Journals
Wednesday,May 31 2006, 03:19:30 PMStarting Thursday may 25th
Thursday, May 25, 2006 7:31 AM San Antonio
Well back here in San Antonio for another week. I got here on Monday evening after yet another exciting bus ride! Basically it was horrible as always. This time it was a little bit more bearable as Chris, Lauren, Vanessa, and I all rode back together on the 20 de Enero, the name of the micro line syndicate.
We all had a good time in the Scru as it was the going away party for B-36, the group that is about to finish their service on Saturday. Unfortunately it was really cold when we went to the resort area and we were unable to take advantage of the pool. We played American football, danced, and had a nice going away party even if I knew that I wouldn’t see most of the people again. My friend Jason, who is the next group to leave, B 37, says that being in the Peace Corps, “Is like changing high schools every three months with one group of friends leaving and a new one coming in”.
On Sunday I did nothing but sit in the hotel room in the hostel we stay at, watch TV and movies, and eat pizza. We were watching cinemax and this show came on with this guy who grew up in Euless, Texas. I said to everyone, hey that dude is from where I went to high school. This guy had tons of tattoos and had according to him “already done the body piercing thing”. According to him he was ready to take it to a new “spiritual” level and have the ultimate body decoration, a gunshot wound. Now this fool proceeded to pay some guy in Dallas, who surprisingly has done this for a few people already, 500$ to shoot him through the shoulder with a .38 special in this guys “gunshot parlor”. I was pretty disturbed by the whole thing and really got to wondering why people in our society are so dissatisfied with just living and why there are people who have to go to such extremes as shooting themselves just to feel different. I mean here in San Antonio life may be simple but no one would ever shoot themselves just to have a scar. I mean most of the people here share the same last name in some form or other and you don’t see them desperately, i.e. shooting yourself, looking for attention.
What’s more I was greeted by some encouraging news when I arrived back to San Antonio. The Artisans held another fund raising lunch. I guess as soon as one group does something and proves that they have success they put the pressure on the rest of the group to do something. Either way we have about 1000 B’s and lack another 600 which they have 3 more weeks to complete in order to complete their contribution for the raw materials bank, which is my keystone project this first year. They might even knock it out this weekend. That and the meeting we had Tuesday night only lasted an hour which just completely astonished me. After we get this bank we will have hopefully solved the issue of never having raw materials to make things. Needless to say it looks as if I might actually be accomplishing something with the Artisans after all.
Tuesday also happened to be Lucio’s birthday. Lucio is pretty much my best friend here in town and really works hard to make things better for his kids. He is a teacher at the high school and with his wife runs one of the better stores in town. He is the kind of guy that is intuitive in giving his customers service. He uses a plastic bag to pick up bread with his hands, always has cold beer, keeps accounting books, and I think probably the guy that is most “with it” in town. I even saw his wife teaching his kid how to read out of a book the other day. I have not seen anyone under 18 reading a book here in San Antonio since I have been here. Needless to say I end up spending a lot of time with him and his family. We exchange English classes for Besero classes and I think that I am going to teach an Econ class to the professors in town. I originally planned for it to be for the high school seniors but after reviewing my syllabus I realized that it is probably too advanced for them. I figure I will run the 10 class course by the professors first and then ask them for their suggestions.
Lucio’s birthday was fun as the Nuns, his family, Chris and Me, and a few other people were in attendance. There were plates of chicken that had a BBQ flavor which who knows how they made. It was good nonetheless. So we had a few beers and ate chicken, rice, potatoes, yucca, and a Brazilian dish the Nuns made. My favorite part of the day was when the one nun, started acting like she was pulling beers out from behind her veil. We joked with here that I had to take a photo to send to Benedicto. Everyone had a good time and I was even able to eat two lunches that day. Tuesday was essentially a win, win, and win some more day for me here in San Antonio.
