...And the adventures continue here in Bolivia! Today we completed our tour of the UAC, the local university here outside of Coroico. Yesterday we explored the the upper campus of the UAC, where we listened to the presentation of the thesis students studying there. Today, we explored the lower campus, which consists of additional classrooms, dorms, and nursing and veterinarian departments, which the upper campus does not have. We met one of the nuns who helps run the school, and it turns out that she is originally from Boston (so she´s a ¨gringa¨ like us). She has been teaching in Bolivia for nine years, so it was really interesting to speak with her and hear about her experience here. We also met one of the administration directors of the UAC, Hugh. He is also an American who established himself permanently in Bolivia after having volunteered here in his youth.
We then got the opportunity to learn from two veterinarian students studying at the lower UAC campus. They gave us presentations on their thesis projects, both of which revolved around livestock (pigs in particular.) One student was studying a specific bacteria which can be fed to pigs as a substitute to expensive antibiotics. The bacteria is cheap and has similar effects of antibiotics, such as keeping the pigs safe from illness and helping them to gain weight. The second student was studying how soy-based feed dictates the weight of pigs. We explored the pig pens on the campus as well, and I marveled about how different CU and the UAC are. It was inspiring to learn what the local students are researching... all of them have very unique, innovative projects, and most of their research will directly benefit their own community in the end. One thing that I am still intrigued by is the UAC´s extensive student-run garden. Both campuses have large vegetable and fruit gardens which each student is required to contribute to: 4 hours a week! The fruit and vegetables are then sold into a cooperative, as well as used in the meals that are served on campus...what a great idea, and how connected with the Earth the students must be...
After being served a traditional ¨sopa,¨ (soup) lunch, we were led on a two hour hike up a small mountain bordering the UAC. We were guided in our hike by two other UAC students, both of whom are majoring in eco-tourism. They told us about their desires to start their own tourism companies in Bolivia, and about their passion for nature and the outdoors. They also go to practice their English skills with us!
We ended the day by getting hand-made ice cream at the ¨Villa Bonita,¨ a restaurant and hotel run by a Swiss man and his wife here in Coroico. He makes the best ice cream in town, and his restaurant is nestled within a shady garden. It is a beautiful full-moon here, so as for me, I am going to end the night by writing in my journal outside on the balcony, under the beautiful moonlight.
Although our days left here are dwindeling down, I feel rich with all of the knowledge and beauty I´ve taken in over the past couple of weeks. It has been a whirl-wind, with each day bringing new lessons, new people, and new views. I look forward to spending my last days in Coroico in the warm company of my classmates and of the local people. Speaking for everyone here, we will arrive back in the States different people from when we left.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
UAC Day 1 and Catharsis
Modern technology owes ecology an apology. That's what started off our, as always, eventful day here in Coroico, a short but sweet morning message from Danielle. Completely on target with the outlook on world affairs we've gathered over the last few months, and relevant from both the perspective of an American and a Bolivian. This last week, we've been exposed to so much that has to do with the environment and humanity's welfare, from coffee to coca to development to Aymara worldviews, and the general consensus is, yes, we have done, we have seen, we have felt that the environment is going through changes.
Sabina further developed this message with her turn at the breakfast discussion. As the rest of us stirred the dregs of our oatmeal and felt our eyes twitching from too much coffee and not enough sleep (okay, maybe that was just me), she read a passage from her journal, speaking of differing perspectives in the global dialogue about climate change and conservation. It's such a luxury that we have to be able to sit and talk and discuss all of these great ideas, but what about those people who are living the problems? Who would love to have a bathroom in their house but are tired of all of the broken promises and empty dreams provided by those claiming to come save them? How can someone simply trying to survive from day to day worry about generations in the future when his children are hungry right now, when he doesn't know what the weeks ahead will bring, starvation or subsistence? It's a heavy lot to think about, especially first thing in the morning, but even though we were sitting there going over these ideas in our heads without a whole lot of capacity to do anything about them right away, it was refreshing to realize that problems might more handily be tackled by groups of people combining their different perspectives and disciplines and working together, rather than working for or imposing on others. The public sphere, a place where dialogue and eventually democracy in action is spurred, a place like cafes and plazas and breakfast tables. That concept, at least, was inspiring.
On to the field trip of the day. Hasta dia, we were chauffered by the amable Don Julio and his van up to the local Unidad Academica Campesina, or UAC of Carmenpampa, to talk with thesis students and learn about their projects, eat lunch from the campus' food kiosks with them, and later get a tour of the campus from Sonia, one of our local coordinators who went to school there. First, we split into 3 groups to meet with the 3 thesis students, though each group only met with two of the students. The first was Angela, a student of agronomy that recently graduated and defended her thesis, que estaba muy interesante. She wanted to see if physially grafting two breeds of hibiscus flowers together and growing them over a period of months would produce a hybrid that was both beautiful and resistant to infections from plagues. Her research proved yes, and now she is hoping to start her own nursery to grow and sell these flowers as decorations from homes. The next student that my group talked to was Pablo Gustavo Mamani Ticona, a student on the education track who did his thesis on the exploration and rejuvenation of the traditional ethics and values of Aymara culture. It was also pretty impressive, as he lived in the rural Aymara village of Ilobaya for 5 months, gathering the histories of several people who lived there. True ethnography! Pablo hopes to travel and give this presentation in schools all over the country to educate people about the value of Aymara culture. And the last student, Herman, was also an agronomy student researching fertilizers for the vanilla plant, in hopes of developing the cultivation of vanilla in Bolivia. We ate lunch with these three students in the kiosks where much of the campus buys their food, talking to them a little bit and enjoying fried bananas, chicken, rice, and pineapple juice.
That afternoon, we learned about the history of the university and got a perspective on developments in education over the last few years in Bolivia from the director of Carmenpampa, Mr. Andres Parto. This was pretty fascinating, another lens on the history of Bolivia that we hadn't looked through yet. The education system here, with the reforms passed by the Morales administration, is trying to emphasize community values of socializing and production, along with themes of decolonialization and inter- and intra-culturalism. Señor Parto shared with us some of his critiques of this system, but spoke of the progressiveness of formacion, a concept that is difficult to directly translate into English but means basically "formation" of one's being: where and how were you raised, taught, and trained, and what type of education will most benefit these values?
Afterwards, Sonia gave us a tour of the upper campus, showing us the 2,000-book library, the cooperativa where a lot of the students eat, several dorms and offices, and the gardens. We learned also that she has won the school's annual poetry contest five times! It was so fascinating to walk around and observe and talk to people whilst thinking of the University we call home in Colorado...so different but still a place where young people go to develop their curiosities, interests, and passions. We're all students, and though we might have vastly different backgrounds, social contexts, and aspirations, we're growing up together in this crazy world.
We returned to Coroico for the evening, going various ways for dinner and meeting back up for a class debriefing later in the evening. We've had a lot of heavy topics and overwhelming information to take in the last few days, and this turned out to be an emotional meeting for all of us as we realized just how close we've become as a group. Everyone fits in their own unique way, everyone has something special to contribute, and it's been a beautiful, organic process to live and learn here together. This evening was one of catharsis, of self-reflection, and of completely opening ourselves up to free amongst each other. We might not be able to solve all the problems in the world, but we can certainly each do our own little bit, seize the opportunity to be soldier for peace in the right time and the right place. Everyone has their mission in this world, and this Global Seminar has so far been the most incredible learning experience for each of us to further develop and get a handle on our own missions. Tears, songs, bichos, and amigos, we are here, we are present, and we are thankful. Peace.
Sabina further developed this message with her turn at the breakfast discussion. As the rest of us stirred the dregs of our oatmeal and felt our eyes twitching from too much coffee and not enough sleep (okay, maybe that was just me), she read a passage from her journal, speaking of differing perspectives in the global dialogue about climate change and conservation. It's such a luxury that we have to be able to sit and talk and discuss all of these great ideas, but what about those people who are living the problems? Who would love to have a bathroom in their house but are tired of all of the broken promises and empty dreams provided by those claiming to come save them? How can someone simply trying to survive from day to day worry about generations in the future when his children are hungry right now, when he doesn't know what the weeks ahead will bring, starvation or subsistence? It's a heavy lot to think about, especially first thing in the morning, but even though we were sitting there going over these ideas in our heads without a whole lot of capacity to do anything about them right away, it was refreshing to realize that problems might more handily be tackled by groups of people combining their different perspectives and disciplines and working together, rather than working for or imposing on others. The public sphere, a place where dialogue and eventually democracy in action is spurred, a place like cafes and plazas and breakfast tables. That concept, at least, was inspiring.
On to the field trip of the day. Hasta dia, we were chauffered by the amable Don Julio and his van up to the local Unidad Academica Campesina, or UAC of Carmenpampa, to talk with thesis students and learn about their projects, eat lunch from the campus' food kiosks with them, and later get a tour of the campus from Sonia, one of our local coordinators who went to school there. First, we split into 3 groups to meet with the 3 thesis students, though each group only met with two of the students. The first was Angela, a student of agronomy that recently graduated and defended her thesis, que estaba muy interesante. She wanted to see if physially grafting two breeds of hibiscus flowers together and growing them over a period of months would produce a hybrid that was both beautiful and resistant to infections from plagues. Her research proved yes, and now she is hoping to start her own nursery to grow and sell these flowers as decorations from homes. The next student that my group talked to was Pablo Gustavo Mamani Ticona, a student on the education track who did his thesis on the exploration and rejuvenation of the traditional ethics and values of Aymara culture. It was also pretty impressive, as he lived in the rural Aymara village of Ilobaya for 5 months, gathering the histories of several people who lived there. True ethnography! Pablo hopes to travel and give this presentation in schools all over the country to educate people about the value of Aymara culture. And the last student, Herman, was also an agronomy student researching fertilizers for the vanilla plant, in hopes of developing the cultivation of vanilla in Bolivia. We ate lunch with these three students in the kiosks where much of the campus buys their food, talking to them a little bit and enjoying fried bananas, chicken, rice, and pineapple juice.
