Big Adventure is back!
Ive finally recreated my blog! For those of you who followed my last blog, travels through Asia, Europe, Russia and North America, I apologise for the 2 year delay in sorting out my stuff. I guess most of you have been reading up about my adventures in Bolivia via email or by word of mouth, so heres a quick update.
I moved to Bolivia in July 2003 to take up a position of School Librarian in the city of Cochabamba. Initially it was for 2 years but I have grown to love this country and have decided to stay one more year. In that time I have witnessed the downfall of a government (almost 2 with the recent attempted resignation of the current President ), battled my way through life with bad gringa spanish and travelled through this wonderful and strange country.
Today
Its a rainy day in Cochabamba, Ive taken the day off work to rest and recover from a cold that has been lingering for a couple of weeks now. So much for Cochabamba being the "City of Eternal Spring", its not supposed to rain in Autunm or Winter! Strange to say that, but the rainy season should end in February, just after Carnavale. So I was supposed to go and do all those things Ive been putting off for the last couple of weeks, like go to the post office (there is only one!) but as the rain continues to be steady, Im staying indoors.
Bolivian Lunch
Yesterday I had lunch with Teo`s family. Teo is the librarian at the Bibliotecca Popular in Temporal (the public library I volunteer at). It was a lesson in personal space! Bolivians find it hard to understand why I would live on my own, this is because families live together in small spaces for most of their lives. Teo has 4 children, ranging from ages 4-17 and they all share one room. The house they live in is big, but the landlord will only allow them to use 2 rooms. This means that everyone sleeps in one room and the other room is used for meals, study and storage.
For most bolivians the extended family is important so you live with you abuelos (grandparents) for most of your lives. Because rents are expensive in Cochabamba, if you get married you usually move in with someones parents unless you can afford your own place.
Lunch was nice, I came away with 2 bags of vegetables and a bag of apples from Postosi. Apparantly I am muy flacita (very skinny) and as I live on my own and dont have a man to cook for, I am obviously not looking after myself enough! Its nice to have people looking out for me!
Its 6 weeks before the school year is over and most of my friends leave for other places. 2 years, time moves pretty fast these day. Its going to be a whirlwind but I will update as we approach the end.
I moved to Bolivia in July 2003 to take up a position of School Librarian in the city of Cochabamba. Initially it was for 2 years but I have grown to love this country and have decided to stay one more year. In that time I have witnessed the downfall of a government (almost 2 with the recent attempted resignation of the current President ), battled my way through life with bad gringa spanish and travelled through this wonderful and strange country.
Today
Its a rainy day in Cochabamba, Ive taken the day off work to rest and recover from a cold that has been lingering for a couple of weeks now. So much for Cochabamba being the "City of Eternal Spring", its not supposed to rain in Autunm or Winter! Strange to say that, but the rainy season should end in February, just after Carnavale. So I was supposed to go and do all those things Ive been putting off for the last couple of weeks, like go to the post office (there is only one!) but as the rain continues to be steady, Im staying indoors.
Bolivian Lunch
Yesterday I had lunch with Teo`s family. Teo is the librarian at the Bibliotecca Popular in Temporal (the public library I volunteer at). It was a lesson in personal space! Bolivians find it hard to understand why I would live on my own, this is because families live together in small spaces for most of their lives. Teo has 4 children, ranging from ages 4-17 and they all share one room. The house they live in is big, but the landlord will only allow them to use 2 rooms. This means that everyone sleeps in one room and the other room is used for meals, study and storage.
For most bolivians the extended family is important so you live with you abuelos (grandparents) for most of your lives. Because rents are expensive in Cochabamba, if you get married you usually move in with someones parents unless you can afford your own place.
Lunch was nice, I came away with 2 bags of vegetables and a bag of apples from Postosi. Apparantly I am muy flacita (very skinny) and as I live on my own and dont have a man to cook for, I am obviously not looking after myself enough! Its nice to have people looking out for me!
Its 6 weeks before the school year is over and most of my friends leave for other places. 2 years, time moves pretty fast these day. Its going to be a whirlwind but I will update as we approach the end.
posted by Paula Pfoeffer at
5:00 am
