"Sadness is just another beauty"

I apologize--this will be another long post, but I have a lot to write about! Things have been going well, other than a run-in with a "street kid," as they are called here in Bolivia. There are a group of teenagers who live under a bridge I cross over for work, and they experiment with drugs. So, one of the boys saw me and followed me some ways. He ultimately wanted money. I talked to my program director about the incident in our weekly meeting. He was very concerned and encouraged me to talk to him if it keeps coming up for me, or if it happens again. He is very supportive, and I am so lucky to have a wonderful director like Dan. But, I am ok, nothing happened, it was just shocking.

This week has been dedicated to getting my visa figured out, but it is a much more complicated process than I was expecting. I have gone up to the Maryknoll Center everyday this week. I usually only go up once or twice a week. So, my work schedule has been all off.

On Monday, I spent all morning at Maryknoll talking with Jenny, the secretary about the process. I have to go to Interpol and get pictures taken and fingerprints done, and then I have to get a blood test to ensure that I am not a carrier of HIV or Aids, which seems very strange to me. Especially because I am working with children who have HIV, and they are not accepted into certain homes, schools, and daycares. Many people have told me that Aids and HIV situation here is comparable to the lack of education about it in the U.S. during the 1980s. But, I still am at the very beginning of this long, tedious process. When I got back to the girls house that afternoon, I helped the older girls with their numbers in English. I had a lot of fun, and I was so excited when they understood how to write out numbers in the thousands and millions! I worked at Pedacito, the baby home, from 3 until 8 Monday night and I got to help bathe and put the kids to bed. It was a lot of fun!

On Tuesday morning I had to go up to Maryknoll again for a meeting with Carol, Dan, and Jenna. We talked about the work we have been doing at our respectable jobs. Jenna is leaving this coming Wednesday, so she talked about her journey here in Cochabamba, and her feelings about going back home after a year here in Bolivia. After our meeting, I ran a few errands and headed to the girls home. I was really proud of myself because I walked all the way from the Maryknoll Center to the home. It was a long walk, but it was nice to see the areas I have never been to. We ate lunch and the girls got a bunch of letters from their pen pals in Canada. I had to translate them because they were written in English. I worked the 3-8 PM shift at Pedacito again that night.

Wednesday was my day off, and is also a huge market day here! So, Kimberly came with me to the Cancha, the biggest open-air market in Latin America. I was glad I went with someone who knew the market, because I would have definitely gotten lost! It was huge, and there were people and vendors, cars and buses everywhere. It was a little overwhelming! You can literally buy anything and everything there! It is amazing. I will try and take my camera next time so I can get some pictures. Then, I walked around downtown and headed back to the girls home to rest for a little bit. I had dinner at Jenna and Carol´s. They live in the volunteer house in the south (Zona Sur) and it is much different than the city! Although it is only a little outside of the city, it is a much poorer area. There are no streets, just dirt roads. It was such a weird realization that I live so close to them, but in a completely different world! Many of the poor families and campesinos live in the zona sur, and Carol says that even 15 minutes south of them is such a difference! I really enjoyed having dinner with the two of them because it gave us time to talk and debrief, and it is nice to be with people who are in the same position as you--away from their families and friends, working in a completely new place and culture.

Today, again, I had to go to Maryknoll to sign more papers for my visa. I went with one of the office personnel to Interpol, but we could not get everything completed because we were missing some papers. So, we have to go back tomorrow. This is really a very frustrating experience! I went to work at the baby home after, and just seeing them calmed me down and made me feel better.

Yesterday I saw one of the saddest things I have ever seen. There are three sisters that live in the girls home. And their mom, who lives in the zona sur, came to visit them. She can only come every 3 or 4 month because that is when she has enough money for the bus, which is 1.50 bolivianos (about 15 cents in American money). She spent the day with the girls at the home, and when it was time for them to say goodbye they broke down. The girls are 13, 12, and 9, and I have never seen such sadness on someone´s face and in someone´s eyes. It was heartbreaking, and I told one of the tias I just couldn´t watch it. She said it never gets any easier for them. It is so hard for me because I cannot relate to that feeling. I have no idea what it feels like to only see your mom 3 times a year, and to know the only reason you cannot live with her is because she does not have the money. It is heartbreaking! I did not know what to do. But, as my mom said, you just have to give them love and be there.

This weekend I am going to Santa Cruz with the Maryknoll students and volunteers. I am very excited! I will take lots of pictures and will post when I return! I miss everyone so much, but I am sending all my love!