonderful when they are hanging off of my left arm, and i dont really have the muscles to be holding them up. Its just kind of like sometimes, ´no, really, GET OFF!´ lol.
but. this is all teaching me patience, especially with my body. a lesson i need to learn. ive never had an injury that takes 6 months to a year to heal, and its proving to be fairly frustrating for me.
but hey, ive heard that you cant win em all. :). and especially now that my left side feels like someone was doing boxing practise on it for a few hours (after last nights gokarting fun), i think ill have a little chat with my students and really assert into them that you know what. maybe for a bit, lets just CALMDOWN. lol. and i have a month off soon, so that should be great.
ohk. well, gosh, i was going to do kind of a list of things that i love from here and things that i cant get used to - but turns out i have to go. laura needs some help buying ingredients for the pizza party tonight.
basically, i guess ill just say two.
I MISS warm showers. with every essence of my being. have i typed about this yet? shoot, sorry if ive already typed this. but goodness, yes its nice when its like 38, but, i shower early morning or late at night, and by then its cooled down - and that freezing cold water. i still have to pep talk my self and do a countdown before i JUMP in and feversishly try and scrub my body and wash my hair. im pretty sure id do good in a race now.
i think thats one thing ive realized about canadians. you know, we will NOT really complain that much about the cold weather. whatever, we have so much of it, we have to deal with it, unless its over -25, were not really going to say too much. .. unless its - 20 in april.
HOWEVER. our showers, are supposed to be warm. that is one part of our day, that is supposed to be warm. if we do not have warm water in the winter, we would deefinitly go shower at a neighbours or friends lol. now, i know its not winter right now, actually polar opposite from that. but still. i dont like it. its really cold. lol.
second thing i miss. lazy mosquitos. who would have thought i missanything about mosquitos. but the only thing more annoying than a mosquito, is one that you cant kill.
i have killed i think only like.. 5 since ive been here (in three months). they are SO quick, they are like our flies. and they are out to get you. i swear i let out a huge cheer everytime i kill one, and carla just laughs. but.. i guess the good thing about this.. when i come back to winnipeg - the mosquitos dont stand a chance.
last thing because i really have to go now.
odd thing i will miss.. subtitles. the tv screen just feels naked without them now.
ohk, laura is bside me with bags raring to go.
see you all later. love you tons.
kathleen
i know i just blogged about two days ago.
but i think im going to write another one, just to make up for about the 3 weeks that i didn´t write a thing.
plus.. im kind of just procrastinating. because i have to do my big PMR (where i write out on excel every boliviano i spent for the month.. and.. well its kind of like pulling teeth).
oh, and my blog title is just because i couldnt think of anything else, and really found that a funny exchange between heidi and i the other day after work.
anyways, cool happening today- i was strolling back from buying my lunch (an chocolate icecream bar with almonds on the outside - delicious.. and almonds? helloo, thats nutritious) when i see a white woman in professional business attire looking like how we all look when we go to a new country and are trying to find things on our own-
she was standing outside of a house, staring alternatively from her map/address back up to the house with that, slightly worried, nervous, ´i think im at the right house but they arent answering and now have no effing idea what to do´ frustrated look on her face.
i kind of found all of this amusing, but more interesting by the fact that she was outside the house of one of the families here (from bleumenort (sp?) manitoba).. and the fact that she was holding a ziploc bag which contained boxes of sourpatchkids, nerds, and mike and ikes. lol.
anyways. to make this pointless ramble shorter, we made eye contact, and she kind of shouted over `hola.. do.. youspeakenglish?´ lol. i assured her that i did, and she gave me that instant ´thankgoodness sigh.`
anyways. now for the interesting part. shes a reporter from CBC doing a documentary on the old colony mennonites here. very cool.
seems like shes a pretty high up reporter - shes from winnipeg originally (so we got to bond over that which was fantastic) but now lives in the states. She also tosses out in regular conversation things such as,
´well, when i was at a newsconference last week with the minister of defence of the united states..´
and im like, ahhh, yes of course.
anyways - i invited her into our MCC abode here and we just hung out for an hour chatting - we talked aobut the old colony mennonites lots, and she was just very interested in our whole process, life here, just everything. very cool person, and made my day alot more interesting.