Geoff
Saturday, May 27, 2006 8:45 AM San Antonio
Today is Mother’s Day in Bolivia and true to form I have been invited to 3 lunches. Mark one down for the visiting team. Yeah! Last night the school put on a program for the mothers in town that started at 7. Unfortunately the lights on the basketball court were out of service, wouldn’t you check that the night before? They thus proceeded to fix the lights and true to form the program didn’t begin until about 7:30 or so. It was pretty strange because the program consisted of the National Anthem, gymnastics/cheerleader pyramid building shows by the older kids, singing songs by the younger kids, and the most rapid poetry readings I have ever heard. All in all it was interesting and I was able to notice some similarities between Mother’s Day here and in the U.S. First of all Mother’s Day is always celebrated more the Fathers day. Dad gets a tie, mom gets a gymnastic program. As Chris Rock says, “Nobody cares about daddy, what does daddy get? Nothing but the big piece of chicken”!
In other great news there is something growing in my garden that is not weeds. I think it is eggplant, some green beans, and a whole bunch of lettuce. We will have to wait and see what is growing as I didn’t really mark down where I planted things. After I finished building the gray water system and the fence for my garden, Chris and I realized that neither of us really had an idea of how to garden or plant vegetables. So this first run was kind of like, uh lets put it in the ground and see what happens.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 11:08 AM Santa Cruz, Bolivia
So got in to Santa Cruz last night, and given the circumstances of the trip it went pretty well. Essentially I was planning to leave San Antonio to come to Santa Cruz on Wednesday morning. Chris kind of hustled that plan along as he was bitten by a dog and PC, with rabies concerns sent the landcruiser to get him. Naturally I took advantage of the free ride and faster trip. It took us 4.5 hours as opposed to 10. Well here I am in the PC office doing some work before my trip to Buenos Aires for a week.
On the home front, San Antonio, the Artisans have raised all the money they need for the raw materials bank, 3 weeks early!!!! I can hardly believe it and am convinced that it is going to snow as this happened, our meeting lasted only 1 hour, and there were sightings of 50 cent taking a bath the other day. There is no way that all three of these occurrences are isolated.
That is it for now,
Geoff
Friday,May 19 2006, 12:53:28 PMMay journal entries
Friday, May 05, 2006 9:39 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
Back in San Antonio after a few days in the Scru, Santa Cruz, with very little sleep that I think ended up giving me a cold that I am in the second day of here in Lomerío. Chris should get back here today to San Antonio so they should start work on our traditional outfits for the San Antonio fest, which is June 12th till the Chicha runs out. Typically 3 or 4 days, it should be fun as there will be donkey races, I will try and enter but they say 10 and under only, a bike race, sack racing, circle dancing, peer pressure drinking – with the peers being 50 years old – lots of food and hopefully a few Peace Corps volunteers who are willing to make the trip down here!
The bad news yesterday was that the artisans have not done a single thing about raising money for there 25% of the thread bank project we are doing. I mean there is essentially free money up for grabs that they have to put a little effort forth in order to receive and for all intensive purposes have not lifted a finger. I guess I have seen here that “God helps those who help themselves” is more than just a phrase down here. It is not that I really care if they want to get better, make more money, be more profitable or etc as I realize these may be U.S. cultural values. If they decide that that is not really what they want to do and are satisfied with the current state of things fine. But why the (insert expletive) did they solicit a volunteer if they were not ready and really willing to do something themselves about the situation. I mean I sure know that I am not going to do it for them!
So the good news this morning is that I found out how to get milk and will be getting half a liter every morning now for my coffee and cereal! So other than not feeling so good everything else is okay. I am supposedly going to finish the fence for my garden on Monday with the help of some people in town and Chris if he gets back here in time.
Geoff
Thursday, May 11, 2006 7:29 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
My fence is finally done! Yeah! After all of that work the fence is finally done and will hopefully protect from the pigs, chickens, donkeys, and any other animal who wants something good to eat. I didn’t really think it would take as much effort to make this fence as it did. I mean I must have put in a good 45 solid hours of work counting all the times cutting and bringing the bamboo from the jungle. Special thanks go out to the people who lent me their time and their animals to haul it the 2 miles from the jungle.
