Things I learnt in Guatemala

1. Travelling in a chicken bus isnt as difficult as I imagined it to be
2. Beans and tortillas are a staple
3. Men wear cowboy hats, intricately designed jackets and interesting polka dotted fleece blanket like things around their waist and over their pants
4. There is a McDonalds but no Starbucks (Antigua)
5. Tikal, Rio Dulce, Flores, Livingston and Atitlan are places of supreme beauty
6. You can get Giant Margaritas for $4 on Mondays at Fridas
7. Jumping into the back of a truck to get to work at the foothills of a volcano is so cool
8. The best pastries are near the central market at La Reposteria
9. Fuego is an active volcano oh so close to the city
10. Brahva and Gallo are local beers and the latter is actually good for health and apparently OK for pregnant women too 
11. Mary is the best house mom ever 
12. People telling you the monsoon is over doesn't mean you wont be struck with torrential downpour every single evening
13. Dr. Morfin is the best-est and gives you the option of Pink, Purple or Blue casts (broken arm)- that's his real name :)
14. Swinging a machete is the coolest thing ever
15. I now truly understand what 'slow roast' means for coffee beans
16. Zip lining with a bummed arm and pulling the brakes mid way, having to pull yourself over to the end using a cable is fun but painful
17. The best way to see a coffee farm is on horseback
18. If you love Nutella and crepes, go to Luna de Miel near La Merced
19. Indian nationals holding US or Schengen visas do not need a visa to enter Guatemala
20. Tikal is the site of the 4th Star Wars movie (so I've been told)

Image courtesy: http://www.afrocookbook.com

Things I learnt in Cusco

1. Mazamorra is wayyy to sweet for my taste buds
2. Nothing is tastier than Lomo Saltado
3. Chifa is crazy popular and you'll spot at least one restaurant every few hundred metres
4. They serve cuy with the head intact so you can know for sure it's not a rat
5. The best coffee is off Plaza del Armas (Café Ayllu)
6. You can get a hot stone massage for <$8
7. Taxis are relatively cheap as it is a very small city
8. The choco museo is fantastic but rather pricey
9. Best place for salad's is Jack's Cafe
10. Chicha morada is overrated

Things I learnt in Lima

1. Inca cola is liquid sugar
2. The best churros are at Manolo in Miraflores
3. No Artesan market is as fantastic and mindbogglingly maze-like as the one at Petit Thouars
4. Divino Jesus in Pueblo libre has the most adorable little orphans
5. Quinoa is the Incans' gift to mankind
6. Picarones doused with orange flavored honey tastes like heaven in a plate
7. It is an unsafe city in general and one always needs to be on the look out for suspicious activity
8. No one will accept even a mildly damaged currency note and every cashier will spend minutes checking the authenticity of the currency presented at every possible opportunity
9. Parque del Amor is a lovely place to visit
10. Larcomar is a mall hidden within a mountain and has amazing views as well as a decent spot to try the famous Ceviche
11. Best street food is in Miraflores

Image courtesy: www.todoavatar.com 

Things I learnt in Bolivia

1. To communicate with no prior knowledge of Spanish
2. To not completely lose it when a loco dog clawed her way into my room and jumped on my bed
3. To truly dislike carbs
4. To enjoy Argentinian steak and Chilean wine for under $20
5. That it's ok to get a manicure every week
6. That 4 hour work days warrant a swedish or hot stone massage
7. Street markets are God's gift to shoppers
8. Age truly doesnt matter when it comes to being friends
9. No Starbucks, Mckers and Dunkin Donuts is refreshing and absolutely rejuvenating
10. People take pride in 'hecho en Bolivia' products
11. The highest Cristo is here and not in Rio
12. You can live with almost no access to money without cause for concern
13. Visa issues are crazy expensive and a serious pain in the behind for Indian nationals
14. Bolivia has pink dolphins and anacondas
15. The trufi system is quite efficient
16. Everyone receiving packages from overseas must register with the Aduana
17. Cafe Paris has the most delish crêpes and croque monsieur
18. The nachos con carne at Paprika are mouth watering
19. Cheesecake fresa at Il Mulino Bianco is a must have
20. Steaks are best at Tunari or La Estancia
    
    Image courtesy: http://www.unique-southamerica-travel-experience.com

Guat's up! (Video)

My time in Guatemala thus far.

