I really need to have better blogging habits. J
My first ‘normal’ week in Bolivia has passed. The boys at the center are easier
to deal with although it is still a lot of work. There are about 35 boys
serving right now. I am in charge of catechism for 1st communion on Fridays
and apparently basketball Friday afternoons which should be fun or funny not
sure yet. On Mondays I work with the kids that are talking the radio classes. I
have from 3rd to 6th grade and they are taking the four
major subjects. I prefer not to find out what they are in for it preserves my
image of them as just boys I work with. The director of the mission said
something to me that warmed me. We were talking about his mission and he said
you are in the right place because these are the exact kids Don Bosco would be
working with if he were in Bolivia. He was of course absolutely right and it
brings me peace and joy to follow St. John Bosco’s ways at Fortaleza even if t isn’t
a Salesian entity.
I assisted the hogar
three days helping out a lot with all the beautiful children that call me mama
everyday and run for hugs when I get there. They are awesome. Baby Javier has
stolen my heart for example. He is 2 months old and has been slowly returned to
health in the last couple of days. It was daily trips to the hospital with him
for a while but he is happily drinking milk and snoozing away. I sneak off to
see him as much as I can and try to catch him at intervals he is up. I have
also been helping the older girls with basic arithmetic and arts and crafts for
there homework assignment. My role there is complicated as I am working with
the administration to keep the educators in line. It’s not fun or easy but people
are starting to talk to me little by little.
At home everything is good. I gave my English classes on
Saturday morning and went to a quinceanera at night. I was very glam (even
though the place was off a dirt road) with zebra and lots and lots of pink. I
assisted a Kermesse on Sunday, which is like a fair, and had a lovely time.
There was a lot of folklore dancing and good food and people. The only rain on my parade was brought on by myself when i was ordering lunch. I saw a sign that said escabeche de chancho. My literate translation to Dominican was pork with pickled onions on top which sounded perfect to me. I order it and she hands it to me and I almost dropped it. It was basically the gizzards, bones and skin of the pork not sure if cooked or soaked in vinegar served cold. As appetizing as it sounds it looked. It seemed to be a specialty that they all enjoyed but a) cold meat is never a go and b) grey meat isn't either. But I definitely learned my lesson and had some laughs about it later. All the other food looked and tasted amazing. It was a great introduction
to Bolivian, or Santa Cruz, culture. Small achievement of the week: haven’t gotten
lost in 5 days, I know how to get to and from my sites (even though I get of a
stop to early or to late every time I come home and have to walk a bit), I have
a better understanding of the food here, and I can follow the conversations at
home more and more often everyday! God Bless!
Family Casa Nueva Horizonte
Folklore dancing for Santa Cruz
Bolivian traditional dance at Kermesse La Merced
Sounds like you are having better luck with the food than we are here in Montero. Its kind of been hit or miss. I was sort of expecting Mexican style food, but no can do here. We have soup everyday, which consist of rice, potatoes, and pasta. Sometimes all together and sometimes with just rice and potatoes. They love to serve liver also, never been a fan. I am slowly getting used to the food. It seems to be high in the carbs. Rice, potatoes, pasta, and always bread. Love your pictures, can't wait to see you again. Miss you lots.
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