Shopping in Bolivia is so much more exciting that shopping in Alberta – and some of you know how much I like shopping – not! There are a number different types of shops that we have encountered so far. The first is the traditional North American supermarket called Ic Norte. Here you take your buggy and shop up and down the aisles, finding the items you want and being astonished at the number of items that come from North America. The advantage is that you can take your time and the prices are all on the shelves so you know what you are paying without asking. You can also find some things that you cannot find anywhere else.
The second store is the small, exclusive type shops. Pharmacies only sell ‘pharmacy’ stuff so that is where you go. In the center of the city you find the shops that sell new clothes, furniture, appliances, etc. We have not shopped in these except for the bakery for fresh bread and to pick up some cold medicine for Jake.
The third type of store is the small market and street side stands. These markets contain booths in which each person sells their own stuff, whether it be vegetables, paper products, kitchen products, or meat. One of these markets is located about 5 blocks from the house and another is located across from the school. About every other day Jake goes to the market and purchases the fruits and vegetables we need. He has learned what price he should pay and does a good job. We realize how fortunate we are to be able to just pick up what we want. Some people have only 25 b’s for groceries for a week while we can spend that on fruits and veggies for a couple of days. The boliviano is equal to about 15 cents. In addition to the market there are a number of fruit and veggies stand along the street. It seems like these vendors purchase there product from the farmer and then sell it. The product is extremely fresh and there is a great variety. Being in Cochabamba means that we have ready access to all the agricultural products since they are grown in the valley close to here. This valley is called the Chapare. Sometimes, however, the road will be closed due to rain and the farmers are not able to bring the produce into the city. These farmers also ship their product to La Paz, Santa Cruz and export some to Argentina.
The fourth store is called La Cancha, which is described in some of the tour books as Bolivia’s Walmart. You can buy anything we want there, from food to local medicines. It is the same as the markets near here but on a much larger scale. It originally covered two blocks but has overflowed into other areas. Although it is very interesting it is also very easy to get lost. Each commodity has its own area and after you have been there a number of times you learn where things are. All the fresh veggies and fruits are in one area, and this area is again split into sections such as the pepper section or the potato section. Then there is the meat section where you can purchase freshly butchered animals or you can buy a live chicken from one of the ladies. They are all lined up in one line, holding large feed bags in which they have a number of birds. Then there is the section in which you can buy anything made of wood – doors, cabinets, tables, etc. And the plastic section, the pot and pan section, the glass section and so on and so on. Things at La Cancha are a bit cheaper. It appears that the vendors from the other shops and markets purchase product here and then sell it for a boliviano or two more in the neighbourhood shop. Often we feel it is easier just to buy from the local shop since it takes a fair amount of time to shop at La Cancha.
Then there is the weekly outdoor market that takes place about 8 blocks away. This happens on Saturday and is very reminiscent of the Farmer’s Markets that we are used to. We went there last Saturday and quite enjoyed it. It was smaller and more manageable than La Cancha.
But shopping is only part of the task. It is recommended that all the fruits and veggies be washed well before you use them. Although we find that the veggies are quite clean here we are never sure of how they were handled or how many people have handled them. Cochabamba has notoriously bad water so we put a couple of drops of bleach in a wash basin of water and soak the fruits and veggies for about ten minutes. Then we let them dry and put them in the fridge. If you buy a lot, it takes longer to clean them all than to buy them!
The house keeper buys the meat so that is one thing we have not experienced. We will wait for Yapacani for that adventure.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Friday, November 18, 2005
Cochabamba
Our first impressions of Cochabamba. A moderately large modern city with everything that we need and more. We were welcomed by Pete, Linda and Finian Lugtigheid, with whom we had worked last year. We felt immediately at home with them again. They are living in a house that is rented by a missionary couple from England who are home on furlough --a time to recuperate and to visit their supporters. There are three bedrooms so we are able to stay with them. There is no need to feel sorry for us as far as living conditions. We have a proper bathroom complete with hot water (if you don't turn too much pressure on). We also have a clothes washer that does a great job. The clothes are hung out on the line and they dry in about an hour or two. There are lots of local veggies and fruit available through street vendors and outdoor markets as well as a Western type supermarket with much of what you would find at home. We are staying in a more wealthy part of town and someday we hope to see some of the rest.
