Hola!
I hope you all have been having a wonderful March! Mine has been going well here in Bolivia, but unfortunately I missed pi day. (I did end up in a cafe called "Pi Cafe" though, so I guess I'm lucky!)
It's been a while since I wrote an update, so this might be a long one! Here we go!
A few weeks ago, we took another break from our regularly scheduled programming to head on an excursion to La Paz, El Alto, and the tiny little pueblita of Tocoli. Arriving in La Paz from Cochabamba was sort of like arriving in New York from Boston. Although La Paz lacks the skyscrapers and the glitz (and the green space) of NYC, it more than makes up for it in incredible scenery, interesting people, beautiful weavings, fascinating politics, and mind-blowing geography (seriously, look up some maps). Another lovely surprise was our hotel. There were towels AND toilet paper! WOAH! But seriously, it was a very nice hotel, which was a nice change after the dinky hostel in Oruro.
Our first morning in La Paz, we walked to a talk about Andean cosmology, where we learned more about dualism and the role of balance in human life and in the universe. I'm really loving this aspect of our program actually; although the idea of reciprocity and balance is really resonating with me, I'm having a hard time with the male-female dualism. Although the sexism in the indigenous communities seems to be a far muted version than what the Europeans brought over, the strictly fixed roles of men and women create an incredibly gendered existence that makes me uncomfortable. I'll talk more about this when I get to the rural homestay in Tocoli. Anyway, on our way to the talk, a very Bolivian thing happened. We encountered a bloqueo (road block) due to political protests. The disabled community in Bolivia has been protesting to gain more rights and higher monthly pensions. One street that we passed was filled with tents, people in wheel chairs, and signs propped against walls and lamp posts. Unfortunately, our talk was in an "official" building, so the road was blocked. But thank goodness for friends-in-high-places. Our Academic Director Ismael managed to talk them into letting us through. It was a bizarre experience to pass through a military road block as a large group of white students as Bolivians watched or walked by with indignance or disinterest. They called us one by one and we walked down one of La Paz's many steeply sloped streets to our talk.
After the talk, we walked around the city, which is no easy feat, given the high altitude and the hilly city (seriously, it could beat San Francisco with its hilliness). The streets are lined with semi-touristy shops where you can buy alpaca sweaters, leg warmers, hats, scarves, weavings, jewelery, llama fetuses... Wait, what??? Yea, llama fetuses. They use them in the Q'oa ceremony, which is a monthly offering of gratitude to the pachamama (mother earth). (Ok, it's a little bit more complicated than that, but I don't feel qualified to fully explain it....wikipedia?). It was kind of fun to walk around and be a little bit touristy for a while. The city seemed to be teeming with European and Israeli tourists. There were MANY signs in Hebrew, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also managed to convince some of my friends to come with me to an Israeli restaurant. The food was surprisingly delicious and authentic (my tongue did joyous metaphorical back-flips after eating falafel and shakshuka). I also got to talk to a bunch of Israelis traveling in La Paz. It was hilarious and difficult to try to convince my brain to function in Hebrew after a month and a half of forcing it into Spanish mode. But it worked! I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face for the rest of the day. It felt like a little bit of home in a very foreign place.
While staying in La Paz, we also visited El Alto, the fastest growing city in Latin America. It's perched above La Paz, with incredibly striking views of the surrounding mountains. It also is where most of the poor people live. We visited Teatro Trono, a theater company that blew my mind with its awesomeness. (Again, sorry about my English...my brain is a wee bit tired). The seven-story building itself is constructed from entirely recycled materials; but even cooler is what goes on inside. It was started by a man who wanted to give street kids an opportunity to participate in theater and the arts. They put on plays, dances, radio shows, and travel all over the world (and Bolivia!) to show their work. Topics range from indigenous rights, to poverty, hunger, politics, LGBTQ issues, etc. It was really exciting and empowering to see what a disempowered group has done to make their voices heard.
