Life Without Marg

It’s our anniversary. It has been two years since we first came to Bolivia on the well drilling project. In some ways it seems like longer and in others it seems like yesterday. Never did we imagine two years ago that we would be living here!


Marg spent two weeks at language school in Cochabamba learning how to say things in the past tense. While she was there things continued at the chaco – the house was being built and there were still workers there every day.

When we hired our employees or ayudantes (helpers) we told them that their food was included and I think that they thought the food would be cooked. But with the chief cook in Cochabamba, who would cook? Jake took over and found how long it took to peel and cut all the veggies every day. (He would do the garlic at night since he read that garlic would repel snakes. Now I never worried about snakes because I knew from experience that Jake would kill them for me.) Then he would throw all of them in a large pan in the morning along with our favorite Maggi seasoning cubes and let it boil. When it came time for dinner it was done. For the second course it is essential that you cook a large pan of rice. Although he never figured out how to get the rice less sticky he managed well with that also. Then the meat. Cutting up some more onions, peppers and tomatoes was no bid deal and then just add the hamburger. Put freshly cut tomatoes and onions on the table and everything was ready to go. Pretty standard stuff and there were no complaints from the ayudantes. They told me they were well fed but that they were glad that I was back. Like Jake says. “When all they usually get is just a bowl of rice and some veggies, anything is good!”

He also had to take over the taxi role and that proved to be a bit more interesting. One morning he had planned to take our neighbour to La Pista to the doctor. Her little boy had an operation on his leg and the bandage needed regular changing. So he was getting ready to go at 7 in the morning when another neighbour came by and asked if he would take his wife along. Now, remember, that Jake’s knowledge of Spanish is limited and it is sometimes difficult to know everything that is being said. So Jake just said he would pick her up. Imagine his surprise when he found out that the wife was in labor! OK, now what does he do – drive quickly to La Pista through all the wonderful ruts or drive slowly and make sure he doesn’t bounce her too hard. He heard that the tale that if you wanted to have a baby come, ride on a rough road. He decided to take the middle route by going as fast as he could without bouncing too much. As they proceeded down the road, Juan Carlos, the future father, cheerfully chatted to Jake as he drove. He didn’t seem concerned about his wife who was riding in the back seat with the other lady and her son. When they arrived at La Pista, Roberta, the future mother, was squatted between the front and the back seat and Jake was sure she was going to have the baby right there. Juan Carlos nonchalantly walks to the hospital, talks to the doctor, and Roberta makes it to the door. Not ten minutes later a beautiful baby boy was born. Jake picked them up a day later and brought them to her parents. After a couple days they returned home on the back of the family motor cycle, the baby riding on her back and their other son in front on Juan Carlos.