Change of Plans and a Water War

I am writing from the safe confines of the language institute. Virtually all other places in the city are danger zones. Today is the major holiday of Carnival and all of the schools are out and most businesses closed, which means that what seems like most of the city are out in the streets fighting with water. The Bolivian tradition of throwing water balloons, using squirt guns and throwing buckets of water has reached a crescendo today after building up since the beginning of February.

On top of the Mountain

Riding to the Institute today, I was assailed by barrage after barrage of water balloons and squirt-gun fire. I was prepared today however and was packing some heat in my jacket pocket. Making eye contact with an innocent looking child up the road who was in the act of pumping his super soaker in anticipation of my arrival, I put some force on the pedals and slyly slid my hand around to my back pocket grasping my balloon. As I approached and the boy opened fire, I deftly removed the balloon from my pocket and launched at the unsuspecting assailant. A direct hit to the torso at 20 mph clearly startled the youngster and quickly stopped the incoming fire. Riding away I felt a great sense of satisfaction as today was the first day since February 1st that I have been able to defend myself from the daily barrage. I have taken several right in the face from passing cars. So I really don’t feel bad about nailing the kid who was shooting at me today. In addition to the water, incense fills the air as the Cochabambinos make offerings to Pachu Mama. Fireworks have also been exploding regularly throughout the day. Carnival is quite a sight here and the real celebration isn’t until next week when the parades of dancers will march through the streets.

So instead of returning from Peru today as I reported last week, I returned from the small village of Aramasi where I spent the weekend with two friends from the Institute. So last Friday after my post, I was informed by a priest that LAB (the national airline and the only carrier that goes from Cuzco to CBBA) had cancelled all international flights for two weeks because of a fuel shortage. Incredulous, I began the process of contacting the Airline and finding out what was the problem. After two comical trips to the central office of LAB in the city, I was confident that eventually we would receive a refund for our tickets. I am amazed that a major airline would cancel all international flights for two weeks, but I am starting to realize that Bolivia doesn’t run on the same precise bureaucratic system as the US does. So with our trip cancelled, and with the rest of our classmates already with reservations to visit Oruro, the site of a world renowned Carnival celebration, myself and two friends, Neil and Kim, planned a trip to the tiny village of Aramasi high in the Andes. The Amistad Mission runs a clinic in Aramasi that serves not only the two hundred or so inhabitants of that village, but also nine neighboring communities. There is also a retreat center in Aramasi for friends of the Mission (I had visited in 2005 with Christ Church). The retreat center consists of several small hermitages or hermitas, and is intended as a place for prayer and reflection. We were able to get a ride into the town with Dr. Rudolpho, who is the doctor serving at the clinic. The ride to Aramasi is 73 km south on the road to Oruro, a drive straight up into the mountains that rises from the 8500 feet of CBBA to 13800 feet. From there we tucked down very small dirt road that descends for 15 miles into the valley to Aramasi. The journey there was breathtaking the town itself is gorgeous. All around are the peaks of the Andes with no sign of development other than subsistence agriculture and some adobe huts for hundreds of miles.

Neil and I in Aramasi

We had an awesome time of relaxation, reflection, prayer, fellowship, and of course some vigorous exercise. From where we were staying, I could see one peak in the distance that towered above the landscape. It was my natural inclination to want to summit that peak, which was about 14500 feet tall (Aramasi is about 10500 feet). It was quite a challenge with a lot of climbing on all fours as it was very steep and rocky at points. We made it to the top in after three hours of strenuous hiking and climbing. The vista was incredible and well worth the journey.

The mountain we climbed

So after four days and three relaxing nights in Aramasi we returned to CBBA this morning. The break from classes was much needed and I am looking forward to getting my third set of four new teachers this week. After having been here for over a month, I feel that I have completely adjusted to living here and I am continually encouraged by my improvements in Spanish.

Thanks for reading and for your prayers and support. Happy Ash Wednesday.