Guat's up from Aarti Kulkarni on Vimeo.

4 days in the Amazon (Video)

This year was all about pushing boundaries and doing things for the first time. Reminds me of one of the previous Emirates Airlines advertising campaign messages 'When was the last time you did something for the first time'.

Insects, bugs, snakes, caimans, tarantulas, sloths- well just about anything one can find in the Amazon was not something I looked forward to by any means but when I was presented with the opportunity to go (even though it was a tad pricey), I jumped at it.

Here's a glimpse into our 4 days in the Amazon

Amazonas from Aarti Kulkarni on Vimeo.

Mama Cecilia and family

There's something to be said about people who open their homes and hearts to you and make you feel like a part of the family. I was unbelievably lucky to have someone like Jeanett in Bolivia and thought boy! those are large shoes to fill, but as always I was extremely fortunate to have been placed in another homestay with Cecilia, Lucresia, Daniel, darling little Gabriel and who can ever forget to mention the crazy pup (yeah right, he was like a horse!) Popeye.

Here's a shoutout to family Duncan for all the love

Cositas

Cositas was my initial placement while in Cusco and it was plenty admirable how that project came to be. It was started out years ago by Dutch travellers who felt they could help women in low income families to supplement the cost of living by teaching them various skills with jewellery making. Now, many years after the Dutch left and the funding ceased, the ladies have thrived and flourished into a close knit bunch of mom's who create exquisite works of art for any kind of custom jewellery requirements. 

My assignment for the initial two weeks in Cusco was to look after the children of these wonderful women and teach them English, entertain them and help them finish their homework for the day.

What a wonderful time!

Inca Rail vs. Peru Rail

For those who have travelled to Machu Picchu, you would know about this, but for the other's out there, I'd like to share some information from my recent experience. So, mostly people take the train to Ollantaytambo and then a car to Aguas Calientes (a little village/town at the base of MP) unless you're going in a car or private bus all the way from Cusco.

The two railway lines to get to Ollantaytambo are Inca Rail and Peru Rail. The latter is the more luxurious and therefore more expensive of the two and has different options with regard to levels of luxury e.g. Hiram Bingham, Expedition, Vistadome and Andean Explorer. 

While a ticket (one way) on Inca Rail will cost you something in the range of $40-50, a ticket on the basic Peru Rail (Expedition) will set you back $80+

I had the opportunity to travel by Inca Rail and Expedition and honestly cant tell any difference. In fact, I felt the seats on IR were much more comfortable and we had tables that would fold out giving us lots of room to relax. Surprisingly this option was not available on Peru Rail even though the pictures gave us a different story.

Mama Jeanett and family

Getting to Bolivia, I was mighty nervous about so many things- the city, the people, my accommodation, the work, my fellow volunteers. Pretty much every thing you can think of- I was anxious. After all, I was going across the world, to a continent that spoke a language of which I did not know a word and to do something very different from what I am used to. 

I have to and always will credit Jeanett for whatever Spanish I now know because she spoke no English and I no Spanish- it was the perfect set up not just for situational comedy but also two way learning. In the initial weeks we communicated with hand signals, as if our lives were a giant game of Charades and she was so amazingly patient with me, my attempts at understanding and speaking Spanish and always such an absolutely wonderful mama.

All credit to Mama Cecilia (Lima) and Mama Ivonne (Cusco), but Mama Jeanett was absolutely the most amazing mama's yet. She is strong, independent, hard working, absolutely caring and always went out of her way to make us feel like it was our home. She always woke up early to make sure we had everything for breakfast, always made us the most amazing Sunday lunches and was around any time we needed her for anything. 

Her daughter and son in law were absolutely wonderful too. Carolina spoke English and so was sometimes the perfect interpretor. Alejandro was always polite and soft spoken and very nice whenever we had the opportunity to spend time with him. Of course, when reminiscing about Cocha, how can I fail to mention the fabulous Muneca, the loco but sweet dog who never failed to worry, amuse and scare me.

Thank you so much for everything Mama Jeanett, Carolina and Alejandro- I hope we meet soon.

