So i was invited to Villa Serrano with all of the primary school teachers last weekend. I was excited to be able to get to know them better as well as having the opportunity to see the two volunteers in that town, and as a bonus, check my email! We left after lunch on Friday, riding a camion (something between a pickup truck and semi trailer) through the mountains, down to the Rio Grande, across the Santa Rosa bridge and through the towns of El Oro, Achiras and Nuevo Mundo. The ride was bumpy at times, scary at times, and interminable at times, but I think it was probably one of my most favorite transport rides in Bolivia. With no roof the sky was the limit; I discovered trees, mountain tops, condors, parrots, and host of other wildlife and an ordinary car doesn’t permit you to see. We arrived in Serrano, famished and achy. The teachers at the primary school there greeted us with soda, chicha, and crackers.
Now, the chicha in Serrano is no ordinary chicha. “chicha” by definition is a fermented corn drink, that has the consistency of 0% milk, the color of cornmeal, and a rather interesting flavor. Serrano chicha is not just all of the above, but has 40 proof alcohol and sugar added to it (as if the fermentation process wasn’t enough to get you on the dance floor after one glass!)
Saturday arrived early and most of the men had come back to the alojamiento (named “misky life” which means “the sweet life”) at 5 a.m. from the Chicheria. They were too drunk to play the games which were scheduled for that day, so the women had to play. I put my best skills into a game of basketball (which we lost) and then fulbito (which we tied)… but it was a gorgeous day and fun to get out there and play with other women. The backdrop was a breathtaking view of the mountains surrounding Serrano and the weather was perfectly hot! That day I had a nice breakfast with Sarah, Melissa, and Andrea in Melissa’s new house and lunched at the Mayor’s house (where Sarah lives).
The afternoon was spent leisurely, chatting with the girls and catching up on the latest news. One of the teachers held a BBQ for us that evening, and we had good steak on the grill with moté and of course, chicha. We danced to a couple cumbia songs, some coplas, and then I excused myself to go watch a movie with the girls.
On Sunday I found Oso (bear in Spanish), my new puppy; the girls in my computer class named him, because he looks like a little bear. He accompanied me back to Pucará in the camion… along with the semi-unconscious bodies of the men in our group, who, stumbling into the truck insisted on bringing back some chicha for the ride! Ahhh.
Back to Pucará this week where we have had surprisingly good weather though the cold permeates my room each night and lowers it to a chilly 40°. Winter isn’t even on its way yet, but like many of the mysteries of Bolivia, fall and spring don’t really exist, just extended winter. We had a successful meeting on tourism services here in Pucará and people are getting excited about working on their houses; next step, finding funding for a series of courses that we will have here on hospitality, sanitation, and starting a bed and breakfast! Meanwhile, I am drawing a large map of the municipality and working on turning half of the library into a tourist information center.
Tomorrow I am teaching the 7th grade class for the first time; part of a partnership with a classroom in the States, the program allows an interchange of information and ideas from students to volunteers abroad.
May 1st is Bolivian Labor Day and the 3rd is the Fiesta de la Cruz. Celebration time once more in Pucará! Hope you all are well, enjoy the beautiful spring weather for me!