Gray
grayskinner@hotmail.com

The kids of Casa Kantuta

Another wonderful week

So it has been another fantastic and challenging week here in Bolivia. Changing to the new schedule has been a bit of an adjustment, and I have had a bit less time for relaxing, but I am really enjoying having the afternoons free to spend time with the kids at the Villa. This week I have also really enjoyed attending mass in the mornings at the church near the language institute. Mass is said at 7 each morning and it is a very pleasant way to begin the day. It’s about a 20 minute ride from the Villa to the church so I have to leave pretty early. I have been getting up at 5:30 to study and so that I can make it to mass by 7. Classes start at 8 and when they are over at 12, I feel as if I have already had a full day. But the day has really just begun as I make the trek back to the Villa for lunch and afternoon activities.

Life here the last few weeks could be aptly described as “hyper-living” as simply everyday activities can become serious challenges. I feel that this feeling is gradually subsiding as I get more comfortable with the language and more settled in my living situation. It is quite a relief and hopefully I will have more energy to spend on other more important objectives. Today I experienced a small victory in classes after a very tough week. During my first classes I was speaking rather effortlessly and that was very encouraging. The progress is slow and is a test of my patience, but after three weeks of study, I am quite pleased with my progress.

The activity I have most enjoyed is the Sala de Lectura or reading room. After lunch I spend a few hours reading with the kids or to them. This is a great opportunity for me to not only work on my Spanish, but also to help the kids develop their reading skills. My work with the Nashville Adult Literacy Council this fall has proved very useful not only in my learning of Spanish but also in my work with the kids. It also helped to instill in me the importance of reading. I cannot think of a more valuable tool to give someone than the ability to read. Through reading one can discover new opportunities and possibly broaden one’s perspective on his or her position. This is one of the few tools that can directly enable a person to improve his or her life.

Another issue that has been occupying my thoughts the last few weeks is the different approaches to micro development and poverty alleviation. I have had several enlightening conversations with locals and other Americans from the Peace Corps that have been here for a few years. The question of sustainable development always comes up and while I do not yet have a firm grasp on many of the complexities of the issue, I am very intrigued by the different approaches. I will try and write more on this in the next few weeks. More on the macro level, I am reading a good book by William Powers called “Whispering in the Giant’s Ear” which details many of Bolivia’s challenges with globalization from an environmental standpoint.

Last Sunday I had my first opportunity to do some serious biking here. I set out from the Villa around 8 and headed west of Cochabamba to the towns of Tiquipaya and El Paso. It was quite an adventure and I got in a good 5 hours of riding. I am pretty adjusted to the altitude now and it was a nice ride. I really enjoyed seeing another part of Bolivia besides the city. The views of the mountains are spectacular and I really enjoy finding interesting new places on the bike. I also met some other bikers and I am planning a trip with them this Sunday. Look for more pictures in the next few weeks.

While many of the students of the institute will be traveling to Ouruo for the celebration of Carneval next week, myself and two of my good friends here have decided to visit Machu Picchu in Peru. We will leave on Saturday the 17th and return late on the 20th. I wish we had more time to visit there, but I am glad for the opportunity to at least see the ruins. Carneval is a really big deal down here and the 19th and 20th are national holidays. I don’t have much interest in the revelry, but I do appreciate the break from classes.

Thanks again for reading. Feel free to post a comment below or email me at grayskinner@hotmail.com

Gray


Some sunsets from the Villa An interesting place i found on my bike

Reflections on Another Week

Hello again from Cochabamba. The past week of classes has been challenging but very fruitful. I have really enjoyed my teachers and each of them has been excellent. Every two weeks we change teachers so I will have four new teachers next week and classes will be in the morning from 8 until 12. I am looking forward to this change of schedule as it will permit me more time to work with the kids at the Villa. Here is the schedule for the next two weeks:

8-12 classes
1230 – Lunch at the villa
1-2:30 – Sala de Lectura (reading with the kids)
3-4 – Individual time in each House
4-5:30 – Sports with the Kids
6:30 - Dinner in one of the houses