That afternoon, we learned about the history of the university and got a perspective on developments in education over the last few years in Bolivia from the director of Carmenpampa, Mr. Andres Parto. This was pretty fascinating, another lens on the history of Bolivia that we hadn't looked through yet. The education system here, with the reforms passed by the Morales administration, is trying to emphasize community values of socializing and production, along with themes of decolonialization and inter- and intra-culturalism. Señor Parto shared with us some of his critiques of this system, but spoke of the progressiveness of formacion, a concept that is difficult to directly translate into English but means basically "formation" of one's being: where and how were you raised, taught, and trained, and what type of education will most benefit these values?
Afterwards, Sonia gave us a tour of the upper campus, showing us the 2,000-book library, the cooperativa where a lot of the students eat, several dorms and offices, and the gardens. We learned also that she has won the school's annual poetry contest five times! It was so fascinating to walk around and observe and talk to people whilst thinking of the University we call home in Colorado...so different but still a place where young people go to develop their curiosities, interests, and passions. We're all students, and though we might have vastly different backgrounds, social contexts, and aspirations, we're growing up together in this crazy world.
We returned to Coroico for the evening, going various ways for dinner and meeting back up for a class debriefing later in the evening. We've had a lot of heavy topics and overwhelming information to take in the last few days, and this turned out to be an emotional meeting for all of us as we realized just how close we've become as a group. Everyone fits in their own unique way, everyone has something special to contribute, and it's been a beautiful, organic process to live and learn here together. This evening was one of catharsis, of self-reflection, and of completely opening ourselves up to free amongst each other. We might not be able to solve all the problems in the world, but we can certainly each do our own little bit, seize the opportunity to be soldier for peace in the right time and the right place. Everyone has their mission in this world, and this Global Seminar has so far been the most incredible learning experience for each of us to further develop and get a handle on our own missions. Tears, songs, bichos, and amigos, we are here, we are present, and we are thankful. Peace.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday 29th and Monday 30th :-)
So I had meant to post this last night but the computer here was not letting me and so here is an overview of Yesterday:
Yesterday was an odd day for Bolivia´s dry season in that it rained all
day. From where Hotel Esmerelda is situated, you can look down over
all of Coroico and in the mornings most of the clouds are usually
resting over the town. The old saying is that the clouds are still
sleeping early in the morning until the wind picks them up and wakes
them for the day. Yesterday however, they lingered all day and at some
points the hotel itself was inside of a white cloud.
An old friend of Carol´s stayed with us this passed weekend and into the
morning. His name is Ron Davis and was quite possibly one of the most
interesting people I have ever met. Born in the States, he left in the
late 60´s and ended up living in Bolivia since the 1970´s. He is a
water engineer and also owns a textile business with his wife in La
Paz. He rocks a happy beard and carried three Frisbees with him in
case any of us were ever up for tossing the disc. On sunday we
traveled to a place about an hour´s drive from Coroico to an area that
was once a community of about 45 Jewish families. All refugees that
came from urban Germany. In the early 40´s, only Bolivia and the
Dominican Republic were excepting Jewish refugees and so a large
number of them escaped to La Paz. However, many were unemployable in
the Bolivian setting and were also discriminated against. Around 45
families left for the countryside to start an agricultural community.
After our history lesson we all tossed the Frisbees with Ron, what a
character!
We also learned about the history of many hostels that escaped to
Bolivia after the war and ended up helping the ditatorships in Bolivia
throughout the 60´s,70´s and 80´s. All a little disturbing but
nonetheless an awesome history lesson. It´s been crazy realizing how
all of this was not that long ago.
Yesterday morning we had a real talk about the war on drugs and watched a movie
named ¨Shoveling Water¨. This film pertained specifically to the
eradication of the coca plant in Colombia via aerial fumigation but it
allowed our class to compare the situation to that of Bolivia´s. After
spending time with people who have cultivated coca for generations,
picked some ourselves and after seeing how it is a major agricultural
component to their society, not to mention witnessing how it is
utilized to practice their religion, it is hard to see the war on
drugs (specifically the war on coca leaf) the same way. This class has
opened each of our eyes to so many new things, like coca cultivation
and cultural traditions, I don´t think any of us will look at a lot of
things the same way.
The rain lifted around 4 this afternoon and once again we were able to
watch the clouds lift through the valleys that surround Coroico. We
all said good bye to Ron and were able to enjoy a nice little hike
outside of town. The plan had been to take a field trip to visit some
Bee Keepers, but it ended up being too late in the day. Nonetheless
another awesome outing. We were able to catch some sun and share some
laughs, which are not too hard to come by in our crazy group. It was a
heavy morning for some people I think. Heavy topics and heavy
questions that we are starting to ask ourselves about what we are
going to do with the knowledge we obtain from here.
Today (7/30) we visited the rural college. We were all pumped to meet
some fellow students and were able to get their perspective on the many
questions we have.
Loads of love from everyone here in Bolivia. Adios!
Yesterday was an odd day for Bolivia´s dry season in that it rained all
day. From where Hotel Esmerelda is situated, you can look down over
all of Coroico and in the mornings most of the clouds are usually
resting over the town. The old saying is that the clouds are still
sleeping early in the morning until the wind picks them up and wakes
them for the day. Yesterday however, they lingered all day and at some
points the hotel itself was inside of a white cloud.
An old friend of Carol´s stayed with us this passed weekend and into the
morning. His name is Ron Davis and was quite possibly one of the most
interesting people I have ever met. Born in the States, he left in the
late 60´s and ended up living in Bolivia since the 1970´s. He is a
water engineer and also owns a textile business with his wife in La
Paz. He rocks a happy beard and carried three Frisbees with him in
case any of us were ever up for tossing the disc. On sunday we
traveled to a place about an hour´s drive from Coroico to an area that
was once a community of about 45 Jewish families. All refugees that
came from urban Germany. In the early 40´s, only Bolivia and the
Dominican Republic were excepting Jewish refugees and so a large
number of them escaped to La Paz. However, many were unemployable in
the Bolivian setting and were also discriminated against. Around 45
families left for the countryside to start an agricultural community.
After our history lesson we all tossed the Frisbees with Ron, what a
character!
We also learned about the history of many hostels that escaped to
Bolivia after the war and ended up helping the ditatorships in Bolivia
throughout the 60´s,70´s and 80´s. All a little disturbing but
nonetheless an awesome history lesson. It´s been crazy realizing how
all of this was not that long ago.
Yesterday morning we had a real talk about the war on drugs and watched a movie
named ¨Shoveling Water¨. This film pertained specifically to the
eradication of the coca plant in Colombia via aerial fumigation but it
allowed our class to compare the situation to that of Bolivia´s. After
spending time with people who have cultivated coca for generations,
picked some ourselves and after seeing how it is a major agricultural
component to their society, not to mention witnessing how it is
utilized to practice their religion, it is hard to see the war on
drugs (specifically the war on coca leaf) the same way. This class has
opened each of our eyes to so many new things, like coca cultivation
and cultural traditions, I don´t think any of us will look at a lot of
things the same way.
The rain lifted around 4 this afternoon and once again we were able to
watch the clouds lift through the valleys that surround Coroico. We
all said good bye to Ron and were able to enjoy a nice little hike
outside of town. The plan had been to take a field trip to visit some
Bee Keepers, but it ended up being too late in the day. Nonetheless
another awesome outing. We were able to catch some sun and share some
laughs, which are not too hard to come by in our crazy group. It was a
heavy morning for some people I think. Heavy topics and heavy
questions that we are starting to ask ourselves about what we are
going to do with the knowledge we obtain from here.
Today (7/30) we visited the rural college. We were all pumped to meet
some fellow students and were able to get their perspective on the many
questions we have.
Loads of love from everyone here in Bolivia. Adios!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Yesterday, the 26th of July, we went out to pick and learn about coca cultivation. We took a bus/van to the next town over and walked a road, along the side of a mountain, that was practically all coca fields. The fields were likely owned by many different families, and work by themselves, friends, and other workers if the choose to pay. Women are the ones who pick coca, and looking out over the valley we could see many women standing out with their white cloth. Their day generally starts at 5 am to make lunch and take care of the family. They then show up in the field around 8-9. From there they store their food, belongings, and possibly small babies in the carpa (a small straw house you can see in the picture below), and then tie on a montel (simply a large cloth) into a little cradle to put the coca in. The women work in an unshaded field for up to around 10 hours picking coca at incredible speeds! Surely way faster then we could ever dream of doing it. I even had to take some video to show how fast they can pick the coca. The work can really be very rough- it is the winter now, and it was still HOT in the sun. I could not imagine working in the hot summer sun, drenched in sweat, and bent over all day picking coca. The plants are only about knee to thigh high so your either kneeling or bending over the entire day. I can almost feel my back hurting just thinking about it now! All said and done these women can work for 40 Bs a day ($5.81 at the current exchange rate) or then can work for $3.50 Bs per pound. Generally they work per pound during the wet season when the plants are producing most, and work by the day in the winter when they are not producing nearly as much (coca an be harvested about 5 times a year).