we also invited her back for pizza later on with all of us tonight (were having a ´lets make pizza and watch juno´ party with all of us.. and since one of our other SALTers is in from Conception, and thats always exciting).
anyways. im going to be interested to see her documentary if i can when i get back. maybe ill get a few more details about it, so i can post a link to it later or something.
since the old colony mennonites here are fasinating. ha, since shes with CBC though she had to get one interview in french here - which, well obviously, almost proved to be impossible. but looks like she found someone. we just found that funny though, i dont know why, but a french person here in bolivia just is kind of a funny concept to me. maybe just because i dont think you can be farther seperated culturally from the culture of bolivia, to the one say of paris france.
i very much like both, but just very different vibes.
anyways. moving on.
yesterday night heidi and i had a really nice time with agroup of girls from our work. theres an indoor gokarting track here - so we went to it -and my word. we got to wear like, belaclava masks, helmets, gloves, vests with like racing stripes and stuff on it. just hilarious. i was so bummed when i turned on my camera and there were no batteries. but it was just ´a hoot´ as my mom would say, and its so much fun to get to know the girls of our workplace better.
however, unfortunately, coming around a corner i was going pretty fast and i kind of spun out and crashed into a corner (which isnt a big deal).. butt, unfortunately plastic curve of the seat jammed right into my ribs/ab on my left side. ughhhhhhhh. that felt like an explosion of.. goodfeelings.
i wonder when my abs on my left side will ever heal (i tore them in march) - i think they were doing really well for awhile, but now that im working with kids all day long - well. yes, i know mom, i can tell them not to jump on me. but they remember that for about 3 seconds, and then jump on me again.
and when babies/toddlers stick their arms up to be held (from the other classrooms, when i stop by to say hi) .. i mean i just cant turn them down.
anyways. just a hard thing not to be frustrating now. its hard not to feel like all that time i put into not lifting things and being really careful with my body (which i hate) is potentially now for not.
not to mention that well, plain and simple, it doesnt feel wonderful when they are hanging off of my left arm, and i dont really have the muscles to be holding them up. Its just kind of like sometimes, ´no, really, GET OFF!´ lol.
but. this is all teaching me patience, especially with my body. a lesson i need to learn. ive never had an injury that takes 6 months to a year to heal, and its proving to be fairly frustrating for me.
but hey, ive heard that you cant win em all. :). and especially now that my left side feels like someone was doing boxing practise on it for a few hours (after last nights gokarting fun), i think ill have a little chat with my students and really assert into them that you know what. maybe for a bit, lets just CALMDOWN. lol. and i have a month off soon, so that should be great.
ohk. well, gosh, i was going to do kind of a list of things that i love from here and things that i cant get used to - but turns out i have to go. laura needs some help buying ingredients for the pizza party tonight.
basically, i guess ill just say two.
I MISS warm showers. with every essence of my being. have i typed about this yet? shoot, sorry if ive already typed this. but goodness, yes its nice when its like 38, but, i shower early morning or late at night, and by then its cooled down - and that freezing cold water. i still have to pep talk my self and do a countdown before i JUMP in and feversishly try and scrub my body and wash my hair. im pretty sure id do good in a race now.
i think thats one thing ive realized about canadians. you know, we will NOT really complain that much about the cold weather. whatever, we have so much of it, we have to deal with it, unless its over -25, were not really going to say too much. .. unless its - 20 in april.
HOWEVER. our showers, are supposed to be warm. that is one part of our day, that is supposed to be warm. if we do not have warm water in the winter, we would deefinitly go shower at a neighbours or friends lol. now, i know its not winter right now, actually polar opposite from that. but still. i dont like it. its really cold. lol.
second thing i miss. lazy mosquitos. who would have thought i missanything about mosquitos. but the only thing more annoying than a mosquito, is one that you cant kill.
i have killed i think only like.. 5 since ive been here (in three months). they are SO quick, they are like our flies. and they are out to get you. i swear i let out a huge cheer everytime i kill one, and carla just laughs. but.. i guess the good thing about this.. when i come back to winnipeg - the mosquitos dont stand a chance.
last thing because i really have to go now.
odd thing i will miss.. subtitles. the tv screen just feels naked without them now.
ohk, laura is bside me with bags raring to go.
see you all later. love you tons.
kathleen
Thursday, October 30, 2008
one. quarter.
yep, thats right.
tomorrow its the 1/4 mark.
word up with that. I really feel like, especially this last month and a bit -
time has just flown by.
