More travelling

So after being a culture turist in Sucre some days I went to Potosi. Potosi is famous for the mountain Cerro Rico that was loaded with silver and around 8 million indians and afrikans died in that singel mountain. It is still mining there and its possible to have a guided tour. They give you a helmet and a pair of plastic bouts, then you go to the miners market and buy presents to the miners, which is alkohol (96%), tobaco, coca and dynamit!!! Inside the mine the working conditions are bether than before, but still I dont believe I ever been a more dangerous place. Crawling through small passes, looking over you there are some small planks keeping tons of rocks from falling down. climbing up or down on on wet slippery stones. On topp of that we was encourage to drink of the alkohol before entering. For safety we sacrificed to the mine God, which luckily worked well.

Then I went to the salt desert in Uyuni and the color laguns there. It was 3 days in a car with 5 more from france and our guide. It was really fun, we only communicated on spanish, which was perfect and we was a great group.

Today I signed up for climbing Huayna Potosi, a 6080 meter tall mountain. If everything goes as planned will I see the sunrise from there 13.00 norwegian time on sunday. I am extremely excited. Tomorrow I will go to some other mountains around 5000 meters to walk a little and to get a little accustumned for the altidute.

The nights since I started to travell been cold, expecially the last weeks, ca -10 each night and there is never hot water. I miss hot water and heating inside houses. Now that the wheater home is getting really warm and everything. I have less than 3 weeks left and I am enjoying each day. But I fear that Huayna Potosi will be my climacs and are not perfectly sure what to do next.

Travelling in Bolivia

It is soon a week since I started to travel in Bolivia and ended my work. It is strange being completely independent and not have to follow a group.
First I went to Vallegrande and from Vallegrande to Sucre. However, there are no direct buses from Vallegrande to Sucre so I spent a day in Cochabamba. Vallegrande is a sleepy little town and is only famous for Ernesto Che Guevara, that was killed in a small village closeby. After ¨celebrating¨ the bithday of Guevara with Cubans some weeks ago I decided to visit that place. It was very quiet, just like a western movie.
In Cochabamba I celebrated the Aymara new year, that Evo Morales made to a national holiday. With burning sacrifices to pachamama and a lot of chicha.
Now I am in Sucre which is a beautiful city. The whole city center is on UNESCO world inheritage list, because of so many colonial buildings. I will spend some days here before I go to Potosi and the cold mountains.

Times are changing, once more

Tomorrow is the last day of the of my volunteer work in Bolivia. Then 4,5 months passed by in a speed I could never have imagined. Lately I been wondering about what I will do next, work or school. My motivation for study is stronger than ever, I am not worried about that. What made me unsure is that now I will begin a master program and it feels so final. After that I am suppose to begin my career, something I find strange picturing in my head. Nevertheless, I have made my choice and decided what to do the next two years. I am very relieved now, finished the work here, accepted for university and can begin traveling without worries.

My first semester will be in Oslo. After a year and a half abroad I am getting excited of living in Norway again. That is a feeling I have not had in a long time.

Last time in Yapacani ....

I just come to Santa Cruz and left my family in Yapacani for the last time. It feels only weeks ago, since I first meet them. Now we were all trying to hide our tears, without success. I only lived there for 4 months and I been away around a month and a half of that time. Nevertheless, I have a really bad feeling in my stomach.

For a farewell present I had made a photo album, and printed two other pictures in a bigger size. The two bigger photos were of Simona holding her grandson on 2 weeks and the other was of Jaime and me. One the back I had written thank you for everything notes. Both Jaime and Simona started crying. That made me feel worse and started crying myself. Later it made me think about how lucky I am and all the things I have done and will do. That was for sure one of the strongest moments of my life and I was thinking how I soon will be traveling, having new experiences, meeting new people and everything. While they will continue living there life, without being close to having my opportunities or experiences. Still they are waking up each day, does their work and don’t complain. I feel so bad, I should wake up feeling nothing but happiness and pleasure because of my opportunities, but I don’t. Why is it so that those that already have a lot wants more, but those that have little accepts the reality? One thing is sure and that it is easier not to get emotionally attached to anyone, but on the other side, life isn’t fun without it either.

