So as opposed to writing thousands and thousands of words to update everyone on the past few months, I just remembered that a picture is worth a thousand words, so here are a bunch of photos with a few lines that can tell some stories. Enjoy.
**DISCLAIMER - There are some photos included that might not be desireable for everyone to look at, including one of me being Crucified and another of my nasty gross infected toe at it's peak of disgustingness. So, if you think either of these will be unbecoming to your eye, proceed with caution. "Be warned, all ye who enter here."
CARNAVAL
As is the case in most Latin American countries, Mardi Gras time in Bolivia is known as Carnaval and is a really crazy fun time, even in a little town like Hardeman. There are big groups of dancers who wear costumes and do traditional dances and stuff. All the while, the dancers are subject to an onslaught of water balloons and any other way to get people wet. Everywhere you walk, even in the city, you are in danger of getting soaked with water. As it was all going down, I was thinking how much my little cousins Alex and Savanna would love it since it is the only time you get to throw as many water balloons as possible at people you don't know without consequences. Supposedly Carnalva dates back to the ancient times (but probably not the balloon part) and just happens to coincide nicely with the beginning of lent. I danced with a group of people in my town and we were called the "Pichones." Basically, we ran around town hopping around and dancing in circles at different people's houses who gave us free drinks and food. It was a pretty low-key operation in my little town, especially with all the floods being a downer on people's moods, but we had fun nonetheless. Some friends traveled to Oruro city where Carnaval is the biggest in Bolivia, where people get SUPER ornate costumes and do really amazing choreographed dances. Here are some photos of both.
This is the group I danced with, Los Pichones. I am not dressed like them yet because this was before I actually joined up.
Cutting the rug with my friend Maritza.
Another dancing group, Los Kachas. Their outfits were way cooler than ours.
Here is an example of how ornate things get in Oruro. It cost over $100 to join this group to pay for everything, whereas it only cost me about $5.00 for me and my partner to join our tiny group in Hárdeman.
More dancing groups in the streets of Oruro.Drilling In Hárdeman
Although the floodwaters have significantly receded, there is still way more water hanging around than there should be. I took this picture while these guys were taking me into the campo to their farm where they want a well. We walked through water this deep for an hour and then more jungle (with monkeys!) for another hour before we got there. Drilling there is going to be awesome and may include hunting for our food.
After we drilled in Hárdeman we had to carry everything back on foot to town...including this barrel.
After a tough morning of drilling, there's nothing like a little nap to get the energy back.
This is one of the ways we use to keep track of the ground makeup we drill through...we are constantly taking samples and when the ground makeup changes, we stick a piece of what is coming up the tube to a tree.
By marking every time we add another 3 meter tube while we are drilling, it is easy to keep track of how deep we have gone.
After we finished all the hard work, we all went out and enjoyed a few cervezas...gringos are always good for buying some beer for the bolivians.
This well was a particularly dirty job...we had some issues while we were drilling, and when that happens...you just have to get dirty.
Good thing I had all that mud on me, or else my entire back would have been sunburnt instead of just the few spots that weren't covered in mud.
Sometimes Bolivians are amazingly ingenuitive...like using a tiny plastic drink bag to seal off the well while we were cleaning it.
Due to a small oversight on my part, this well filled with sand instead of water...this is a cross section of the pump through which water is supposed to pass. As you might guess, there wasn't much water passing through here.
Unforunately, Western Hills Builders Supply does not have a branch in Hárdeman, and due to the extreme lack of rocks in my region of the country, my friends and the kids from the house were forced to pick up pea gravel piece by piece to fill a bucket to help us fix the well.MIZQUE
In early March I took a trip to my friend Katie's site to help her build a rainwater catchment tank. Fortunately, there was also a big celebration for her birthday and for the birthday of her sitemate, Cooper. So we danced the night away, did some camping and even got some work done.
Cooper and I at the birthday party. Cooper respects the buckeyes since his family is from Upper Arlington. Represent.
Riding back from the tank building site there was not much room left on the bus, so this was my seat...one hand in the bus, one foot on the last step, Katie's hand holding on to me so I don't fall, and my other hand capturing it all on film. This got to be a little scary so I just got on top of the bus after a while. Much safer.
A heated match of Chubby Bunny around the campfire...I can't remember who won but it was sweet.