So last night all of us volunteers met here in the Lomerío, Melissa, Vanessa, Lauren, Chris, and Me, and we had a good dinner. I made Tacos with guacamole, salsa, refried beans, and cheese were on the menu and needless to say I think everyone really loved it. I have become really good at making homemade tortillas and the people here still have a hard time believing that I make bread without an oven or yeast. It was good having people over at my house as even after 6 days here by myself I was going a little bit crazy. It is funny how I really tend to get sort of itchy for something to happen around here all the time. I guess it is because San Antonio moves at a very predictable pace, that pace being very slow. Sometimes it is nice and other times it is really frustrating. Then I think of all of you who are working for one of the big 5, or is it 4 now since the Anderson thing, putting in 65 hours weeks crunching numbers for someone that hardly knows you exist and think that I have it pretty good down here..
Last time I was in Santa Cruz they gave us all flew shots and I think that the shot gave me the flu. I was essentially laid up in bed from Friday until Monday which really sucked. Being sick here sucks because you can’t do anything about it and you feel about a million miles from everywhere and everyone. Now all I have to do is go and get some manure for my garden, plant, and there we have it. We will see how successful I will end up being.
Geoff
Monday, May 15, 2006 7:36 AM San Antonio
The garden is at last semi planted. I mean there are things in the ground but we will see how well things grow. I am really waiting for pepper seeds from the states because that is what I want to grow more than anything. Either way we will see how this project goes. On Saturday a group of the Artisans held a fund raiser, finally, in order to raise money towards their contribution of the raw materials bank that I have set up. They made about 400 bolivianos of 50 dollars profit selling plates of pork and chicha. They sold out by 2 pm and I was happy that they were able to organize the whole thing even if it took them a lot longer than it should have. It seems to have spurred the other 3 groups of artisans in to action and now there are 2 more fundraisers planned over the next 2 weeks.
Unfortunately the phone has been out here in San Antonio for 2 weeks so I was unable to call home for Mothers day! Know that I was thinking about you mom.
On Saturday I was invited, as I always am, to the birthday of a girl in town. That sounds bad but the truth is I am always one of the most honored guests. I think it has something to do with my camera. Actually I know it is because of the camera. If you have a camera you have V.I.P access to any event in San Antonio including parties, weddings, Passions, etc. I like the birthday parties here because there is normally cake, empanadas, and candy of some sort. That and I get to listen to the same 15 songs over and over again while the kids dance to them. I think that there are only 15 songs on CD in the entire Lomerío and that if you try and shy away from those 15 the people totally shut down. In a way they are worse at killing musical variety than Clear Channel. The highlight of this party was the piñata and the ensuing aftermath as the kids fought over all of the candy. See photos .That and there was a kid dancing who has completely mastered the pelvic thrust. I mean that was his move. The music would come on and he would put his hand behind his head and just start pelvic thrusting with all his might to the beat. Chris me and the 2 Italian volunteers Hardman and Dario thought it was hilarious.
Later on Saturday night we had a few beers in front of Lucio’s store and there was a guy who was really wasted. Notice the stay off the sauce photo. Well there you go that is it for now.
Oh one more thing that I forgot. So we were at the birthday party and Chris goes to the latrine. Now who knows what possessed him to go and urinate in the latrine when the normal thing to do is find a corner, tree, semi-empty street etc. to urinate on. So on his way out of the latrine he steps on a board which cracks and he takes a tumble into the latrine. Fortunately he didn’t fall in to the refuse below but he got to close for comfort I am sure. So anyways Chris twisted his ankle and hurt his knee which really sucks down here because we walk everywhere. Of course he is really hearing about it from me. I mean what kind of basic sanitation volunteer can’t even go to the bathroom in a latrine without destroying something and hurting himself?
Geoff
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 1:48 PM San Antonio
So today some pretty funny things have happened! First of all I am totally ready to get out of here and to SC for a few days. I am totally burnt out of being out here and am ready to be out of the boondocks for a few days. That and there is a party for the next group, Melissa’s, that is leaving because they have finished their service. Last night Chris and I climbed the water tower in town to check out the sunset and it was spectacular. See photos.