We also visited Mujeres Creando, one of two anarchist feminist groups in La Paz/El Alto. Run by a ;esbian, Aymara feminist, they use their space (a lovely coffee shop) as a place for art and concerts, and also for political organizing. Julieta (the director), spoke to us about community, and how modern society and neoliberalism has forsaken the power of community. It was SO cool to hear this woman speak with such passion. She channels some of the values of her community (communalism, reciprocity, etc.) while rejecting the heterosexist and individualist norms that are pervasive and oppressive. I might end up working with her for my Independent Study Project. (I have SO much more to say about this, but I have a feeling you'll hear more about this organization a bit later on!)
After a few days in La Paz/El Alto, we headed to Tocoli, a TINY village on the shores of Lake Titicaca for our rural homestay. Things I had to get used to: peeing in front of dogs and cows, freezing winds, waking up at 5am, walking up a mountain to go home, speaking in hand gestures, potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, POTATOES!!!!! While in Tocoli, I mostly ate potatoes (three different varieties, actually!), and choclo (a much bigger, less sweet version of our corn). Lauren and I spent the few days with an elderly woman and her husband who spoke Aymara and very little Spanish. We managed to communicate though! We also had the privilege of waking up to stunning views of Lake Titicaca every morning. We spent one whole morning lounging by the lake with all of the host families (and all of their adorable kids). I also swam in the coldest water I've every swum in. Life in Tocoli is incredibly quiet, punctuated by braying donkeys, moo-ing cows, and the occasional barking dog. Although the whole community lives on one mountain-side, it seemed deserted and eerily quiet. Each family has its own garden where they grow potatoes....and potatoes...and some herbs and the occasional other vegetable. Other veggies come in from La Paz when someone treks the several hours down to the city. I'm still not sure what I think of this whole experience. We're constantly supposed to be thinking about reciprocity, and I tried SO hard to let our hosts know how grateful we were for their generosity, but the language barrier was pretty high. I hope they know how much we appreciated their hospitality.
Jumping ahead a few weeks!
We just got back from a visit to Sucre (the official capital), and Potosí, the famous mining city. Sucre felt really odd to me. The entire city is made up of colonial architecture and touristy restaurants. We spent most of our time there in museums or walking around trying not to buy too much of Sucre's famous chocolate. We had a big birthday party for one of the students in this awesome restaurant where we danced ourselves silly with Ismael and his wife. It was really good to let loose with the whole group. After two days in Sucre, we woke up early for the 4 hour drive to Potosí. We ended up actually driving through the city for an excursion to the nearby hotsprings. The pictures say it all :-).
We returned to Potosí for a free afternoon, which most of us spent just walking around and relaxing. We visited an incredibly old cathedral that is currently being refurbished. Our tour-guide was hilarious and learned all of our names so that he could punctuate his sentences with, "no ve, Eliana?" (right, Eliana?). We also found THE BEST hot chocolate/coffee I have ever had in my entire life. It was life-changing. That's all I can say.
The next day, we headed to the mines. We all bought a bag of coca leaves and a giant bottle of soda to give to the miners we encountered. Then, we got dressed in our "protective" outer gear that included a hard-hat, a head lamp, polyester pants and jacket, and knee-high rubber boots. With our kindly tour guide, we headed into the mines. More than 8 million indigenous and African slaves/workers have died in these mines since colonial times when Potosí was one of the biggest cities in the world. It is said that they extracted enough silver to build a silver bridge from Potosí to Spain. The mines are actually still functioning, with more than 15,000 miners still working there in deplorable conditions every day. Some don't come out of the mines for days at a time. We were only in the mountain for a few hours and we all came out coughing and headachy from the dust and stale air. We had to crouch and crawl and avoid wagons full of minerals on their way out. I think my body was in enough shock that my mind wasn't able to fully comprehend what I was witnessing. We spoke briefly to a 13 year old miner who stopped to ask us for soda and some coca. (The coca keeps the miners awake and suppresses hunger). I felt dirty and deeply sad and angered when we came out of the mines. I still don't know if I can fully reflect on it.
