I sit at work in my second story office cubicle (oh
yes they have cubicles in Nicaragua) typing this. My days in the Environmental Department of the Mayor’s office are quite interesting and always a little different.
Some of the most entertaining days were a few days ago when I started writing my grant. (I may combine events from different days into one day just to make this a more enjoyable story.) I was pretty serious about getting the grant proposal done and my supervisor was a little more lax about the subject, which I understand now because we were starting it a week and a half in advance which is almost unheard of in Nica. Anyways I hardly had more than 2 minutes of her attention at a time because she kept getting called out of the cubicle or receiving a visitor or painting her nails or getting a phone call or text messaging or chatting or gossiping or the best one is when she calls multiple reunions in her office to sell Avon products to her fellow building members. Needless to say the first few days of grant writing showed little fruit.
It’s hard to work with someone in Spanish on a proposal that they will have a large role in but you’re writing it for a group of funders who want to see certain things. Basically I’m the middle man. Therefore I have to talk my supervisor, Jazmina, into doing certain things and hoping we actually complete them if the grant is accepted. Just imagine a group partner who thinks in a completely different way than you do, sometimes doesn’t listen to what you say and there is a language barrier. It’s rough.
One day we had a visitor, a friend who often drives us around in his truck or car. He is in his 50s and is also an engineer for the Mayor’s office. I’m not sure what the main purpose of the visit was but he ended up explaining to Jazmina and me how one can run their shower water into the absorption tank in the ground. He draws a picture to better explain his description and he goes as far as to draw a very voluptuous woman in the shower. He did it out of humor, of course, so we all had a good laugh. I think I laughed the hardest because of the awkwardness of it all, a colleague of mine drawing a naked woman…that would never happen in the US…I don’t think…
And that basically sums a day in the life of Jackie, but more so my last week of work.
27.6.08
Work Ethics
The paper has been completed and I have begun to concentrate on my job here. After a long afternoon on how to write a grant proposal for FSD, I was overwhelmed. There are a lot of pieces that go into a grant and they give us two and a half weeks to write it. The idea of putting in more septic tanks is a good one, however, FSD does not fun infrastructure or aid, which simply giving away septic tanks can be categorized in that way. They want sustainable projects. What does sustainable mean? I’m figuring that out. It means education and ensuring the project continues when the intern (me) is gone. Sustainable also means, under the best circumstances, that it will also need no more money given to it, instead in-country participants will have the means to fund the project in any necessary ways.
So with septic tanks I first have to have the need of the community stated. So we will go around to some 50 or 60 families and survey them both on their knowledge about the disposal of their dirty water and if they would be willing to put forth the labor as long as we are supplying materials. The survey will be a key part to showing the grant funders that the community has interest and a need for septic tanks. Also from this survey we will be able too see what knowledge the community has or doesn’t have about water disposal and septic tanks. Then we will make a brochure about dirty waters and septic tanks that especially hits points not as well known in the community.
Unfortunately this week has been possibly the least productive weeks of my life. I had a fairly full day of work Monday. Tuesday I had an all day trip to Esteli for a meeting. Wednesday I was told not to come in until the afternoon, which I found out was because my supervisor had a meeting all morning. Then I got a phone call today saying to take the rest of the week off because my supervisors child is ill and she doesn’t feel well either. So I basically haven’t worked all week and most of the kids down here with me working 9 hour days are kinda mad at me. But that’s just the way things work here. Even when we are working we are taking a break every hour to paint our fingernails, stare off into space, or eat something. We know we are over-worked in the US and down here they have no one to really answer to and get little work done. Trying to balance these two mindsets and be as productive yet as relaxed as possible is all of our challenge here in Nica these days.
Other than that…a group of us traveled to Granada last weekend and stayed overnight in a hostel. It was a nice weekend together but Granada is a really touristy place that you sometimes can feel like a number with a dollar bill sign. It’s a hard feeling to explain. Like most trips, the place doesn’t matter it’s the company.