The sale and distribution of coca is highly regulated in Bolivia and very respected by the local cooperatives. To many families producing coca means being able to put food on the table for their kids. The terrain here is unimaginably steep with large variations climate, which together create all kinds of problems. Coca can be harvested multiple times a year, is extremely resilient, can be transported easily (we have driven maybe 5 minutes on paved roads in total the entire time here and the roads are generally straight up or down mountains), and there is a good size legal market for coca. Chewing coca has been popular here in the Yungus for thousands of years for its seemingly endless medicinal values including being their "morning coffee". Coca keeps you alert, suppresses your hunger (coffee does this too its an adrenal response), gives you energy, relieves head/stomach aches, and is the only thing I have ever found to relieve acute altitude sickness. When looking at the medicinal qualities I cannot help but think of a study created in the 1960s that United States stands by the study´s idea that chewing coca makes workers lazy; seems like they forgot to include the fact that coca was a key piece in the Bolivian indigenous surviving the hundreds of years of forced labor during the conquests! Cant see what your not looking for.... After the coca is picked it is brought to houses, streets, the local square, or almost anywhere to be dried that takes about 2-4 hours. After it is dried it can be brought to one spot in the region where it is sold to a middle man, and the redistributed to legal sellers. The cultivation and sale of coca is highly regulated. We will learn more about the legal sale next week but it is government regulated with very high consequences (including loosing your land) for offenses. Finally coca cooperatives represent a support community for many. The leader of the local cooperative mentioned projects that included getting 11 chickens for every woman and a meat processing plant in the town. In conclusion, coca could not be further from cocaine here in the Yungus; it represents a steady income, your morning "coffee," a long heritage, a support structure, along with many many more reasons.
Please enjoy the pictures! The first is everyone in the coca field picking, and the second is Danielle with her montel and coca!
The sale and distribution of coca is highly regulated in Bolivia and very respected by the local cooperatives. To many families producing coca means being able to put food on the table for their kids. The terrain here is unimaginably steep with large variations climate, which together create all kinds of problems. Coca can be harvested multiple times a year, is extremely resilient, can be transported easily (we have driven maybe 5 minutes on paved roads in total the entire time here and the roads are generally straight up or down mountains), and there is a good size legal market for coca. Chewing coca has been popular here in the Yungus for thousands of years for its seemingly endless medicinal values including being their "morning coffee". Coca keeps you alert, suppresses your hunger (coffee does this too its an adrenal response), gives you energy, relieves head/stomach aches, and is the only thing I have ever found to relieve acute altitude sickness. When looking at the medicinal qualities I cannot help but think of a study created in the 1960s that United States stands by the study´s idea that chewing coca makes workers lazy; seems like they forgot to include the fact that coca was a key piece in the Bolivian indigenous surviving the hundreds of years of forced labor during the conquests! Cant see what your not looking for.... After the coca is picked it is brought to houses, streets, the local square, or almost anywhere to be dried that takes about 2-4 hours. After it is dried it can be brought to one spot in the region where it is sold to a middle man, and the redistributed to legal sellers. The cultivation and sale of coca is highly regulated. We will learn more about the legal sale next week but it is government regulated with very high consequences (including loosing your land) for offenses. Finally coca cooperatives represent a support community for many. The leader of the local cooperative mentioned projects that included getting 11 chickens for every woman and a meat processing plant in the town. In conclusion, coca could not be further from cocaine here in the Yungus; it represents a steady income, your morning "coffee," a long heritage, a support structure, along with many many more reasons.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Today,
Henry started our morning meeting by reading from the book Emperor’s Handbook
written by Marcus Aurelius. The message
was about “reserving its judgments and adapting to change.” Our morning
discussion was about sharing. We questioned what sharing
meant to all of us. We talked about sharing between family members and
strangers, as well as sharing material things and non-material things such as
time. After the morning meeting we went to pick coffee in the Don Marcelino
Mamani’s coffee plantation. Some of us tasted some “miel” (sweet coffee juice
that surrounds coffee berries). It was quite tasty. We picked a couple of pounds of dark red
coffee berries, and watched how coffee is processed. Lucio was very knowledgeable
about coffee. He explained how coffee is grown and processed. Latter, we enjoyed
a cup of cappuccino at Lucio’s café while listening to Juan Valencia, a current
president of the coffee cooperative – Cencoop, talk about the economic aspects
of coffee. Today, we learned a lot about coffee, heard stories of coffee
growers, and experienced how much of hard hand labor takes to prepare an
aromatic cup of coffee that most of us savor every morning.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
¡Bailamos!
Hoy estamos bailar la siya (?). Today we started our day with a birthday cake for Lex and sang feliz cumpleaños para ella. After our breakfast discussion we broke into our context paper groups. My group has a very broad topic but I feel that we will work together very well. We are attempting to define development in Bolivia, what Andean socialism, how radio influences social movements, and how the indigineous concept of ayni (reciprocity) is mirrored in Bolivian government and society.
After the group meetings we had our first field trip to the Afro-Bolivian community called Tocaño. We picked up a man named Don Carlos on the way to Tocaño. He is an 82 year old Afro-Bolivian with a heart as big as his smile. Don Carlos grew up in a time when haciendas controlled the indegenous lands and there was much racismo between the elite and the indigenous people. Don Carlos described his life on the haciendas as terrible and consisted of a lot of whipping. After the Revolution on 1952-3 the haciendas were broken down and land was returned to the indigenous people. Don Carlos was 22 at the time and moved to La Paz, where he married his first wife and went to night school to learn to read and write.
After asking Don Carlos questions about his life we ate lunch prepared by the people of Tocaño. The meal consisted of a thin piece of steak, rice, banana, and a root that was prepated with onions and spices. VERY DELICOUS! After lunch the siya began! Siya is the dance of the Afro-Bolivians. Don Carlos claimed that the dance was forgotten for many years, but about 10 years ago siya was revived. The men and women wore white clothing decorated with colorful beads and ribbon. The dance was lead by the rythym of the drums played by the men and then the women danced for the crowd. Our entire class was invited on the stage and we all danced and laughed together! The entire process was amazing and when I looked around there was not a single person frowning, everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves.
Today was definately my favorite day of the class thus far. We had a chance to interact with a community that is very special to Bolivia. Tomorrow we are going to visit a coffee co-op, CENCOOP, I cannot wait for that. I love good coffee and if its organic and promotes fair-trade ideals i´ll love it even more!
Well, it is dinner time here in Bolivia and we plan to eat at an Italian restaraunt that serves homemade gnocchi, ravioli, and pastas. Yummmmm. Buenas Noches at todo. :-)
After the group meetings we had our first field trip to the Afro-Bolivian community called Tocaño. We picked up a man named Don Carlos on the way to Tocaño. He is an 82 year old Afro-Bolivian with a heart as big as his smile. Don Carlos grew up in a time when haciendas controlled the indegenous lands and there was much racismo between the elite and the indigenous people. Don Carlos described his life on the haciendas as terrible and consisted of a lot of whipping. After the Revolution on 1952-3 the haciendas were broken down and land was returned to the indigenous people. Don Carlos was 22 at the time and moved to La Paz, where he married his first wife and went to night school to learn to read and write.
After asking Don Carlos questions about his life we ate lunch prepared by the people of Tocaño. The meal consisted of a thin piece of steak, rice, banana, and a root that was prepated with onions and spices. VERY DELICOUS! After lunch the siya began! Siya is the dance of the Afro-Bolivians. Don Carlos claimed that the dance was forgotten for many years, but about 10 years ago siya was revived. The men and women wore white clothing decorated with colorful beads and ribbon. The dance was lead by the rythym of the drums played by the men and then the women danced for the crowd. Our entire class was invited on the stage and we all danced and laughed together! The entire process was amazing and when I looked around there was not a single person frowning, everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves.
Today was definately my favorite day of the class thus far. We had a chance to interact with a community that is very special to Bolivia. Tomorrow we are going to visit a coffee co-op, CENCOOP, I cannot wait for that. I love good coffee and if its organic and promotes fair-trade ideals i´ll love it even more!
Well, it is dinner time here in Bolivia and we plan to eat at an Italian restaraunt that serves homemade gnocchi, ravioli, and pastas. Yummmmm. Buenas Noches at todo. :-)
Someone has a case of the Mondays...
7/23/2012
But not us! Today was our first formal day of classes in Bolivia. We met at 8:30am Bolivian time, so around 9:15, to eat a complimentary breakfast at Hotel Esmeralda. We started off the day with our morning message courtesy of Jessi, all about how plants are just as alive a humans, and morning discussion led by Sonya. We discussed the idea of power and the types we experience in society. Is it more horizontal or top down in your local community?? The stimulating conversation was haulted when Lucio Mendoza, the brother of Sabino who came to talk to us yesterday, arrived to introduce himself. He has been helping coordinate the trip and besides working for a coffee cooperative started his own adventure tourism company. I really want to go canyoning into a waterfall now...
The rest of our morning was spent reflecting and watching a film called, Ausangate, about Quechua culture and how Apu and Pachamama have been preserved in weavings. A favorite quote of Henry´s was, “When you sit with an open heart in the natural world, you can feel the spirit of it.”