So today 50 cent is walking by as usual asking for his usual 50 cents for whatever he needs with it and Chris and I decide to give him a gift. It seems someone in the states sent Chris one of those Mardi Gras jester hats with the bells on it. See photos and we decided that the best use of it would be to give it to 50 cent. He loved it and is wearing this hat around town with a big smile on his face. Now to some of you outsiders it may seem that this is cruel or unkind or even unbecoming of us. The way Chris and I see it we are some of the nicer ones and town to fiddy and as an outsider to truly understand the situation with him you would have to be here and see his role in town. He is not the village idiot as that role has several other candidates, at times I think including myself and Chris, he is way too comical for that but perhaps more of the town’s comic relief or even now with his new hat the town jester. So check out the photos of fiddy and his hat. It makes me laugh to think about it, and I am beginning to believe that a little bit of laughter can bring some smiles to the town for the whole day.
Geoff
Friday,May 19 2006, 12:53:00 PMMay journal entries
Friday, May 05, 2006 9:39 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
Back in San Antonio after a few days in the Scru, Santa Cruz, with very little sleep that I think ended up giving me a cold that I am in the second day of here in Lomerío. Chris should get back here today to San Antonio so they should start work on our traditional outfits for the San Antonio fest, which is June 12th till the Chicha runs out. Typically 3 or 4 days, it should be fun as there will be donkey races, I will try and enter but they say 10 and under only, a bike race, sack racing, circle dancing, peer pressure drinking – with the peers being 50 years old – lots of food and hopefully a few Peace Corps volunteers who are willing to make the trip down here!
The bad news yesterday was that the artisans have not done a single thing about raising money for there 25% of the thread bank project we are doing. I mean there is essentially free money up for grabs that they have to put a little effort forth in order to receive and for all intensive purposes have not lifted a finger. I guess I have seen here that “God helps those who help themselves” is more than just a phrase down here. It is not that I really care if they want to get better, make more money, be more profitable or etc as I realize these may be U.S. cultural values. If they decide that that is not really what they want to do and are satisfied with the current state of things fine. But why the (insert expletive) did they solicit a volunteer if they were not ready and really willing to do something themselves about the situation. I mean I sure know that I am not going to do it for them!
So the good news this morning is that I found out how to get milk and will be getting half a liter every morning now for my coffee and cereal! So other than not feeling so good everything else is okay. I am supposedly going to finish the fence for my garden on Monday with the help of some people in town and Chris if he gets back here in time.
Geoff
Thursday, May 11, 2006 7:29 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
My fence is finally done! Yeah! After all of that work the fence is finally done and will hopefully protect from the pigs, chickens, donkeys, and any other animal who wants something good to eat. I didn’t really think it would take as much effort to make this fence as it did. I mean I must have put in a good 45 solid hours of work counting all the times cutting and bringing the bamboo from the jungle. Special thanks go out to the people who lent me their time and their animals to haul it the 2 miles from the jungle.
So last night all of us volunteers met here in the Lomerío, Melissa, Vanessa, Lauren, Chris, and Me, and we had a good dinner. I made Tacos with guacamole, salsa, refried beans, and cheese were on the menu and needless to say I think everyone really loved it. I have become really good at making homemade tortillas and the people here still have a hard time believing that I make bread without an oven or yeast. It was good having people over at my house as even after 6 days here by myself I was going a little bit crazy. It is funny how I really tend to get sort of itchy for something to happen around here all the time. I guess it is because San Antonio moves at a very predictable pace, that pace being very slow. Sometimes it is nice and other times it is really frustrating. Then I think of all of you who are working for one of the big 5, or is it 4 now since the Anderson thing, putting in 65 hours weeks crunching numbers for someone that hardly knows you exist and think that I have it pretty good down here..