Last night (Wednesday) we went out to dinner and dancing to celebrate our coordinator’s (Mariana) birthday as well as an intern’s good-bye party (Katie has been here since Jan. and Wednesday was her last day). It was a very good night. We ate Mexican food and then went to Hipa Hipa, a dance club who were celebrating their ten year anniversary. So it was a great night of celebration. Needless to say when I got the call this morning not to come in today I was slightly relieved since I got in at three in the morning last night. But I give it to all of my friends who got to their jobs at 8am this morning (Thursday).
So with septic tanks I first have to have the need of the community stated. So we will go around to some 50 or 60 families and survey them both on their knowledge about the disposal of their dirty water and if they would be willing to put forth the labor as long as we are supplying materials. The survey will be a key part to showing the grant funders that the community has interest and a need for septic tanks. Also from this survey we will be able too see what knowledge the community has or doesn’t have about water disposal and septic tanks. Then we will make a brochure about dirty waters and septic tanks that especially hits points not as well known in the community.
Unfortunately this week has been possibly the least productive weeks of my life. I had a fairly full day of work Monday. Tuesday I had an all day trip to Esteli for a meeting. Wednesday I was told not to come in until the afternoon, which I found out was because my supervisor had a meeting all morning. Then I got a phone call today saying to take the rest of the week off because my supervisors child is ill and she doesn’t feel well either. So I basically haven’t worked all week and most of the kids down here with me working 9 hour days are kinda mad at me. But that’s just the way things work here. Even when we are working we are taking a break every hour to paint our fingernails, stare off into space, or eat something. We know we are over-worked in the US and down here they have no one to really answer to and get little work done. Trying to balance these two mindsets and be as productive yet as relaxed as possible is all of our challenge here in Nica these days.
Other than that…a group of us traveled to Granada last weekend and stayed overnight in a hostel. It was a nice weekend together but Granada is a really touristy place that you sometimes can feel like a number with a dollar bill sign. It’s a hard feeling to explain. Like most trips, the place doesn’t matter it’s the company.
Last night (Wednesday) we went out to dinner and dancing to celebrate our coordinator’s (Mariana) birthday as well as an intern’s good-bye party (Katie has been here since Jan. and Wednesday was her last day). It was a very good night. We ate Mexican food and then went to Hipa Hipa, a dance club who were celebrating their ten year anniversary. So it was a great night of celebration. Needless to say when I got the call this morning not to come in today I was slightly relieved since I got in at three in the morning last night. But I give it to all of my friends who got to their jobs at 8am this morning (Thursday).
14.6.08
Well I’ve been in Nicaragua for a week now and I haven’t seen the internet for about 5 days. Anyways, we’ve had about 5 days of orientation (in which I spent a day and a half with my friend Brendan, who was in Bolivia with me) and now we are with our families. I’m currently typing this up in my living room while my host dad watches boxing. We just finished a “competitive” few rounds of virtual billiards, a game program that came with the television. My family is a mom, dad and 17 year old daughter. They all are really great and complimented me on my Spanish, so I’m feeling good about that. Living conditions are interesting…not as nice as the kids (Megan and Kate) have in Masaya (about an hour down the road). I have so many bug bits that I don’t have the courage to count them for fear I will hit triple digits. So I may get dengue or malaria…we’ll see. On a happier note, I did get a mosquito net with Winnie the Pooh on it with the resourceful help of my host mom. So tonight will be my first night sleeping under it, hopefully it’ll work. It’s pretty hot here…no, it is very hot here, all the time, constant sweat (and itch for me).
I start “work” Monday. Besides not knowing where I’m going or who I ask for when I get there, my real concern right now is this 20 page paper I have due for a professor who took me to Colorado in late May. Doing research and writing 20 pages in uncomfortable conditions is a very intimidating situation and therefore I have waited until the last minute to begin. I just hope I don’t get sick before Friday, when the paper is due. If I do, that could be an extremely sticky (pun intended) situation. Plus I was served and ate lettuce tonight, which could be foreshadowing the days to come. Positive thinking could prevent any unwanted mid-night wake-up calls.
On a lighter note, the coordinators are really great. There are three, two from Nica and one from Puerto Rico who went to college in New York. They are all very different from one another, which is refreshing to see different points of views and such.