After the movie ended we broke for lunch to ponder what we would start focusing our research on and with whom. Half of us went into town to try some handmade Italian food at Toto while others lounged at the hotel. If you get the chance I recommend the pesto pasta. Oh and the Choco Bananas at Cafe for 1 Boliviano.
The afternoon consisted mostly of personal reflection on what we wanted to do for our projects. Carol split us up into pairs and decided specific meeting times that we will have before noon tomorrow with her to help us with our topics. We all seem to have topics which overlap such as: Coca, Gender, Sindicato Democracy, and Water. I am excited to see what peoples projects develop into since our research is still somewhat broad at the moment. After meeting/ more reflection time it was already dinner time! That meant another downhill walk to La Plaza and another deliciously cheap meal. I still can´t believe how much food you can get here for just a couple dollars, but I can definitely get used to it.
Where did the day go? Journaling and taking time to think about questions in your head is a lot more time consuming than I thought. I can´t wait to start getting in the field and making sense of everything. Tomorrow we are taking our first field trip outside of La Plaza!
*sorry for the late post, I had technical difficulties with the computer.
But not us! Today was our first formal day of classes in Bolivia. We met at 8:30am Bolivian time, so around 9:15, to eat a complimentary breakfast at Hotel Esmeralda. We started off the day with our morning message courtesy of Jessi, all about how plants are just as alive a humans, and morning discussion led by Sonya. We discussed the idea of power and the types we experience in society. Is it more horizontal or top down in your local community?? The stimulating conversation was haulted when Lucio Mendoza, the brother of Sabino who came to talk to us yesterday, arrived to introduce himself. He has been helping coordinate the trip and besides working for a coffee cooperative started his own adventure tourism company. I really want to go canyoning into a waterfall now...
The rest of our morning was spent reflecting and watching a film called, Ausangate, about Quechua culture and how Apu and Pachamama have been preserved in weavings. A favorite quote of Henry´s was, “When you sit with an open heart in the natural world, you can feel the spirit of it.”
After the movie ended we broke for lunch to ponder what we would start focusing our research on and with whom. Half of us went into town to try some handmade Italian food at Toto while others lounged at the hotel. If you get the chance I recommend the pesto pasta. Oh and the Choco Bananas at Cafe for 1 Boliviano.
The afternoon consisted mostly of personal reflection on what we wanted to do for our projects. Carol split us up into pairs and decided specific meeting times that we will have before noon tomorrow with her to help us with our topics. We all seem to have topics which overlap such as: Coca, Gender, Sindicato Democracy, and Water. I am excited to see what peoples projects develop into since our research is still somewhat broad at the moment. After meeting/ more reflection time it was already dinner time! That meant another downhill walk to La Plaza and another deliciously cheap meal. I still can´t believe how much food you can get here for just a couple dollars, but I can definitely get used to it.
Where did the day go? Journaling and taking time to think about questions in your head is a lot more time consuming than I thought. I can´t wait to start getting in the field and making sense of everything. Tomorrow we are taking our first field trip outside of La Plaza!
*sorry for the late post, I had technical difficulties with the computer.
Buenos Suerte en Bolivia!
...That was the last thing I was told before coming to Bolivia. Besides having a mini panic attack on the way to the airport, I really didn´t have any problems reaching La Paz. None of my bags to lost, I didn´t miss a plane, and a ride was waiting for me when I got out of customs. I was really surprised considering that most of the time I am the one that has the problems when arriving anywhere. I guess all my worrying somehow paid off.
It was a bit of an adjustment walking around the streets of La Paz at 12,000ft. I think in the back of my mind I was wondering how hiking at 16,000ft was going to go. Then next thing I know my time in La Paz was up and I was giving my backpack to a man named Oscar so I could go to El Camino de Choro. One necessary stop we made on the way to the trail was to get coca, I don´t think I would have survived without it! Up at altitude it was the only way to get where I needed to go without losing my mind.
That trip was my first experience really backpacking for multiple days with two separate destinations. It tested my limits and made me really aware of where I stand in a group mentality. All I can say is that my group is awesome so far. Everyone is super passionate and has so much to contribute to conversations. Over the course of the three days on the trail I was blown away as to how the vegetation went from dry and desolate to a rich jungle type feel. There was a lot of plant life that I had never seen before. It would be cool to study indigenous plants while I am here and the medicinal uses of those plants. The people of the trail were really friendly, both hikers and those who lived on the property we trekked through. At one point we were stopped by an Aymara woman and practically forced us to drink a beer. We couldn´t say no. Each of the nights spent on the trail were accompanied by magical stars and views of the Milky Way. I couldn´t believe it when we finally made it to Chairo. We were hurting but piled into a van and closed our eyes as we swerved across pot hole filled streets all the way to Coroico while the sun was setting. I would have liked to see the drive in, but it seemed less scary this way. It was as though the trail was a right of passage for me, a key to getting into the town. It has also turned out to be a good conversation starter! Now we are currently staying at the beautiful Hotel Esmeralda where we will remain until the end of the trip. I can´t wait to experience all Bolivia has to offer:the food, people, places, dancing, and other traditions waiting to be explored!
Hopefully I won´t go too crazy and will return to the states in one piece! Wish us all luck in recovering and experiencing the magic of Pachamama.
besos y abrazos
...That was the last thing I was told before coming to Bolivia. Besides having a mini panic attack on the way to the airport, I really didn´t have any problems reaching La Paz. None of my bags to lost, I didn´t miss a plane, and a ride was waiting for me when I got out of customs. I was really surprised considering that most of the time I am the one that has the problems when arriving anywhere. I guess all my worrying somehow paid off.
It was a bit of an adjustment walking around the streets of La Paz at 12,000ft. I think in the back of my mind I was wondering how hiking at 16,000ft was going to go. Then next thing I know my time in La Paz was up and I was giving my backpack to a man named Oscar so I could go to El Camino de Choro. One necessary stop we made on the way to the trail was to get coca, I don´t think I would have survived without it! Up at altitude it was the only way to get where I needed to go without losing my mind.
That trip was my first experience really backpacking for multiple days with two separate destinations. It tested my limits and made me really aware of where I stand in a group mentality. All I can say is that my group is awesome so far. Everyone is super passionate and has so much to contribute to conversations. Over the course of the three days on the trail I was blown away as to how the vegetation went from dry and desolate to a rich jungle type feel. There was a lot of plant life that I had never seen before. It would be cool to study indigenous plants while I am here and the medicinal uses of those plants. The people of the trail were really friendly, both hikers and those who lived on the property we trekked through. At one point we were stopped by an Aymara woman and practically forced us to drink a beer. We couldn´t say no. Each of the nights spent on the trail were accompanied by magical stars and views of the Milky Way. I couldn´t believe it when we finally made it to Chairo. We were hurting but piled into a van and closed our eyes as we swerved across pot hole filled streets all the way to Coroico while the sun was setting. I would have liked to see the drive in, but it seemed less scary this way. It was as though the trail was a right of passage for me, a key to getting into the town. It has also turned out to be a good conversation starter! Now we are currently staying at the beautiful Hotel Esmeralda where we will remain until the end of the trip. I can´t wait to experience all Bolivia has to offer:the food, people, places, dancing, and other traditions waiting to be explored!
Hopefully I won´t go too crazy and will return to the states in one piece! Wish us all luck in recovering and experiencing the magic of Pachamama.
besos y abrazos
Another Start (Yay!)
Hey guys! So I finally got a chance to really sit down and type up a blog post about coming into Bolivia but because everyone else actually took the time to really go into detail their journeys and experiences, I´m going to sum up what happened to me in a few (long-winded) bullet points. Upon which afterwards I´ll go ahead and just sum up how I´m feeling and random things that just stuck out.
- I arrived in La Paz last Sunday at around 5:55 AM to a rather dark, though somewhat sunrise-y, winter morning. As the shuttle from the Hostal Republica took me to the hostel closer into town, my jaw dropped as I noted the clouds literally sitting right on top of the red hued buildings. That was possibly the best first impression of Bolivia one could have, I think.
- My Spanish is pretty abysmal, that much I can already tell you (and you already probably could tell from my previous post). But combine that with the fact that this was my first time in South America and that I was the first person to make it to the hostel, I was a nervous wreck. That most definitely put me on my toes and I couldn´t actually take the time to lay down and relax until I heard a parade of fanfare and drums going right past the hostel entrance. I ended up landing (along with Danielle, Jessi, and Sabina) on the 203rd anniversary of the independence of La Paz. I did eventually venture out through the streets by myself but it took a lot of pushing by some other people at the hostel as well as a lot of shuffling.
- More and more people arrived and we all ventured the next day out to La Paz and to pick up some gear/experience some fine Bolivian cuisine. I ended up buying one thing but currently cannot find it...
- The Choro Trail. I can not tell you how much that entire trek still haunts the depths of my dreams. That´s a definitely a bit of an exaggeration, but I definitely know that I was the least prepared out of the entire group to do the trek. But I did it! Along with the behest of the rest of the group, at that. I don´t think I would´ve actually made it across that 40 mile spit of trail if it wasn´t for my classmates -- I definitely owe everybody a lot after that. I don´t quite want to go into detail about the beauty and awe that literally filled our entire group because that´s been covered already through some of my classmates´posts but I can tell you this: I would´ve definitely been admiring the masonry and the actual placement of the stones if it wasn´t for the fact that I was going, "damn Incans" half the time. And I honestly say that in the most loving way possible.