So when we crossed this river Saturday afternoon, it was about ankle deep...no big deal. Well, while we were camping it rained hard all night long and into Sunday morning, so this was the scene when we had to cross the river again. It had swelled to a dangerous pace and we had no idea how deep it was...after 2 hours of looking for a good spot to cross, a Bolivian helped us find this spot, but we still needed the human chain. This was awesome...it was like a real-life team building activity. Lots of adrenaline...I wanted to do it again.
Working on the tank...that's one of the bolivians that helped us, along with Katie and her brother David who was visiting from Los Uniteds."Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ!"
So, the Monday before Easter, some of my English students from the junior class approached me and informed me that they were in charge of putting on the Hárdeman Easter Pagent, which would consist of the Catholic Stations of the Cross. No one wanted to play Jesus, and due to my Jesus-like beard and hair, they chose me. I happily accepted and looked forward to getting back into ACTING. It was a little nervewracking because my lines were in Spanish and they weren't really that concerned about rehearsing all that much since none of them really had many lines to learn. But it was fun and now I have a new nickname around town.
Behold, the son of god!
Marking me up with some whip marks beforehand so to fool the crowd. Please notice how everyone else is smiling and enjoying this.
Simon helps Jesus with the cross.
Jesus falls for the second time.
Jesus with his mother.
Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Jesus is crucified.
Jesus is removed from the cross.
Jesus is dead.
Jesus is resurrected!Random Photos
Here are some good shots from my site I thought you would enjoy.
This is Professor Pedro Jimenez, one of my best friends in town. He welcomes me into his house any time, I am friends with all of his sons, and the first well we drilled in Hárdeman was for him. He is definitely one of my favorite people in site.
Taking a dip in the canal that got filled with water thanks to the flooding. At least we got to cool off a bit.
Another effect of the floods was that all major highways were washed out. My friends Andy and Bryan spent 40 hours returning from Sucre to Santa Cruz, a trip that usually takes 11 hours. They got off the bus and walked part of it, and here is a shot of how destroyed the roads were.
Sharing a cup of beer with my pal Llingo.
Back in December or November I told you about some imposter toothpaste I bought. Please take note of how similar the tube of "Coolgate" looks to "Colgate" tube.
My friend Llingo again with his woman Rosa and their baby Gladys.
This is my toe at the peak of its disgustingness and infection. Pretty gross huh?
This is Lidia and Vianka. I live in Lidia's house and also work with her so we spend a lot of time together and we are good friends. Her daughter Vianka is learning how to say all kinds of cuss words in English thanks to me. Awesome.
My host brother playing guitar in my room. He is really good and plays my guitar a ton more than I do.
This is my host dad with one of the biggest fish he caught this night he went out to fish. Because of the floods, there were tons of fish to catch, and hence tons of fish to eat. We even had fish head soup, which was disgusting. But this fish, Surubi, is really good to eat and harly has any bones in it.
This is the cutest baby on earth, my little host niece Tahira. Yes, that name is right...when she was born last year they asked me for a "name from my country." After first suggesting my grandmothers' names and some friends, I threw out Tahira and they loved it. So I get a little taste of Tahira all the time, and she is awesome.
Tahira again with my american bandanna on...they put bandannas on babies when they are sick because it helps them feel better. Right.
One tradition in Bolivia that some people celebrate is that at the first year birthday party of a baby, everyone comes and cuts little locks of hair off and gives money to the kid. This is another host niece who was getting the hair cut...this was a fun night.
One of my host nephews named Daul. He is a pretty cute kid but wakes up really early and hence everyone else does too...including me.
Continuing with a long standing Ranz Family tradition, I took a picture of Vianka and Chirstian on their first day of school this year. These are the two kids that live in my house.
Like I said, there were a lot of fish around...so for like a week straight my host dad went fishing all night every night...needless to say we ate a ton of fish and I definitely got sick of it. This is just one night's haul.
Fishing wears you out! My host dad Leonidas cashed out on the hard tile floor after a long night of fishing.
Crossing the water to get to our well drillng site in a canoe...more remnants of the floods.
This is my good friend Carlos from Colombia. We met in San Julian, he is one of the guys that taught us how to drill wells. I have kept in really good touch with him and manage to see each other fairly frequently. Carlos is amazing, so full of life and fun and energy and also well drilling knowledge...it's always a fun time when we are both in the city together and hang out. Next on the list, plan a trip to Colombia to see hime.Well, this is me signing off..ciao!
