"I have been here for just over a week now and the Bolivian way of life has become my way of living. I wake up early, absorb loads of information, observe/live in a tranquilo culture that is distinctly Bolivian, and rest early. The Bolivian way of life is full of colors: men and women who work very hard, rest hard, and play hard. "
Bolivia Peace Corps Volunteer Diana writes: The Bolivian way of life
Saturday, February 9, 2008
B - 47 @ COCHABAMBA
El 6 de Febrero - 2008
We are known as B-47 in PC (Peace Corps) acronyms: B stands for Bolivia, 47 is our group number. We are also known as PCT’s (Peace Corps Trainees), which we will be known as until April 18th (date of swearing in) when we become PCV’s (Peace Corps Volunteers. There are 31 of us from all over the U.S. in this group of three series: Natural Resources, Environmental Education, and Agricultural Extension. I fall under the Environmental Education program and have just recently begun my training, therefore I will hold off on the details of classes/training until later.
[Excerpt]
I have been here for just over a week now and the Bolivian way of life has become my way of living. I wake up early, absorb loads of information, observe/live in a tranquilo culture that is distinctly Bolivian, and rest early. The Bolivian way of life is full of colors: men and women who work very hard, rest hard, and play hard.
This past week we were lucky to have enjoyed Carnaval, which consists of several of the larger cities enjoying an extended weekend for la cha’lla and k’oa, (Quechuan traditions). Each of the larger cities has their own distinct weekends/weeks, Cochabamba beginning on the second Monday in February and ending on Saturday.
The Quechua traditions of la cha’lla and k’oa entail burning of eucalyptus bark (which is plentiful here in Cochabamba) and knickknacks, in either the yard of your home, business or farm (sometimes all three). Many here drink chicha (which is the traditional alcoholic drink made from corn) and cerveza while pouring some out onto the earth to thank Pachamama (mother earth) for the goodness she has brought throughout the year.
My family partook in la cha’lla, in our yard at the house, with one liter of cerveza that was shared between three. We also decorated all of our fruit trees with confetti. However, what Carnaval is most known for is its water fights.
Everywhere you walk you are bound to return drenched from globos (balloons) filled with water (I have been told that in some parts of the country kids fill the balloons with paint, dirty water, and sometimes urine as well – fortunately for me I have yet to be hit with one of these :P ).
Because my family is not very big on drinking in the locales/chicharias (bars or restaurants of a sort that primarily serve alcoholic drinks) I chose to stay in the compound with them for the majority of the ‘big days’ during Carnaval for bonding purposes but also so as not to be bombarded by groups of kids with water guns and balloons.