Now, we are in La Paz and everything´s starting to develop a pattern here. We have a morning meeting, class, some free time, and then often times an excursion that happens. The hotel here (Esmerelda) sits right above the actual town of Coroico and essentially shows off the best views the entire valley has to offer. I´m sure people will start showing off and posting pictures as soon as we all come back but for now, imagination is definitely prime.
I´ve been feeling pretty good. A little bit sick, congested, homesick, but otherwise enjoying everything that´s been thrown at me (or otherwise dealing with everything in a haphazard, "I GOT EET" kind of way). I have to meet up with my group in a bit so I have to go. Hopefully, you´ll be hearing more from us soon though!
- Alina
- I arrived in La Paz last Sunday at around 5:55 AM to a rather dark, though somewhat sunrise-y, winter morning. As the shuttle from the Hostal Republica took me to the hostel closer into town, my jaw dropped as I noted the clouds literally sitting right on top of the red hued buildings. That was possibly the best first impression of Bolivia one could have, I think.
- My Spanish is pretty abysmal, that much I can already tell you (and you already probably could tell from my previous post). But combine that with the fact that this was my first time in South America and that I was the first person to make it to the hostel, I was a nervous wreck. That most definitely put me on my toes and I couldn´t actually take the time to lay down and relax until I heard a parade of fanfare and drums going right past the hostel entrance. I ended up landing (along with Danielle, Jessi, and Sabina) on the 203rd anniversary of the independence of La Paz. I did eventually venture out through the streets by myself but it took a lot of pushing by some other people at the hostel as well as a lot of shuffling.
- More and more people arrived and we all ventured the next day out to La Paz and to pick up some gear/experience some fine Bolivian cuisine. I ended up buying one thing but currently cannot find it...
- The Choro Trail. I can not tell you how much that entire trek still haunts the depths of my dreams. That´s a definitely a bit of an exaggeration, but I definitely know that I was the least prepared out of the entire group to do the trek. But I did it! Along with the behest of the rest of the group, at that. I don´t think I would´ve actually made it across that 40 mile spit of trail if it wasn´t for my classmates -- I definitely owe everybody a lot after that. I don´t quite want to go into detail about the beauty and awe that literally filled our entire group because that´s been covered already through some of my classmates´posts but I can tell you this: I would´ve definitely been admiring the masonry and the actual placement of the stones if it wasn´t for the fact that I was going, "damn Incans" half the time. And I honestly say that in the most loving way possible.
Now, we are in La Paz and everything´s starting to develop a pattern here. We have a morning meeting, class, some free time, and then often times an excursion that happens. The hotel here (Esmerelda) sits right above the actual town of Coroico and essentially shows off the best views the entire valley has to offer. I´m sure people will start showing off and posting pictures as soon as we all come back but for now, imagination is definitely prime.
I´ve been feeling pretty good. A little bit sick, congested, homesick, but otherwise enjoying everything that´s been thrown at me (or otherwise dealing with everything in a haphazard, "I GOT EET" kind of way). I have to meet up with my group in a bit so I have to go. Hopefully, you´ll be hearing more from us soon though!
- Alina
Monday, July 23, 2012
Hello all- especially all of those back in the states reading this. So, as you can see from previous posts, we made it! It has been exactly a week for me since I landed in the La Paz airport. I landed at 5 am and was still disoriented when the plane touched the ground. I stepped out of the airport and saw my first glimpse of the Andes. I will never forget that moment when I looked up from my bag and saw the towering snowy peaks in the distance. I felt like I had stepped off of the plane into the Swiss Alps for a moment. On the ride into La Paz from El Alto (where the airport technically is located) you can look off onto the left of the road and see all of La Paz below you. I had never seen anything like it- an entire valley and mountain side compartmentalized into these tiny red boxes, almost like a little lego-land. It took me a moment to realize what I was looking at- lots of rectangular, red brick buildings.
I, like the rest of the class stayed in Hostal Republica, my first hostal experience. I enjoyed the casualness of it, and spent my first hours in Bolivia with my wonderful classmates. We explored La Paz together and managed to find the local supermarket to get food for the upcoming trek. Looking back, I was in wonder of how I was going to manage to fight my jet lag and wake up the next morning to begin a 72 hour trek. However, when the morning came that we arrived at the top of the trailhead (16,000 ft), I felt a refreshing sense of simplicity and detachment from the techonological and material world. It was just us and the elements, and gosh those elements are beautiful... endless mountain peaks, rocky highland, and blue skies. Within minutes of starting the trek, we came across the first local woman, herding her llamas up the steep rocky path. She had on the traditional beautiful woven shall, and was in skimpy sandals that made me feel silly in my hiking boots, going downhill.
Aside from the scenery though, what really blew my mind was the ethics and compassion of our trekking group. It was one of those rare instances where I felt like I was truly part of a team of people who wouldn´t let me down, and who I would everything in my power not to let down either. Regardless of what you were facing (altitude sickness, fear, a blistered foot, an empty waterbottle) there would be somebody to help you out with an open heart. As I told my fellow classmates, the trek could be one of the worst experiences of your life if you were surrounded by people who you didn´t trust or respect. With that said, I feel immensely lucky to have experienced such a beautiful backpacking adventure with such beautiful people.
My feeling of fulfillment only continues here in Coroico, where we walk to the town plaza together, discuss local politics together, and steadily navigate the foreign culture here, together. It is true that there is a cultural richness to the people here... when a local asks how you are doing, they genuinly want to listen and respond to your answer. There is a sense of timelessness here that means a) you can probably be late to wherever you are going and b) allows you to truly loose yourself in observation, discussion, breathing, laughing. It is an odd yet wonderful thing to walk the streets and see peoples eyes free from their cell phones. There is a level of awareness and genuity to the people here that makes you feel warm and welcome, despite, (as in my case) lack of any Spanish skills.
I am looking forward to getting into the nitty-gritty of our research, and doing my first official field study as an anthropology student.
Speaking for everyone here, we send our love and hellos back to the states!
Chao!
I, like the rest of the class stayed in Hostal Republica, my first hostal experience. I enjoyed the casualness of it, and spent my first hours in Bolivia with my wonderful classmates. We explored La Paz together and managed to find the local supermarket to get food for the upcoming trek. Looking back, I was in wonder of how I was going to manage to fight my jet lag and wake up the next morning to begin a 72 hour trek. However, when the morning came that we arrived at the top of the trailhead (16,000 ft), I felt a refreshing sense of simplicity and detachment from the techonological and material world. It was just us and the elements, and gosh those elements are beautiful... endless mountain peaks, rocky highland, and blue skies. Within minutes of starting the trek, we came across the first local woman, herding her llamas up the steep rocky path. She had on the traditional beautiful woven shall, and was in skimpy sandals that made me feel silly in my hiking boots, going downhill.
Aside from the scenery though, what really blew my mind was the ethics and compassion of our trekking group. It was one of those rare instances where I felt like I was truly part of a team of people who wouldn´t let me down, and who I would everything in my power not to let down either. Regardless of what you were facing (altitude sickness, fear, a blistered foot, an empty waterbottle) there would be somebody to help you out with an open heart. As I told my fellow classmates, the trek could be one of the worst experiences of your life if you were surrounded by people who you didn´t trust or respect. With that said, I feel immensely lucky to have experienced such a beautiful backpacking adventure with such beautiful people.
My feeling of fulfillment only continues here in Coroico, where we walk to the town plaza together, discuss local politics together, and steadily navigate the foreign culture here, together. It is true that there is a cultural richness to the people here... when a local asks how you are doing, they genuinly want to listen and respond to your answer. There is a sense of timelessness here that means a) you can probably be late to wherever you are going and b) allows you to truly loose yourself in observation, discussion, breathing, laughing. It is an odd yet wonderful thing to walk the streets and see peoples eyes free from their cell phones. There is a level of awareness and genuity to the people here that makes you feel warm and welcome, despite, (as in my case) lack of any Spanish skills.
I am looking forward to getting into the nitty-gritty of our research, and doing my first official field study as an anthropology student.
Speaking for everyone here, we send our love and hellos back to the states!
Chao!
Que onda!
A little delay in uploading my thoughts here, but hey, it's Bolivian time now, right? It's Monday, and has been a week since I was restlessly shifting in the claustrophobia of the nightmare we tend to refer to as Miami International Airport. I feel as though a world of time and space has passed between then and now, especially as my 30 hour trip left me hardly any time in La Paz before a group of us set out on the Choro trek. When I separated from Chris, Sonja, Richie, and Carol in Miami to find my own flight to Lima, I felt as though this leg of the trip was my time to finally let go of any inhibitions I might have had over leaving my zone. Not necessarily a comfort zone, but what I had been getting used to at home after being away for nearly two years in Boulder. I tied up a lot of loose ends this summer and made some special connections, and while it was hard to tear myself away from that, it was certainly time for a new zone. I wrote pages of usually-but-not-always coherent thoughts and feelings, lost myself in between my headphones, and tried to picture what lay ahead of me. Planes, airports, sleeping on benches, dazedly sipping my first chicha morada at 5 am in Peru, it´s all pretty blurry now.