Me and Jaime playing chess.

Simona, Alberto (one of the neighbor kids) and me.
My three brothers and me watching football. Brasil 2 - Paraguay 1
Last breakfast in Yapacani.

Cochabamba, Villa Tunari and some more

The last 10 days been more intense than I had anticipated. First I went too Cochabamba to meet the Oil Labor Union. I, Ørjan and Reidun was invited to watch their first meeting after the corruption scandal some months ago. The Director of the national oil company YPFB is found guilty for corruption. It was a very bad situation since he was one of the leading figures of MAS. For MAS and Evo Morales the fight against corruption been very important and therefor it was very serious when a such important leader was corrupt. Now there are a new director and he also came to the meeting and meet with the labor union for the first time. First they was talking about the corruption and then about what they want from the new Director. The first day was very intense, 10 hour of meeting with only one break for lunch. I have problems to understand how they manage to stay focused under such long meetings, and I have no chance to follow everything, not that I understand everything either. When they finally called it the day they invited us for a cook out. Which was really fun. Several of the union leaders been to Norway before through LO and Energi og Miljø. It was really social where they all was talking a lot to us. Even to me and Ørjan that have a limited spanish they included in all conversations. Something that we appreciated a lot, since it is not always people feel for speaking slower and use a easier language. However, at midnight we called it the night, had more meeting the next morning, last night I had a 10 hour buss ride and was going on a camp the next day. So when they wanted us to come to a karaoke disco we said we was sorry. Another thing that always suprises me is how they see nothing wrong in getting drunk the day before work, or like this example, the day before hours of meetings. Anyways the next day the meetings started at 9 and before that we had to prepare some interviews. After a night in a hotel, with comfortable beds and hot water I felt amazing and ready for the day. They showed up, more or less on time and begun with the same intensity as yesterday. We could'nt stay the whole day since we had leave too a camp for young leaders at 12. 15 past 12 we was running to the hotel. Found a Trufi that goes to Villa Tunari and enjoyed the comfort of to many people in the same car for 3 hours.

We arrived a couple of hours late and in good mood. Something that was not the situation for the others. They arrived yesterday and had a night in a tent with a loot of rain. Luckily all the young leaders from around the country was in good mood and ready to begin. It was around 100 boys and girls from different organizations around Bolivia in the age around 15 - 22. What they had in common was a talent for leadership and that their organizations had propositions for laws that will benefit people between 15 - 30 years. So you can imagine when 100 leaders gathers for only 2 days, they don't all get to say as much as they want. Thing took time, nevertheless it was great. The last night we had a football tournament and my team won :) Then Sigurd and I went out with the others. Was fun and a little strange, most of them was between 15 and 19 years old and we a little older. There is also the fun fact that Bolivian girls always say they are around 5 years older than they really are. Was some funny conversations and both Sigurd and I laughed of our self. At the club it also came around 10 gringoes, and it was funny to observe how they behaved as well. Cant say I was proud to see my own culture then, and I was trying to imagine how the locals usual look at me, it left some questions marks for later. The next day we finished, said goodbye and left, arrived in Santa Cruz after to many hours on the road, again.

Yesterday and today I been in Santa Cruz and made interviews. With a Priest that was a little conservative and with a local radio in Plan 3000. Have some more organizations and people ready and will continue this the next days as well. Takes time preparing the questions, find some information in advance, and later use the information. I am very excited about using this information later and that is where the big job is.

Enough about the boring part. I now have a cold, it actually exist a cold winter here, I truly could'nt believe that. At the same time some days are warmer than the summer home and the next is cold. Cold is 15 degrees normal and down to 10 degrees sometimes, those times are hard. It does'nt exist any heating and inside and outside always is same temperature. I never use socks or shoes, so my feets are always freezing, I have started to use a sweater. Little warm bedcloathes, those blancets that exist isnt warm, thank god for the sleeping bag.