The days will continue to be very busy, but I am looking forward to having more structured time with the kids.
The weather here has been magnificent. The highs are around 80 every day with beautiful sun (although it can be a bit intense at times) and lows in the 60s at night. It is perfect weather and there is no need for AC or heat. I keep my windows open throughout the day. If you look on the weather channel website the forecast for Cochabamba is rather bleak with a 60 percent chance of rain everyday. I dont think anyone is actually looking at any kind of radar though because it has rained only one day in the last three weeks. So basically the weather is perfect everyday.
The only unfortunate part of my trip thusfar has been maintaining my weight. I left at 178lbs, after 5 days I was 175, and after 12 I was 169. I am afraid that number is still dropping because my energy expenditure has been rather high the last few days.


I thought I would share with you all some reflections on the past week here.

The last few weeks I have experienced both the joys of being understood, and the frustrations of being limited in expression by language. Something I have always taken for granted is the ability to be understood. I have come to truly appreciate the simple communication between two people of different languages. It seems as if the cultural barriers melt away when successful communication is achieved. I have been experiencing this joy on a more frequent basis the last few days. It is such a simple thing, but I am encouraged by being able to make the first step in forming relationships with many of the people here. These small joys bring me daily comfort when I am faced with the challenges of not understanding one of the kids or not being able to fully express what I wish to say.

For me it has been easy to forget that the kids I am living with are all orphans. Their living arrangements are very nice and they just seem like large families of brothers and sisters with a Tia or Mama. Almost all of them are very well behaved incredibly loving. Yesterday I was shocked back to reality when after having been asked my birthday by one of the kids, I asked another when his was. He said that he didn’t know and I was immediately reminded that some of these incredibly loving and well taken care of kids have never celebrated a birthday or even had anyone in their lives that cared enough to remind them of their birthday every year. I felt terrible for asking him, but it reminded me of how much these kids need people to support them and care for them in their lives. I am incredibly blessed to have to opportunity to serve these kids and look forward to every day that I can sow into their lives.

Thanks for your continued prayers and thoughts.
Gray

Raul and I with my bike

First Week of Classes

Wow what a week. Today I am finishing my first week of classes here at the Institute. It has been a very intense and busy week of classes and other activities. While I am pretty well adjusted to life here, the classes are still very challenging. Having four consecutive tutorials a day is tough and the pace of learning is very fast. There is no time to relax as I am constantly being engaged with the material. It is however an incredible way of learning the language and I am making good progress everyday. I have never studied so much in my life as I am putting in about 3 hours a day of individual study and more time practicing with the kids.

The days are often filled with peaks and valleys as often the classes are tough and sometimes discouraging, but then the experiences with the kids at Villa Amistad or the interaction with the other students here are very uplifting. I am very thankful to be surrounded by such an eclectic yet focused group of people here.

Here is a typical day this week:

6:00 wake up / reading + prayer
7:30 breakfast in one of the houses w/ the kids
8:30 worship service at the Villa
9:15 journey to school
10:00 study at school
11:45 1st class
12:45 lunch
1:15 2nd class
3:45 end of days classes
4:00 Mass
5:00 Head back to the villa / study
6:30 dinner with the kids
8:00 sports with the kids / study
10:30 shut it down

So the days are pretty busy, I am looking forward to the weekend when I can have some unstructured time with the kids. Tonight I am going out to dinner with a few friends from the institute and two of the Irish priests which should be a good time.

