I just came back from doing a radio show for a local Cochabamba station. Kancha Parlaspa, meaning "speaking in the cancha(or market)" in Quechua, is relayed all day in the large market here, sounding music and interviews. They also allow local artisans to promote their products and advertise for local fairs that take place in and around Cocha. Another volunteer and I spoke of the mission of Peace Corps, how we work with artisans and micro-enterprises and also of our experiences living throughout the country.
Yesterday I assisted a group of 12 Canadians and Americans in building a house outside of Cochabamba.; they are one of Habitat for Humanity International's Global Village groups. Most of them had traveled to South America before and had great stories about integrating and working together... it is really amazing to see the energy around a build. As they say in Argentina, they had "muy buena onda" (good vibes) around them. They were busy building the foundation, digging dirt, mixing concrete, and bending rebar- and they were kind enough to let me help!
It has been raining a lot in the past couple weeks, flooding several areas of the Chapare as well as Santa Cruz. The precipitation, on top of the annual Carnaval preparations, make for very wet days. Teenagers like to hang out on the main drags of Cochabamba with water balloons pegging every man, woman, and child (and dog!) they see...it can be fun if you are equally armed with your own bucket of balloons!
I'll be traveling next week to visit some volunteers in the Chiquitania region of Santa Cruz. I promise to post some pictures of the trip!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Happy New Year!
Its the end of 2007 and I have finished my 27-month Peace Corps Service. It has been a wonderful collection of bold emotions, painted images of the Andean countryside, and experiences of immersion in Bolivian culture. Most of the Volunteers who began with me in August 2005 are now back in the States, adjusting to the idea of customer service, grid-lock traffic, biggie soft drinks, hands-free cell phones, and throwing their toilet paper into the toilet! I, on the other hand, have decided to stay one more year (as most of you already know!), not wanting to give up speaking Spanish daily, eating salteñas on the street corner, being a part of political history, and throwing my toilet paper in the trash can!
I had the pleasure of coming back to Virignia for a month to celebrate Christmas and New Years with my parents, sister, grandparents, and various friends; thank you all for your support the past two years and now, I would not have had such an experience without your letters, phone calls, and general good wishes!
I am now living in Cochabamba, and truly love it! I have a roommate, another Volunteer who is staying a third year, and our house is very central (near the soccer stadium, an outdoor market, a gym, and several dance clubs!)
I begin working next Monday with both Peace Corps and Habitat for Humanity International. I look forward to the new challenges these jobs bring as well as the thrill of living again in a city.
So, I will be continuing (posting more regularly, I promise!) on this blog site: claireinbolivia.blogspot.com/
I had the pleasure of coming back to Virignia for a month to celebrate Christmas and New Years with my parents, sister, grandparents, and various friends; thank you all for your support the past two years and now, I would not have had such an experience without your letters, phone calls, and general good wishes!
I am now living in Cochabamba, and truly love it! I have a roommate, another Volunteer who is staying a third year, and our house is very central (near the soccer stadium, an outdoor market, a gym, and several dance clubs!)
I begin working next Monday with both Peace Corps and Habitat for Humanity International. I look forward to the new challenges these jobs bring as well as the thrill of living again in a city.
So, I will be continuing (posting more regularly, I promise!) on this blog site: claireinbolivia.blogspot.com/
I wish you all the best for 2008 and look forward to sharing this year with you!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Back in Red, Yellow, and Green
“Has traído el frió contigo, Clara!” (“You brought the cold back to Pucará, Claire!”), they tell me upon my return from vacation a couple of days ago. I was so anxious to arrive, that despite the bitter cold and muddy streets, I walked around town, greeting my good friend Yuma, stopping by the mayor’s office to let them know I was here, and searching for Osito in the plaza. I felt like years had passed since I was last here, it was nice to see that nothing had changed; the pile of rocks in front of my house was still there and Doña Inez was in her usual spot selling Sunday lunch and Jell-o to those who wanted. The wind was cold alright, but after a warm two weeks in the States, it was bearable. I went home to Virginia to surprise my dad for his 60th birthday; my plane from Santa Cruz was late, so the surprise at 1:00 in the morning wasn’t as exciting as it would have been surprising him at home, but nevertheless worth the trip!