Last time I was in Santa Cruz they gave us all flew shots and I think that the shot gave me the flu. I was essentially laid up in bed from Friday until Monday which really sucked. Being sick here sucks because you can’t do anything about it and you feel about a million miles from everywhere and everyone. Now all I have to do is go and get some manure for my garden, plant, and there we have it. We will see how successful I will end up being.
Geoff
Monday, May 15, 2006 7:36 AM San Antonio
The garden is at last semi planted. I mean there are things in the ground but we will see how well things grow. I am really waiting for pepper seeds from the states because that is what I want to grow more than anything. Either way we will see how this project goes. On Saturday a group of the Artisans held a fund raiser, finally, in order to raise money towards their contribution of the raw materials bank that I have set up. They made about 400 bolivianos of 50 dollars profit selling plates of pork and chicha. They sold out by 2 pm and I was happy that they were able to organize the whole thing even if it took them a lot longer than it should have. It seems to have spurred the other 3 groups of artisans in to action and now there are 2 more fundraisers planned over the next 2 weeks.
Unfortunately the phone has been out here in San Antonio for 2 weeks so I was unable to call home for Mothers day! Know that I was thinking about you mom.
On Saturday I was invited, as I always am, to the birthday of a girl in town. That sounds bad but the truth is I am always one of the most honored guests. I think it has something to do with my camera. Actually I know it is because of the camera. If you have a camera you have V.I.P access to any event in San Antonio including parties, weddings, Passions, etc. I like the birthday parties here because there is normally cake, empanadas, and candy of some sort. That and I get to listen to the same 15 songs over and over again while the kids dance to them. I think that there are only 15 songs on CD in the entire Lomerío and that if you try and shy away from those 15 the people totally shut down. In a way they are worse at killing musical variety than Clear Channel. The highlight of this party was the piñata and the ensuing aftermath as the kids fought over all of the candy. See photos .That and there was a kid dancing who has completely mastered the pelvic thrust. I mean that was his move. The music would come on and he would put his hand behind his head and just start pelvic thrusting with all his might to the beat. Chris me and the 2 Italian volunteers Hardman and Dario thought it was hilarious.
Later on Saturday night we had a few beers in front of Lucio’s store and there was a guy who was really wasted. Notice the stay off the sauce photo. Well there you go that is it for now.
Oh one more thing that I forgot. So we were at the birthday party and Chris goes to the latrine. Now who knows what possessed him to go and urinate in the latrine when the normal thing to do is find a corner, tree, semi-empty street etc. to urinate on. So on his way out of the latrine he steps on a board which cracks and he takes a tumble into the latrine. Fortunately he didn’t fall in to the refuse below but he got to close for comfort I am sure. So anyways Chris twisted his ankle and hurt his knee which really sucks down here because we walk everywhere. Of course he is really hearing about it from me. I mean what kind of basic sanitation volunteer can’t even go to the bathroom in a latrine without destroying something and hurting himself?
Geoff
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 1:48 PM San Antonio
So today some pretty funny things have happened! First of all I am totally ready to get out of here and to SC for a few days. I am totally burnt out of being out here and am ready to be out of the boondocks for a few days. That and there is a party for the next group, Melissa’s, that is leaving because they have finished their service. Last night Chris and I climbed the water tower in town to check out the sunset and it was spectacular. See photos.
So today 50 cent is walking by as usual asking for his usual 50 cents for whatever he needs with it and Chris and I decide to give him a gift. It seems someone in the states sent Chris one of those Mardi Gras jester hats with the bells on it. See photos and we decided that the best use of it would be to give it to 50 cent. He loved it and is wearing this hat around town with a big smile on his face. Now to some of you outsiders it may seem that this is cruel or unkind or even unbecoming of us. The way Chris and I see it we are some of the nicer ones and town to fiddy and as an outsider to truly understand the situation with him you would have to be here and see his role in town. He is not the village idiot as that role has several other candidates, at times I think including myself and Chris, he is way too comical for that but perhaps more of the town’s comic relief or even now with his new hat the town jester. So check out the photos of fiddy and his hat. It makes me laugh to think about it, and I am beginning to believe that a little bit of laughter can bring some smiles to the town for the whole day.