And now that the seasons are over I get excited about what will happen on the transfer marked. Have Real bought Kaka, and what will happen with Tevez??? So many questions and so many rumers. I almost feel that off season is more intense.

hadet

PS

It is fun for me when people comment :)

Political situation in Yapacani

For around a month ago I wrote about some farmers that "closed" the Town Hall, now I feel for continue telling about that beautiful situation. When I returned from La Paz 3 weeks later the Town Hall was still closed and there been several road blockades and other demonstrations. Nevertheless, the politicians are dissagree more than ever and the situation continues. One of the Mayors generally supported by the farmers and the countryside and the other Mayor is supported by the city. Right after I got back the farmers was tired of sitting guard outside the Town Hall, since the situation has been dragged out a long time. They decided to make a brick wall infront of the gates, now there is impossible to get in unless you break down a brick wall. I have to laugh each time I see that. The days have passed in this manner for the last week and a half.

Then I got reminded I should write about it, suddenly there was a lot of trash in the street, big piles all over the places. When I asked some more about different consequenses there was a lot and more is soon to come. All those who are employed are not getting paid and there are already many who stopped working. Schools, hospital and other public buildings are loosing the electricity since the bill hasnt been paid. No breakfast at school. No small children support to the mother, this is really bad for many poor mothers. All projects been closed and many others had to stop their work since they cant get authorization to continue. This is only what is already the problem, people believe it will only get bad from the comming week. What worse can be I can only wait and see.

Yesterday the "city" people organized a march against the Town Counsil. They gather some of the trash from the street, then walked to the homes to the members of the counsil and dumpded the trash in their gardens. They also walked around with dolls of the Mayors, that they was hitting, kicking and later burned in the city senter. This time I didnt follow it, but I saw everything on the local evening news. Now I am excited about what will be in the newspaper. However, in the newspaper there are also some other national topics I am excited about, but I dont have time to write about them. I sometimes feel everything here is a joke, it is hard to really take it seriously, since I find it hard to be true.

Soon Champions League final

Next wednesday Manchester United will meet Barcelona at Olympia Stadium in Roma. This is a huge event that might not happen in a long time. Therefor I feel for mention it here to. It has been on my mind the last two weeks and no I probably am thinking to much about it. This year I will see the final in Santa Cruz, maybe with my coordinator Jose, if not probably alone since I am quite alone to have a passion for English football here. Last year I watched it in Poland with some scottish and many polish people, that was more or less equally passionate. However, this is not really important, since I will enjoy the game and are already more nervous than I probably should be.

Back to Bolivia. The sun is back and the daytime temperature is warm norwegian summer and the night time it is just a little warmer than perfect. I been using the days to prepare and make some interviews, preparation for the information work in Norway, I read newspapers and about the history of philosophy. I find it stranger and stranger that I only have around 2weeks left in my family. The time passed by very quickly and I also just want to relax and enjoy the end of an experience I probably never have again.

For the end it now looks like we will get an autorication from the Cuba Consulate to follow and write an article about the medical and teaching brigades they have here. If we get that it be great and very interesting. I also have some interviews with the opposition in Santa Cruz, with some Parlaments members so I am preparing questions and try to read myself up on different topics. Which takes time since it is on spanish. We also get to visit a oil instillation and interview the labour union there. So I finally have enough to do and I can controll it more myself. The last 2 months been frustrating with bolivian organization and work culture, excluding and other problems, but that is all a part of the culture experience. A thing you can say to everything, good and bad.

The last days a started to loose more in chess against my 12year old brother. I never played it much and feel I learned a lot from playing against him, he have a different style than me that I never find I good way to defend against. I want to continue play when I get home, I really like this game. Even though a 12 year old boy often beats me. In the beginning I usually won, but now it is more 50- 50. He adapts and learn faster than me, something that my small instinct for competition dont like.

I have also been dreaming about a lot norwegian food lately, for some reason a bowl of rice for breakfast every day isnt my favourite thing. Even though when I was travelling I started to miss rice a lot and the rice breakfast. When I realized that I was almost shocked, since home I never liked rice so much, but now I cant be without it at the same time I want to be without it. Most of all I want to eat shrimp on loff bread, with a lot of majones. I also am looking forward to eating norwegian ice cream, my own made variaty home, mixed with everything. And I am missing the norwegian nature, the safe forests, the sea and things that are familiar.

