A Normal day to day week

El Alto.  It all looks the same

So it has just been another week in La Paz.  Nothing out of the ordinary (for LaPaz….).  This week at work, Justus and I were visiting a family in El Alto and I saw one of the strangest things.  We were just sitting in a room of their house asking some questions about the family when I looked out the door of the room to find myself confused.  I had heard a pig oinking so of course that is why I was looking out the door.  I was hoping to possibly see it walk by the door.  But that’s not what I saw.  What I saw was a lot more interesting.  I saw the husband walking by the door from another room with a sack.  Instantly the question in my mind was “what is in that sack?”  Justus and I continued with our questions (he was completely oblivious to anything that was going on).  After we finished everything we walked out the door and I saw the sack over in the corner.  I could still here the pig oinking and I kept looking around the yard for it but it was nowhere in sight.  Finally I saw the sack move… I nudged Justus and told him to look at the sack.  Then out of a hole in the sack a snout popped out.  The pig was in the sack.  Why is the pig in the sack?  I still have no clue.  I didn’t dare to ask because at this moment I was already confused enough.  After we laughed for a minute in confusion, we just decided it was time to leave and go back to the office. 

I told you in an earlier blog how in our project we have a cooking class with Doña Maria.  Well this Thursday was the finale of the class.  For two days the ladies in the class were baking and preparing for their exposition of what they had learned.  Justus and I went around to all the projects in the foundation and passed out invitations to the coordinators of each project inviting them to come and try the cakes and pastels.  I had been anticipating this day for weeks and man was it worth it!  We presented all the participants with certificates saying that they had passed the class.  Finally it was time to eat.  There was so much food.  I walked up to the table with the intention of getting some apple pie.  While at the table the ladies just started piling food up on my plate until there was no room left and my apple pie was buried under all sorts of sweets.  So, I had to eat down through the pile of cakes and pies and cookies to reach that piece of apple pie.  It was a challenge but it was very delightful.  I am a little sad that the class is over.  No, I am VERY sad that this class is over.  I truly enjoyed every week getting to try some of the amazing things that they had cooked up.  I guess I’ll have to just have to learn how to cook them on my own….

 

The graduates

The FOOD!!!!

Friday, Justus and I went to visit a family in El Alto.  We waited for an hour before we were finally met by the girl who was supposed to be taking us to her house.  We got to her house and began to ask questions and listen to their situation.  Turns out that the mother is in prison and the oldest brother is working hours away in the Yungas.  So the person taking care of the family is the oldest daughter of 17 years old.  She receives a bit of help from her aunt but a 17 year old is the responsible for her two younger brothers.  I am learning that this is a very common situation here in La Paz.  After we left we were headed back to the office when I had an encounter.  While trying to catch a mini bus in one of the busiest places in El Alto, a lady ran into me.  Something felt weird about this situation because she was pressed very tightly against me and I couldn’t get away.  Then I felt my pocket unzip.  I was being robbed! I reached down and grabbed her by the wrist with her hand in my pocket.  I yanked her hand out and threw it to the side then zipped up my pocket.  She pretended like she was picking something up.  I gave her an evil look, turned and walked to my mini bus.  You always have to be on alert here in La Paz and El Alto.  Many people try to target tourist and people who they think might have something in their pockets of value.  People who usually aren’t paying attention.  It is a sad thing that people resort to this type of thing.  But what is important is to know that people just don’t run into to you for no reason.

Friday night in the Foundation had an event where people from each project dress up and compete in a competition of dancing and skits.  Me and Justus didn’t find out until Wednesday afternoon that we were suppose to come up with something to do.  All we knew was that we were suppose to dress up like the opposite sex.  So of course we chose to dress up like Cholitas.  It was quite amusing.  So we planned to do a dance.  We started out with a traditional Cholita song called “Cholita Marina” which is popular among many Cholitas.  After dancing to this for about a minute, we busted out into the Gangam Style dance.  We practiced all day Thursday and Friday learning how to dance from YouTube.  You may ask why we danced Gangam Style. Well there is a Grocery store chain here called K-tel.  It is kind of like a Foodlion.  Well they have a commercial with a Cholita doing the Gangam Style dance.  So that’s how we came up with it.  It was pretty fun and we got a lot of cheers though we didn’t win.  The plus side is now I know how to dance Gangam Style. 

Me, Justus, and one of our beneficiaries 

Another photo of us and some kids

 So, a few of us volunteers have been training for this marathon that is in two weeks.  It is an 11k (around 7 miles) race.  Every week we run at least two long distance runs.  Yesterday after our volleyball game we ran all the way back to the house. It’s a little over 5 kilometers (around 3.5 miles).  Hopefully we will be ready in 2 weeks.  Running in La Paz is no easy task.  Everywhere is hilly and the air is very thin.  Your body has to produce more red blood cells just to take in enough oxygen.  You may find yourself being very exhausted and your heart pounding after walking up a short flight of stairs.   So now imagine running here.  I am very amazed at how far I am able to go.  I am running more and farther here than I ever had in the states.  I guess it is because every day I have so much practice walking up these mountains on my visits to people’s houses and a lot of the time to get to my own home.  Today we attempted to go to the Valley of the Spirits.  We were not too far away from finding it when it began to rain.  All the taxis were full and so were the mini buses.  When it rains everyone crams into them out of the rain.  All ready soaking wet we decided to walk.  We ended up walking an hour and a half or so in the pouring rain back to the house.  It was a good 5 or 6 mile walk home.  I can only imagine how it will be when the Rainy Season sets in….

I have a bit of sad news.  In a recent blog I talked about to the 2 birds that we got as pets.  Well, they died this weekend.  I don’t know why but they both died at the same time.  I am shocked.  I was expecting them to make it at least two months before they died but they barely made it two weeks.  It is a tragic situation and I am sure the matter will be investigated soon…. Just thought that you guys should know.

 

The birds next to Felix's Birthday cake in the freezer....