We also have a house keeper that comes in three days a week. She cleans the house, takes care of Finian, and makes meals for the noon meal. That leaves us study time and relaxation time.
I can easily see why people choose to live here. Everything is available and the weather is wonderful. I am not sure of the exact temperature but it has not been unbearable. We have learned to be like the natives and be in the shade as much as possible. We are 7000 ft above sea level so the air is thinner and the skin burns more quickly even though you don't feel hot. The evenings cool off some but not to the stage when you need a sweater. We have walked to the phone booth to phone home and it was very pleasant. The streets are lined with large trees, many that we cannot identify. There are huge oleaders and hibiscus in full bloom. They provide wonderful shade when we walk. We won't say too much about the pruning job. Saying they prune is a misnomer, they chop and butcher. I can't help but think the Olds College could give a very much needed course here.
Phones and internet are readily available in the city. We have internet at the house and although it is broadband, it is about as speedy as dial up at home. From what I understand, you can get faster connections for more money. We also have a phone in the house but we don't use it much. It costs 1 boliviano (b) or about 15 cents to call home from the phone booth but 10 bs to call from the house. Most of phone booth phones are computer to phone types but they work very well. In the last few years three companies have come into Bolivia offering phone services so the competition has greatly improved both cost and access. We have Skype at the house but the slow connection does not lend well to phoning.
And then there is language school. The school is about a 25 minute walk from the house so we are getting our exercise. We could take the bus or a cab but we have preferred to walk this week. Each week there is a schedule posted telling us the hours we attend class. Since we are the new ones we have had a number of afternoon classes. Pete normally goes at 7:30 am and Linda goes at 9. The classes are one-to-one tutorials for a 45 minute hour. We are going 3 hours a day and that is enough for this week. Our textbook was published in 1969. We are expected to put in the same number of hours studying as we spend in class. I honestly think that we are both surpassing that number. Jake has very good pronunciation but is having difficulty with understanding while I understand but have difficulty with the pronunciation. Whether it is the French words and pronunciation sneaking in or if it is that I worked with tapes at home and learned the wrong sounds, I do not know. We are both glad to have finished the week although we also say that we are surprised that it went so fast.
So what do we do when we are not in school and not studying? We found a garden center, the only one in Bolivia, and bought some potting soil, hormones, and bags (pots) so that Jake could plant his cuttings that he got at ECHO. He is reading the stuff he bought at ECHO and enjoying playing with Finian. I spend my spare time reading and have already finished two books. We also go for walks and explore the neighbourhood. On Thursday night we attended an English Bible Study. Although our life does not have a frantic pace we do keep ourselves busy.
Things that surprise me about Cochabamba:
1. People wearing blue jeans or sweat pants when it is 30 degrees C.
2. The tree pruning
3. A very large Curves in downtown Cochabamba
We also have a house keeper that comes in three days a week. She cleans the house, takes care of Finian, and makes meals for the noon meal. That leaves us study time and relaxation time.
I can easily see why people choose to live here. Everything is available and the weather is wonderful. I am not sure of the exact temperature but it has not been unbearable. We have learned to be like the natives and be in the shade as much as possible. We are 7000 ft above sea level so the air is thinner and the skin burns more quickly even though you don't feel hot. The evenings cool off some but not to the stage when you need a sweater. We have walked to the phone booth to phone home and it was very pleasant. The streets are lined with large trees, many that we cannot identify. There are huge oleaders and hibiscus in full bloom. They provide wonderful shade when we walk. We won't say too much about the pruning job. Saying they prune is a misnomer, they chop and butcher. I can't help but think the Olds College could give a very much needed course here.
Phones and internet are readily available in the city. We have internet at the house and although it is broadband, it is about as speedy as dial up at home. From what I understand, you can get faster connections for more money. We also have a phone in the house but we don't use it much. It costs 1 boliviano (b) or about 15 cents to call home from the phone booth but 10 bs to call from the house. Most of phone booth phones are computer to phone types but they work very well. In the last few years three companies have come into Bolivia offering phone services so the competition has greatly improved both cost and access. We have Skype at the house but the slow connection does not lend well to phoning.