After a chill night back down at our hotel, we woke up at 4:30am for the drive back to Sucre for our flight back to Cochabamba. I've started to feel homesick every time I leave this city, which I think is a good thing. It feels nice and comfortable to be back home with my host family in a city I recognize and and starting to get to know.
Oh! I forgot to write about the Jews!! Two other students and I went to Friday night services last week at an old synagogue in Cochabamba. The words were all the same, and they were mumbled through as one might expect at certain synagogues, but it felt SO nice to be surrounded by something completely familiar. The Bolivian Jews there subtly stared at the 3 gringas (white girls) sitting in the women's section, and then invited us over for Shabbat dinner. We ate a comical mix of Bolivian and traditional Eastern European food, and talked with the young Jews about what it's like to grow up in a city where there are only about 50 Jewish families. We also spoke with an old man who came to Bolivia in the 1940s from Poland. He speaks: Polish, Russian, German, Italian, Yiddish, Spanish, Quechua, and a little bit of Hebrew. CRAZY! I was so grateful to be invited in for a nice Shabbat dinner with people who talked about shechting and mitzvos and shobbiss. Oy. We also went to a Purim party on Sunday, where about 30 people came to drink coffee, eat sufganiyot ("we can't get hamentaschen here"), and tell the story of Purim. Once again, I felt embraced with such a warmth, I was speechless with gratitude.
I think that's the biggest feeling I have right now. Despite the incredible physical and emotional difficulties of the last month, I feel so blessed and lucky to be surrounded by such love and beauty. I'm going into this Shabbat with an intense gratitude for the kindness and beauty of the people and the land around me. I am reminded of a quote from Psalm 23: "Kosi r'vaya," my cup overflows.
With that, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Thanks for reading this far!!!
Shabbat shalom and besos (kisses)!
Eliana
(ps as usual I'd love to hear how you're doing!)
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Bolivia post 2: Feb 22
Dearest friends and family,
I've just finished week three in Bolivia, where things are pretty soaking wet. For a few reasons. It's been raining pretty much non-stop since my comment about how nice the weather is. Also, it's Carnaval! The activity of choice during these days (weeks?) involves foam in a can and under-filled (and therefore painful) water balloons. (More on Carnaval in a bit). Also, last week, we experienced an unprecedented hailstorm that resulted in several inches of hail throughout the city (and on my roof!) The houses here aren't really built for such weather events, so my cozy little room ended up being a nice lagito (little lake...check out the pictures!). My host mom graciously helped me squeegee-dry my room, but my clothes are still, shall we say, damp. But my bed is warm and dry and the sun occasionally peeks out to say hello, so I can't complain.
CLASSES:
My classes continue to be fascinating and challenging, which is proving to be a pretty inspiring combination. We finished our unit on Bolivian political history, taught be historian Rafael Puente. While the subject matter was interesting, his lecturing style wasn't my favorite (and his bright orange sweater proved to be the source of an occasional but persistent headache).
CARNAVAL:
Our classes were briefly interrupted by a trip to Oruro, the acclaimed world capital* of Carnaval. The drive to Oruro was absolutely stunning and humbling. (See pictures for a glimpse). The Andes are incredibly awe-inspiring. As our bus lumbered around corners and up steep (paved and unpaved) roads, we caught a small glimpse of a calmer (yet wilder) Bolivia. We took advantage of the spacious public bathrooms (read: hillside) and breathed the fresh and ever-thinning air. As we weaved among the mountains, it felt as if we were part of a caravan of pilgrims to this Carnaval festival. After a 6 hour drive, we arrived in Oruro where the elevation tops 12,000 feet. The modern city of Oruro exists almost primarily for this festival. The economy there is based solely on the four-day festival during which the population more than triples.
The Carnaval parade lasts from 8 am on Saturday until 3am on Sunday (yes, that's 19 hours), only to begin again at 9am on Sunday. Persistent traditional Carnaval drums and brass music become the heartbeat of the city for the whole weekend. (One learns how to fall asleep to tubas, trumpets, and bass drums). I could try to describe the costumes and dancing to you, but the phenomenon of the parade is best described in pictures (check out the picasa album!). It was definitely a fascinating and colorful experience. The parade tells the history of Bolivia, including the stories of the colonization, the exploitation of indigenous people in the mines, the exploitation of kidnapped Africans in the mines, the effects of altitude...all with a bit of Catholicism thrown in.