Time moves so quickly with this job. I really feel so blessed with the job I have, gah I love it.
Let me quickly taking you briefly, and hopefully unboringfully through a typical day.
So, hope a micro right outside my door at 7, cruise off for about 40 minutes - and then every morning i just love where i get to change my micros.
its on this corner (im going to take white touristy pictures of it and put them up over christmas when i get my comptuer)
but
¨ o nescoli mmmmolina¨
ha, my girl onescoli who is so cute just came over and asked what i was up to and wanted to write her name. it took about 5 minutes, and clearly there arent supposed to be that many m´s, but. she is now super pleased that everyone in canada (who reads this blog.. so.. mom?) is going to see it.
ohk. back to what i was talking about lol.
anyways. i get to change at this corner with so many little food shops, fresh orange juice, empanadas with curried pototates and meat, my favourite - salteñas - kidn of like a baked emanada with chicken and a bunch of different things inside. im going to miss them so much when i get back to canada. and of course the little venders that house my favourite occasional treat.. yes.. at 740 in the morning - chocolate sticks, called batons.
its basically the ONLY chocolate here, or rather, decent chocolate (sorry santa cruz, but its true)
so anyways. when im like, dear lord, i want some chocolate. yep. batons.
but the other day i asked for banderas by accident.. which means flag in spanish. and the woman just looked at me like, really? youre asking for a flag at my little candy wagon
anyways. it all worked out, and i got my chocolate. i guess a flag would have been cool too though.
ohk anyways. so i change micros there, a nice tranquillo ride and get to work at around 8. make myself a cup of coffee (instant, with powdered milk). WHICH. suprisingly is growing on me so much. i mean, dont get me wrong, its not like coffee coffee. but still. yummy.
its so odd though to be in south america, and have every love instant nescafe. apparently its largely the same in central america too. just kind of ironic, i suppose.
anyways. i sit down to journal and drink coffee for about 20 minutes, then my kids come -
have my first session with them.
1030, refrejario (snack) and hang out with them for an hour. today we tried to learn how to salsa, marengue and dance to reggaetone. all were hilarious, especially for me.
and then they made me spin them around, until i thought i was kind of going to throw up.
and then we had races, which relaly helped with the throwing up feelings.
and then i have a nice long lunch break, and then starts another time in the afternoon with my other group.
two hours of homework with them, one hour of fun. clean up, and head home between 530 and 6.
somedays are hard with them, and really draining. but for the most part, they are so great.
and the vibe of this place is great, and the more and more spanish i learn, the more and more friends i get lol. thankgoodness.
its nice finally to be able to talk and joke with people.
im really excited for these next two months. añldksjf.
first, starting on the 10th, my kids have summer holidays (backwards from home)
so. we have a month of fun with them. instead of homework, well do things like - oh, paper mache, potatoe sack races, movies, just. things liek that. and i think i get monday thursday mornings off. to sleeeeeeeeeeeeep in.
and then. the other youth my age that i work with right now- their year of service wraps up in december (in january ill be working with new people) - so. well have about a week of, wrap up stuff for them, improvements for next year.
and then i get a month OFF. hpoefully head out to the salt flats first, which should be gorgeous, then go travelling a bit for christmas with my family, and then my mom comes for 10 days!
which i am just already so excited for.
speaking of that. now, this is kind of an odd thing to say. and this is NO, absolutely zero pressure.
but, for all of you at home, if you wanted to send a little letter or card or something along with my mom for christmas (which.. i wont lie.. i would just absolutely love) - you know, im just saying, you can. lol.
i think it would be one of the best christmas presents for me, just to have little messages from home to look at.
anyways. yah. so thats my next two months. i really think they are going to fly.
and then, start fresh with my second half here come mid january.
im going to head out now though, its lunch time, and my stomach is calling me.
love you guys all tons. i know this wasnt a really good fill in, but ill do a better one later.
i jsut felt like i hadnt written in awhile.
things like thinking about halloween make me wistful and sad, since i love costumes and candy.
but. then i look at my mango tree, which is SO close to being ripe. and things just dont seem so bad.
missing you all.
ps, next week im going to start staying fit and having fun, at a track right near my work, with Aida. Im excited:)
ohk. thats all for now. love.
kathleen
tomorrow its the 1/4 mark.
word up with that. I really feel like, especially this last month and a bit -
time has just flown by.
