Projects Abroad, Newsletters from Bolivia

My name is Katherine Chapman and I am student from England. I took a gap year and chose to come to Bolivia to completely immerse myself in a new culture and language. Over the past month, I have taught the children in Cochabamba about basic health and safety and given them special certificates for their efforts courtesy of the British Safety Council.

This is the festival in La Paz that celebrates the 1939 religious festival. The significance of this festival was probably completely lost on the 12 shattered volunteers as we dragged ourselves off the overnight bus from Cochabamba, not caring for the crisp morning air that was blowing on our faces, waking us up. However, after a “quick” check in and finding ourselves in what can only be described as the BEST view in the whole city for what we were about to experience.

How can you describe on paper the emotions felt at South America´s first Climate Change Conference, organized by Bolivian President Evo Morales? Presenters like Nnimmo Bassey spoke frankly about issues that threaten the lives of all living things. More than 10,000 people came for the conference, some in suits with phones and notebooks, some with traditional music and indigenous clothing to celebrate Mother Earth and respect her rights.

“Would you like to go to the Amazon this weekend?” Not a question I had to consider for long. So that Friday afternoon, me and seven other volunteers were of to Chapare, a jungle paradise just three hours drive from Cochabamba. When stepping out of the combi in Villa Tunari, the first thing that strikes you, is the unbelievable heat, so humid that the only thing you can think about, is jumping head first into the nearest pool.

I have a confession to make. My name is Roz and I am a cultureholic. One of the reasons I live in London is the easy access to art, museums, cinemas and theatre, and I can happily wander around exhibitions for hours. So when I arrived in Cochabamba I wondered where I was going to get my art fix.

One of the finest youth teams in Bolivia is strongly linked to Projects Abroad here in Cochabamba. Pelota de Trapo was set up by William Ramallo, arguably the most talented football player in Bolivian history, scoring his most crucial goal in 1994 against Ecuador to send his country to the world cup.

In December we celebrate Christmas, as in most parts of the world. In Bolivia the main celebration occurs on the 24th December. At midnight all the family gets together to share and to toast and enjoy a midnight dinner. Our traditional meal for this festivity is Picaña, a kind of stew made with four kinds of meat, such as pork, lamb, cow meat and poultry all accompanied by corn and potatoes.

On the 1st of November, they say that the spirits from the dead come to visit the living. Here in Bolivia this tradition starts at noon of that day and ends on the 2nd of November. The living prepare all the dishes and drinks that their relatives liked when they were alive. They set a table with all these preparations. Preparations can sometimes start a week in advance.

Here in Bolivia the Halloween celebration is new to all of us, as this is an imported festivity. As the world changes and we entered into a global community Bolivia adopted this festivity as part of the celebrations, especially at schools.

September is the busiest month of the year as we will be celebrating the 14th of September - which is the Cochabamba’s anniversary - then we will celebrate the arrival of Spring on the 21st of September, and then on the 24th of September it is the anniversary of Santa Cruz. Yes, September is a busy month for celebrations!

In August we celebrate Bolivia’s 199th anniversary. The 6th of August is our Independence Day. Every year there are military and civil parades in all the departments of Bolivia, and the Bolivian flag is hung everywhere as a sign of patriotism. So take out your cameras and snap some pictures.

At the university I taught in the “Didáctica Inglesa” programme, helping students who are studying to become English teachers. This included observing the students whilst they delivered practice lessons, helping with their spoken and written English and also commenting on their performance as teachers. This last aspect I found a little uncomfortable at first, as I am not a trained teacher. However, most of my comments came down to common sense and the students seemed happy to accept them.

In June we celebrate San Juan, which is the coldest night of the year. Until 1999 bonfires were lit to keep warm from the cold night in Cochabamba and Bolivia in general. With a population of 2 million in Cochabamba and everyone lighting bonfires, you can imagine what was being done to our environmental. Therefore, the city council prohibited the lighting of bonfires and nowadays, people resort to having a BBQ or “parrilladas” (although you will still get those people who are not environmentally conscious).

I walked in to Centro Sigamos with a ridiculous grin on my face, like I was going to save the world. As a 19-year-old living in a far-away land, full of youthful energy and vigor, I thought I was exactly what Sigamos needed. I pictured days in the sun, playing fútbol with the little niños and easily correcting whatever problems were plaguing them. Hell, this would be easy. But one step into the Center, with dozens of children clutching on to my clothes, touching my sunglasses and marveling at my hair, the smile vanished from my face.

In Bolivia, the 23rd March is recognized as "Día del Mar" (Day of the Sea), remembering the loss of Antofagasta to Chile during the War of the Pacific. Each year, in the city of La Paz, on the 22nd of March, the military march in on the Avenida 16 de Julio and Mariscal Santa Cruz to the Plaza de los Heroes, finishing at the San Francisco Church.

February is an exciting and special month for Bolivians. Just as Carnaval is celebrated in Rio, or Mardi Gras in New Orleans...Bolivia too has its own way of "Festejando el Carnaval!" And the Orureños (people of Oruro) take pride in this holiday as thousands travel to this small city to see Bolivia's great Carnaval.Oruro is just 4 hours from Cochabamba, but plans to go must be made soon as hotels fill up quickly!

