Dia de la Familia

Bryssa and Karina getting ready to dance the Kullawada, a folk dance from La Paz that depicts the life of weavers and textile workers.


The staff from Pedacito de Cielo (along with Kait and I) right after dancing!


A group of the older girls (Sofia, Luz, and Elena) dancing the Tinku, a dance from Potosi that depicts a ritualistic combat. They did an amazing job!


The kids from Pedacito de Cielo dancing with the help of Tia Evelin and Tia Faella.


Zamora really enjoying herself! She is too cute!

Dia de la Familia (Family Day) is not an actual holiday or celebration in Bolivia. However, because Ninos con Valor emphasizes the importance of family, a day was created to celebrate the bond between staff, volunteers, and children. Many homes or orphanages here in Bolivia are not built on the idea of a tight-knit group, and do not focus on the importance of creating a family dynamic. But, Ninos strives to create a strong family!

The theme of the special evening was "Every family is a world." The tias did an amazing job decorating the dining room of Corazon del Pastor, the girls' home. Tons of pictures of the kids, staff, and volunteers were put up as a reminder that the Ninos con Valor family is from all over the world, and all who are involved play an important role. And, each of the children makes the foundation something special!

We began the night with a talent show! There were traditional Bolivian dances and modern pieces. It was amazing how much energy and dedication everyone put into learning and creating dances. I danced a traditional dance with the tias from Pedacito de Cielo, and the two other volunteers, Kimber and Kait, and I rewrote "Mi Nina Bonita," one of the girls' favorite songs by Chino y Nacho. After our Chino y Nacho rendition, a teacher from Brooklyn, currently volunteering in Cochabamba, paid Kimber, Kait, and I such an amazing compliment. She said that it is always wonderful to see staff and educators get involved, and that she watched the kids during the performance, and they were laughing and smiling the whole time, a testament to how much love and respect they have for us. It was wonderful to hear this praise--I was really touched! It makes me realize that my time here is not in vain, and that I am making a difference! Everyone had a blast watching all the presentations--the little kids did an amazing job and were so cute, and the girls really enjoyed dancing the Bolivian folk dances.

After the talent show and an amazing dinner of barbecued meat, arroz con queso (rice with cheese), yuca (a type of potato), and numerous salads, we had a major dance party! This was definitely the best part of the evening!

Nights like this make me appreciate living and working in Bolivia! I could never trade this experience, and I appreciate every moment of my time here. These are the moments that make the homesickness and cultural and language frustrations worth every minute!