Gracias por leer. Thanks for reading…hopefully and I do not doubt more stories (probably funny) to come.
Hope all is well state-side or wherever you may be reading from.
I start “work” Monday. Besides not knowing where I’m going or who I ask for when I get there, my real concern right now is this 20 page paper I have due for a professor who took me to Colorado in late May. Doing research and writing 20 pages in uncomfortable conditions is a very intimidating situation and therefore I have waited until the last minute to begin. I just hope I don’t get sick before Friday, when the paper is due. If I do, that could be an extremely sticky (pun intended) situation. Plus I was served and ate lettuce tonight, which could be foreshadowing the days to come. Positive thinking could prevent any unwanted mid-night wake-up calls.
On a lighter note, the coordinators are really great. There are three, two from Nica and one from Puerto Rico who went to college in New York. They are all very different from one another, which is refreshing to see different points of views and such.
Gracias por leer. Thanks for reading…hopefully and I do not doubt more stories (probably funny) to come.
Hope all is well state-side or wherever you may be reading from.
3.5.08
A New Journey- Una Viaje Nueva
Off again I go!
This time I'm headed to Nicaragua for the whole summer. I received this internship a few months ago through a campus and alumni supported scholarship. I'll be headed down with five other great girls from Gettysburg...including Megan of course! We have all been matched up with different NGOs or other organizations throughout the country. I'll be in Ciudad Sandino with a Dominique. When she's working with public health initiatives, I'll be in the Municipality working on sustainable environmental development. Our specific jobs and projects haven't been mapped out perfectly yet, but I should be working with either reforestation, dirty waters management, composting or recycling. I'm very excited to be involved in any of those projects!
As a part of this internship we have to write weekly updates to Gettysburg and other students doing similar projects, but state-side in Gettysburg. It should be interesting to share with each other our struggles, accomplishments and just beautiful moments we encounter. Therefore I'll probably be using some of my entries from there to put in here, so they should be extra reflective and hopefully exciting reads!
I love all your encouraging words last time, keep it up!
Jackie Sue
This time I'm headed to Nicaragua for the whole summer. I received this internship a few months ago through a campus and alumni supported scholarship. I'll be headed down with five other great girls from Gettysburg...including Megan of course! We have all been matched up with different NGOs or other organizations throughout the country. I'll be in Ciudad Sandino with a Dominique. When she's working with public health initiatives, I'll be in the Municipality working on sustainable environmental development. Our specific jobs and projects haven't been mapped out perfectly yet, but I should be working with either reforestation, dirty waters management, composting or recycling. I'm very excited to be involved in any of those projects!
As a part of this internship we have to write weekly updates to Gettysburg and other students doing similar projects, but state-side in Gettysburg. It should be interesting to share with each other our struggles, accomplishments and just beautiful moments we encounter. Therefore I'll probably be using some of my entries from there to put in here, so they should be extra reflective and hopefully exciting reads!
I love all your encouraging words last time, keep it up!
Jackie Sue
15.12.07
hey is that dynamite?
So it’s almost the “end.” But really it’s only the end of studying abroad, something I’ve dreamed about for a long long time. And it’s been everything and nothing like I’ve expected.
But enough sappy stuff, I’m in La Paz, again (4th time) and much to my joy, a friend from the program didn’t have too many set plans after the program so Matt is here with me in La Paz. Therefore I’m not going crazy, nor am I lonely.
So today they were introducing the new constitution. And from about 9am we started seeing the many marches along the main road in front of our hostel. Starting with the Ponchos Rojos, which Matt and I still don’t really know who they are (sorry Ernesto) but let’s just say they recently killed 2 dogs so the press would pay attention to them.
Then Matt and I were walking around the main road, shopping and getting stuff done and I look up and ask “Hey Matt, why are there a whole bunch of men marching towards us with helmets?” He responded “Hey I think they are miners (he should know that’s who he did his ISP with).” We walked a little further and I asked “Hey Matt why are they all covering their ears?” BOOOOM BOOOOM BOOOOM dynamite is set off three times about 50 yards in front of us. Then Matt asks, “Why are they all screaming tira?” BOOM BOOM BOOM three more times, we quickly figured out tira meant they were setting off the dynamite and we followed suit by covering our ears and picking up our pace because 1. you never know what’s going to happen in Bolivia 2. you actually felt the pressure from the explosion we were so close 3. it was loud.