My least favorite part about the whole experience was the espuma (foam in a can). Teenagers (and small children, and adults, and grandmas) wander around the city and sit in the bleachers and gleefully cover unsuspecting people in the soapy foam. We found ourselves ducking every time we heard the shake of a spray can. I still have dreams about it. Oy. All in all, Carnaval was an interesting experience...though I'm not sure I'll do it again anytime soon. (Though I did get an AWESOME wig out of it...again, check the pictures).
BACK IN COCHA:
After our adventure in Oruro, we arrived back in Cochabamba for two "ferriado" (furlough?) days. I spent these days sleeping, doing homework, encouraging the sun to come out, and hanging out with my host-bro. It was definitely an exhausting couple of days, and I'm feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, but I'm also feeling so grateful to be surrounded by such loving people. The people on my program and our directors (and my host-family!) are so loving and giving, it's hard to imagine I could ever give back the amount of love I receive on a daily basis.
We learned today a bit more about Andean cosmovision. We talked about the concept of ayni (roughly translated as reciprocity) and how that manifests itself in Andean ideology, music, and religion. We learned that everything has its pair or its opposite: our body parts, our souls, etc. Even G-d is made up of equal parts good and bad (because one cannot exist without the other). In traditional indigenous music, there must be at least two people to play the melody line (almost switching off notes on the pan flute). We also learned about the different cosmic and earthly spheres (which reminded me very much of what I've learned about Kabbalah). The take-away of this lesson is that life (and death) are all about balance. One has to balance the good and the bad, the strong and the weak, the joy and the sadness. This resonated deeply with me, especially after an exhausting (and exhilarating!) week.
For some reason (not really sure why), I was reminded of a part of a prayer by Reb Nachman that has become my mantra for this week:
"Help me find satisfaction and a deep abiding pleasure in all that I have, in all that I do, in all that I am."
On that note, I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and a relaxing weekend!
Thanks for reading this far! And, as usual, I would LOOOVE to hear what you're up to.
Love and empenadas (YUM!),
Eliana
(pictures: HERE!)
*so claim the Bolivians
I've just finished week three in Bolivia, where things are pretty soaking wet. For a few reasons. It's been raining pretty much non-stop since my comment about how nice the weather is. Also, it's Carnaval! The activity of choice during these days (weeks?) involves foam in a can and under-filled (and therefore painful) water balloons. (More on Carnaval in a bit). Also, last week, we experienced an unprecedented hailstorm that resulted in several inches of hail throughout the city (and on my roof!) The houses here aren't really built for such weather events, so my cozy little room ended up being a nice lagito (little lake...check out the pictures!). My host mom graciously helped me squeegee-dry my room, but my clothes are still, shall we say, damp. But my bed is warm and dry and the sun occasionally peeks out to say hello, so I can't complain.
CLASSES:
My classes continue to be fascinating and challenging, which is proving to be a pretty inspiring combination. We finished our unit on Bolivian political history, taught be historian Rafael Puente. While the subject matter was interesting, his lecturing style wasn't my favorite (and his bright orange sweater proved to be the source of an occasional but persistent headache).
CARNAVAL:
Our classes were briefly interrupted by a trip to Oruro, the acclaimed world capital* of Carnaval. The drive to Oruro was absolutely stunning and humbling. (See pictures for a glimpse). The Andes are incredibly awe-inspiring. As our bus lumbered around corners and up steep (paved and unpaved) roads, we caught a small glimpse of a calmer (yet wilder) Bolivia. We took advantage of the spacious public bathrooms (read: hillside) and breathed the fresh and ever-thinning air. As we weaved among the mountains, it felt as if we were part of a caravan of pilgrims to this Carnaval festival. After a 6 hour drive, we arrived in Oruro where the elevation tops 12,000 feet. The modern city of Oruro exists almost primarily for this festival. The economy there is based solely on the four-day festival during which the population more than triples.