Here is a picture of Casa Amanecer where I had dinner last night (the food here is pretty good if you are not picky and very flexible with what you are willing to eat). I really enjoyed spending time with these kids and experienced one of my most joyful times of my trip so far last night. It may seem like a small feat, but being able to interact and engage the kids in Spanish on a coherent level last night was a very fulfilling experience.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to email me or post a comment below.
Gray

Dawn breaking over Cochabamba The mountains behind Villa Amistad

The kids of Casa Amanecer

Greetings from Cochabamba

Good morning from Cochabamba. I arrived safely on Thursday morning with no problems. My bike made it as well which was a relief. Unfortunately three small key parts were lost in transit, the presta valve adapter, the rear derailleur hanger bolt, and the steer tube bolt. I have not idea where these could have gotten off too, maybe a baggage handler was short a few parts, oh well i hope to have it running in a few days. In the meantime i have been walking to the language school with is a trip of about 4-5 km. I have made the journey three times and gotten lost each time, however my times have been declining, 2 hours the first time, 1.5 the second, and today it was only a 1.25 hour fast paced walk. I only made one bad detour today and should be able to make the return trip in under an hour. My sense of direction has been compromised by the lack of traditional navigational tools such as street signs and maps.

Today I am at the language school about to start my first classes. Today I will have four 1 on 1 tutorials of an hour each. I am very excited to begin and have been very impressed by the institute and the staff. They are incredibly accommodating and tailor each student's program to their individual needs. I will write more about how the classes are going later in the week.

There are about 25-30 students at the institute right now of all different ages and ability levels. There are three young Irish priests, three people from China, one from India and several from all over the US. Right now there are about 5 young people here and the rest are of all different ages and backgrounds. It is really a nice group of very interesting people from all over the world with a common purpose of learning Spanish in order to better serve in a variety of environments. Many of the students are going directly in missions after their language study is complete.

I am living at the Villa Amistad which is an orphanage in NW Cochabamba. I am living with about 75 kids ages 2-14 and several tias or house mothers. My first few days at the Villa have been challenging but also very rewarding. My lack of Spanish at present has presented some difficulties, but I am improving everyday and yesterday felt as if I was able to effectively communicate a little. Spending time with the kids this weekend was very fun and challenging. It is truly a unique experience for me to me completely relaxed since the pace of life is much slower at the Villa than I am used to, but at the same time to be continuously under cognitive stress as I struggle with the language. I have had much time for reflection since I have been here and that has really been how I have kept my spirits up in spite of the endless challenges. One text i have been challenged by is Philipians 2. I hope that this call to humility and service can been the anchoring theme of my trip as well as my life.

I have had some great time for exercise as well and yesterday I climbed the mountain behind the Villa and had a great view from there. I tried to run a bit, but here at 9000 feet, I didn’t last too long and had to walk frequently. Hopefully that will improve in the coming weeks.

The last few days have been filled with incrediblly stimulating new experiences and have forced me to find new personal strength to face my new and radically different environment. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. I am absolutely loving it here and would not want to be anywhere else.

Thanks for reading,
Gray

Welcome

Dear Friends and family-

Thank you all for taking the time to read my blog. Many of you requested to receive email updates of how things were going in Bolivia this spring, so i created a blog to keep anyone who is interested up to date. Feel free to share this site with anyone that might be interested. I leave for Cochabamba on Wednesday January 17th. I will be staying there until the end of April. I will try and post weekly so check back next week for my first entry from Bolivia. Thank you all for your support and prayers during this exciting and challenging time in my life.

Here a brief synopsis of what I will be doing in Bolivia. I am attending intermediate Spanish classes at the Maryknoll Language Institute. This school is run by the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and is world renowned Spanish language school that also teaches Quechua and Aymara, two native dialects. I will be taking classes four hours a day, Mondays- Fridays. The rest of the time I will be at the Villa Amistad. This is the orphanage in Cochabamba run by the Amistad Mission. I will post more about living at the Villa next week when i am settled in.

If any of you follow South American news, you might have seen that there has been some unrest in Bolivia the last few days. This is a fascinating time to be in a country that is undergoing siginificant political changes. In the coming weeks I hope to write some about what is going on with the political and social situation. I have been informed that all is safe for travel and that the disorder is limited to the downtown area of the city.

Thank you for reading. Check back in the next week for another post.

Gray