Cochabamba, Boliva (2/11-2/21)

Cochabamba, Bolivia is a bit north of Santa Cruz, and is higher up in elevation, nestled in some large, rolling green, mini-mountains. The air and atmosphere is really nice; fresh and brisk, after the steamy plains of Santa Cruz. It reminds me a bit of California. (Which is quite the contrast I've heard you're getting in the States - a week-long snow emergency in Indiana!?! My brother got a week off of school! How fun!)

There are huge palm trees; probably 40-50 ft tall and maybe 4-5 feet in diameter. I should be talking in meters because everything here is on the metric system. I'm glad I was a science teacher, but it's still different! The beautiful green mountains are to the north of us, and the city itself is typical 2nd-3rd world. Meaning that it reminds me a lot of China, Ukraine, Mexico... open markets w/ tarps as roofs, semi-crazy driving (people making up and following their own rules), buses and taxis packed with people...

Here's a story about that. I was coming home from visiting my Compassion International child . . .


in another city. It was about 11:30 PM, and was raining slightly. My translator got us a taxi and we climbed in. I was surprised there was already a lady in the back seat... I found myself squished between the 2 of them. About 1/2 mile down the street, the driver, who looked about 17 years old and who drove like it!, pulled over, and a guy got in the front seat with him. Off we went again. Another 1/2 mile, he pulls over again, and ANOTHER guy gets in, squished in the front seat with the driver and the other guy. How many more can we fit? We pull over again! and the guy looks in and waves us on. I'm thinking, Ok, finally, some sense. But again we pull over, and I ask the lady next to me, where will he go? On top of us? The drive gets out and opens the back hatch - of course! We could fit probably 5 people back there! :) The guy gets in, all scrunched over, but he's happy to get a ride. There are obviously no seat belt rules here. We pull over one more time, to put one more guy in the back. Its quite amazing! How many clowns/people can you fit in the circus car?! We had 8 in a 5 passenger car. :) Last week, I rode a mini-bus with 17 people jammed in it that was designed to hold 12! It was comical, seeing us all squished, people standing against the doors/windows of this vehicle that was a little larger than a mini-van.


I went to a market one day with my new friend, Jenny (she's a teacher at a missions school here in town). We had a lot of fun. I had fun trying to speak in my wonderful Spanish!! :) There was one piece of cloth that I was admiring, saying to the lady, "Esta es muy suerte." She looked at me kind of funny. I was used to that. I just thought she didn't get my accent, but I figured I had the right words. :) My friend laughed and said, "You just said, 'this is very luck'." Oh. I guess I got it wrong. "Suave" (pronounced, swav-aye) i think is the right word for "soft", which is what I was going for. Oh well. We got a smile.

The people were very nice in the market. No one was too pushy, which I appreciated. I got a few things - some to mail home, some as gifts. I guess the market is known to be the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere; I don't know how accurate that is. Its called the Cancha. I've heard you can buy ANYTHING there... tools, shoes, clothes, food, flowers... its like a Superwalmart, only run by a lot of locals. I like it.

How's my health doing, you may wonder. Well, pretty good. I got the usual upset stomach as my body adjusted to new foods (it brought back memories from my time in China!). (But the food is good here - I just have to watch out for stuff sold out on the streets, b/c my body is not stocked full with defenses against all the parasites/bacteria down here, unlike many of the locals.) Lots of rice, meat, veggies, and great fruit!!! (once you wash it in BLEACH (diluted) and peel it!!) For the past few days, I've had a low-grade headache (nothing too big, but can kind of tell its there... but it feels better today). So its been really nice to have this Missions Guest House to stay at. I've been able to go out one day, and stay in and rest the next. I've also been taking my vitamins every day!

Valentine's Day was great. It was a day of rest with Jesus. I had the ipod to listen to music - and I got to worship and express my love to God; through dance and prayers (in my room, of course!)! I got to read some, and just have a beautiful day - it was like having a day-long DATE with Jesus!! I really like Him!! That night, I got to talk to my mom and my older brother, Craig, on the phone - which was really nice.

I've been able to visit the Missions school here in Cochabamba, called Catarache (cot-ah-roch-ee). All the teachers raise support to teach here, and they have students K-12, some missionary kids, some local Bolivians (but mostly the wealthy Bolivian kids, whose parents can afford the tuition). Class sizes are small, and the kids are really well behaved. But they're still kids!

