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.