Lets all watch the game on wednesday. It will be a great day, I hope. I am a little bit scared, anyway I got to go.

Chao

Back in Yapacani

So I was finally back after 3 weeks away. It didnt feel like 3 weeks, since it been intense and something happened all the time. Anyway I am now back. Strange to say, but I actually was looking forward to some time "home". When I was come walking up my street the kids came welcoming me. Simona, my mother, was also very happy and she said that everyone been asking when I be back. And they changed my room, now my bed is under the window, which is better.

The last work period have also started and it is the last chance to get the information we need for later. At the same time it is the beggining of the end. I feel a little stressed because there is a lot I will like to do. At the same time the people I am suppose to work with proved to be usless, so I often feel they are working against me. Which is starting to annoy me a lot. So the last week of my last work period I started on getting my own contacts. However, that proved to be harder than first assumed, expecially since the Town Hall still is closed.

Which brings me on the next case. The political situation is still in a dead lock. Farmers are sitting outside the Town Hall with baseball bats and the 2 Mayors are both claiming the other is not for real. And no organisation want to do anything without a "green light" from the Town Hall, so nothing is going on. Luckily am I now able to read news papers and so get some more information and I have some different other small things to work with to, but I wish something could work a little normal here. Or that people could tell the truth, not just what they believe I would like to here.

Now I been complaining a little. It is not bad is it just that the time is coming to an end and I want to do something.
And the winter has come, more wind and maybe 16 degrees at night. People are almost a little scared and are putting on more clothes, even though it is still 30 or more at day time. One of the chicken also got kids when I was away, soo there are small chickens running around. More important, Alberto one of my "brothers" become father to a little boy. I will try to make them name the kid Johan, if that is failing I try Hans. It could be fun.

Lago Titicaca, Peru and some more islands

Puno is a Peruan city on the shore of Lago Titicaca.

Some Indians started to build islands of reed to get away from the Incas, those communities still lives on several built islands, but today mainly of tourism.
One of there homes. Each family only have one house like this and there are around 10 families on each island.
A little girl who gets her home invaded of tourists each day.
There are two less famous islands outside of Puno, whit some Inca ruins and terrace agriculture. I stayed one night at one of those islands.
Sunset from the island.
Nisser er ikke bare et norsk fenomen
Small houses, terrace agriculture and a few trees, the whole island is more or less like this.
The family I stayed with on the island. Stayed there with a Slovenian couple and they used me as translator :)
One of many stone things left by the Incas or someone else.

Lago Titicaca, Isla del Sol

Lago Titicaca lies between Peru and Bolivia about 3800moh. Lago Titicaca was a holy place both for the Inca culture and other older civilizations before the Incas. The Sun was supposed to be born at Isla del Sol and the moon on Isla del Luna. Today there lives around 3000 people in three different communities, only connected by walking paths. Today they live of agriculture, fishing and turism.

There was a full moon on the Sun Island. My last night I was sitting outside watching it for a long time. And the moon is right over the Moon Island.

There were many holy buildings on the Island when the Spanish came, but since they plundered everything its only some ruins around there today. It takes around 3 hours to walk from South to North on the island.
One of the bay's with the Royal Mountains in the background.
Dinner at the Hostel. When the sun is shining the temperature is nice, but as soon it dissapears it gets cold.
Sunrise from my window. Paid 15kr for a singel room and this view. The island you can see is Isla del Luna.

1 May

President Evo Morales holding a speech.
And this is a youtube link from before the speech.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfw1YT2yFvM&feature=channel_page
Walking with the banner

I walk in my first 1 of may march in La Paz. We was invited by the national petroleum union to walk with them, in the same march that the President Evo Morales walked in. It was really fun, we carried their banner, something that made some people look twice on it. During the march the miners used dynamite as firecracker in the middle of the street. So each time the march stopped we knew that a explosion soon came. It was small holes in the asphalt after it. Later we came to the President palace where Evo Morales held his speech. Later I saw parts of it on BBC, so theoreticly I was on BBC. At one moment I was only 2 meters away from Evo Morales and one of the other norwegians got to shack hands with him. So that was the first time I celebrated 1 of May.