Oh Bolivia
But enough sappy stuff, I’m in La Paz, again (4th time) and much to my joy, a friend from the program didn’t have too many set plans after the program so Matt is here with me in La Paz. Therefore I’m not going crazy, nor am I lonely.
So today they were introducing the new constitution. And from about 9am we started seeing the many marches along the main road in front of our hostel. Starting with the Ponchos Rojos, which Matt and I still don’t really know who they are (sorry Ernesto) but let’s just say they recently killed 2 dogs so the press would pay attention to them.
Then Matt and I were walking around the main road, shopping and getting stuff done and I look up and ask “Hey Matt, why are there a whole bunch of men marching towards us with helmets?” He responded “Hey I think they are miners (he should know that’s who he did his ISP with).” We walked a little further and I asked “Hey Matt why are they all covering their ears?” BOOOOM BOOOOM BOOOOM dynamite is set off three times about 50 yards in front of us. Then Matt asks, “Why are they all screaming tira?” BOOM BOOM BOOM three more times, we quickly figured out tira meant they were setting off the dynamite and we followed suit by covering our ears and picking up our pace because 1. you never know what’s going to happen in Bolivia 2. you actually felt the pressure from the explosion we were so close 3. it was loud.
Oh Bolivia
27.11.07
ISP- El campo otra vez
I’m sure you are all wondering what I’ve been up to. Well I have been working on my Independent Project (ISP) for the last about a week and half. We have a month to do it, but basically I wanted to do it as fast as possible and get back to Cochabamba, family and friends. Let’s see to start it all off I embarked for La Paz with a fellow student and friend, Mary Jane. We left the12th of November on a bus. We had a nice ride and arrived in La Paz around 6pm. I called my advisor once I arrived and he told me to meet him in a certain museum at 7pm. Needless to say I got there a little late.
Long story not too much shorter, that night we discussed my project a little more and he introduced me to Charo, a very sweet woman who was to be taking me to the campo to meet the family I was to be living with. I thought I would be leaving the next day, but Charo is a very busy woman and couldn’t take me until Friday. So I had a nice four days in La Paz with Mary Jane. I interviewed a few people about my topic and I met with Fernando (my advisor) two times once at 7am and the other time at 6am, he likes to wake up early….
The family I stayed with was Flores. There was abuelita (grandma) and Felisa and Nati (two of her six daughters). The special thing about this family was that their dad (don Policarpio, who died four years ago) was a very famous man who also wrote a book about his life called “El Hombre que Volvio a Nacer” (The man who was born again). So he was this guy who knew nature well, observed it well, medicine man etc.
So it was similar to my other “campo” experience in a few ways, but this time we all slept in the same room, which was nice in some ways, in other ways I just wanted a little more privacy. La abuelita only speaks Aymara (which is a native language and sounds NOTHING like Spanish) BUT she understands Spanish. So needless to say I couldn’t actually talk to la abuelita, and that really sucked when we went out shepherding the sheep for 10 hrs a day. So I basically talked to myself a lot during those times.
Highlights:
I arrived Friday morning and that Sunday the family had planned a trip to Copacabana for the day. I woke up that morning very sick, wont go into details but I did throw up and the dog did eat it right when it hit the ground. I was debating whether or not I should go but I figured I would be extremely bored if I stayed in the campo. So I went on the four hour bus ride, that wasn’t too bad. I met the rest of the sisters and their kids who live in the city. Then we climbed this mountain in Copacabana and well unfortunately it wasn’t enjoyable for me because I was feeling pretty bad. Plus la abuelita had me carry her stuff for her (no one knew I was sick). The best thing I think about the experience was the sisters who live in the city understood that I prefer going to the bathroom in a real bathroom (not outside like the women who wear the pulleras (big skirts that act like curtains so you can pop a squat anywhere)) and they understood my appetite isn’t as big as theirs.