Geoff
Tuesday,May 2 2006, 01:50:54 PMApril
Friday, April 07, 2006 9:14 PM San Antonio de Lomerío
Well back to San Antonio. The last few weeks have been pretty hectic as we had our 3 month reunion for my Peace Corps group. It was really interesting hearing everyone’s different stories. One thing that I have noticed is that right now pretty much everyone is at a state of cultural adjustment where they are just mad at how everything is down here. Other than that things are pretty good. I am motivated anew to start some projects here in San Antonio. I am starting to write lesson plans for an economics class that I am going to teach to the high school seniors here in town. I am also organizing a small business association of San Antonio which I am going to teach basic micro-enterprise accounting and business planning sorts of things. That and I will be putting in a garden with a recycled water irrigations system in my yard. I will also be managing the construction teams of some of the rain-water catchment systems that are Chris’s main project. All it all it seems as if I am going to be busy for the next few months. Between those projects, using my slingshot to keep the dogs out of my yard, studying for the GMAT, cooking food, and so forth I hope that during these next few months I will begin to be so busy instead of the last few months where I was, well, so not busy.
I suppose I did what I was supposed to in the first three months which was to integrate into the community and really see how I can help out here. So that is it for today.
Geoff
Saturday, April 08, 2006 6:13 PM San Antonio de Lomerío
Today was hard work but fun. I went with Anicleto to cut bamboo, or huapa, for the fence for my soon to be planted garden. We left San Antonio at 7 in the morning and cut down bamboo in the forest until noon. Tomorrow morning we are supposed to go and pick it all up with two donkeys. We will see how far we get but I figure today that we cut enough for about 18 feet or one side of my garden.
During the cutting of the bamboo I was lucky enough to be bitten by huge ants, bleed from my nose after poking my self with a stick, cut my hand, get really dirty and sweaty, and generally have a really fun manly time of the whole situation.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006 8:26 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
Well after a Sunday of cutting the huapa that we thought was necessary to finish at least one wall of my garden fence Chris and I made it back in town in time to cook some lunch.
Let’s talk about cutting huapa. Huapa cutting is fun. It is hard work but fun. First you get to use this huge machete. Then you get to use this machete to cut anything you want. Pretty cool huh?
Now this bamboo stretches about 30 feet into the air and is generally entangled with upper canopy vines, smaller branches etc . . . Thus it makes it quite a challenge to pull the entire piece down from the top of the canopy. When I cut the huapa I feel as if I am in a personal challenge with the forest. My weapons are the machete, my “intelligence” and willpower. The forest has on its side hundreds of years of evolution, ( I guess that I do to) crazy biting ants, stinging nettles, poisonous plants, mosquitoes, horse fly’s, undergrowth, and a raw stubbornness not to hand over the huapa. I suppose cutting of the huapa from the forest comes down to my willpower and brute force against the ingrained stubbornness and years of resilience of the forest. Maybe I shouldn’t personify this battle but it sure makes me feel a lot better when I am tired, bleeding, and want to give up to think that this thing is going to beat me. That is when I get that extra burst of energy and slash any interfering growth with my machete.
We pretty much worked yesterday from 8 am until 2 pm to bring all of the huapa back here to San Antonio as where we were was about 2 miles away. After eating a huge plate of rice, potatoes, and fried chicken I continued to work by digging a drainage ditch so when it rains really hard it doesn’t flood my garden.
Well I am off to find something to do today. My motto for the next few months is “Do something, do anything!”
After our meeting in Cochabamba last month I have really recharged my batteries and decided that if the Artisans are not ready to take advantage of me then that is there problem. There is plenty of stuff I can be doing here in town and people who have asked for my help in other ways. No longer am I going to force presentations, meetings, workshops on the people. If they really want it they will work it out and come to me to ask for it. I just decided enough reading books, sitting on porches, etc. Now that was exactly what I was supposed to do in the first three months. Porch sit and hang out in order to meet people and build trust. Now that three months is over and it is time to do something, do anything!!!!!!!