Political program in La Paz

I am in La Paz now from the second political program and to make the second travel letter. La Paz is an unusuall city. With the city center around 3500meter above sea level it takes some days adjusting. El Alto is anothere city just outside La Paz, its 15min with a bus and its around 4100 meter above sea level and almost 1million people live there. Mostly Aymara people that moved there the last 20 years.

Before La Paz we was the weekend in Coripata, which is a small village in Yungas, a area east of La Paz. It is the heartland to the cocafarmers and we participated on a meeting with the farmers. It is an amazing area. Around 2000 meter above sea level, almost tropical vegetation, deep and steep valleys that makes the area hard to visit. The road there is often closed because of landslides , just room for one car and on one side its 50 - 300 meters straight down, truly amazing and scary at the same time.

On my birthday I got up early, bought a newspaper and ate breakfast in peace reading the paper. After that we had a meeting at the norwegian consulat, before it was champions league, after the football match we had dance lesson in Aymara folkdance, something that was really fun (and hard). Dinner was of all things sushi in La Paz!!! it was good and then we went to a jaz club. All in all a good and unexpected day. And I got the Bolivian football shirt, it is worth mention that Bolivia won 6 - 1 against Argentina a month ago, big moment for the people.

Manchester just won against Arsenal in the first semifinal in Champions League, and I am getting ready for a new meeting. It is will be an interesting one, about the gas war with Chile in 2003(ca), it wasnt a real war, just bad friends. On saturday I go to Peru to renew my visa. So I guess I spend around a week around lake titicaca. Looking at Inca ruins, try to sleep on reed islands and some more, I need to read in the travel book what is to do there. One thing that is really nice is that it is cold in the evening and night, the heat in Santa Cruz is hard, but now I dont have to worry about that for a week and a half more.

Some things are always new

Hola,
the last days been eventful in a some unexpected ways. On Friday the Mayor was fired because of corruption and that he was lazy. At least what most people say. Some of those working with him said he just did not want to work anymore and quit. The new Mayor then was a women, but the farmers and many more mean she is equally corrupt and want the whole Town Council to quit. So the farmers decided to have a march and close the Town Hall on Monday. They gathered some km outside of town, around 5000, mostly farmers. The Police had over 150 extra men around the town to keep things calm.
Outside the Town Hall they made a podium and when everyone had come there where speeches about how bad the Mayor's are. After about an hour of that they shut down the Town Hall. Blocked all the door and windows and now they are keeping it closed until the whole Town Council quits. In the newspapers here it looks like a really uneventful, quiet happening. I guess that is since it is only 1 person that's been attacked so far.
It was strange to follow this event so close, listen to the speeches, watch the march, speak to the people participating, those who worked at the Town Hall and with the Police to listen to what they mean or think about the coming days. Unluckily Andrea and I left for La Paz on Tuesday so we cant follow the blockade, but I am excited about how it will be when we get back.

Of other events in Bolivia lately that is funny. For a week and a half ago the President Evo Morales started a hunger strike to get the Parliament to approve the new election law. I found that so funny, a President where hunger striking to get his will.

And yesterday and so far today my stommach been crazy. So bad I havnt been able to do anything, my head hurt, my body hurt and I have a 18hour busride starting in 1 day. Which can be interesting.
And a good thing, the last week it been a little colder. Or it been a few days where I in the morning needs a blancket over me and I am not wet from sweating each night, life is good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y49UEE3NlSM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2QDYqViq_U

Back to normal day

This workperiod has been rather boring, I must say. Those we are suppose to work with does nothing and therefor I have had much time to read. The first week it was good, I felt for being lazy. However, now it been 3 weeks and nothing and it doesnt look like something is coming up either. Luckily it is part of the learning process, to realize that they love to talk, but aint a fan of doing the walk. I been halfheartedly trying to get in contact with some different people, without much success. Maybe since I am not really looking, I believe ´the force´ will lead them to me.