One day Felisa and I were out herding sheep and around lunch time a van of four people pulled up, they were taking a census of the old people. So Felisa and Nati run off to prepare lunch for all of us and they leave me with the sheep. I was supposed to herd them into the corral, but well….I’m not a natural sheep herder. I chased them all over the yard, but they just wouldn’t go in the direction I wanted them to. Meanwhile these four people were standing outside watching some stupid gringa chase around sheep, I can only imagine what they were thinking. Then la abuelita came out and started yelling at me in Aymara, obviously I didn’t understand what she was saying, but I knew she was telling me to put them in the corral, which I already knew…I just didn’t know how. So after yelling at me one more time she came and helped me and in a matter of SECONDS the sheep were put away…whew.
So then another morning Felisa and I went out to herd the sheep. We opened the gate and all the sheep came running out like normal and Felisa went ahead of them and I was to take the back, like normal. Well there was a surprise waiting, a new baby sheep had just been born that morning. Cute right? Well kinda but then the silly little thing couldn’t figure out how to get out of the corral. And here I am alone with this little wet sheep with a bloody ambilical chord who just came out of another sheep’s butt. So then Felisa yelled at me to pick it up and bring it out to be with the other sheep. Just at that time mommy sheep came in and started baa-ing like crazy looking for its baby. So I was kinda freaked out to pick it up plus it kept running away from me, so I chased it all around and finally caught it and took it out into the field. Thankfully by the next day, it knew how to get out of the corral by itself.
So that’s about it for highlights, things that actually amused me in the campo. I avoided lice again, which is good thing I guess and they actually put me to work more than my other campo family. I’ve read most of the book their dad wrote and it’s good and that and my stay there will write a nice 20 page paper for this independent project. I rushed home after all of this, back to Cochabamba. I’m SO ELATED to be here and have a full week to work on the paper and then another week for editing. I don’t really think that’s what the directors want me to do, but I’m much more content with this schedule.
Long story not too much shorter, that night we discussed my project a little more and he introduced me to Charo, a very sweet woman who was to be taking me to the campo to meet the family I was to be living with. I thought I would be leaving the next day, but Charo is a very busy woman and couldn’t take me until Friday. So I had a nice four days in La Paz with Mary Jane. I interviewed a few people about my topic and I met with Fernando (my advisor) two times once at 7am and the other time at 6am, he likes to wake up early….
The family I stayed with was Flores. There was abuelita (grandma) and Felisa and Nati (two of her six daughters). The special thing about this family was that their dad (don Policarpio, who died four years ago) was a very famous man who also wrote a book about his life called “El Hombre que Volvio a Nacer” (The man who was born again). So he was this guy who knew nature well, observed it well, medicine man etc.
So it was similar to my other “campo” experience in a few ways, but this time we all slept in the same room, which was nice in some ways, in other ways I just wanted a little more privacy. La abuelita only speaks Aymara (which is a native language and sounds NOTHING like Spanish) BUT she understands Spanish. So needless to say I couldn’t actually talk to la abuelita, and that really sucked when we went out shepherding the sheep for 10 hrs a day. So I basically talked to myself a lot during those times.
Highlights:
I arrived Friday morning and that Sunday the family had planned a trip to Copacabana for the day. I woke up that morning very sick, wont go into details but I did throw up and the dog did eat it right when it hit the ground. I was debating whether or not I should go but I figured I would be extremely bored if I stayed in the campo. So I went on the four hour bus ride, that wasn’t too bad. I met the rest of the sisters and their kids who live in the city. Then we climbed this mountain in Copacabana and well unfortunately it wasn’t enjoyable for me because I was feeling pretty bad. Plus la abuelita had me carry her stuff for her (no one knew I was sick). The best thing I think about the experience was the sisters who live in the city understood that I prefer going to the bathroom in a real bathroom (not outside like the women who wear the pulleras (big skirts that act like curtains so you can pop a squat anywhere)) and they understood my appetite isn’t as big as theirs.
