I'm in Cochabamba!

Ok so I've been here for 4 days. I wanted to update a lot sooner, but there have been problems with the internet access where I'm living and I don't know when/if I'll be getting it. Right now I'm staying at Casa de Amor 2 for the night, watching 9 kids while Tia Elena (a volunteer who lives here) is out with her friends for her birthday. So thanks to her, I'm using her computer and internet access until she returns and we go to bed. Now, for a quick rundown of my days here so far. I'm not on the schedule at the homes until next month (aka next week), so every day has been completely different.

Tuesday: arrived in Cochabamba around 3:30. Jennifer and Elena picked me up from the airport and dropped me off at my house. I met Maite (lady I'm living with), unpacked and organized all my stuff, and took a little nap. I talked to Maite while she cut up orange peels to make marmalade. At 7, Jennifer and Savannah (another volunteer) picked me up to go to dinner. Apparently restaurants don't open for dinner until 7 here. On the way to dinner we stopped at a street corner to talk to some kids who live under "the bridge" but were washing windows for money at an intersection. Jennifer works with a lot of street kids and helps them out. We talked to them then drove 2 of them to another place. We went to dinner at a restaurant called Paprika, then after dinner Jennifer and I went to the bridge. I've read about the bridge and the street kids on Jen's blog, but actually going there was completely shocking/heartbreaking. Jennifer talked to the people there, then she took me home. When I got there I met Teresa (Maite's mom who lives with her), then after I got ready for bed they made me sit at the table and drink a glass of milk. Maite gave me a massage while we sat there and talked (I felt so spoiled!) because my neck/shoulders were tense and knotted up from my uncomfortable sleeping positions on the planes. After that I went to bed.

Wednesday: When I woke up, Teresa had made me breakfast (a scrambled egg mixture with veggies and ham- I don't usually eat pork but I've had to a few times here already. I'm not going to turn down something that someone has made for me). Elena picked me up at 9:30 and took me into town. She tried to explain the transportation and roads to me, but I hardly remember any of it- so much information at once! She ran a couple errands and I got some of my dollars changed to bolivianos (Bs). Then we went to Casa 1 (the "baby home"). I was only there for a couple hours, and I didn't really do much. We went to Casa 2, and I stayed there for a few hours helping some of the kids with homework and playing with the others. Elena had left, and when she came back we all piled into a car and they dropped me off at my house. I had dinner (chicken with spinach and peppers, with rice) with Maite and Teresa. For dessert we had limes (here they're a lot bigger than most limes in the US, and they're sweet and watery instead of sour and acidy!), then we talked  until bedtime.

Thursday: Elena picked me up around 7:45. I didn't have time to finish breakfast, but Maite and Teresa made me take a grilled ham & cheese sandwich with me to eat while traveling. Elena and I picked up Melissa (a photographer from Texas who's only here for a week to take pictures of the city and the kids at the homes) from where she's living. We went to Casa 1, where I stayed pretty much all day. I still felt like I didn't really do much work, but I think once I get on the schedule and get used to the kids' schedule I'll be doing more. I mostly helped with the little kids, and I also got to feed and hold the triplets! They're only 3 months old and soooo sweet! I also helped in the kitchen a little, getting tons of peas out of their pods (it took me about an hour). Around 5:30 I was picked up by Tom Summerfield, an American missionary who has lived here with his family for 5 years. Their kids had a high school graduation banquet that night, and their babysitter canceled that day, so they had called CDA and asked if anyone could babysit. He picked me up dinner at this little chicken restaurant, then we went to his house. I babysat Freddy/Angelito (the government gave him the name Freddy, but they call him Angelito), a 1.5 year old who they've had living with them as a foster child for about a year (he was originally from Casa 1), and Olivia, another 1.5 year old (she and her parents are American, and they were going to the graduation banquet too). They were really cute and easy to take care of. After they went to bed, I still had about 3  hours until the parents would get home. I watched the movie Fireproof while waiting (kind of cheesy, but a really good movie with a good message- totally recommend it). They got home around 11, then Tom took Olivia's family home then dropped me off at my house. I got home around 11:30 and went to bed right away (SO TIRED).

Friday (today): Woke up around 8:30. Elena called and gave me information about tonight's babysitting. No one had given me any work to do during the day, so she and Melissa picked me up around 10. We took a taxi to La Cancha, a huge outdoor market here. Melissa took pictures, and she and Elena bought a few things. I didn't buy anything today, but I have plenty of time to go again and get souvenirs :) After La Cancha we took a micro (bus) to Casa 1. I stayed there and mostly helped with the triplets (fed them pretty much by myself, then watched one of the tias bathe them and change their clothes). I also helped again in the kitchen, this time taking lima beans (or something like that) out of their pods (about an hour again!). Around 4 David (administrative assistant at CDA) picked me up and took me to Casa 2. I've been here since then. The kids played, then had dinner, then we got them to bed. A few of them stayed up talking to each other (every time they heard me get up and go to the hallway, they were quiet. lol) for a while, but now they're all asleep. I'm still waiting for Elena to get back from her birthday night out, and once she gets here it's bed time!

I don't know what's in store for me tomorrow (or any other day!), but I'll try to keep you all posted as often as possible. Hopefully my other postings won't be this long! I'm going to try to get internet access at my house if the subscription isn't too expensive. Also, pictures may be coming soon! Keep checking in and leaving comments :)

Today's the day!

I leave for Bolivia TODAY! I'm all packed and ready(?) to go. Please pray for safe travel and that everything goes smoothly. My flight schedule goes like this:

Leave Dallas at 12:15pm, arrive in Miami 4pm
Leave Miami 10:40pm, arrive in Santa Cruz, Bolivia 7:50am (Tues.)
Leave Santa Cruz 2:50pm, arrive in Cochabamba 3:35pm

As you can see, it's going to be a pretty long 2 days. The travel is the only thing about this trip I'm really nervous about- there are just too many things that could go wrong and of course I think of all of them. Anyway, that's it for now. I need to get ready to leave for the airport! I'll have my phone until I leave Miami (then I'll turn it off for the summer), so feel free to call and say goodbye :)

1 Week Left!

Hey everyone! I know I said I would be updating this before I leave, and I'm sorry I haven't. The end of the school semester was super crazy and busy for me so I was focusing more on that. Anyway, I only have a week left until I leave for Bolivia! I can hardly believe it's so soon, but I'm so excited! Now that I'm done with school and back home with my family, I'm getting ready for the trip.

I want to thank everyone who is supporting me in any way. I have received donations which have helped a lot with the cost of my trip, and I'm very thankful for those. I'm also blessed to have so much spiritual support from everyone who is praying for me. I just want to ask that you all continue to keep me, as well as Casa de Amor, in your prayers. Also, if you're interested in donating any items, I just got an email from one of the volunteers at CDA that lists some of the items they're in need of right now:

 

• Warm clothes for ages 2-7, boys and girls...this includes pants, long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, heavier jackets, gloves, hats, socks, etc. They are especially in need for girls age 4-7!

• Shoes for all sizes
• Underwear
• Plain white socks
• Hair things

 

You can also find a list of all the donations they accept HERE (toward the bottom of the page). If you have any items you want to donate, you can either mail them to me (ask me for my address), or if you live near me we can meet sometime this week. I will be taking a suitcase of donations with me.

That's it for now, but I look forward to communicating with you all throughout the summer! :)