The Real Bolivia

A view from downtown

So I managed to make it out of the city this week.  In our project we have about 4 families that live in the town of Huayhausi.  It is about a two hour ride south of the city.  Wednesday morning Justus, I, and our coordinator of our project Cinthya hopped on a minibus heading south.  I was extremely excited to get out of the busy city for a day and see the REAL Bolivia.  As we made our way through the city we reached the edge where the road winds through a few mountains heading towards the countryside.  As we crested over a hill in the road, I began to see a green valley.  I stared out the window in awe as we winded down a dirt road around the side of a mountain overlooking a lush green valley between the mountains.  It was a very calming sight.  I began to forget that I was crammed in a minibus with a bunch of snoring cholitas.  Eventually the bus made its way down the dirt road through the valley.  We were surrounded by fields of corn, flowers, and all kinds of vegetables.  I began to realize we were in the land of beards and tattered clothes.  People here just live their life and aren’t trying to impress the people around them like in the city.  They weren’t extremely concerned with appearance but seemed to be more authentic.

 

Houses scattered along the edges of the valley

We continued winding through the beautiful green valleys and mountains for about an hour.  At one point we were coming around this narrow bend on the side of a mountain when we were met face to face with a rather large piece of equipment grading the road.  It was a little startling to be honest.  We ended up having to back down the road a little ways until we reached a spot wide enough for it to pass.  Finally we were back on our way.  I was amazed about how different everything was outside of the city.  We were passing through the middle of fields and driving through shallow rivers.  Definitely not a common thing to do in the city but I felt at home.  Eventually we reached our first stop.  We hopped of the minibus in a small little cluster of brick and adobe houses.  Justus and I looked so out of place.  Two tall white gringos in the middle of nowhere with backpacks and a cooler.  We had to pack our lunch the morning of the trip because where we were going there are no restaurants and very few tiendas.  As we were standing there on the side of the road we decided since we were gringos it was time to put on some sunscreen.  It was quite a bit warmer than in the city because we were at a lower elevation.  I say around 70⁰F ( about a 20 degree change in temperature). 

 

Where the bus dropped us off

Well we didn’t exactly know where the first family’s house was so we had to ask.  There was this old guy just sitting on the side of the road.  The first thing Cinthyia said was “I hope this guy speaks Spanish”.  I was a little confused for a second until I remembered that a majority people in the countryside speak Ayamara as their first language.  Not all of them know Spanish.  Well in this case he was one of those people.  We finally found some ladies in front of a small tienda who pointed us down the road.  We got to a cluster of houses where we just began knocking on doors until we found the family.  It was a mother and her two sons.  They invited us in and offered us a glass of Pepsi.  Notice I said “A GLASS.”  That is all they had, one glass.  The kids proceeded to show me a around the yard and their pet kitten.  I couldn’t get over how beautiful of a view they had.  It was so peaceful and calm.  They offered us some lunch that they were cooking but we hadn’t the time because we had to keep moving so we could make it home before dark.  We told them buy and made our way back to the road in time to catch a big red school bus.  A lot of people stared at us as we got on.  I think they were a bit confused about why there were two tall white guys in this part of the country.  It’s not like it is a popular tourist attraction.  We rode with them for a short bit until we approached where the second family lived.  She lived in a small house on the side of the main road.  She had a little tienda in front of the house.  I have no clue how much she sells in this little store because it is not like she had many customers.  She showed us around the house and where they sleep.  Just like in the first house we went to she didn’t have water.  We asked her where they go to the bathroom and just like in the first house she pointed to the mountain side behind the house.  That is normal life in the countryside.  We sat in the tienda with her waiting on a minibus to pass by to take us further down the road but nothing came.  As we were sitting there she offered us a bottle of orange drink but we told her no thank you because we already had enough to carry.  She then handed us some ice cream bars.  I cannot get over how these people who have nothing are so willing to give us stuff to make us feel welcome.

 

Tall random white guy in the middle of nowhere

Well since the bus wasn’t coming we decided to walk down the road to the next family.  We walked for about 30 minutes until we got to a house on the edge of a cliff with a ol’ green FORD truck sitting in front of it.  We knocked but no one answered.  I could hear kids playing down the cliff by the river.  We shouted out to them and they came running up.  It was two of the kids of the family.  We asked where their parents were and they told us that they were at the hospital in the city because their mother had just had another baby the night before.  So the 12 year old little girl was left in charge of her brothers while her parents were gone for a couple days.  This still baffles me.  We talked to them for a few minutes then set off towards the last family we had to visit.  Well I’m guessing school had just gotten out because we were walking with a group of little kids down the road.  Picture this: two tall white guys walking down the road surrounded by about 15 kids half their size walking down the road in the middle of nowhere.  It was quite amusing.  It was a short walk to the last family’s house.  We visited with them for a short while.  Again they were very welcoming.  So we decided it was about time to start heading back.

