Spun Out

11 Jan.

Well, I feel like things had got out of control. Sorry for the awkwward rawness of my last blogs. They were originally journal entries, but became blog entries because I felt that I needed to get honest. It was partly because of my vow on my first entry and partly because I had just got lost and confused and needed some grounding.
I've been very busy, though, lately. This is actually an edited email to my mom. But it's straightforward, no worries.

I took the house, Semilla de Amor, out to ice cream yesterday. Claudia joined us and helped reserve a table big enough for us all for when we were arriving. It was a big ordeal, getting the house cleaned after lunch, getting everyone ready and 'presentable' to go into town, walking down to the micro, crossing the streets, it was a lot of fun. Actually, the ice cream part was the most boring, the trip down and the walk around town afterward were the real hi-lights. There was an artesan fair in the plaza Colón, right by the ice cream place, so we walked through and the kids had a great time seeing all the colorful and diverse handmade goods and plants. Viviana bought some flowers with the kid's help. Then we walked through the main plaza and over to catch the bus back up to the villa. But it was a whole day trip packed into 4 short hours. Mario is getting SOOOOO big. He feels twice the weight he was a month ago. I had to carry him for the last stretch from the plaza to the bus. We also watered all the plants around the house while the girls were getting ready, I held Mario and Mario held the hose.
On Thursday I went up to the Villa in the morning and stayed until 5pm, then I had to go to work at Casablanca till 2 am! I played so hard! I met the new volunteers, had lunch at the guy's house in the villa, played cards and hacky-sack with the guys and Chris and the volunteers. Then I went to Semilla de Amor and helped clean-up before we went to the salón and played pelota quemada, which is their version of dodge ball. Holy moly, we had an epic game. The ball was pretty big, a extra large sized red rubber kick-ball like we have in the states. I was soooo tired on friday, my whole body hurt.
I paid for my ID card on friday, I had to go in twice to fill out tons of paperwork and then pay 345 bs. but it was already too late to take my picture by the time I finished, so I go in right now to get my picture taken and then on Thursday I'll have my official Bolivian Foreign Missionary ID card!
I met a couple ladies last night in La Morada who are here visiting from Virginia. One has been highly involved in founding the scholarship fund for the the girl college students, they were interesting to talk to. Big ole' Southern large-and-in-charge political fund-raising ladies.

I finally got to play cacho last night with some new Bolivian friends, they are in the military and offered to take me shooting. Woohoo. We had a good time, I lost, but I was super happy to score some true-blue Bolivian cacho companions.

I have been able to give away a whole bunch of nice European girl's clothes to the girls house. It was fun to waltz up to them with my big laundry bag full of foreign treasures and watch them all take stuff out and try it on and ask each other if they could pull it off and suggest things to one another. I think they will end up sharing all of it anyway, except Cintia got a pair of shoes that I doubt she's taken off yet.

They're digging huge holes in the Villa where my old garden used to be, I guess for the new septic tank. The boys are craving manly companionship. I can't go into the villa without being forced to throw guys around, help dig up heavy rocks, climb around on trees and buildings, wrestle, all kinds of manhood tests for the boys to try out.

So much so much so much. But I've gotta get my picture taken.