One day Felisa and I were out herding sheep and around lunch time a van of four people pulled up, they were taking a census of the old people. So Felisa and Nati run off to prepare lunch for all of us and they leave me with the sheep. I was supposed to herd them into the corral, but well….I’m not a natural sheep herder. I chased them all over the yard, but they just wouldn’t go in the direction I wanted them to. Meanwhile these four people were standing outside watching some stupid gringa chase around sheep, I can only imagine what they were thinking. Then la abuelita came out and started yelling at me in Aymara, obviously I didn’t understand what she was saying, but I knew she was telling me to put them in the corral, which I already knew…I just didn’t know how. So after yelling at me one more time she came and helped me and in a matter of SECONDS the sheep were put away…whew.
So then another morning Felisa and I went out to herd the sheep. We opened the gate and all the sheep came running out like normal and Felisa went ahead of them and I was to take the back, like normal. Well there was a surprise waiting, a new baby sheep had just been born that morning. Cute right? Well kinda but then the silly little thing couldn’t figure out how to get out of the corral. And here I am alone with this little wet sheep with a bloody ambilical chord who just came out of another sheep’s butt. So then Felisa yelled at me to pick it up and bring it out to be with the other sheep. Just at that time mommy sheep came in and started baa-ing like crazy looking for its baby. So I was kinda freaked out to pick it up plus it kept running away from me, so I chased it all around and finally caught it and took it out into the field. Thankfully by the next day, it knew how to get out of the corral by itself.
So that’s about it for highlights, things that actually amused me in the campo. I avoided lice again, which is good thing I guess and they actually put me to work more than my other campo family. I’ve read most of the book their dad wrote and it’s good and that and my stay there will write a nice 20 page paper for this independent project. I rushed home after all of this, back to Cochabamba. I’m SO ELATED to be here and have a full week to work on the paper and then another week for editing. I don’t really think that’s what the directors want me to do, but I’m much more content with this schedule.
4.11.07
Fallin in Love
Hopefully that title caught everyone’s attention. I wish I had some grand traditional love story to tell you all, but I have something better. Last night was amazing.
We are rapidly approaching our ISP period, when we set out on our own for four weeks to investigate our topic of choice and a majority of us are going to go to some unknown part of Bolivia, live with some unknown family and study, live, learn and then write a 20+ page paper about it. Hence this group of 26 amazing people is going to be split up for four weeks and I personally have a hard time being away from them for a day.
So what happened last night, you ask? Well let’s start at the end. I came home last night and crawled into bed and was exhausted, but my mind was going a mile a minute. I thought about love and how I don’t know what it means at all, but how I think I saw another beautiful glimpse of it last night.
So what happened!?!?!
Well Joe, a really cool kid in our group, threw a party, BBQ, major gringo hang-out session, whatever you want to call it, at his house last night. I was personally excited to make food to take and share it with friends. So people filtered in, the grill finally got lit, Sam dutifully flipped every burger and we ate and ate and talked and talked and laughed and laughed and danced and danced. It was like Madison County in Bolivia and that’s not normal, Madison doesn’t usually go anywhere, it stays in the heart of the Blue Ridge, but last night I think it moved further down south.
So who did I fall in love with?
Everyone.
Joe-for having us all over even after only sleeping for four hours the night before and for putting on eyeliner and a dog collar and taking amazing pictures for Halloween
Amy- for laughing really hard at my stories about my host family
Michael S- for bringing that really dark chocolate and having that amazing horse shirt
Dana- for lying on the bed with me and talking and laughing out loud…and other things I don’t remember
Amanda- for making banana chocolate chip cake and listening to Sufjan on repeat for the last few days
Lisa-for shaving her head
Hanna S- for being chill and an amazing goth and for bringing a salad with RANCH dressing
Jenny- for being a hott go-go girl
Hanna R- for being constantly hungry
Jess- for living with nuns
Sam- for flipping burgers for three hours and telling me amazing stories about his life
Brendan- for being a mama’s boy and for wanting a solar power battery charger
Rene- for an amazing broccoli casserole, laying on the bed laughing…and other things
Talya- for trying to help me open the wine bottle
Michael E- NOT for squeezing my dreads (awkward), but just for being a sun-burnt Michael E
Ernesto- for dancing an amazing salsa or whatever it was with me
Margaret Ann- for her AMAZING spanglish
Vivi and Maribell- for breaking it down with me and telling me I was a good dancer (ha! Latino girls telling me I’m a good dancer)
Matt- for being way to curious about everything
Jackson- for trading earrings (bling bling)
Kayla and MJ- for coming to Joe’s right after getting off the plane
Tierra- for being an amazing dresser and for paying for me when I had 10.5 bs to my name
David- for coming to Cochabamba and being put in this mess (he’s Joe’s friend backpacking though L.A. for the semester)
….I’m only missing Leah b/c she wasn’t there, but I fell in love with her a while ago because she is sooo energetic and smart, and I like her laugh
Ok so that’s the group of 25, an amazing group that I literally am in pain about leaving Thursday…when we all reunite again in a month, who knows what will happen….