Time moves so quickly with this job. I really feel so blessed with the job I have, gah I love it.
Let me quickly taking you briefly, and hopefully unboringfully through a typical day.
So, hope a micro right outside my door at 7, cruise off for about 40 minutes - and then every morning i just love where i get to change my micros.
its on this corner (im going to take white touristy pictures of it and put them up over christmas when i get my comptuer)
but
¨ o nescoli mmmmolina¨
ha, my girl onescoli who is so cute just came over and asked what i was up to and wanted to write her name. it took about 5 minutes, and clearly there arent supposed to be that many m´s, but. she is now super pleased that everyone in canada (who reads this blog.. so.. mom?) is going to see it.
ohk. back to what i was talking about lol.
anyways. i get to change at this corner with so many little food shops, fresh orange juice, empanadas with curried pototates and meat, my favourite - salteñas - kidn of like a baked emanada with chicken and a bunch of different things inside. im going to miss them so much when i get back to canada. and of course the little venders that house my favourite occasional treat.. yes.. at 740 in the morning - chocolate sticks, called batons.
its basically the ONLY chocolate here, or rather, decent chocolate (sorry santa cruz, but its true)
so anyways. when im like, dear lord, i want some chocolate. yep. batons.
but the other day i asked for banderas by accident.. which means flag in spanish. and the woman just looked at me like, really? youre asking for a flag at my little candy wagon
anyways. it all worked out, and i got my chocolate. i guess a flag would have been cool too though.
ohk anyways. so i change micros there, a nice tranquillo ride and get to work at around 8. make myself a cup of coffee (instant, with powdered milk). WHICH. suprisingly is growing on me so much. i mean, dont get me wrong, its not like coffee coffee. but still. yummy.
its so odd though to be in south america, and have every love instant nescafe. apparently its largely the same in central america too. just kind of ironic, i suppose.
anyways. i sit down to journal and drink coffee for about 20 minutes, then my kids come -
have my first session with them.
1030, refrejario (snack) and hang out with them for an hour. today we tried to learn how to salsa, marengue and dance to reggaetone. all were hilarious, especially for me.
and then they made me spin them around, until i thought i was kind of going to throw up.
and then we had races, which relaly helped with the throwing up feelings.
and then i have a nice long lunch break, and then starts another time in the afternoon with my other group.
two hours of homework with them, one hour of fun. clean up, and head home between 530 and 6.
somedays are hard with them, and really draining. but for the most part, they are so great.
and the vibe of this place is great, and the more and more spanish i learn, the more and more friends i get lol. thankgoodness.
its nice finally to be able to talk and joke with people.
im really excited for these next two months. añldksjf.
first, starting on the 10th, my kids have summer holidays (backwards from home)
so. we have a month of fun with them. instead of homework, well do things like - oh, paper mache, potatoe sack races, movies, just. things liek that. and i think i get monday thursday mornings off. to sleeeeeeeeeeeeep in.
and then. the other youth my age that i work with right now- their year of service wraps up in december (in january ill be working with new people) - so. well have about a week of, wrap up stuff for them, improvements for next year.
and then i get a month OFF. hpoefully head out to the salt flats first, which should be gorgeous, then go travelling a bit for christmas with my family, and then my mom comes for 10 days!
which i am just already so excited for.
speaking of that. now, this is kind of an odd thing to say. and this is NO, absolutely zero pressure.
but, for all of you at home, if you wanted to send a little letter or card or something along with my mom for christmas (which.. i wont lie.. i would just absolutely love) - you know, im just saying, you can. lol.
i think it would be one of the best christmas presents for me, just to have little messages from home to look at.
anyways. yah. so thats my next two months. i really think they are going to fly.
and then, start fresh with my second half here come mid january.
im going to head out now though, its lunch time, and my stomach is calling me.
love you guys all tons. i know this wasnt a really good fill in, but ill do a better one later.
i jsut felt like i hadnt written in awhile.
things like thinking about halloween make me wistful and sad, since i love costumes and candy.
but. then i look at my mango tree, which is SO close to being ripe. and things just dont seem so bad.
missing you all.
ps, next week im going to start staying fit and having fun, at a track right near my work, with Aida. Im excited:)
ohk. thats all for now. love.
kathleen
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
I like it here.