Therefor I have started a new really good rutine. In the morning I buy a newspaper, go to the plaza and reads it. It is good to gets some information through the Bolivian media. I dont get everything, but with some time and a dictionary it is not far from.

In the evenings I now play chess against Jaime. We put out blanckets and play on the ground outside. He is only twelve, but he beats me some times. I also practise to concentrate since there are between 5 - 10 children running around, creating a lot of noise. It is fun, even though I dont have any work now something happens, in one way or anothere.

A perfect day in the mountain during the easter

The day started with watching the sunrise from my balcony.
Then a 2 hour car ride in to the mountains on the worst thinkable road, that closes each time it rains. When we got there we had a 7 hour hike up the mountains to look for Condors.
Which we saw many of :):):)
Big part of the trail was on the edge, literally.
We was lucky with the day and the timing. At the most it was at least 17 condors flying around us. Sometime not more than maybe 10 - 20m, slowly passing by us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpKP4Thw6iE This is a link I uploaded to youtube of the condors.
And of course, the day ended by swimming and jumping in this waterfall. It was taken out of a fairy tale.
I didnt get a chance of skiing this Easter holiday, but I did at least go to the mountain :P

Samaipata

Samaipata is a place in the mountains with some Inca ruins. There are ruins from other Indians also that are older. It is on the UNESCO world inn heritage list. To be such a special place it is very few turists. Both because it is Bolivia, not the first place people travel to and people from Bolivia seldom travel inside the country. Secondly since the roads are very bad. I have to say it is a good thing. The village Samaipata is also the entrance to Amboro natural forest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amboro_National_Park). I didnt have time going there, but it is a chance I do that later, if I have time.

It was mainly a religious place so I dont know why the patterns are like they are.

The last week passed by faster than usual, and also as always somwthing unexpected happened.
The week started in Santa Cruz where I actually was alone in a house, for the first time in, since I can remember. What do I do? I start clean the swimming pool, which is green, takes me 4 hours. In when I think back on that I should have done something else, because I didnt have time to use it later.

Then I go back to Yapacani, reads, spanish and just relax. I was tired and slept until after 7 several days in a row, didnt make it up early to go running. At the Cubanos hospital it was a celebrating one evening, because some important people was coming, so I helpt decorate their. Ballons and toilet paper makes an official occation classy !!!!! whatever, then they had 20 different people who held a speech and i got a little bored.

On Friday I whent to Santa Cruz to meet a friend from Peru and go to a Political March. The March was for the opposition, and they want autonomy. Many of them are half fascist, rich, whiter than me, love Bush and in general nice people. I infiltrated them easily, I sent a mail telling my coordinator about it and she said that is great. Today I got a new mail, where she ask if it was a 1 april joke, so I guess she didnt really support me. I had a good time, some interesting conversation, all in Spanish and a new experience.

On Saturday she came with me to Yapacani. We was cooking with my family, walked to the Amazonas and built a sandcastle in the mud and when we returned we was more muddy than the other children. Was fun doing something else also. Sheleft for La Paz and I dont think I meet her again, but thats life when you travel, meet many people and say bye equally quick. She ask my mother if my mother liked me and she answered more than her own children:-) And she found out that the brother is in jail because of drug trading, not shocking since its Bolivia.

Yesterday Andrea and I made meatball in brown sauce for dinner. The brown sauce was white but they liked it.

Next weekend I go to Samaipata, some old Inca ruins with the other Santa Cruz group. It will be fun to. Now I most read some spanish in my spanish book, it takes a lot of time since I must uset he dictionary a lot, but its good for the learning process.

I been really happy and good mood the last week. Been strange, I been here almost 2 months and only have 3,5 month left, way to little. I am so happy I went, it is truly amazing.