The Carnaval parade lasts from 8 am on Saturday until 3am on Sunday (yes, that's 19 hours), only to begin again at 9am on Sunday. Persistent traditional Carnaval drums and brass music become the heartbeat of the city for the whole weekend. (One learns how to fall asleep to tubas, trumpets, and bass drums). I could try to describe the costumes and dancing to you, but the phenomenon of the parade is best described in pictures (check out the picasa album!). It was definitely a fascinating and colorful experience. The parade tells the history of Bolivia, including the stories of the colonization, the exploitation of indigenous people in the mines, the exploitation of kidnapped Africans in the mines, the effects of altitude...all with a bit of Catholicism thrown in.
My least favorite part about the whole experience was the espuma (foam in a can). Teenagers (and small children, and adults, and grandmas) wander around the city and sit in the bleachers and gleefully cover unsuspecting people in the soapy foam. We found ourselves ducking every time we heard the shake of a spray can. I still have dreams about it. Oy. All in all, Carnaval was an interesting experience...though I'm not sure I'll do it again anytime soon. (Though I did get an AWESOME wig out of it...again, check the pictures).
BACK IN COCHA:
After our adventure in Oruro, we arrived back in Cochabamba for two "ferriado" (furlough?) days. I spent these days sleeping, doing homework, encouraging the sun to come out, and hanging out with my host-bro. It was definitely an exhausting couple of days, and I'm feeling emotionally and physically exhausted, but I'm also feeling so grateful to be surrounded by such loving people. The people on my program and our directors (and my host-family!) are so loving and giving, it's hard to imagine I could ever give back the amount of love I receive on a daily basis.
We learned today a bit more about Andean cosmovision. We talked about the concept of ayni (roughly translated as reciprocity) and how that manifests itself in Andean ideology, music, and religion. We learned that everything has its pair or its opposite: our body parts, our souls, etc. Even G-d is made up of equal parts good and bad (because one cannot exist without the other). In traditional indigenous music, there must be at least two people to play the melody line (almost switching off notes on the pan flute). We also learned about the different cosmic and earthly spheres (which reminded me very much of what I've learned about Kabbalah). The take-away of this lesson is that life (and death) are all about balance. One has to balance the good and the bad, the strong and the weak, the joy and the sadness. This resonated deeply with me, especially after an exhausting (and exhilarating!) week.
For some reason (not really sure why), I was reminded of a part of a prayer by Reb Nachman that has become my mantra for this week:
"Help me find satisfaction and a deep abiding pleasure in all that I have, in all that I do, in all that I am."
On that note, I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and a relaxing weekend!
Thanks for reading this far! And, as usual, I would LOOOVE to hear what you're up to.
Love and empenadas (YUM!),
Eliana
(pictures: HERE!)
*so claim the Bolivians
Bolivia, post 1 (Feb 8th)
Hello wonderful friends and family!
I'm writing you from my cozy little bedroom in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I'm really bad at keeping a blog, but I'm a LITTLE bit better at writing to people, so I figured this is the best way to keep you updated about my life.
I'm studying abroad here in Cochabamba for 3 and a half months. I've already been here for a week, but it feels like it's been so much longer. I've already learned how to get to school and back on the "micros!" Believe me, given how full they get, I feel incredibly accomplished every time I manage to force my way on and off these minibuses. Each bus is "charmingly" decorated with the driver's favorite things. Some examples: Shakira (and other half naked singers), Winnie the Pooh, a fan that says "love, treason, and pain," Jesus, and other colorful posters.
The weather here is practically perfect in every way. Everyday it's around 76 degrees and sunny. With occasional rain at night. Also, we're surrounded by breath-taking mountains. (Pictures to follow soon!)
I started my classes earlier this week. My primary class is called Multiculturalism, Globalization, and Social Change. This class has definitely been a challenge for me, considering it is a full-scale seminar (3 hours+) conducted entirely in Spanish. I can definitely feel myself improving, but my brain is exhausted at the end of each class. After our morning class, I make my way back home for almuerzo (lunch!) with my lovely host brother (more on him later).