Yesterday, as I was walking away from my work down a winding dirt path with manderine trees, cows, and mango trees along side it (in the lazy South American pace that fits this place so well) I just had the a resounding thought come into my head, ¨I like it here.¨
I don´t know why I keep thinking back to it - I dont know why those four words to me seem so important. But maybe its just because, for the past week or so, I have just finally really felt at peace with being here, and I like it. Plain and simple, this place isn´t feeling so foreign anymore. I am starting to feel less like a north american tourist - taking virtual pictures with my eyes at everything I see, oo´ing and aww´ing different things.
In my sandals, with dirty feet, on a pleasantly hot day, strolling through my work with one of the kids I work with to see the cows, pigs, tortoises, and parrots I now am starting to feel like im strolling behind my house beside the wheatfields, ducks, and mosquitos.
gah, the moquitos here. ill have to get to that later. i better not forget.
But no, now that the conflict and violence here has calmed down - life here is really just settling back into normality. Things feel calm and tranquillo.. well, for the most part. In the markets, mm, not so much.
Ha, i think i wrote in my last blog that i was about off to go do some shopping in the markets by myself - funnny. I think I had an image of myself strolling leisurely through a market in like france or north america, getting to stop and look at things, maybe try some things on, buy some food, just kind of.. stroll.
I dont know how I forgot the atmosphere of the Bolivian markets? lol, i mean dont get me wrong, they are great. You can get what you need - its an awesome atmosphere -
but there are TONS of people. everywhere. it is hectic. it is meant for pushing to the stand you want (los posos is huuge though, covering streets). But, people know where they´re going. the clothes section, meat section, bread, all the different sections.
It is NOT meant for a solo gringa girl to ´stroll´through, casually looking at stuff. The minute you pick up a shoe, a woman will be at your side, speaking ridiculously quick spanish, trying to get you the other, and i feel almost putting them on my feet lol. Or, you walk down a hallway with little shops on either side (in the inside part) and its kind of very interesting.
its like a crescendo of voices as you walk through.
I would call it, ´the wave´ of voices.
you start walking, and all the way through the voices follow you as you pass their stall
´senorita, una ployera bonita para usted?´ and they stop as soon as you pass.
its just really funny. sometimes i just kind of want to run through, like people do trying to get the wave started. or, go back and forth, igniting the different voices over and over in different patterns.
anyways. my head has probably gone too far with that one, but to me, its a hilarious mental image. maybe too, you need to hear the venders voices. its just a distinct tone, that i often find funny.
just like newscasters in north america have ´taht newscasters voice´ so do venders here. for women, its almost a bit high pitched and winy, and slow.
so anyways. lets move on, i really spoke about that for awhile.
wow ok sorry. my work. is wonderful.
its been a transition to long days, i leave the house at 7, and dont get back til 7, and if i choose to go to the MCC offices after work (for english dinner wednesdays) or to make a phonecall, i often dont get home til 10, 1030, and crash into bed.
but, my days are lovely. Aida, who is the leader of our biblioteca program is just wonderful -shes 23 and great.
and my kids are, just fabulous. At times, like any group of kids, sometimes I just want to.. throw a chair through a wall?
but for the most part, they are loving, hilarious, and all have great personalities, they honestly make me laugh a ton, some of them are just so. funny.
and as my spanish with them is improving (i had to learn all of the terms in math, and things like pencil sharpener etc) but im having better control over them, and their listening more.
the first few days were a little hectic as i was new, and dont have perfect spanish, and they were trying to see if they could take a little advantage of me.
psh. tsh. fhh. shh. .. well, i mean they probably did. but i think i held my own.
on friday, i got some updates of the kisd living situations - and some of their daily realities is a hard thing to take, but, i knew that it would be.
they are just such wonderful kids. and its hard to see them come in some mornings flying into my arm yelling ´proffy katie!!´ (im katie, or katty - their prounciation of kathleen came out like cafe. and they were onthe brink of calling me cafe for the rest of the year. good thing i got out of that one).