Getting into La Paz, I was struck by how cold it was. Der, Lex, it's winter, actually. Not something I had really planned for, having packed as my warmest article a North Face fleece. Got my shivers out and decided I would acclimate and not let the cold bother me. And it hasn´t really since. The shuttle that was supposed to pick me up and bring me to Hostal Republica, where everyone was staying, never showed up, so I hailed a friendly looking taxi driver and asked him in my hesitant Spanish if he could take me to where I needed to go. I guess my general vibe is that of naivety, so the 20 minute ride cost me $20 USD, but whatever. He dropped me off right near the square where the last vestiges of the TIPNIS protest I was soon to learn about were dying off, and I skirted armed military personnel and the presidential palaces, dying to get some film but probably rightly deciding it wasn´t quite the time. I promptly got lost traipsing up and down the steep streets looking for the hostel, loaded down with backpack (oh, was I about to learn about being loaded with backpack), but eventually found it, checked in, and after a freezing shower, almost started to worry about meeting up with my group. Bundled up in my fleece and beanie and adventured out into La Paz to the restaurant where they were supposedly eating, but either due to my inability to express what I wanted or the hostess' unwillingness to let random boyish-looking, nose-pierced girl into nice restaurant, did not end up finding them. We met up later though, and bless their hearts, the girls had bought food for me and rented camping gear. Eternally grateful, felt the team spirit right away and we all went to bed with mixed feelings of what was to come.
El Camino del Choro. Three days and two nights of the most incredible mountain spirits and tree songs that I have ever experienced. Saw the Southern hemisphere planetarium for the first time, blown away by the similarity to the stars at my home, in terms of clarity and spiritual power, but so different in terms of community and organization. Smiled at llamas, awed at lambs, watched birds soar in the vastness that were the Andean mountain valleys, and ran my fingers across moss, boulder, bark, and petal. For me, this backpacking trip wasn´t really about the physical feat or the infamy of having completed one of the 10 most intense treks in the world (or whatever it was), it was about simply being where I was, feeling the ancient power that the Andes hold and feeling humbled by the vastness and wisdom encapsulated in the peaks, tree trunks, and eyes of the villagers living there. Yeah, I got super sick the second night and will not be partaking of chorizo or quinoa for a good long time, and yeah, I flared up old injuries and blew out both my knees, but such things can be overlooked when thinking back to what a learning experience this trek was. Not learning of the researched or necessarily tangible, but learning experienced by the soul, captured only by sleeping under the Andean stars, listening to Aymara vernacular, and watching llamas scramble up a rocky hillside. And now we are here, in Coroico, simply taking in the new sounds, smells, daily way of doing things, and tentative smiles of the locals. I might not be able to walk down stairs without hating my joints, but I am able to be grateful and happy of the days that have passed and the days that are to come. And I am quite joyfully able to escape the confining world of facebook, phones, schedules, and stress over things that don't really matter in the grand scheme of life. Peace!
Getting into La Paz, I was struck by how cold it was. Der, Lex, it's winter, actually. Not something I had really planned for, having packed as my warmest article a North Face fleece. Got my shivers out and decided I would acclimate and not let the cold bother me. And it hasn´t really since. The shuttle that was supposed to pick me up and bring me to Hostal Republica, where everyone was staying, never showed up, so I hailed a friendly looking taxi driver and asked him in my hesitant Spanish if he could take me to where I needed to go. I guess my general vibe is that of naivety, so the 20 minute ride cost me $20 USD, but whatever. He dropped me off right near the square where the last vestiges of the TIPNIS protest I was soon to learn about were dying off, and I skirted armed military personnel and the presidential palaces, dying to get some film but probably rightly deciding it wasn´t quite the time. I promptly got lost traipsing up and down the steep streets looking for the hostel, loaded down with backpack (oh, was I about to learn about being loaded with backpack), but eventually found it, checked in, and after a freezing shower, almost started to worry about meeting up with my group. Bundled up in my fleece and beanie and adventured out into La Paz to the restaurant where they were supposedly eating, but either due to my inability to express what I wanted or the hostess' unwillingness to let random boyish-looking, nose-pierced girl into nice restaurant, did not end up finding them. We met up later though, and bless their hearts, the girls had bought food for me and rented camping gear. Eternally grateful, felt the team spirit right away and we all went to bed with mixed feelings of what was to come.
El Camino del Choro. Three days and two nights of the most incredible mountain spirits and tree songs that I have ever experienced. Saw the Southern hemisphere planetarium for the first time, blown away by the similarity to the stars at my home, in terms of clarity and spiritual power, but so different in terms of community and organization. Smiled at llamas, awed at lambs, watched birds soar in the vastness that were the Andean mountain valleys, and ran my fingers across moss, boulder, bark, and petal. For me, this backpacking trip wasn´t really about the physical feat or the infamy of having completed one of the 10 most intense treks in the world (or whatever it was), it was about simply being where I was, feeling the ancient power that the Andes hold and feeling humbled by the vastness and wisdom encapsulated in the peaks, tree trunks, and eyes of the villagers living there. Yeah, I got super sick the second night and will not be partaking of chorizo or quinoa for a good long time, and yeah, I flared up old injuries and blew out both my knees, but such things can be overlooked when thinking back to what a learning experience this trek was. Not learning of the researched or necessarily tangible, but learning experienced by the soul, captured only by sleeping under the Andean stars, listening to Aymara vernacular, and watching llamas scramble up a rocky hillside. And now we are here, in Coroico, simply taking in the new sounds, smells, daily way of doing things, and tentative smiles of the locals. I might not be able to walk down stairs without hating my joints, but I am able to be grateful and happy of the days that have passed and the days that are to come. And I am quite joyfully able to escape the confining world of facebook, phones, schedules, and stress over things that don't really matter in the grand scheme of life. Peace!
Long awaited but finally here
After what has probably been the worst travel nightmare of my life I can honestly say arriving in Bolivia has been nothing short of breathtaking. Initially planning to do the Choro Trail with most of the group, American Airlines sought to it that I remain in purgatory for 3 days, forced to watch the rain in Miami for what began to feel like and endless amount of time. However, being so concentrated on just leaving the states I was beginning to forget why I was so excited to be in Bolivia from the get go. This being my first time in South America I was aching for an eye-opener, a world and mindset that I had never come been a part of.
Missing the Choro trek and arriving in La Paz on the 19th, I was surprisingly content with discovering a new city on my own for a day or two. Walking through the hustle of what I couldn't help think was a heartbeat city, I could not get enough of the liveliness that my first two days in La Paz brought. From the close packed houses on the mountain side that lit up city like fireflies, to the salteñas and coca mate on the street I began to feel an anticipation that I finally had made. I won't deny that my first night was in Bolivia was a little rough. Having spent so much mental energy focusing on the anticipation, arriving was so bittersweet. I kept thinking how far from Colorado and my comfortable life I really was, how for one of the first times in my life I was truly on my own. I missed and for a little while questions my own intentions and emotions.
However, after a day with some random German travelers I began to feel like this trip was meant to be. It isn't till your truly alone that begin to create your own way. Spending a day with those whom I had never met, I began to realize that most of us are just searching for something, anything to obtain that feeling of ultimate content. From Marco to Anna, or even Alberto my mental boarders slowly began to fade and I saw myself similar to so many others that I couldn't help smile. But after that short stay it was off to Coroico for the experience of a lifetime.
Oscar and Lee picked me and Henry up from our hostel in the morning to head out for Coroico. Seeing the various neighborhoods on the way out of La Paz my heart was pounding and my stomach had an uneasy feeling, but not the bad kind. "This is it, this is it," I kept telling myself, it was finally happening. Finally reaching the point where the worlds most dangerous road began the and the new paved road continued, we naturally opted for the dangerous way. I don't think I'll forget Oscar saying "dont buckle your seatbelt, that way if we fall off it will be easier to get out." Needless to say I took the risk clinging tightly to the hand grip as Oscar whipped through every curve of that road. Chewing coca in the back and keeping my eyes up front, I let it all go. I realized this is the time to embrace the things which you cannot control. I could have chose to think about falling off the mountain side or panicked the whole time, but it would have been worthless. Nearing the end of the drive and pulling into Hotel Esmeralda with eyes wide, I made it. Through all the bumps and barriers testing my character, I made it. Can't wait to see what Coroico and our program will have in store for me and everyone I'm excited to share it with.
The journey to Coroico
I got into La Paz early, maybe 5:30 am and went straight to the Hostel Republica to start a busy day! On the way to the hotel we stopped at an over look where you can see almost all of La Paz and El Alto. The city (as Coroico is) is situated on one massive hillside. There are a few high rise buildings but most are much more simply made out of brick and morter. For the first day we needed to prepare for our backpacking trip on the Choro trail by getting food and gear. First, in the morning we relaxed and had some sentanas (a fried bread dumpling with a meat broth inside). In the afternoon we went to a grocery store called Kolata. It was certainly not like an American grocery store. It took some patients to find everything as there were no signs for the isles, and there was only a little bit of organization to the store. None the less we found everything and returned to the hotel to go get gear! To get gear we walked to sagarnaga street where many of the markets with textiles are. It is amazing how beautiful and well made everything is- it took us a while to move down the street. Finally we got to the gear shop where they certainly did not have the sense of urgency many rental shops do in the states, which was perfectly fine. While some were getting gear Sabina and I went around looking for Nalegenes (a popular water bottle) that was no where to be found! We looked through maybe ten outdoor shops that had basically everything else. Anyway that was basically the whole day. After getting a tent, sleeping bags, and poles we went back to the hotel and went to bed.