New pictures

Santa Cruz gang or the lowlanders as the other group calls us.
My Bolivian brother.
poncho works magic
the room we spent many hours in making the travel letters and had many presentations during the political program
Statue to the Womens, with some Norwegain womens in Cochabamba
I and Jesus.
A day at the office. Sometimes it is ok to have some fun.
The whole group with there diploms.
Salsa lesson. Only had one and many more are needed.
Norwegian boys casual dressed and Bolivian girls, not so casual dressed. It was a dancing performance and some of the groups was really good.
Walking up to 'El Christo', or the Jesus statue in Cochabamba. And Cochabamba is a fantastic city.
My Cuban Professor gives me my diploma after a course in 'basic leadership', with the organization 'trabajadores sociales' or in English, Social workers. All in Spanish:):):) I was very proud.

I will soon buy a poncho

Cochabamba

The first political program is in Cochabamba. A city in the middle of the country. It is beautiful, between tall mountains, quiet, nice parks and small cute houses. The city lies 2500 meter over sea level and there are still palms, the temperature is warm Norwegian summer and at the nights the air is fresh. On a small mountain in the middle of the city their is a gigantic statue of Jesus (El Christo), its 37m tall and you can walk inside it. There is also many backpackers here and I heard Norwegian and Swedish many times already, which is strange.

To meet the other Brigadist been amazing as well. Hear about their adventures. We are all placed in so different places, nature, climate, poverty, white or indians, everything is different all over. It is impossible to make any kind of generalization. I am really looking forward to visit more places later, and in the end travell around.

The next days we will make our first travel letter, with around 15 different articles, that many in Norway will recieve. We will have many different people presenting history, politics, different organizations and other topics that are relevant. I also been running the first two morning, bearfooted, its so nice with a temperature under 30 degrees, makes it easier to run. I also am so used to get up between 6 and 7 now, that I feel perfectly rested and dont feel for sleeping any longer. So nice to have that feeling again.

Santa Cruz again

Last night when I arrived in Santa Cruz and Jose's house it felt like home. When I left my family at Yapacani, it felt like leaving home. I really feel safe at two different places here, which is good. Andrea and I arrived at Jose's house around 1030pm, and Kathrine, Carlos, Kaja and Andrea been waiting for us and enjoying some wine. We was meet by a very giggling and happy crew. I must also say each time I meet the other one's in Santa Cruz, it almost feels like family to, in Bolivia we are for sure. It's strange to think about that 2 months ago I didnt know any of them and now we have done, experienced and done so much together. During preparations course in Norway, all the earlier Brigadist that talk to us mentioned the special bond they get between each other. I quite sure I know what they was talking about now.

Over on something bad. My mobil, norwegian one, that in Bolivia been used as alarm clock and mp3 player is lost. During the trufi ride (taxi bus) from Yapacani - Santa Cruz it got lost. 4 time I take it away from my bed and I lose it. And now I have no mp3 player. So there are bad thing happening. Nevertheless, of all the bad thing that could happen it was a good one. I wasnt very attached to it anyway. So now I have to go to the police and report it stolen, so the insurence does it part of the deal.

Its been raining incredibly much here today, so the temperature is nice. And I am watching the Man U game, being happy, when Scholes gets a red card and Fulham scores on the penenlty. What the F is happening, first the last L-poooool game and now this. Its almost ruins good days.

Soon Cochabamba

This week I been tired. I been wanting to read, relax, sleep a little more and just chill. However, it is impossible. My problem is that there is to much happening all the time, which is really good. I am not used to being social each day the whole day. When I am already tired it is really hard focusing on talking and understanding, I end up just looking stupid at people many times. At the same time so spanish I can speak now almost without thinking, some easy sentences, and I sometimes can trust my intuition. Which is fun.

On tuesday Andrea and me joined a course for educate leaders for the alfabetisations campaign. It was three intense days at an institution in San German, where we all also slept. We participated and got a diploma in the end, really fun. Meet many young, prosperous leaders from the state Santa Cruz and hopfully I get to meet them again soon. It was an institute, but they liked call it a university. There was pigs and chickens walking around, the water we got from a well where the pigs like to play, and the kitchen was outside and we had to chase the pigs away from there all the time. The worst was my madrass and blanket, it was so smelly and dirty I slept on the floor with my clothes on insted.
On wednesday night, after everyone else gone to bed, I was sitting outside listening to the sounds, looking at the moon and stars (it is easy to see the milkway) and enjoying a quiet time. Was so nice just sitt there and think, listen, be scared from the spiders (they are huge) and be alone. I have to enter the jungle soon, one of my plans after the meeting next week.