but anyways, some days they come in with just huge smiles, and others. just polar opposite. head down and hanging, sad, wont look me in the eye.
its hard to see that, and to know that occasionally these kids get hit by their parents for not knowing their numbers, letters, getting things wrong. Its not kind of not to feel pressure to make them learn it all? just so its ensured that everything will be good when they head off home.
but, i mean, all of these families are coming out of tough situations - poverty, and all of the extra difficulties (alcohol, abuse, etc) that often come with that.
but. aside from that, i love working with them. its kind of cool to know that I am the person that taught a girl how to count to 100. I mean, i know, i know - another person would have - but its just kind of cool to know that along with me someone learned something basic that they will use for the rest of their lives. all interesting to me.
but - the other workers my age are all fantastic. I have such respect for them - not only are they volunteering for an afternoon or morning, but they are almost all in school, and all have jobs on top of that. its pretty humbling to see their work ethic.
but anyways, i think i´ll wrap this up soon.
these past couple days have just been really swell, saturday was great - it was POURING rain - but we had a great english day (toni heidi and i) and went out for pizza, and bought movies, and it was great.
gah, the rain here though, its already getting wild. and becuase my work is far outside the city center, almost EVERYTHING is mud. basically i just roll up my pants and walk through in flip flops, and wash my bottoms of my legs off when i get to work lol.
oh. also. the first time going home - you know, ive kind of realized that any time i ahve to take a new micro route for myself, SOMETHING is going to happen. and its kind of like i knew something was going to happen this time, and it just kind of made me smile/laugh/get ready.
and it diidd. it had poured all day, the 5 or so lanes of traffic (there probably only should ahve been.. 2? lol.. but bolivians dont really obey that, especially when traffic is moving slow)
anyways. all of the lanes of traffic were just covered in mud - but I realized i had just missed where i was supposed to get off. so i was like FRICK. ´PARE POR FAVOR!!´
and leapt down into kind of the middle of all of the lanes of traffic, sloshed down into the mud, tried to lift my feet up - and one after the other there go my sandals (havanas type) but the toe piece pulled out of both of the bottom feet part of my sandals in the mud.
and my sandals are black, and it was pitch black out - but, i found them, and ran barefoot through the mud holding my sandals through the lanes of traffic while people made all kinds of different noises ranging from what i feel was a.) ooo, poor gringa b.) thats hilarious! sucka c.) hey, you´re white, even in the mud im going to hit on you.
anyways, i finally knocked on the right micros door, gave him my saddest eyes ever, and he opened the door for me. and i trudged in, muddy footprints my way to the front, muddy paid him, and muddy fixed my sandals and sat down with a sigh lol.
ohk, anyways. i think that just about wraps it up for now.
i had a one day work week this week, which was jsut wonderful. i got to sleep in today (til 9 :D), wash some of my clothes (such. a. workout by hand), and then came to MCC for a great lunch, and we scooted off to get bankcards.
and now tomorrow, off to retiro (our fall retreat) for 3 days, and im so excited. Everyone from MCC Bolivia is coming, and i think one girl from MCC paraguay (who seems wonderful, shes 21 and in Paraguay for a year helping to organize the mennonite world conference happening next year). We´re all heading off though to I suppose a type of conference center outside of santa cruz, and it should be just wonderful. (and it has a pooool. maybe this time ill get a tan without peeling off half of my back:) ).
ohk, well, ill blog in the next few weeks. I miss home like a dull ache as always though, but its great to still be able to talk to people from home. Right now, home doesnt feel so far away. And thats a really comforting feeling.
Ha, toni and I had another tim hortons fantasy today though. We´ve already decided that upon getting off the plane in winnipeg, we´re going to the tim hortons and hes getting black coffee and a boston cream and im getting a mocha extra whip with 3 (or maybe 12) sour cream glazed timbits.
fan. tastic.
i hope everyone is doing well though, and enjoying the beginnings of fall. Its odd, my body seems to be doing what its always done for 20 years and is getting into gear for fall, expecting cold crisp days, getting that lovely fall wistful pumpkins and thanksgiving is coming feeling - and then im like, oh wait, its spring here. shoot.
but im readjusting. and it helps that mango season is about a month away. we have two trees in my yard and i look at them almost every day just HOPING they´ll ripen faster lol.