The next morning we got picked up by Oscar in his awesome 94´ toyota and drove to the trailhead of the Choro trail at just below 16,000 ft. The trail follows a nearly 1000 year old inca trail down a few valleys for around 35 miles. The trail is beautifully built with terraces that switch back down STEEP slopes with perfect steps and inlaid stones. The first day we hiked mostly though an alpine environment that had very small short plants. The first town we passed through had quite a few buildings with walls made of stacked stones and roofs of either sheet metal or some type of grass/fern. Everywhere were stone walls stacked about four feet high; I couldnt imagine how long it took to make all of them! The first night we slept just off to the side of the trail and had a delicious dinner that was similar to chili. The next morning we woke up and continued to hike into the cloud forest. Plants started out pretty short and got taller as we kept on going down in altitude. Along the way there were more towns made almost entirely from stones, and a few had buildings more catered towards tourists. The tourist building had maybe a bathroom, some water, coca-cola, a few snacks, and probably a beer or two. Certainly not a full selection- there were only a few items of each! After all they carried everything on their back to these stores. The second night we camped in basically someone´s backyard called buena vista (good view). It was so beautiful. Everywhere you looked there was massive mountains that had extremely steep vegetated hillsides. When looking close one can even notice vertical cliffs that are green with vegetation. The start at night were some of the best I have ever seen. The milky way galaxy was clearly visible. On the last day we hiked more downhill for what seemed like forever. One of my favorite parts of the trail was after we went on a suspension bridge over a gorge, and then up a STEEP mountain side. The trail was just terraces on top of eachother that were basically cut into this steep, if not a cliff at times, hillside. There were perfect steps the entire way- I could not imagine the man hours that it took to create something like this. In all my years of hiking in the United States I have never seen a trail that even comes close to the Choro trail. In the end most of us were a little beat up, and we grabbed taxi bus to Coroico. While driving into Coroico, it was the first time that it really hit me how poor Bolivia is. We drove on a paved road for maybe 5 minutes on a 40 minute ride. I bet that would put a little wear and tear on the car driving that everyday! Anyway, Coroico is beautiful. I woke up around 630 to more huge vegetated mountains, with more mountains with glaciers in the background, and a cloud hovering in the valley thousands of feet below. It was a lot of fun hiking from La Paz to Coroico and many feel that we earned out stay just a little bit more. Time for morning meeting!- sorry if some of the sentences did not make sense I dont have time to read my post over.
The next morning we got picked up by Oscar in his awesome 94´ toyota and drove to the trailhead of the Choro trail at just below 16,000 ft. The trail follows a nearly 1000 year old inca trail down a few valleys for around 35 miles. The trail is beautifully built with terraces that switch back down STEEP slopes with perfect steps and inlaid stones. The first day we hiked mostly though an alpine environment that had very small short plants. The first town we passed through had quite a few buildings with walls made of stacked stones and roofs of either sheet metal or some type of grass/fern. Everywhere were stone walls stacked about four feet high; I couldnt imagine how long it took to make all of them! The first night we slept just off to the side of the trail and had a delicious dinner that was similar to chili. The next morning we woke up and continued to hike into the cloud forest. Plants started out pretty short and got taller as we kept on going down in altitude. Along the way there were more towns made almost entirely from stones, and a few had buildings more catered towards tourists. The tourist building had maybe a bathroom, some water, coca-cola, a few snacks, and probably a beer or two. Certainly not a full selection- there were only a few items of each! After all they carried everything on their back to these stores. The second night we camped in basically someone´s backyard called buena vista (good view). It was so beautiful. Everywhere you looked there was massive mountains that had extremely steep vegetated hillsides. When looking close one can even notice vertical cliffs that are green with vegetation. The start at night were some of the best I have ever seen. The milky way galaxy was clearly visible. On the last day we hiked more downhill for what seemed like forever. One of my favorite parts of the trail was after we went on a suspension bridge over a gorge, and then up a STEEP mountain side. The trail was just terraces on top of eachother that were basically cut into this steep, if not a cliff at times, hillside. There were perfect steps the entire way- I could not imagine the man hours that it took to create something like this. In all my years of hiking in the United States I have never seen a trail that even comes close to the Choro trail. In the end most of us were a little beat up, and we grabbed taxi bus to Coroico. While driving into Coroico, it was the first time that it really hit me how poor Bolivia is. We drove on a paved road for maybe 5 minutes on a 40 minute ride. I bet that would put a little wear and tear on the car driving that everyday! Anyway, Coroico is beautiful. I woke up around 630 to more huge vegetated mountains, with more mountains with glaciers in the background, and a cloud hovering in the valley thousands of feet below. It was a lot of fun hiking from La Paz to Coroico and many feel that we earned out stay just a little bit more. Time for morning meeting!- sorry if some of the sentences did not make sense I dont have time to read my post over.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Completing the Camino de Choro
Yesterday we finished the Choro trail. We set off around 9am or a bit after and were set on finishing by that evening (friday). I was worried that our pace would not allow us to meet our goal of arriving in Coroico the night before class starts but as a team we pulled it off. We exited our campsite, "Buena vista" and rounded a couple of hillsides, traveling straight downward or upward via switchbacks the entire time. The views were unreal and I loved how unpredictable the terrain was. At one point there was an uphill section that was rather long and strenuous, I felt strong and that strength has motivated me since the feeling initally hit me mid-day yesterday. I loved the way my body felt all the way to the end of the trek. It hurt but I had control and nothing beats self-inspiration.
I loved resting at each checkpoint, but the Japenese man's property was probably my favorite. I drank a cocacola, and we got to catch a glimpse of the Japanese man briefly. The story is fascinating. He took refuge in Bolivia during WWII and has stayed up in the hills along the Choro trail every since. He only presented himself for a quick moment. He limped down his stone path that ran next to his garden and placed a book for us to register in on the picknick table we were sitting at in the shade. We all sat contently, eating some quinoa offered to us by some Chilean hikers and signed our names, country of origin, age and occupation.
I still can't believe how much that trail transformed over the course of 3 days. From cold, rugged, andean tundra littered with pre-incan structures, rocks, llamas, sheep and little vegetation to thin trails drapped with vines and leaves and plants. Crazy growths that looked like yucca plants that had flowers blooming from their center that resembled fat indian pant brush.Trees with leaves that had veins that were shaped like smaller leaves. Every shade of green you could imagine. Rounding every corner after corner, not kowing if you are about to trudge uphill for 40 minutes of downhill for an hour. Or, maybe, come across another checkpoint that is the home of an Aymara family that speaks little to no spanish (mostly only Aymara, the native indigenous tongue). They would sit on their front stoop waiting to sell you soda, candy or even a beer. Their homes were such simple structures with little amenities and usually chickens, donkeys, cats or dogs lingering in the front. One house I remember had a blue tarp with a sheet of tin as roofing. The animals interested me because as we lower in elevation and away from the Andean tundra (16-14,000 ft) down to the lush areas (12-8,000 ft), we saw less and less llamas and sheep and more cows, donkeys, mules, cats, dogs and chickens.
Getting into Coroico was so relieving and everyone was so sore. We all sat at the hostel and at warm meals and caught up with Carol. Mid-dinner Carol came in with her computer and read us the news about the shooting in Aurora. We all lost our smiles and say quietly for a bit. We talk about how insane it was that while that tragic event was taking place in coloraod, our home, we had all been asleep in our tents in the Andes. Life is truly short and as unpredictable as the choro trail.
I am so glad to be here and I cannot wait to spend the next 2 weeks in this town, researching and learning. So much to see and so much to do. We will all have a welcome dinner tonight and then regular class will start tomorrow. We will go on day trips, have guest speakers, do readings and learn as much as we can. it is already feeling like home and I am ready for what is to come.
Jessi
I loved resting at each checkpoint, but the Japenese man's property was probably my favorite. I drank a cocacola, and we got to catch a glimpse of the Japanese man briefly. The story is fascinating. He took refuge in Bolivia during WWII and has stayed up in the hills along the Choro trail every since. He only presented himself for a quick moment. He limped down his stone path that ran next to his garden and placed a book for us to register in on the picknick table we were sitting at in the shade. We all sat contently, eating some quinoa offered to us by some Chilean hikers and signed our names, country of origin, age and occupation.
I still can't believe how much that trail transformed over the course of 3 days. From cold, rugged, andean tundra littered with pre-incan structures, rocks, llamas, sheep and little vegetation to thin trails drapped with vines and leaves and plants. Crazy growths that looked like yucca plants that had flowers blooming from their center that resembled fat indian pant brush.Trees with leaves that had veins that were shaped like smaller leaves. Every shade of green you could imagine. Rounding every corner after corner, not kowing if you are about to trudge uphill for 40 minutes of downhill for an hour. Or, maybe, come across another checkpoint that is the home of an Aymara family that speaks little to no spanish (mostly only Aymara, the native indigenous tongue). They would sit on their front stoop waiting to sell you soda, candy or even a beer. Their homes were such simple structures with little amenities and usually chickens, donkeys, cats or dogs lingering in the front. One house I remember had a blue tarp with a sheet of tin as roofing. The animals interested me because as we lower in elevation and away from the Andean tundra (16-14,000 ft) down to the lush areas (12-8,000 ft), we saw less and less llamas and sheep and more cows, donkeys, mules, cats, dogs and chickens.
Getting into Coroico was so relieving and everyone was so sore. We all sat at the hostel and at warm meals and caught up with Carol. Mid-dinner Carol came in with her computer and read us the news about the shooting in Aurora. We all lost our smiles and say quietly for a bit. We talk about how insane it was that while that tragic event was taking place in coloraod, our home, we had all been asleep in our tents in the Andes. Life is truly short and as unpredictable as the choro trail.