And then there is language school. The school is about a 25 minute walk from the house so we are getting our exercise. We could take the bus or a cab but we have preferred to walk this week. Each week there is a schedule posted telling us the hours we attend class. Since we are the new ones we have had a number of afternoon classes. Pete normally goes at 7:30 am and Linda goes at 9. The classes are one-to-one tutorials for a 45 minute hour. We are going 3 hours a day and that is enough for this week. Our textbook was published in 1969. We are expected to put in the same number of hours studying as we spend in class. I honestly think that we are both surpassing that number. Jake has very good pronunciation but is having difficulty with understanding while I understand but have difficulty with the pronunciation. Whether it is the French words and pronunciation sneaking in or if it is that I worked with tapes at home and learned the wrong sounds, I do not know. We are both glad to have finished the week although we also say that we are surprised that it went so fast.
So what do we do when we are not in school and not studying? We found a garden center, the only one in Bolivia, and bought some potting soil, hormones, and bags (pots) so that Jake could plant his cuttings that he got at ECHO. He is reading the stuff he bought at ECHO and enjoying playing with Finian. I spend my spare time reading and have already finished two books. We also go for walks and explore the neighbourhood. On Thursday night we attended an English Bible Study. Although our life does not have a frantic pace we do keep ourselves busy.
Things that surprise me about Cochabamba:
1. People wearing blue jeans or sweat pants when it is 30 degrees C.
2. The tree pruning
3. A very large Curves in downtown Cochabamba
Sunday, November 13, 2005
To the ECHO conference
We have arrived in Cochabamba!
Thanks to our new friends, Martin and Rita Bysetter, we were able to get out of the house on Nov 1 and head all the way to Camrose. For you would do not know the geography, that took about 2 hours. But at least we were on the road. We were able to say goodbye to the family again before we left. The Sunday before we left our good friends gave us a farewell at church and that was very special. Thanky you for that.
We drove to Iowa and were able to spend some time with Jake's parents and his brother's family. While in Sioux Center we attended a Farmer to Farmer presentation connecting farmers in Nicaragua with those in Iowa. It was a learning experience and a good intoduction to another project. We left on Monday and we realized that each time it made leaving a bit more real although I don't think it hit us yet at that point.
From there we flew to Miami and proceeded to Ft. Meyers to the ECHO conference. There were 225 people attending from all over the world, all working in developmental agriculture in some way. The first morning I read the list of attendees and was happy to find that I knew/knew of some of them. Bev Abma lived in Alberta and was the representative for DRS (Disaster Relief Services) through CRWRC. She had given a presentation about 15 years ago in Woody Nook church. She is presently working with an American organization that is a sister to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. It was great to see her again and to be able to meet with some of the overseas delegates she had brought along. We also visited with Stephen Lutz who is serving in Kenya with CRWRC. We also connected with the Dordt people. Then, of course, you have to play Dutch Bingo and that isn't hard when you already feel you have a connection. Jake and Arie Kraayenbrink were there from Ontario, Canada. We knew that Jake's parents had visited some Kraayenbrinks in Ontario and they were related somehow. It turned out that it was Jake Kraayernbrink's parents that they had visited. What a small world!
The conference was wonderful, a real eye opener to see all the work being done in agriculture around the world. We were able to network with many people who work in areas similar to where we will be in Boliva. Information flowed freely and the atmosphere was one of appreciation and positiveness. ECHO's goal is to distribute seeds, to provide education, and to be a resource to those who are working overseas. To do this they operate a demonstration farm in Ft. Meyers where they demonstrate and research farming techniques and varieties.We were able to tour the farm and take in a number of sessions. Jake took in the beekeeping and amaranth sessions while I learned more about the microfinance, programing and education aspects. I also took in a great session on stoves. So, guys, hopefully I will be able to connect with someone in La Paz who can get me a small stove that is still fired by wood, but is very efficient. He had other ideas that were very interesting and I am sure that I will try some of them when we get to Patajusal. The most impressive moment was the last evening when they asked everyone who spoke a different language to come up and pray in that language. There were 20 different languages and although we could not understand each other we knew we were all praying to the same God.