I was most impressed with the science classroom. (Maybe b/c of my profession?) The principal of the school is from Great Britain, and is a science teacher herself. She has been here for I think 20 years, and has really built up the program. They have EVERYTHING labeled and in its place, and have LOTS of supplies (esp for a missions school) - beakers, graduated cylinders, thermometers, chemicals, etc. And they have a LAB TECHNICIAN!! What a concept!! This guy's job is to help the science teacher set up her labs, buy supplies, etc. The principal told me every science teacher in Great Britain has one of these! Are you kidding me?! Where are they in the US? She said most of them are mothers, who work part-time while their kids are at school. Bush, Dept of Education, School Boards, I think we need to invest in some of these - esp if we want our kids to like science and to really develop science education in the US. Science teaching is hard work, its a 5-7person job rolled into one! - getting labs set up, figuring out what to teach, discipline, secretary work, grading, putting labs away, getting/finding the right supplies! Whew! (Ok, I'm stepping down from my soapbox now.)

Another cool thing about this city is the Christo on top of a hill to the east... I can see it from the 2nd floor of the Guest House. Its a tall, white statue of Jesus, with his arms extended in blessing. Its really pretty, esp when the clouds are making dramatic pictures in the sky with the sunlight. The only sad thing about the statue is that I've heard there's a lot of kids who hang around there and sniff glue... I guess its a big problem in Bolivia - kids on the streets get really addicted to sniffing glue, paint thinner, gasoline; and then their brain gets messed up... and some even die.

I've had fun at the Guest House - the ladies who work here made this AMAZING Sunday dinner for us (about 10 people/families staying here) of pork chops, mashed potatoes, homemade applesauce.

Its fun to hear the different stories of some of the missionaries. Some are 2nd and 3rd generation missionaries. They are very caucasion-looking, heritage is from America, but when asked how does America-life compare w/ living in Bolivia, some couldn't even adequately respond, b/c all their life they've lived in Bolivia (except for furloughs, missionary-term for come home and rest/fundraise for a year, once every few years)! Their Spanish is amazing. Many have grown-up kids in the States; either married or going to college. The missionary families seem to be very close here; brothers and sisters get along... its amazing. Maybe 'cause they've had to grow up playing together? Some of the missionaries live in town, helping with administrative duties, others are pilots, others work in the print shop (to help publish Bibles and other literature the missionaries write in the local dialects). One family spent the past 9 years translating the New Testament into one tribe's language. They just spent a week trip going up a river and teaching a local tribe about the message of Jesus. These missionaries are from Michigan, and they look/act very normal - the dad likes sports, and planned the river trip around getting to see the SuperBowl, and the mom is very pretty, very friendly, a nurse, and a great mom. I don't know what I imagined. :) They have lived 20 years in the jungle, raised their kids there, and are part of the community. (These are all a part of the mission organization called New Tribes Missions.)

We've had a Girl's Night here (eating a great meal, watching Steel Magnolias, and having icecream & popcorn); I've washed my clothes in a cool, old-fashioned washer (it has an "agitator" which swishes the clothes, then a "wringer" which squeezed out all the soap and water... put you could get your fingers pinched as the clothes are rolled through!, then you rinse and send them through the "wringer" again... then hang them up on the clothes line - FUN!); and played with the kids in the Guest House, and the dogs!

The last story I'll tell (whew!) is of a funny scene. I was coming back in a taxi from the bus terminal, after pre-purchasing a ticket for my trip to La Paz (coming up this Wed). Ahead of us, was a huge flat-bed truck, with tall sides, open on top. About 10 Bolivian boys were standing up back here, armed and loaded with about a million water balloons!! :) It was hilarious!! They were zinging them, like grenades, at other people (mostly guys, ages 5-18?) along the streets, as they drove by. Now, don't feel too bad, the people on the streets were also loaded - they had sacks filled with these water granades - and were zinging them back at the truck as it drove by! It was so fun to watch!! Everyone was laughing and having a good time. I didn't see anyone get hurt (although on the news that night, there was a picture of someone's car that had a busted window... eek.). Its part of Carnival, which will end sometime today.

Well, that's it for now. :) Pray for me as I get ready to head on the next leg of my journey to LA PAZ, Bolivia. I will take a bus there (its a nicer bus, for overnight trips - prices are cheaper in Bolivia; about 60 B's (Bolivianos) is about $8 US (8:1 ratio) for the 8 hr bus ride. Pray for safety, for a good taxi to my friend's house in La Paz, for getting to Lake Titicaca (a beautiful mountain lake), and then up to Machu Picchu, in Peru - and to meet up with some great people along the way.

Next week, on Monday, I'll be flying down to Santiago, Chile, to stay with a friend of my mom's.

Oh, by the way, my mom's BIRTHDAY is coming up this FRIDAY, FEB 23!! She is quite YOUNG!! Wish her a Happy Birthday. My dad's email is <lawrence.smiley@smsmrktng.com> and he can get the messages to her!

Blessings to each of you!! Thank you for your love, thoughts, and prayers!! It is great to know that so many are "traveling along w/ me"!

ericka :)