Freedom at Last!

The last whirlwind of my time in FSD has been insane, and i've yet to believe that i've finished not only my internship, but my project as well.

I never thought that we would see a reaction like we did, this friday, as we introduced the women to the new seed bank. An excitement i never imagined rippled through the group and their voices rose and fell as they called to each other the names of the seeds that were available, and the additional kinds they had at their homes that they'd share. "Tengo Aji! puedo compartirlo!", "Yo tengo maiz a mi casa!" "Cual especies de flores hay?" "Que Milagro!" The beautiful senoras who love their plants so much finally have the resources they need to really begin to get to work growing and experimenting like never before. The ladies whose faces have grown familiar in the time i've spent in the community looked different that afternoon, and i think i know that its because this silly grant was able to act as a conduit for the resources they should have always had access to, but for the issues of power and privilege.


Aside from holding the first workshop for the women of Maria Auxiliadora and introducing them to their seedbank, It is hard to grasp a hold of all the things that have passed in the last 2 weeks. Through conflict and confusion in budget and appropriate staffing for teaching workshops, i realized more and more that try as i might have to ask the right questions and not make assuptions about our organization and what the true nature of situations were, i always miscalculated and misinterpreted by default, simply because i dont understand. I witness communication and social interactions in a wholly different way than Bolivians do. I see the same things and draw complete opposite conclusions just by nature of where i have grown up and what connections i have learned to make. I can only give myself a break in these situations because i know i could not understand even if i were fluent in spanish (what i first hoped would be the answer to these misunderstandings), because cultural context is so much deeper than surface words and body language. Its absolutely beautiful and terrifying, these complexities in which we live.
Speaking of complexities...last week, Hugo, my coworker confessed his amorous feelings towards me, which, as quickly and pointedly as they were rebuffed (and perhaps thats why), put a damper on our work. His moodiness increasing as my time came to a close and our communication filled with more and more culturally and linguistically inflicted misunderstandings. As humorous and awkward as this was in actuality, i was saddened by this loss of my first and closest Bolivian friend. I don't know that our friendship will continue after my time here, and i don't know how i feel about it.


I've also since moved into my new apartment with Heather, known as Rose, here in the city center of Cochabamba. It is more than beautiful, and the epitome of every ridiculously romantic vision i had of living in in another country as a child. We live on the only main street with trees, which shade our incredibly thin and long balcony that looks over traffic and a variety of oculistas (eyeglasses store), tiendas de zapatos (shoe stores), restaurantes, and a delicious panadaria (bakery) that sits right below us to intentionally waft its delicious smells to us throughout the morning. We're within walking distance to everything and everyone, which is a relief for me to get more exercise and ease off the public transportation a bit. Rose and I each have our own HUGE bedrooms with large windows and we have a "kitchen" (still lacking a fridge and a working stove top) and a bathroom (that has the most amazing warm showers, as long as there is water). in essense? everything i could ever need or want. Oh yes...the the real kicker? I seem to have lucked into having the only neighbors in all of Cochabamba that have wireless, and an unlocked router...yes...i am writing this post from my bed. (you didn't read that, professor slimbach).



I'm more than excited to begin the newest part of my Bolivian adventure now with this latest phase past. I'll be traveling some around Bolivia and Peru, restarting language classes and perhaps picking up the Charango finally (a small folkloric guitar). I might even be able to find a part time job in a local restaurant to work on spanish and find friends...of course this is just my idealism speaking..but you never know. And the rest of the time? explore, relax, and finish my independent study for school so i actually get to graduate in december.

Life is lovely... and i like it.
Amy