We were talking about leaving and they people were surprised that we had got a rental car in Miami. Because of the hurricane all cars were booked! And we booked ours on line two days before we picked it up! We know who had a hand in that.
We returned to Miami and boarded the plane for Bolivia. We sat on the tarmac for over an hour. The plane was overweight and they needed 10 local people to stay behind and leave the next day. Since there were no rooms available, those who were in transit could not be offered a room. I took an hour before they had 10 volunteers. The first class seat the next night and an $800 travel voucher were not enought of an incentive.
We arrived at Cochabamba at noon on Saturday and were able to take a taxi to Pete and Linda's house. It is good to have a place where we can unpack and know that we are settled for awhile.
Thanks to our new friends, Martin and Rita Bysetter, we were able to get out of the house on Nov 1 and head all the way to Camrose. For you would do not know the geography, that took about 2 hours. But at least we were on the road. We were able to say goodbye to the family again before we left. The Sunday before we left our good friends gave us a farewell at church and that was very special. Thanky you for that.
We drove to Iowa and were able to spend some time with Jake's parents and his brother's family. While in Sioux Center we attended a Farmer to Farmer presentation connecting farmers in Nicaragua with those in Iowa. It was a learning experience and a good intoduction to another project. We left on Monday and we realized that each time it made leaving a bit more real although I don't think it hit us yet at that point.
From there we flew to Miami and proceeded to Ft. Meyers to the ECHO conference. There were 225 people attending from all over the world, all working in developmental agriculture in some way. The first morning I read the list of attendees and was happy to find that I knew/knew of some of them. Bev Abma lived in Alberta and was the representative for DRS (Disaster Relief Services) through CRWRC. She had given a presentation about 15 years ago in Woody Nook church. She is presently working with an American organization that is a sister to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. It was great to see her again and to be able to meet with some of the overseas delegates she had brought along. We also visited with Stephen Lutz who is serving in Kenya with CRWRC. We also connected with the Dordt people. Then, of course, you have to play Dutch Bingo and that isn't hard when you already feel you have a connection. Jake and Arie Kraayenbrink were there from Ontario, Canada. We knew that Jake's parents had visited some Kraayenbrinks in Ontario and they were related somehow. It turned out that it was Jake Kraayernbrink's parents that they had visited. What a small world!
The conference was wonderful, a real eye opener to see all the work being done in agriculture around the world. We were able to network with many people who work in areas similar to where we will be in Boliva. Information flowed freely and the atmosphere was one of appreciation and positiveness. ECHO's goal is to distribute seeds, to provide education, and to be a resource to those who are working overseas. To do this they operate a demonstration farm in Ft. Meyers where they demonstrate and research farming techniques and varieties.We were able to tour the farm and take in a number of sessions. Jake took in the beekeeping and amaranth sessions while I learned more about the microfinance, programing and education aspects. I also took in a great session on stoves. So, guys, hopefully I will be able to connect with someone in La Paz who can get me a small stove that is still fired by wood, but is very efficient. He had other ideas that were very interesting and I am sure that I will try some of them when we get to Patajusal. The most impressive moment was the last evening when they asked everyone who spoke a different language to come up and pray in that language. There were 20 different languages and although we could not understand each other we knew we were all praying to the same God.
We were talking about leaving and they people were surprised that we had got a rental car in Miami. Because of the hurricane all cars were booked! And we booked ours on line two days before we picked it up! We know who had a hand in that.
We returned to Miami and boarded the plane for Bolivia. We sat on the tarmac for over an hour. The plane was overweight and they needed 10 local people to stay behind and leave the next day. Since there were no rooms available, those who were in transit could not be offered a room. I took an hour before they had 10 volunteers. The first class seat the next night and an $800 travel voucher were not enought of an incentive.
We arrived at Cochabamba at noon on Saturday and were able to take a taxi to Pete and Linda's house. It is good to have a place where we can unpack and know that we are settled for awhile.
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