OH! PS- I got a new power chord for just $105 US dollars (that was sarcastic) but I’m realllly glad to have it!
We are rapidly approaching our ISP period, when we set out on our own for four weeks to investigate our topic of choice and a majority of us are going to go to some unknown part of Bolivia, live with some unknown family and study, live, learn and then write a 20+ page paper about it. Hence this group of 26 amazing people is going to be split up for four weeks and I personally have a hard time being away from them for a day.
So what happened last night, you ask? Well let’s start at the end. I came home last night and crawled into bed and was exhausted, but my mind was going a mile a minute. I thought about love and how I don’t know what it means at all, but how I think I saw another beautiful glimpse of it last night.
So what happened!?!?!
Well Joe, a really cool kid in our group, threw a party, BBQ, major gringo hang-out session, whatever you want to call it, at his house last night. I was personally excited to make food to take and share it with friends. So people filtered in, the grill finally got lit, Sam dutifully flipped every burger and we ate and ate and talked and talked and laughed and laughed and danced and danced. It was like Madison County in Bolivia and that’s not normal, Madison doesn’t usually go anywhere, it stays in the heart of the Blue Ridge, but last night I think it moved further down south.
So who did I fall in love with?
Everyone.
Joe-for having us all over even after only sleeping for four hours the night before and for putting on eyeliner and a dog collar and taking amazing pictures for Halloween
Amy- for laughing really hard at my stories about my host family
Michael S- for bringing that really dark chocolate and having that amazing horse shirt
Dana- for lying on the bed with me and talking and laughing out loud…and other things I don’t remember
Amanda- for making banana chocolate chip cake and listening to Sufjan on repeat for the last few days
Lisa-for shaving her head
Hanna S- for being chill and an amazing goth and for bringing a salad with RANCH dressing
Jenny- for being a hott go-go girl
Hanna R- for being constantly hungry
Jess- for living with nuns
Sam- for flipping burgers for three hours and telling me amazing stories about his life
Brendan- for being a mama’s boy and for wanting a solar power battery charger
Rene- for an amazing broccoli casserole, laying on the bed laughing…and other things
Talya- for trying to help me open the wine bottle
Michael E- NOT for squeezing my dreads (awkward), but just for being a sun-burnt Michael E
Ernesto- for dancing an amazing salsa or whatever it was with me
Margaret Ann- for her AMAZING spanglish
Vivi and Maribell- for breaking it down with me and telling me I was a good dancer (ha! Latino girls telling me I’m a good dancer)
Matt- for being way to curious about everything
Jackson- for trading earrings (bling bling)
Kayla and MJ- for coming to Joe’s right after getting off the plane
Tierra- for being an amazing dresser and for paying for me when I had 10.5 bs to my name
David- for coming to Cochabamba and being put in this mess (he’s Joe’s friend backpacking though L.A. for the semester)
….I’m only missing Leah b/c she wasn’t there, but I fell in love with her a while ago because she is sooo energetic and smart, and I like her laugh
Ok so that’s the group of 25, an amazing group that I literally am in pain about leaving Thursday…when we all reunite again in a month, who knows what will happen….
OH! PS- I got a new power chord for just $105 US dollars (that was sarcastic) but I’m realllly glad to have it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)