OHK! im really going now - i really do hope everyone is doing wonderful, love you all so much, and miss everyone just.. tons.
as always, stay fit and have fun :).
kathleen (L)
I don´t know why I keep thinking back to it - I dont know why those four words to me seem so important. But maybe its just because, for the past week or so, I have just finally really felt at peace with being here, and I like it. Plain and simple, this place isn´t feeling so foreign anymore. I am starting to feel less like a north american tourist - taking virtual pictures with my eyes at everything I see, oo´ing and aww´ing different things.
In my sandals, with dirty feet, on a pleasantly hot day, strolling through my work with one of the kids I work with to see the cows, pigs, tortoises, and parrots I now am starting to feel like im strolling behind my house beside the wheatfields, ducks, and mosquitos.
gah, the moquitos here. ill have to get to that later. i better not forget.
But no, now that the conflict and violence here has calmed down - life here is really just settling back into normality. Things feel calm and tranquillo.. well, for the most part. In the markets, mm, not so much.
Ha, i think i wrote in my last blog that i was about off to go do some shopping in the markets by myself - funnny. I think I had an image of myself strolling leisurely through a market in like france or north america, getting to stop and look at things, maybe try some things on, buy some food, just kind of.. stroll.
I dont know how I forgot the atmosphere of the Bolivian markets? lol, i mean dont get me wrong, they are great. You can get what you need - its an awesome atmosphere -
but there are TONS of people. everywhere. it is hectic. it is meant for pushing to the stand you want (los posos is huuge though, covering streets). But, people know where they´re going. the clothes section, meat section, bread, all the different sections.
It is NOT meant for a solo gringa girl to ´stroll´through, casually looking at stuff. The minute you pick up a shoe, a woman will be at your side, speaking ridiculously quick spanish, trying to get you the other, and i feel almost putting them on my feet lol. Or, you walk down a hallway with little shops on either side (in the inside part) and its kind of very interesting.
its like a crescendo of voices as you walk through.
I would call it, ´the wave´ of voices.
you start walking, and all the way through the voices follow you as you pass their stall
´senorita, una ployera bonita para usted?´ and they stop as soon as you pass.
its just really funny. sometimes i just kind of want to run through, like people do trying to get the wave started. or, go back and forth, igniting the different voices over and over in different patterns.
anyways. my head has probably gone too far with that one, but to me, its a hilarious mental image. maybe too, you need to hear the venders voices. its just a distinct tone, that i often find funny.
just like newscasters in north america have ´taht newscasters voice´ so do venders here. for women, its almost a bit high pitched and winy, and slow.
so anyways. lets move on, i really spoke about that for awhile.
wow ok sorry. my work. is wonderful.
its been a transition to long days, i leave the house at 7, and dont get back til 7, and if i choose to go to the MCC offices after work (for english dinner wednesdays) or to make a phonecall, i often dont get home til 10, 1030, and crash into bed.
but, my days are lovely. Aida, who is the leader of our biblioteca program is just wonderful -shes 23 and great.
and my kids are, just fabulous. At times, like any group of kids, sometimes I just want to.. throw a chair through a wall?
but for the most part, they are loving, hilarious, and all have great personalities, they honestly make me laugh a ton, some of them are just so. funny.
and as my spanish with them is improving (i had to learn all of the terms in math, and things like pencil sharpener etc) but im having better control over them, and their listening more.
the first few days were a little hectic as i was new, and dont have perfect spanish, and they were trying to see if they could take a little advantage of me.
psh. tsh. fhh. shh. .. well, i mean they probably did. but i think i held my own.
on friday, i got some updates of the kisd living situations - and some of their daily realities is a hard thing to take, but, i knew that it would be.
they are just such wonderful kids. and its hard to see them come in some mornings flying into my arm yelling ´proffy katie!!´ (im katie, or katty - their prounciation of kathleen came out like cafe. and they were onthe brink of calling me cafe for the rest of the year. good thing i got out of that one).
but anyways, some days they come in with just huge smiles, and others. just polar opposite. head down and hanging, sad, wont look me in the eye.
