It's been so long since I have written an up-to-date entry
that I don't even know where to begin. Well....I guess I want to take just a
bit more time to recap some important events that I will for sure forget about
(because that's all this blog really is-a way for me to remember and at the
same time share my adventures).
Recap:
1. Christmas
For
me, Christmas was a very simple experience. I am not even sure if simple is the
right word; maybe plain explains it better.
The morning of the 24th (the
Bolivians celebrate Christmas the night of the 24th) I was really sad for some
personal reasons that had made me nostalgic the night before and I missed my
family...after all it was my first Christmas without my parents.
Throughout the day we decorated the Christmas tree - real
plastic!! And I got a bit more into the whole Christmasy mood hence the
incredible heat and sun.
In the evening, we ate around 11 pm with friends of the
family and Frieder, an ex volunteer that had come to visit. With him, I also
had baked delicious cookies. At exactly 12am, a bunch of fireworks went off in
the neighborhood. Wait. What??!!??? Fireworks for Christmas??!!?? Yeah, that's
what I was asking myself, too. After wishing everyone a very merry Christmas,
we went to the living room to open presents. Now, what I didn't know is that
here, the tradition is not to give everyone at least a little present, but
rather that only the children receive presents form the parents, grandparents,
aunts, and uncles. I had bought a hammock in La Paz to give to my family and
they were super happy.
Unpacking presents was the end of my christmas eve. It was
the first Christmas without my family, without going to mass in the evening -
or at all - and the first Christmas with weather so warm that I was still in my
short dress without a sweater at 2am.
2. New Years Eve & a Night at the Airport
New
Years Eve turned out ten times better than I had expected. Because I had to fly
off to Chicago in the morning - Jan. 1st - I had to decide whether I wanted to
go home in the middle of the night and get my luggage or take my things to
Arterias (where the party was) and go directly to the airport. Of course, the
second option seemed a lot more relaxed. And easy. Even though the party
started out rather slow, at around 11 pm we grilled and ate. At 12 am we went
outside the taller to see the fireworks that were being fired off right in
front of the Cristo - so right in front of us. The colors were beautiful and
the explosions incredibly big, right above our heads and like thousand little
stars.
After the firework I started dancing. At around 4am I decided
it wasn't worth it to sleep since I had to leave at 6.30am. So I continued
dancing until the sun came up. Because it always rains on New Years Eve, it started
raining from one moment to the next. And when it rains here, it's a continuous
downpour. I was scared that I would not make it to the airport in time so that
I left earlier than I had planned to leave. Of course I got to the airport with
more than enough time left. I fell asleep by the security with an alarm set
half an hour before I had to board.
I made it in time to board my plane. We left SCZ about 2 h
late, but I had 4 hours in Miami until my next plane left. I was just so
excited to see my family and friends but nevertheless I fell right asleep on
the plane.
From Miami I flew to Saint Louis where I had an 8 h layover. At first I was going to sleep on one
of the chairs at the gate, but they were so uncomfortable that I soon changed
my plan and lay down on the floor. After a while, when I was already a bit
cold, a sir from American Airlines came by and gave me a blanket. With my new
blanket, I at least got a bit of sleep.
3. Chicago
I
had a lovely time with my family. Really, even though I only stayed for three
days. It was great to meet Nico el pelotudo jejejeje :P and to be with Annik
for the whole time, to see my girls Jenny and Melissa, and, of course, Patipat.
I miss all of you incredibly.
It was so cold in Chicago that I barely went out more than
10 minutes. If at all. A day after I left the high of the day was -21 Degrees
Celsius. I came from humid 30 Degrees Celsius.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Nevertheless I took away a few very normal wintry days with
lots of snow, a warm fireplace, cookies, and a small party with family and
friends.
4. Sucre
About
two weeks after returning from Chicago I left for Sucre. Even though many think
that La Paz is the capital because the government has its headquarters there
Sucre is the real capital of Bolivia. Similar to La Paz, Sucre lies in a valley
but is far smaller and not as hilly. My reason for traveling to Sucre? I had my
"follow-up seminar" there. Together with all the other volunteers of
the BKHW that arrived in September, I stayed in a very luxurious hostal and
discussed my (and their) problems and tried to find solutions to conflicts that
had occurred throughout the half year that we had now all almost spent in
Bolivia. It was great to see the other volunteers again; with some I bonded
more than with others, but I assume that that is very normal. I learned a ton
about my mood curve, why I feel a certain way in certain situations, and how to
coop with the feelings I have. Furthermore, we started planning projects.Even
though Vero and me will probably not go through with the project we started
planning, the process of planning a project with strategy helped me design my
own project - a photo class with cell phones.
ACTUALITY - 9th of February 2014
If I had to say - at this very moment, at 3.15 pm on the 9th of
February, how I am feeling on a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being the best I've ever
been), I would probably have to say a 6-7.
Well? Lets start with the positive: Why not a 1? Because I found
a new organization in a part of SCZ far away from the center where I can teach photography,
where the people greeted me with open arms, and where my energy and positive
input are very welcome.
This organization is called Plataforma Solidaria. They have a
kindergarten, a kind of soup kitchen for the kids of the neighborhood, and room
and staff for homework help. I will try to awake a sense for art in the adolescents there; through showing them the artistic angles of photography,
teaching them about composition, and BUILD A PINHOLE CAMERA WITH THEM!!!
Because there is a darkroom in this organization!!! It's like my dream come
true!! I get to teach the kids develop photos!!!
Well that's the good part. The other part - why I am not 100% happy -
has a lot to do with the weather. It's been raining a lot - OH HEY it's the
rainy season duhhh!! - and that always means that I'm not in the best mood. the
rest of the 4 points that are missing until a 10 are not relevant for
this blog :)
Other than that I took pictures of a group of dancers yesterday that I am very proud of. And you should all look at my Photoblog if you have not done so. :)
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