Wednesday, April 23, 2008

There are more people who believe they are Napolean, than have done Peace Corps

April 23 2008

my dear friend Ben is an inspiration. His crackpot ideas always make me laugh and thanks to him we have this lovely blog title.

So I am here stuck in Sucre waiting for transport to my site. Tuesday the Priest said he would call and update me on the condition of the truck, it is in the shop. No word until today when I found out that yes I probablly wouldn't leave until Friday.
TIB (this is Bolivia)

Stuck am I without my fellow B-47's to hang with, but thats cool I can finally upload pictures. And I will use these extra days to get a coffee maker, a good pillow and some paint to make my space comfortable, my own little nest. Then off to site for a few weeks to start the PDA-ing looking for projects and integrating. The plan is to break the kids into groups and invite a group a week to cook with me. The reasons for this are threefold.
One: I get to eat some variety.
Two: The kids get to try something different
Three: We become friends faster and I can learn their names

other preliminary projects seem to be worm composting, English classes, planting gardens, and working with the University student on our bee colonies. I believe he is writing a thesis on Apicultura. Vamos a ver ( we will see). Quick wins are what we are looking for at this moment so I don't feel totally useless and the school recognizes my abilities and dedication. Don Hugo, the administrator of the building has grand plans for starting a nursery and fish farming. And I am interested in cleaning up the olives and grapes, but must figure out the growing seasons and such. There is such a market in Sucre for organic and locally grown products because of all the tourists and the restaurants that cater to tourists. So I think we will be looking at marketing the products the kids make which is just totally rad. We can design a label and everything, t-shirts even.

Speaking of t-shirts the Sucre crew has grand plans. Said plans I can not divulge at this time due to some surprises for IST (in service training) in three months when we all return to Coch for two weeks. But I will say the Sucre band will definitely have a shirt, or two or three. You see the band has many names for we shall play many types of music and need different Alias'.
So far we are
The Albino Cockroaches: our grunge soundings
The Chicken Burgers: our classic rock musings and
Los Perezosos de Cinco Dedos (The five fingered Sloths/lazies): our Bolivian creations

Not much else to say since I was all pumped to get to site and am now stuck...but i have no doubt the next two weeks will pass like molasses and before I know it I will be back in Sucre to celebrate my birthday and will bring with me long long posts since I will have so much time to write an think these upcoming days. Actually maybe I will have a short story, I was thinking of writing one about two tree stumps we chanced upon one night at Marqa. I shall work on a draft.

Till then keep well all of you. Me I am doing just that for I am realizing, re-learning, understanding that there is nothing better than patience and knowing that time just happens and what you do in it is reliant only on what you wish to do most. Doing something that you know will work instead of worrying about what is stuck makes life a whole lot easier. With that said, I love that I am in Sucre and look forward to whats next.

peas and love and beets, always beets to eat and jam to
lebo

3 comments:

Helen said...

I may not have little man syndrome, but I must harbor a certain degree of insanity to be along for this crazy ride we call Peace Corps. Love you almost as much as yo amo chuquisaca. :)

Lindsay said...

I have been nominated for agriculture service in the PC for Latin America. Once I finish medical/legal clearance I will find out which country. How long have you been serving?

JennE said...

jammin, i'm jammin (beet jam)