 

FORD

Don't we seem so out of place

We walked down to the bus stop (a small dirt spot on the side of the road with a log to sit on).  We ate our sandwiches and waited for the bus to come by.  We could see about 2 or 3 miles down the road through the valley.  So we knew if a bus was coming or not.  We waited and waited and waited.  I think we waited for about an hour and a half before we finally saw a minibus coming in the far distance.  Finally about 5 or 10 minutes later it finally arrived.  It was kind of nice sitting and waiting for the bus though.  We just sat there taking in the beautiful sight and enjoying the nice breeze and watching pigs and herds of sheep walk by.  When the bus arrived we noticed a group of kids riding on top on their way home from school.  Then we began our long ride home.  On the way we came around a turn and about had a head on collision with a dump truck.  Again it was a little startling but this a common thing on the country roads apparently.  Finally after a long day we were back in the city and heading back to the house.  I was glad to be home so I could lie down in my bed but I truly enjoyed my time being out of the city.  It reminded me of home.  It was so beautiful and peaceful.  Also, there was so much to be explored. I could have walked around for days taking it all in.

My dream home in the middle of the valley

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....

Sea Agradecido

The houses just continue up the mountain side one on top of the other

At first when I thought about writing this blog the first thing that came to mind was that I have nothing to write about.  I have a little sick all week with a cold so I have been sleeping every chance I get.  Then today as I was preparing to write my blog I realized that I have done a lot this week.  A whole lot!  Well first of all the other volunteers went to El Alto last Sunday.  Of course I was expecting them to return with something ridiculous.  They didn’t let me down!  Later that night when I returned to the house I was told to go to a room and check out what they got.  They ended up buying two little birds for pets.  I was hoping for a pet llama or something but I guess I will have to settle with birds for now.  Its actually weird how you can’t stop watching them.  Sometimes I just sit mesmerized by them jumping around.  So the volunteers and I were talking about how thanksgiving is coming up and that none of them have ever celebrated thanksgiving before.  They said that they wanted it to be an authentic American Thanksgiving with turkey… Well finding turkey in the markets is not that easy so we came up with an idea.  We are going to purchase a live turkey and raise it until Thanksgiving and then… well you can guess the rest.  Luckily they got someone here who knows how to do that kind of thing.  Also we are thinking about getting a few baby chicks and raiding them to lay eggs… I can see it now, waking up in the morning and going out to the side yard to gather eggs for breakfast.  I still want to buy a llama. I just got to find one for sale.

The Birds

So it has been a busy week at work with visiting families.  Each visit has something that just stands out to you and just makes you grateful for all that you have.  We visited the house of one family that was not too far from our office.  The mother is just 23 years old and has 2 kids that are in the kindergarten at Casa de Paso.  As we were in the micro bus on the way to her house she was asking us so many questions.  She was asking us how to say things in German and English and asking us all kinds of questions about where we were from.  When we got to her house which was a long ways up a 45 degree angle hill, she took us inside.  I was shocked to see that all she had in the room was a mattress on the floor and a TV stand in the corner.  That was it.  As we were talking she offered us some chocolate covered bananas.  They were very good.  She told us that after she drops her kids off at kindergarten she spends the whole day walking around selling candies and chocolates that she makes like what she gave us.  Everyday this is how she pays her bills and takes care of her kids.  I can tell that I will be buying many more chocolates from now on.  Another family that we visited lives high up on the other side of the city.  It is a mother and 4 children.  Three of those children also go to the Kindergarten at Casa de Paso.  I see many of these children every day.  Talking to them and playing with them in the recreation area.  All of them wanting you to throw them in the air or sling them around by their hands.  You never think when you see the big smiles on the kids faces that they live in such conditions or in such broken families.  That’s why I believe that I have one of the hardest jobs in the foundation.  I don’t just see the kids but I see where they have to sleep every night.  I have to see all the things they DON’T have.  It’s difficult at times but it makes you care so much more about these kids and makes you want to keep those smiles on those faces.   So many of these families have difficult situations.  Many of these single mothers have no jobs and many of them work as cleaners, washing other peoples clothes and cleaning their homes for a little bit of money to keep their kids fed and to give them a place to sleep.  The last family we visited this week was a bit of a shock to me.  It was a single mother with 8 children.  They lived in a one room small house.  They have no table and chairs because there is no room.  And they don’t have a bed.  When it is time for them to sleep at night they lay 3 very thin mattresses on the floor and all squeeze on.  This is how many people here live.  Unless you take the time to see, you’d never know.

Chocolate covered Bananas

Notice how bare the room is

The 3 thin mattresses that the family of 8 sleep on

I didn’t play volleyball this week.  Instead I went to my first Bolivian funeral, hopefully my last.  The mother of one of the brothers from church passed away on Friday.  She was diagnosed with terminal cancer and a few weeks later she passed.  It was a pretty sad thing to see.  It really made me reflect on losing friends and loved ones.  I have had quite a few close friends and family pass over the past few years.  A couple since I have been here in Bolivia.  My second week here a good friend of mine died in a car crash.  Many people want to question why and be angry at God for taking them.  But what I have learned is that yes it is sad to lose someone but you have to thank God for the opportunity of having that person in your life.  Every time you get to spend with someone you need to appreciate it.  God has given you the time to spend with that person and you shouldn’t take it for granted.  There is a time set for everyone so now is the time to make memories and enjoy that person’s life because tomorrow is not guaranteed.  

View out my window last night as the sun set behind El Alto

Baby shower playing pin the passiefier on the baby