Geoff
Saturday, April 15, 2006 8:49 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
So currently an amazing thing has happened. We have had our first suraso, or, southern come through San Antonio. This is similar to the blue northerns that come down from Canada into Texas. Basically we are getting a cold front, 50’s temperatures, that moves up from Argentina and stays for 5 days. It is great. One thing that is funny about this though is that the people are now dressed like Eskimo’s. So I suppose while I sit here with cold rain coming down in buckets and D’Angelo in my headphones I can recount the happenings of the past few days.
So I am still working on my garden and have lugged rocks, dug deeper ditches, and I am pretty much ready to lay the tubing for the gray water system I am putting in. It has been hard work but fun. It has been nice to get my hands dirty after not really doing anything physical for a long time.
Well Easter here started this week during Semana Santa. Yesterday was Good Friday and the town staged a Passion. The kids in town played the parts of the Romans, Jesus, and others. It was interesting watching the whole town walk around following Jesus on his way to the cross. It was definitely a town happening as it involved singing, speakers, and children, all three favorites of Lomerianos. I am personally surprised that chicha was not involved. Tomorrow is Easter and I am spending Easter with The Parapaino’s. Easter is all about eating chicken and turkey here. All chicken and turkey, yucca, rice surely, potatoes, and some form of “salad”. Oh and like all events in San Antonio after mass it will involve copious amounts of Alcohol, mainly Chicha but also this cane liquor from brazil. We will see how this goes and for how many days the party continues. Generally I would guess that there will still be the sound of drums come noon on Monday and that some of the people in town will still be riding the chicha dragon. I guess we will just have to see. Alright well it is off to enjoy the “cold”.
Geoff
Sunday, April 16, 2006 7:15 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
I have a blanket on my bed. This is awesome. I also slept with jogging pants and a long sleeved shirt. They told me that the surrasos were cold but I had trouble believing them. It is not really cold but when you put high 40’s in comparison to high 90’s most of the year, it is freezing here right now. I have been put up to a challenge and am ready and willing to meet this challenge. In typical fashion I have been invited at the last minute to attend two other Easter dinners. This means that I have 3 plates of food to eat, minimum, which is great in light of my 25 pounds of weight loss since leaving Texas. Well I will let you know how this goes.
Geoff
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 7:38 AM San Antonio de Lomerío
So yesterday we started on the first of 25 tanks through a project that is run through the Bolivian Green Cross. Chris and I are a little bit opposed to the project because we see it as completely unsustainable. First of all the tanks are going to be in public places and they have not worked out a management system or even who will be responsible for maintaining the tank once the green cross leaves. Then the community is not contributing any money towards the project. Shouldn’t the people who are going to be getting the water at least put forth a little bit of money towards the project. More than anything so that they are invested in the project and see that if the tank breaks it is their money that they are wasting.
Needless to say yesterday I saw the first evidence of problems with the project. We laid the base yesterday and lets just say that mixing cement by hand sucks, as does cutting rebar without a torch, and compacting dirt without a machine. Anyways as the afternoon wore one it ended up being Chris, myself, and 3 other men from the neighborhood who were working on the water tank. Shouldn’t the people who are always complaining about water, who are going to get water out of this tank, who live in that neighborhood, be ready to jump at any opportunity to get more water? I mean I think it is ridiculous that there are 6-8 families and only 3 or 4 dudes showed up to help! For me it is yet another example of a culture of dependency and give me give me that I have seen here in San Antonio. Of course there are a handful of people, like my friend Juan Flores who Chris and I call John Flowers, that are always willing to throw their back in the project. Yesterday Chris and I were saying to the people where are the people who live here, I mean we don’t mind working on these projects, we are supposed to be technical help and some labor, but we have “insert expletive” water in my house back home. Where the hell are the people who are always coming to Chris and me asking about when we are going to have a tank project for them? It is really frustrating sometimes