Jallalla Bolivia

Hey,

Yesterday we begun the campaing ´no dengue, no malaria and no trash´. The mosquito that carry the sickness often bread in trash, or in small water ponds in bottle, cans, etc. The city doesnt have any public system to despose trash, it is in the streets and in the backyards, really gross and sad to look at. So the first days we whent around talking to different public institutions that might cooperate. Find a place to dump the trash later, find out who to pay for picking the trash up and drive it to the dumping place, etc. At the same time we cant tell them what to do, or why its a good idea, we have to make them feel its their idea, so they feel responsible for the campaing and so hopefully make it to more than an occational happening. So yesterday we started walk true a part of the city, innforming everyone living their and try to make them clean up outside their house and put it in the street and we would collect it later. It sounds easy but they have not tradition to dispose trash and they dont see the problem of it lying around, that why dengue and malaria is important, since people are dying of it they want to do something to stop it flourishing.

Yesterday I also got to play real football, 11 against 11 with some students and other people. It started at 4 and i almost died of heat, after 10 min i lost the ability to run and just walked around, occasionaly jogging after the ball. it was fun. A couple of cubanos doctors I meet a couple of days ago was there to. Each time I got close the ball they screamed Scooby Doo and Shaggy, they think I look like him, was not easy to focus clearly with that either.

Yesterday the people from Santa Cruz also came and they stay until tomorrow. Nice to see them and show them ´my´city and ´my´family. No I got to go to spanish lesson.

Chao

Start of normal days

After some days with carneval and celebrating of Pachamama, the normal days are suppose to begin again. It is strange how quick you adjust a new situation. I am starting to feel really home now, and I dont feel I miss anything. I sleep very good, even if there is incredibly warm in my room, there are one or two else sleeping there, gekos, ants. mosquitos and other things staying there, always noise from dogs, roosters, other people or music, they always play music and it is always the same music. From 6am until 12pm they play the same cd over and over again, of carneval music, i think i can sing it now in quechua.
During carneval it been dangerous walking outside the house, all kids have water balloons, sprays and paintings and gringo´s is there prime target.
Got to go
chao

Hola

The last days been jakotako. Carneval is nice but I never really know what is going on, and when I think I know something, they postpone it, so I end up waiting for something that never happens. Again I am quite sure its Juan Carlos b-day party, for the third day I believe so. Maybe it happens tonight. Yesterday was a big carneval, with dancing, dressing up and parade. Children are going insane with waterballons, water guns and sprays of some kind.
The neighbor kids are not afraid of me anymore, but they are looking at me with curious eyes. Every day there are friends over visiting the mother, and every has at least 5 kids. there are more kids than mosqitoes here. the brother that is 19 years old have a dauther on 7 years, he was 12 years old, insane.
The father arrived home for carneval, a day later than they first said, he seems nice. I have a lot to read but little time on internet.

Muy caliente

After the first days of a small culture shock, am I now feeling more like home. So far a normal day been work with Juan from 8 til 2, and after lunsj I am home, reading spanish and have constant company from my youngest brother. which is really nice, it forces me to practise constantly. He likes to call me Peter Crouch!!! and to touch my hair. Yesterday he took me to the police station and we visited the oldest brother, who is in jail, I dont know why. I think it was around 10 people in his small cell. He is a really good drawer / painter and gave me a web page where he have some on ´www.arteddy.deviantart.com/gallery´.
Today is Juan birthday and there be a fiesta at my house and carneval also starts today and last until thuesday, I am very excited about that.
Yesterday it was so warm I thought i would die, when it began raining in the evening I was so happy. Then it was thunder for a long time.
I have a great time, and will post some pictures when internet access gets better.
Chao

First meeting

Yapacani is a lot of impressions. Lies on both sides of the main road to Cochabamba (main raod doesnt say much). Forest around and some sugar, raps oil and rice plantations around, oil productions in the north and some rivers around (no pirayas, crocodilles). Streets are sand and mud, since its raining almost each day, chickens and dogs running around, and small houses that have their own charm. Unfortunately their are no places to throw trash so most of it goes in the streets, but changing that is one of the projects we will work on.

My family lives nicer than I expected. The brother on 12 is very curious. I share room with the brother on 16. Its only the toilet I was a little unpreared for!!! I will post pictures later, the shower is also an experience.

Today we had meeting with the mayor and a lot others to plan the projects, local tv was an filmed us. I spent 4 hours in a meeting not really understanding what was going on. Guess I know later.

Sunburn

After being here for 5 days I thought my skin was getting used too the sun. So when we finally got a day off, I spent to much of it in the sun, and without suncream. I had clearly forgot that my shirt been on the whole time so far and we had program inside the whole day. So today I been pink like a pig, used a shirt and hiding in the shadow. However, today I bought suncream, better late than never. I was also told the weather been cold the first week, if that's true I got a problem.
My stommach have also decided to not go crazy, but it also decided not to be good. I had small cramps in my stommach the last days. At the same time it's to much exciting food I got to taste.
Tomorrow I leave for Yapacuni, a couple of days later than I first thought. There I have no idea about internet, but I am almost certain it's not to good. Chao

Div bilder