a way better weekend.

This past weekend was a 180 from last. Friday I went out with four coworkers to dance the night away at a local disco.  My soul needed some cumbia dancing, it had been too long.  I think I surprised the locals with my invisible yet present Latin blood that allows me to blend right in on the dance floor. All the years I offered to compete at school dance competitions in Chile most certainly paid off.  Saturday I went with another coworker, Evelyn, to help out at her church’s youth group fundraiser. The organization, or might I say, lack there of, was expected and while hilarious, I really wanted to take charge and start handing out assignments. There were five of us working the snack stand and no one could decide how to price things.  Sunday I went with Evelyn on her fiancés church’s picnic.  It was great to spend time and get to know her and my other coworkers outside of the office.

 

After work today I went to the Bolivian version of Starbuck’s, Alexander’s, to write some postcards and have an after-work snack.  I began to think of all the things I love here…

publicly affectionate people, natural foods (in fact certain things are only sold until noon due to the lack of preservatives), being able to listen in on a stranger’s conversation and not look suspicious, being able to have a four course lunch for under three dollars, the availability of anything I could ever need/want sold on the street on my walk home, the fact that I can WALK home, the idea that cobble stone streets might outnumber the paved ones and that dirt roads for sure outnumber them all. That you can dance and not be scandalous, that a fully grown adult may only make it to my elbow, that bowler hats and wool leggings have been in style for about one hundred years and likely one hundred more.

 

So far Bolivia has treated me well, one month almost down and looking forward to many more to go.