To start the New Year, Projects Abroad Bolivia would like to congratulate the success of the Escuelita de la Bienvenida, the new day-care center that volunteer Eva Biard initiated during her time as a volunteer…and continues to fund, along with volunteer Michaela Maucher for the staff and children of Ciudadela SEDEGES. Opened in May 2008, Eva began the day care center in the dining hall of Ciudadela SEDEGES.

Every year, the Fundación Tele Maratón fundraises in benefit of one of Cochabamba’s needy centers. This year, EIFODEC, one of the placements that we support, is the beneficiary of the fundraiser. EIFODEC is Cochabamba’s only center that offers sports activities as well as performing arts for over 120 children with special needs. Many centers around Cochabamba that work with special needs send groups to participate once or twice a week in the various activities EIFODEC offers, such as dance, swimming, football, and many others.

I have been teaching English in the elementary school 'Eufronio Viscarra' for a little bit more than one month now and I have enjoyed every day of it.The principal, the teacher and the students really appreciate my help.

Watching the carefree, laughing faces of the children of Ciudadela Sedeges running around the yard kicking the soccer ball, it’s so easy to forget that these happy, energetic little people have been through so much heartache in their short lives. These kids have each ended up at the Cuidadela for various reasons, ranging from the death of one or both parents, to coming from a family unable to financially or emotionally support them.

Whilst it must have once been the impressive flagship of the fleet, the bus we now found ourselves on seemed a very sorry affair. Windows did not open, seats did not decline, TV screens were non existent and people were lazily sleeping in the aisle. However, this was Bolivia and as our sensibilities to these sorts of happenings were somewhat blunted or even destroyed by now, we didn´t mind. Furthermore, our journey to the pretty town of Buena Vista (100km northwest of Santa Cruz) was only a supposed eight hours away. This, however, clearly wasn´t taking into consideration our driver and his wonderful indifference to anything resembling the constraints of time.

Our food may not be 'haute cuisine', but it sure can make people happier. It is true, what they say of Cochabamba: 'We live to eat, not eat to live'. If you are a person that loves to taste and try new flavors; learn more about local traditions; become a unity with the city, its people, its colors and food… then you have come to the right place.

I remember quite well my first days in Bolivia. I arrived after about seventy-two hours, completely depleted and without my luggage. My only thoughts were about a hot shower and my bed. But, there was one last obstacle that left me trembling in my trousers: meeting my host family and acclimatizing with my home for the next six months. What if they did not like me? What if I did not like them? What if there was absolutely no chemistry between us? I was terrified!

Before starting autumn and winter, and taking adavantage of sunny and warm days, volunteers and staff in Bolivia decided to go for a picinic day to Cabaña de la Torre. It is a natural Spa with thermal springs, which is located at 32 kilometers from Cochabamba, in the direction of La Paz city. Being there you are in touch with nature and huge areas to do many activities. This is why we’ve prepared a really interesting group activity for volunteers: Finding something...

If someone had asked me, before coming to Bolivia, what field of medicine I saw myself going into, the last area on my list would have been paediatrics. It just seems so wrong, so unjust that children so young should get ill and in some cases die, before life has even begun. However that was 2 weeks ago and now I couldn’t think of anything else I would prefer to do.

It was a very nice experience even for me because I was never a good drawer or painter but that day I did my best. I drew a cat that, for some of those present, seemed to look like a monkey!! But it was good to have fun and so we enjoyed our activity. Making jokes is a really nice way to have fun with what you do so it was really, really pleasant.

You will be dazzled when arriving at La Paz city by bus at 5 o’clock in the morning. Even if the cold is softly killing you, you won’t be able to take your nose of the window once you discover the impressive Illimani welcoming travelers to the hoyada*. The all-year-round-snowed mountain can be quite captivating and an amazing first impression of La Paz.

You don't know 'Mis Huellitas'? Then you should learn about it. It is the place where I work in the mornings. A day care centre for babies (from 6 months old) and for children (up till 6 years old). I am the 'mum' of the babies and children up till 3 years old in the Sala Azul (Blue Room). I love to work here. The children always sit on my lap, hug me, kiss me and throw all there soup over me. We paint, we play, we learn the fruits and vegetables and they pull on my hair. The time is gone before I know it.

The actual purpose of our visit was to get involved with activities with the farm and the local children, and this all started on Saturday. After a 6 AM alarm call that was very promptly ignored by Tom and I, we were led of to our respective jobs. I signed up to 'make chicken pens'. The reality was somewhat different, and put me in mind of prison camps in America's Deep South or perhaps slaves during the construction of the pyramids. In essence, our job involved carrying trees, flattening ground and destroying tree roots in 40 plus degrees of heat.

We start our trip on a bus that leaves from Villa Fátima, a crowded little market in the north of the city. After one and a half hours, we start descending down the dusty (and sometimes muddy!) road. Here, the cars drive on the left-hand side of the road with the 300m high cliffs towering next to us. On the right-hand side of the road the cars, buses and trucks are returning to the city.

Just 160km away from the city of Cochabamba is Villa Tunari. It is a little tropical paradise where you can, from time to time, escape from the noise and the hectic routines just to lay down under the sun, swim in crystal clear rivers and catch up with some reading.

Every year in October, Totora hosts the Cultural Festival where artists from all over Cochabamba and Bolivia participate. Musicians, dancers, painters all together wandering, exploring and enjoying the streets of Totora. Also, every year Totora organizes a painting contest which has to reflect the traditional houses, streets and colonial style of the town. They choose 12 winners and publish their paintings in that year's calendar.