I then head BACK to school for my afternoon Spanish classes. Today my Spanish class actually consisted of a field trip to an organization that supports "Trabajadores del Hogar," roughly translated as domestic workers. We heard the stories of several women and about how they came to Cochabamba (often from the rural surrounding pueblas), sometimes having to learn Spanish, and began working as house-keepers in wealthier Cochabamba homes. These women face a lot of barriers to basic civil rights (like minimum wage, benefits, parental-leave, etc.). Only recently was a law passed protecting the rights of these women. One woman spoke about the ongoing fight to achieve equal rights to other workers; there is heavy discrimination against these workers because they are (mostly) indigenous women. This organization has been doing an incredible job of supporting and fighting for these women.
After this field trip, I got back on the crazy-micro, and went home, where I ate dinner with my wonderful host brother Sergio. We've already spent a number of hours debating politics, philosophy, economics, etc. (all in Spanish!). He and his mother (MariaElena), have been so incredibly helpful to me. I feel so at home with them (especially because MariaElena is ALWAYS trying to get us to eat more). I think it's going to be a wonderful semester!
If you read this far, thanks! Please let me know if you want to keep getting emails from me. I don't want to clog your inboxes with my slowly-disintegrating English and rambling stories. I promise the next email will be a bit more coherent. :-)
Be well!
Eliana
(PS I'd also love to hear about what you're up to!)
I'm writing you from my cozy little bedroom in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I'm really bad at keeping a blog, but I'm a LITTLE bit better at writing to people, so I figured this is the best way to keep you updated about my life.
I'm studying abroad here in Cochabamba for 3 and a half months. I've already been here for a week, but it feels like it's been so much longer. I've already learned how to get to school and back on the "micros!" Believe me, given how full they get, I feel incredibly accomplished every time I manage to force my way on and off these minibuses. Each bus is "charmingly" decorated with the driver's favorite things. Some examples: Shakira (and other half naked singers), Winnie the Pooh, a fan that says "love, treason, and pain," Jesus, and other colorful posters.
The weather here is practically perfect in every way. Everyday it's around 76 degrees and sunny. With occasional rain at night. Also, we're surrounded by breath-taking mountains. (Pictures to follow soon!)
I started my classes earlier this week. My primary class is called Multiculturalism, Globalization, and Social Change. This class has definitely been a challenge for me, considering it is a full-scale seminar (3 hours+) conducted entirely in Spanish. I can definitely feel myself improving, but my brain is exhausted at the end of each class. After our morning class, I make my way back home for almuerzo (lunch!) with my lovely host brother (more on him later).
I then head BACK to school for my afternoon Spanish classes. Today my Spanish class actually consisted of a field trip to an organization that supports "Trabajadores del Hogar," roughly translated as domestic workers. We heard the stories of several women and about how they came to Cochabamba (often from the rural surrounding pueblas), sometimes having to learn Spanish, and began working as house-keepers in wealthier Cochabamba homes. These women face a lot of barriers to basic civil rights (like minimum wage, benefits, parental-leave, etc.). Only recently was a law passed protecting the rights of these women. One woman spoke about the ongoing fight to achieve equal rights to other workers; there is heavy discrimination against these workers because they are (mostly) indigenous women. This organization has been doing an incredible job of supporting and fighting for these women.
After this field trip, I got back on the crazy-micro, and went home, where I ate dinner with my wonderful host brother Sergio. We've already spent a number of hours debating politics, philosophy, economics, etc. (all in Spanish!). He and his mother (MariaElena), have been so incredibly helpful to me. I feel so at home with them (especially because MariaElena is ALWAYS trying to get us to eat more). I think it's going to be a wonderful semester!
If you read this far, thanks! Please let me know if you want to keep getting emails from me. I don't want to clog your inboxes with my slowly-disintegrating English and rambling stories. I promise the next email will be a bit more coherent. :-)
Be well!
Eliana
(PS I'd also love to hear about what you're up to!)
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