I settled excitedly into my childhood room, jumped on my bed, took a scalding hot bath, walked barefoot on the carpet, stuck my head in the freezer; I even went through pictures and memories of life before “Oblivia.” I awoke the next day, thinking I needed to put on shoes to walk to the bathroom, but instead saw my mom bringing me a cup of tea; its one of those experiences you amaze yourself at how easy it is to fall back into a routine, even after two years. Every step I took, however, felt a bit new. Running around the neighbourhood at such a low elevation made me feel like I could win the Boston Marathon, and I almost panicked walking into my local Safeway grocery, not knowing where to look or what seemed edible behind all the plastic wrapping. Instead of everything feeling new, though, I think it’s just that I now see things with changed eyes, as if everything had a new value. Why would you need to buy 20 rolls of toilet paper, when you can just buy two at a time at your local tienda? Why is “fresh” lettuce sold in a plastic bag? As I was suffering a case of reverse culture shock, I allowed myself to enjoy the benefits of such a life…Sharp cheddar cheese, 7-11 slurpees, sushi, microwaves, hair straighteners, washing machines and dryers, comfortable couches, 300+ television channels… all things I couldn’t really find much to complain about! But of course the best part of this trip weren’t the amenities I was happy to have, but the people I was with. Spending time with my family and various friends was by far the highlight. I went to New York City, shopped in Manhattan (and realized people spend more on their pets’ weekly grooming than I have on my own grooming in the past two years!), walked the streets of my sister’s diverse Brooklyn neighbourhood, ate hot dogs and rode the Cyclone at Coney Island, even visited the new terminal hub/memorial at ground zero, and strolled through Central Park. Through all of these activities, I appreciated the aesthetic beauty of cityscapes and the amalgam of languages spoken in the streets. I could see the draw to living in the States, despite the lukewarm reputation we have abroad, and for someone who was completely disillusioned with living there before, it was a welcoming surprise.
Like most vacations, they pass in the blink of an eye; fortunately there were few mishaps, aside from running a stop sign that was definitely not present last time I was home and saying something in Spanish on occasion. But the funny thing was, I realized that like Pucará upon my arrival two days ago, life in the States hasn’t changed that much either. I guess I am the one who has, and whether it is for better or for worse, it feels good to know that travelling and experiencing the ends of the world are indeed the best decisions I’ve made in all my 24 years.
I settled excitedly into my childhood room, jumped on my bed, took a scalding hot bath, walked barefoot on the carpet, stuck my head in the freezer; I even went through pictures and memories of life before “Oblivia.” I awoke the next day, thinking I needed to put on shoes to walk to the bathroom, but instead saw my mom bringing me a cup of tea; its one of those experiences you amaze yourself at how easy it is to fall back into a routine, even after two years. Every step I took, however, felt a bit new. Running around the neighbourhood at such a low elevation made me feel like I could win the Boston Marathon, and I almost panicked walking into my local Safeway grocery, not knowing where to look or what seemed edible behind all the plastic wrapping. Instead of everything feeling new, though, I think it’s just that I now see things with changed eyes, as if everything had a new value. Why would you need to buy 20 rolls of toilet paper, when you can just buy two at a time at your local tienda? Why is “fresh” lettuce sold in a plastic bag? As I was suffering a case of reverse culture shock, I allowed myself to enjoy the benefits of such a life…Sharp cheddar cheese, 7-11 slurpees, sushi, microwaves, hair straighteners, washing machines and dryers, comfortable couches, 300+ television channels… all things I couldn’t really find much to complain about! But of course the best part of this trip weren’t the amenities I was happy to have, but the people I was with. Spending time with my family and various friends was by far the highlight. I went to New York City, shopped in Manhattan (and realized people spend more on their pets’ weekly grooming than I have on my own grooming in the past two years!), walked the streets of my sister’s diverse Brooklyn neighbourhood, ate hot dogs and rode the Cyclone at Coney Island, even visited the new terminal hub/memorial at ground zero, and strolled through Central Park. Through all of these activities, I appreciated the aesthetic beauty of cityscapes and the amalgam of languages spoken in the streets. I could see the draw to living in the States, despite the lukewarm reputation we have abroad, and for someone who was completely disillusioned with living there before, it was a welcoming surprise.
Like most vacations, they pass in the blink of an eye; fortunately there were few mishaps, aside from running a stop sign that was definitely not present last time I was home and saying something in Spanish on occasion. But the funny thing was, I realized that like Pucará upon my arrival two days ago, life in the States hasn’t changed that much either. I guess I am the one who has, and whether it is for better or for worse, it feels good to know that travelling and experiencing the ends of the world are indeed the best decisions I’ve made in all my 24 years.
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