Nourish and the Bolivia Orphanage Project

Writing a blog in Bolivia is harder that it would seem.  The ability to simply do something else is so prevalent that even getting the conviction to get a substantial amount of sleep is a rare occurrence.

Anyway, Bolivia is treating us well... and not so well.  In short, don't drink the water.  If you do, prepare to experience some outrageous biological behavior.  Your body will undergo some terribly undesirable sensations.  Pack drugs.

The last week we have been both frantically busy, as well as useless.  Most of our busy days have been spent buying parts for our projects and working on them.  We  installed a water system to the building that will be used as a community room (intended to involve the orphans with the community).  We have yet to connect it to the local pump, so we are currently hauling water up to the ceiling every time we need some.  We will begin working on connecting the pump to the orphanage building next week.

The days of which we were rendered useless were due to either sickness or civil protests.  Apparently, if you ever need to protest something in Bolivia, make road blocks.  On Wednesday, our 20 minute trip to the orphanage grounds became an off road adventure.  Winding through the rural rock and dust made roads, we bounced and bumped for two hours.  Thursday, the protesters had further organized and there was not even a dirt path without a blockade (we readily accepted it as a day off).

Last Sunday, we were fortunate enough to make it out to a soccer game.  Real Potosi vs. Aurora.  Though Aurora was quick to score with a clutch shot in between the keeper an his post, the previous year's champs were quick to take a dominate position.  A beautiful through-ball resulting in a goal, an own goal, a chip, and a 30 yard ripper sent Aurora packing with a Real Potosi 4-1 victory.  Though the game was exciting, it was insignificant to the intensity of the fans.  Bolivians take football (soccer) more seriously than Americans take fried chicken (bold statement, understood).  There was rarely a five minute period of which a hail of 2 liter bottles and ice cream cones did not come down with the intention of injuring the referees.  Riot police, fully clad in Kevlar, riot shields, batons, and guns were there for every time the refs made a call or got on or off the pitch.

The children at the orphanage, currently, are not orphans.  While we have been working on the orphanage, local kids have come to play and socialize.   It will take some time before we can actual move orphans in as the legal process for and orphanage in Bolivia contains more red tape than Home Depot.  Though the children we have been playing with have parents (or some form of guardian), they still are living in poverty.  Many of them had pink eye.  I say had because on Tuesday we brought eye drops and by Friday most of the pink eye cases had disappeared.  In the next two weeks we have set aside a few days to teach regular hygiene.  We will be teaching them about teeth brushing and hand washing.

Hopefully this blog will experience a more frequent update routine.  As I write that, I am off to do something simply more interesting.  Ciao.

Friday, at around 5AM, we landed in El Alto's airport, just outside of La Paz. Our disembarkation introduced us to 20 degree weather and lack of oxygen. El Alto is 13,615 feet above sea level and the altitude is not too forgiving.

After obtaining visas, collecting luggage, and getting properly dressed, we got on our way to Cochabamba. We stopped at a restaurant for breakfast, which turned out to be fantastic. Chicken soup with herbs, a hard boiled egg, and potatoes was a spectacular way to treat the cold and the head aches caused by altitude. Delicious omelets, roles and Coca tea were consumed with delight and ferocity.

Currently, in the food department, Bolivia is passing with flying colors.

After the most delectable of breakfasts, we continued our bus ride to Cochabamba. Bolivia, simply from a bus window, is a fascinating place. The ride led us through rocky mountains, only inhabited by the most durable of creatures, plants, and people.  The land, for miles in every direction, is a brown, rolling landscape, dotted occasionally with homes or small herds of sheep or llama.

The transition from El Alto to Cochabamba was havoc on the senses.  The sun is relentlessly hot while the air is frigid.  It is warmer in Cochabamba, but not much.  We arrived in Cochabamba around 3:30pm to a cozy bed and breakfast, Casa Internacional.  That evening, we went to a nearby restaurant and had delicious fish, yuca, fava beans, spicy salsa, salty cheese, y muchas cervasas!  We also learned a dice game similar to poker.

Saturday morning, breakfast was served at 8am.  After a satiating meal of succulent tangerines, fresh roles, creamy butter, salty cheese, jelly, and coca tea, we made our way to our work site.  At the orphanage grounds, we were received by curious and shy children.  Wide smiles stretched across their tiny faces.  It took some effort on our part to coax them out of their houses but they warmed up to us quickly.  We let them play with our camera and take pictures with us.  They walked with us to the orphanage where we played soccer and tag while our adviser, Connie, made plans for our stay.  It looks like we'll be finishing the bathrooms, staining the doors, and painting this first week.  If we can get the electric and water running, the first eight or ten orphans can move in.

Our first operation was moving rocks from the yard.  In all reality, it was to facilitate passing for soccer.  The ground in Cochabamba is riddled with volcanic rock.  Thistle plants and colonies of ants provided a constant nuisance of stinging bites and sharp spikes.

The return to Casa Internacional was followed by a trip to the market.  Bustling with activity, the market boasted chickens (dead, alive, and some in between), haggling, beeping vehicles, Spanish, Quechua, and sizzling street food.  There were loom woven ponchos of wool and alpaca, colorful sweaters, shawls, jewelry, and handcrafted accessories.

The day finished with a enjoyable night out.  With new friends and pleasant strangers, we ate lots and danced late.

Today, in preparation for our work tomorrow, we are collecting supplies and getting rest before the flood gates of manual labor fly open.

Welcome to the Ohio State University and University of California Berkeley Chapter collaborative project Blog.  Our adventure will take us to Cochabamba, Bolivia, with the goal of building a part of a much needed orphanage.  We have partnered up with Global Gallery, a fair trade non-profit organization based in Columbus, Ohio.   The Bolivia Orphanage Project is a collaboration Between Global Gallery and Foundation Anyi.

The project will go from July 2nd to July 30th.

Stay tuned.