Tomorrow I go to Santa Cruz and meet the other and on the evening or on sunday morning we take the bus to Cochabamba for our first Political Program. Will be so fun see the other ones and hear about their experiences the first month. Time passes way to fast, I am getting afraid not have time to do everything I want.

I think that was all for now, or all I remember for the moment.

A new week

Or the new week started some days ago, but anyway.
Was good to be back. James had missed me a lot. Simona said he been sleep talking about. Asking when I would return. I also had some really personal conversations with my Simona. She been telling many things I never imagined she would talk about. It been so interesting and touching, she had and have many fights and care much for her children. She also said she really appreciated me being there and she is sad its only 3 more months. It was an amazing conversation and I was so amazed by how much I could understand and tell. My spanish has made great progress.

The weather the last 5 days been rain, rain and more rain. All the streets are mud and I catched a cold. My nose is running. So annoying, but I guess it since my feet are wet all day and that I never manage to keep my bed clothes on me when I am sleeping. A fun fact is that I havnt used socks since the flight between England and USA.
Today I was running again, felt wonderfull. I must continue to do that, but my willpower have problems at 5.30 in the morning. I also meet the Cubanos again and they wondered when I will come and play football again. I will try on thuesday. Its hard, each day I have so much to do from morning to night, but I should prioritate football next week. Make some more friends, now that I am able to communicate I should make some friends and practise.

I am looking forward for sun, for the great and important game tomorrow between Manchester and Liverpool. Hopfully I get to see it, but I am not sure and it begins at 730 in the morning. Not the best time to find a place either.

Weekend in Santa Cruz

This weekend I been in Santa Cruz. To celebrate Kaja's birthday, have internet, plan the coming weeks and enjoy the luxury of a swimming pool.
On saturday it was a party for Kaja and for Cecilie at Jose's house. Much food, barbecue and meet the people in Santa Cruz again. I made good progress on my Spanish since I now could understand much of conversations they others had, and occationally respond. It made a good fealing.
The next morning was the international womens day, and I (unlucky me :P) was in house with 4 girls. So I got up earlier, cleaned from yesterday, bought some food and made breakfast.
Later I waked to the city, listening to music and visited a sunday market with local handcraft.
I thought we was going to return to Yapacani on monday, but on the morning planning meeting they said it was necessary we stayed one more day. Then we went to a march for female rights, that was held by the organization two other brigadist works for. The sight of the screaming and determined white womens scared me. I lost the march and failed to find it again, so I explored so more of the city. Then under a the threat of heavy raining I hided under a roof, were I ended up having a 30min conversation on spanish, all by myself.
Monday night was a suprise party for the mother of Kaja, one of the scary feminist and we went there. It was so fun. Many of the people there were in there 60 and had problems walking, pain in their backs and almost looks ready for retirement. When the music started they was dancing for hours, just like they was 20, I was sitting and watching with huge admiration. They made a great show and had so much fun.
Today we finished planing, and i am waiting for Andrea to come back from the city so we can return. It been a great weekend, but I am looking forward to return to my family.

No malaria, no dengue and no trash

Riding the truck ready for gathering trash.The last days several schools participated, helping to clean the streets in the city center.
Me and Andrea with a note saying 'Young rebels, making history'.
Live on TV, speaking about trash on Spanish.
In the middle of a lot of normal trash, a bad full of injections. Not safe to find that unmarked, we have no idea what they been used for.
Where we dump the trash, by the river Amazonas.
Security on the roads are not as strict as home.
A meeting to plan the campaign.
The roads in the city is just sand or mud when its raining. This is two kids walking home from school.
Meeting with the Mayor, filmed by local TV.