I am so glad to be here and I cannot wait to spend the next 2 weeks in this town, researching and learning. So much to see and so much to do. We will all have a welcome dinner tonight and then regular class will start tomorrow. We will go on day trips, have guest speakers, do readings and learn as much as we can. it is already feeling like home and I am ready for what is to come.
Jessi
Sunday, July 15, 2012
As I sit here and read everybody else's pre-departure thoughts, I am both reassured and inspired- I am reassured that everybody else is feeling the same confusing mix of excitement and nervousness that I am- and I am inspired by all of you guys, your wise comments, and your bravery to face something completely new... I couldn't ask for a better group of people to take this adventure with!
I am scrambling to gather up all of the things that I need for both the trek and for our stay in Coroico. I've never been South of Mexico, nor full-blown backpacking before, so this is a whirl-wind of new experiences for me (including the packing!) I have always dreamed of taking a trip like this- one where I could immerse myself in a culture completely different than my own, write, and really find myself, but never thought that I would actually have the courage, or the chance to do it. Last year in my anthropology courses, I read the ethnographies of anthropologists who studied in remote places and saw things that most people will never know about, and thought to myself: how brave of these anthropologists to put themselves out there... you would be too scared to do that Sonja. Now, as I am less than 24 hours away from leaving my little home city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, I am finally coming to terms with the fact that I am actually doing this! I am proud of myself for taking this step, and so excited to get to know each of you better. I think by going to school in a town like Boulder- a little paradise- it is easy to forget what else, and who else, is out there. I am most looking forward to gaining a new perspective on the world, on people, and on the country in which we live. I think it will be extremely interesting to learn about Bolivians' perspective on the U.S. versus on their own country and other countries. I hope to come out of this trip with a better sense of who I am, what I believe in, and what I don't.
I am most nervous about the pathetic amount of Spanish that I know, but am confident that we'll all be able to lean on one another for support, and make one another's experiences unforgettable.
Here's to Bolivia! See you all soon- safe travels!
I am scrambling to gather up all of the things that I need for both the trek and for our stay in Coroico. I've never been South of Mexico, nor full-blown backpacking before, so this is a whirl-wind of new experiences for me (including the packing!) I have always dreamed of taking a trip like this- one where I could immerse myself in a culture completely different than my own, write, and really find myself, but never thought that I would actually have the courage, or the chance to do it. Last year in my anthropology courses, I read the ethnographies of anthropologists who studied in remote places and saw things that most people will never know about, and thought to myself: how brave of these anthropologists to put themselves out there... you would be too scared to do that Sonja. Now, as I am less than 24 hours away from leaving my little home city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, I am finally coming to terms with the fact that I am actually doing this! I am proud of myself for taking this step, and so excited to get to know each of you better. I think by going to school in a town like Boulder- a little paradise- it is easy to forget what else, and who else, is out there. I am most looking forward to gaining a new perspective on the world, on people, and on the country in which we live. I think it will be extremely interesting to learn about Bolivians' perspective on the U.S. versus on their own country and other countries. I hope to come out of this trip with a better sense of who I am, what I believe in, and what I don't.
I am most nervous about the pathetic amount of Spanish that I know, but am confident that we'll all be able to lean on one another for support, and make one another's experiences unforgettable.
Here's to Bolivia! See you all soon- safe travels!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
So in 12 hours I will be traveling to the airport to travel for 24 hrs. Just four flights and I will be in La Paz! The food for the trek is all sorted out. The trek is coming together in a whirlwind of facebook posts and text messages. I am ready to go and just learn. Carol sent us an e-mail two days ago telling us to:
let go of our attachments to time and embrace the unexpected!
Definitely the best part of that e-mail.
One Hope:
I hope to improve my Spanish, get pushed out of my comfort zone, let go of judgements, learn something new, and make new friends!
One Fear:
My luggage will be too heavy, and missing the ones I love in Colorado.
One Sense of Wonder:
The entire trip, who will get sick? What will Coroico be like? How many guinea pigs will I eat? What will the people be like? What will the weather be like? How will my days play out?
Alright, gotta go pack now!
let go of our attachments to time and embrace the unexpected!
Definitely the best part of that e-mail.
One Hope:
I hope to improve my Spanish, get pushed out of my comfort zone, let go of judgements, learn something new, and make new friends!
One Fear:
My luggage will be too heavy, and missing the ones I love in Colorado.
One Sense of Wonder:
The entire trip, who will get sick? What will Coroico be like? How many guinea pigs will I eat? What will the people be like? What will the weather be like? How will my days play out?
Alright, gotta go pack now!
'Tis Worth It: Pre-Departure
I think it just hit me today how excited I really am for this trip. This is mostly because beforehand, I was positively terrified of going to a new place, on a continent I've never been to, making the trip (or at least starting it out) on my own. Not only that, though, but I had been going through a lot of problems beforehand with commitments and actually making a step towards going out and exploring the world and now, I'm finally making that step. So when I read that we were asked to write about fear, hey. I probably know more about fear going on this trip than any other emotion, as cliche or over dramatic as it sounds. So much to the point, actually, to where I felt like I couldn't talk to people about my trip and to where I tried to start and then failed to start my CTJ submissions almost thirteen times over.
But as I'm sitting here in my childhood home, packing for a trip that I was always secretly hoping to take, I'm actually overcome with excitement and a little bit of... romance, methinks? It sounds sudden but it's more that I'm starting to realize that I'm actually going into the field, something I've wanted to do since I decided Anthropology was something I wanted to pursue. I'm excited to meet new people, to actually put flesh to all the readings I (and everyone else) have read, and to go and see sites of the place I've either only read about or heard about in lectures. I'm especially excited to see how diverse Bolivia is and to see the Aymara culture in the flesh (mostly because I'm into looking at indigenous groups/indigenous rights). But probably the thing I'm most excited about is that I'm taking a step and actually making an effort to do something well rather than just sitting on the sidelines, not moving at all.
So excitement. Yeah, I'm definitely feeling it at this point. I think when it comes to traveling, I always know no matter how prepared I try to be, I'm still going to be emotionally unprepared. That being said, I've at least gotten myself used to the idea of that and that has opened up the fact that this most likely will be like an adventure instead of a class.
Bah, who am I kidding. I'M GOING SOMEWHERE NEW. FWAA. I'm freakishly excited! I don't care if I'm not that great with Spanish, I'm doing what I want to do! I'm extremely excited! Screw you, fear! I'm being courageous and overcoming you! Woohoo!
- Alina
But as I'm sitting here in my childhood home, packing for a trip that I was always secretly hoping to take, I'm actually overcome with excitement and a little bit of... romance, methinks? It sounds sudden but it's more that I'm starting to realize that I'm actually going into the field, something I've wanted to do since I decided Anthropology was something I wanted to pursue. I'm excited to meet new people, to actually put flesh to all the readings I (and everyone else) have read, and to go and see sites of the place I've either only read about or heard about in lectures. I'm especially excited to see how diverse Bolivia is and to see the Aymara culture in the flesh (mostly because I'm into looking at indigenous groups/indigenous rights). But probably the thing I'm most excited about is that I'm taking a step and actually making an effort to do something well rather than just sitting on the sidelines, not moving at all.
So excitement. Yeah, I'm definitely feeling it at this point. I think when it comes to traveling, I always know no matter how prepared I try to be, I'm still going to be emotionally unprepared. That being said, I've at least gotten myself used to the idea of that and that has opened up the fact that this most likely will be like an adventure instead of a class.
Bah, who am I kidding. I'M GOING SOMEWHERE NEW. FWAA. I'm freakishly excited! I don't care if I'm not that great with Spanish, I'm doing what I want to do! I'm extremely excited! Screw you, fear! I'm being courageous and overcoming you! Woohoo!
- Alina
Friday, July 13, 2012
Let us begin
So after so much build up, it's funny to find yourself overwhelmed with excitement and in disbelief that departure is so near. I keep wondering if I packed alright, if I need to bring another memory card or whether or not I should have gone with the lighter weight thermal layer. Woooosaaahhhh. It's time to wind down those thoughts and just be present in these feelings of anxiousness, contentment, curiousity and fear.
It's been a trip of its own telling people where I'm going and what I plan to study there. "The coca leaf?"and then that look of confussion turns into a sly smile and they say, "ohhh cocaine". What an eye opening experience it's been already to see the misconceptions and simple ignorance that exists within Americans about Bolivia. Before this year, I would probably of had a similar outlook. I am excited to broaden my new view even further. Annnnd not to mention it's about 88 degrees in the room I am sitting in currently and I am ready for some cooler weather :-)
It's been a trip of its own telling people where I'm going and what I plan to study there. "The coca leaf?"and then that look of confussion turns into a sly smile and they say, "ohhh cocaine". What an eye opening experience it's been already to see the misconceptions and simple ignorance that exists within Americans about Bolivia. Before this year, I would probably of had a similar outlook. I am excited to broaden my new view even further. Annnnd not to mention it's about 88 degrees in the room I am sitting in currently and I am ready for some cooler weather :-)
pre trip thoughts
Getting crazy excited and a little anxious about leaving! Still so much to do! Anyway... One hope- to learn something that completely revolutionizes the way I think about water. One fear- that I won't have enough time to do everything!! And one wonder- What it will be like traveling in a country where I know very little of the language. And a second wonder- what I will learn about myself on this trip..... Back to getting EVERYTHING ready.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Welcome to our Bolivia blog!
This blog is where you can stay current on our course adventure this summer in Coroico, Bolivia. We will be taking turns posting stories every day once we are in country. We welcome your comments and queries. Thank you all for your support!!
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