its hard to see that, and to know that occasionally these kids get hit by their parents for not knowing their numbers, letters, getting things wrong. Its not kind of not to feel pressure to make them learn it all? just so its ensured that everything will be good when they head off home.
but, i mean, all of these families are coming out of tough situations - poverty, and all of the extra difficulties (alcohol, abuse, etc) that often come with that.
but. aside from that, i love working with them. its kind of cool to know that I am the person that taught a girl how to count to 100. I mean, i know, i know - another person would have - but its just kind of cool to know that along with me someone learned something basic that they will use for the rest of their lives. all interesting to me.
but - the other workers my age are all fantastic. I have such respect for them - not only are they volunteering for an afternoon or morning, but they are almost all in school, and all have jobs on top of that. its pretty humbling to see their work ethic.
but anyways, i think i´ll wrap this up soon.
these past couple days have just been really swell, saturday was great - it was POURING rain - but we had a great english day (toni heidi and i) and went out for pizza, and bought movies, and it was great.
gah, the rain here though, its already getting wild. and becuase my work is far outside the city center, almost EVERYTHING is mud. basically i just roll up my pants and walk through in flip flops, and wash my bottoms of my legs off when i get to work lol.
oh. also. the first time going home - you know, ive kind of realized that any time i ahve to take a new micro route for myself, SOMETHING is going to happen. and its kind of like i knew something was going to happen this time, and it just kind of made me smile/laugh/get ready.
and it diidd. it had poured all day, the 5 or so lanes of traffic (there probably only should ahve been.. 2? lol.. but bolivians dont really obey that, especially when traffic is moving slow)
anyways. all of the lanes of traffic were just covered in mud - but I realized i had just missed where i was supposed to get off. so i was like FRICK. ´PARE POR FAVOR!!´
and leapt down into kind of the middle of all of the lanes of traffic, sloshed down into the mud, tried to lift my feet up - and one after the other there go my sandals (havanas type) but the toe piece pulled out of both of the bottom feet part of my sandals in the mud.
and my sandals are black, and it was pitch black out - but, i found them, and ran barefoot through the mud holding my sandals through the lanes of traffic while people made all kinds of different noises ranging from what i feel was a.) ooo, poor gringa b.) thats hilarious! sucka c.) hey, you´re white, even in the mud im going to hit on you.
anyways, i finally knocked on the right micros door, gave him my saddest eyes ever, and he opened the door for me. and i trudged in, muddy footprints my way to the front, muddy paid him, and muddy fixed my sandals and sat down with a sigh lol.
ohk, anyways. i think that just about wraps it up for now.
i had a one day work week this week, which was jsut wonderful. i got to sleep in today (til 9 :D), wash some of my clothes (such. a. workout by hand), and then came to MCC for a great lunch, and we scooted off to get bankcards.
and now tomorrow, off to retiro (our fall retreat) for 3 days, and im so excited. Everyone from MCC Bolivia is coming, and i think one girl from MCC paraguay (who seems wonderful, shes 21 and in Paraguay for a year helping to organize the mennonite world conference happening next year). We´re all heading off though to I suppose a type of conference center outside of santa cruz, and it should be just wonderful. (and it has a pooool. maybe this time ill get a tan without peeling off half of my back:) ).
ohk, well, ill blog in the next few weeks. I miss home like a dull ache as always though, but its great to still be able to talk to people from home. Right now, home doesnt feel so far away. And thats a really comforting feeling.
Ha, toni and I had another tim hortons fantasy today though. We´ve already decided that upon getting off the plane in winnipeg, we´re going to the tim hortons and hes getting black coffee and a boston cream and im getting a mocha extra whip with 3 (or maybe 12) sour cream glazed timbits.
fan. tastic.
i hope everyone is doing well though, and enjoying the beginnings of fall. Its odd, my body seems to be doing what its always done for 20 years and is getting into gear for fall, expecting cold crisp days, getting that lovely fall wistful pumpkins and thanksgiving is coming feeling - and then im like, oh wait, its spring here. shoot.
but im readjusting. and it helps that mango season is about a month away. we have two trees in my yard and i look at them almost every day just HOPING they´ll ripen faster lol.
OHK! im really going now - i really do hope everyone is doing wonderful, love you all so much, and miss everyone just.. tons.
as always, stay fit and have fun :).
kathleen (L)
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