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Saturday, 29 September 2007

  • Un poco mas.

    Wow, they say time flies when you´re having fun.  Has it really almost been a month already?
     
    I have had one exciting experience after another here in Bolivia!
     
    Here are a just a few highlights.  First of all, the reason I am up writing an e-mail at this time of night is because I am locked out of my room right now.  To understand this you must first understand that stealing is a huge problem here in Bolivia.  Everyone I have spoken to knows somebody who has been robbed, many people are robbed on the street which is why women should never carry a purse.  Even in the classrooms I have observed a flagrant disregard for personal property.  (that is, more then what I see at home) And there are people here who actually suggest communism would help, ha.  Anyway, because of these problems everything has a lock on it.  I can lock my purse in my closet in my room in my house in the locked compound surrounded by a fence with barbed wire on it.  When I said this to Julie she quickly added "and it will still get stolen".  So, when your roommate locks the bedroom door and you don´t have a key you can be glad your purse is safe even if you can´t go to bed til she gets home.
     
    Today was an exciting day.  It seems as though every week there is a holiday or special occasion.  Today was somewhat of a festival/open house at the daycare.  Halfway through the day the director of education approached me with a bright red traditional Bolivian dress.  It was what I was to where for the "ferria".  Later the teachers I work with informed me that as parents and visitors came to our room I was to play the guitar while the children played their instruments.  Our room had a music theme.  Unfortunately, when the time came, all the children went outside to see what was going on and I was left alone with the guitar and a bright red dress to entertain people whose questions I couldn't answer.  Fun, fun, fun!
     
    What else shall I share tonight?  Have you ever heard the weatherman predict "smokey"?  Well, that is what he predicts here and he is right.  There are nights that the whole city is enveloped in a cloud of smoke.  I am not sure what the smoke is from, burning sugar cane fields? trash being incinerated? No Se.
     
    I have LOVED working with the children here.  I spend large portions of my day hugging and holding children and that is nice.  That has always been my favorite part of my work and it is in high demand here!  When I leave it will be the children that I will miss more then anything else in Bolivia.  Even more then all the muy gaupos hombres.

Friday, 07 September 2007

  • Hola de Bolivia!

    I am writing this blog entry from la biblioteca at the Stansberry Childrens Home in Santa Cruz, Bolivia.  If you notice any errors just blame the keyboard, some of the keys are in different places. 

     I ended up with just the right amount of donations, any more and I would not be able to bring it all.  I brought about 20 towels, 6 sheet sets and 10 pairs of shoes as well as some books, and money. 

    Today was my first day working in the cuna (nursery).  It is interesting to try and compare it to the work I have done at Good Shepherd, very different.  A lot of extra care is given here, the school provides breakfast, lunch, baths, laundry services, and wormings.  Among other things I havnt even learned about yet I am sure. 

    More later...

     

Friday, 10 August 2007

  • Happy Birthday to me!

    Today I am 25 years old, whew, where does the time go?

    In light of this development I feel that I must update and wrap my 24th year up right.

    Car- Frank is still on the road, he has his faults but I do love him so.

    Relationship- After a few close calls this year I happily announce my singleness.  Will this be the year I get tied down...er...I mean, fall in love? (and actually stick with it?)

    Work- Well they havn't fired me yet. :o)

    Projects- I am collecting needed items to bring to Bolivia when I go (the date I leave is Sept. 5 btw) I have not had much of a response yet, but there is time.

    Later today I will be enjoying a "Send Bethany to Bolivia/ Birthday" party.  Saturday or perhaps Sunday I will have a post Birthday celebration with some dear friends of mine.  This promises to be a very excitng week-end.

Saturday, 23 June 2007

  • Frank

    I now have a car, it's an '85 Mercury Grand Marquis and it's name is Frank.  Frank stalls at stoplights and sometimes the whole electrical system goes out but he gets me from point A to point B.

Thursday, 07 June 2007

  • Blogability

    My blog seems inferior to the pages I've visited. Pages with long eloquently written entries detailing the comings and goings of their creative writers.

    And so I update...

    I am still dependant on my brother-in-law for transportation but may have my car on the road as early as tomorrow.

    I sent in my passport application.  I should call the health department tomorrow to see about being inoculated before going to Bolivia in September.  I haven't heard back from Alex yet but his father warned me that things in Bolivia move at a different pace.  He suggested that if I just went ahead and bought the plane ticket someone would come to the airport to pick me up.  I am planning to travel to Bolivia for the month of September to volunteer at the Stansberry Children's Home.  http://stansberry.livejournal.com/

    Tomorrow is my last day as Secretary for the next four months.  Next week I will be running the Keep Your Brain In Gear Summer Program for the 2nd through 6th grade.  Please pray for me, this group of students promises to be a challenging one.  Literally, they have been coming up to me the last few weeks saying things like "We're gonna get you!"

    Here, how bout a picture...are you not entertained?

    kiss