Tattoo- only 10 years later

So, I got my first tattoo when I was 20 (I think...or that's how best my memory serves me) and it was a mix between an impulse and something I'd wanted for a while. The tattoo artist was smart and told me to go with something small in a spot I wouldn't regret later and something universal that I wouldn't grow tired of 40 years later. 

Fast Forward to 2013 and I'm in Cochabamba, Bolivia with the sudden urge to get another tattoo. Now, the big question is what should I get. I harboured the idea of getting a guardian angel's back on one of my shoulder blades for the longest time. I had this weird notion of good and evil being on each side so I'd get a guardian angel on the "evil" side so I'd have more good :) Like that was the solution to being bad!

Then, finally when I did make up my mind, I figured it should be something indicative and representative of my year 2013. Something signifying new directions, positivity, chances, hope and the future. What better than a dandelion tattoo on my right hip... ooh yeah. While I can have my random spontaneous moments, I'm mostly a crazy OCD person who plans every single thing so it was amazing when my friend Marie pushed me along to go "see" the tattoo place and instead I ended up getting the tattoo. It was painless, cheap and turned out fantastic.

Thanks Marie for being there and pushing me to get the tattoo.

Cusco thus far (Video)

I've only been in Cusco for 10 days, but already have so much to share, and what better way than a short video that covers a wonderful Lima city tour in an antique Tram/Trolley and a mind-blowing visit to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. 

Another 3 weeks here is only going to bring more of fun, activity and adventure which I cant wait to experience and share with all of you.

Cusco from Aarti Kulkarni on Vimeo.

Glimpse of Lima (Video)

It suffices to say that this video does not encompass all of my experiences, wonderful friendships, discoveries and so much more that it difficult to capture in images, videos or even words. However, this is my attempt to compile some of the most important people I met and had the chance to know while in Lima.

Hope you enjoy this video and do leave your comments and suggestions. 

Lima- South America II from Aarti Kulkarni on Vimeo.

My time in Bolivia- (Video)

For all those who'd like a peek into my 3+ months in Bolivia, here is an amateur video that you will hopefully enjoy. Please feel free to leave me your comments and suggestions on this or any other post on my blog. 

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Machu Picchu

Ever heard of anyone come to Cusco and not visit Machu Picchu- NUNCA!

It is one of the easiest things to get there with almost every other person on the street offering some great deals for the weekend. So, Lily and I decided to go with Edgar- whose Qori Inca Travel agency is cerca Plaza San Francisco and got a 2 day/1 night deal for USD215 including the train tickets via Inca Rail and the bus.

We got into this lovely train and met two young girls from Brazil and a nice Dutch girl to entertain ourselves during the 2+ hour journey. After which, we were picked up at the train station and taken to our Hostal Las Rocas just at the thermal baths. Had a relaxing day, got a fabulous 4-in-1 massage, enjoyed a pizza and then took in an early night as we were to spend the next morning at MP.

7:30am and we were at the entrance of MP looking for our guide with the BLUE not TURQUOISE flag. Bumped into Elise and our Brazilian friends there and started our tour which was to last 2.5 hours. It is not easy to describe MP with words or images, and is a natural wonder everyone must try and visit once in a lifetime. Though, I will be partial and from the 6 wonders (of the modern world) I've visited, Petra is by far the most breathtaking.



We met some nice German guys who were in our tour group and got done around lunch time when we headed back to Aguas Calientes for a scrumptious brunch of coffee, papas fritas and omelet with veggies and cheese.. num num!

What was to follow after that deserves its very own post as it was crazy insane and a tad tragic.

Paragliding in Miraflores- FAIL

After finally winning my internal struggle of 'Should I?' 'Shouldn't I?' with regards to paragliding, finally I gave to the temptation.Got my head screwed on right, my paragliding shoes on and the will to jump off a cliff. 

We (no less than 8 of us loco people) head over to Miraflores armed with big wide smiles as if we were going to achieve the greatest thing in the land, walk over to Parque del Amor and the shiny oh so very inviting paragliding stand and get told 'You're too late, we're wrapping up for the day'. There goes our smiley shiny faces but heck, we take it in and decide to drown our sorrows in good old comfort food. Powdered sugar coated fresh Churros with a decadent cuppa melted chocolate anyone?

You think we'd have given up by now, but heck no. We're made of the good stuff, the strong stuff, the stuff that aint going away for nothing. So once again a couple of days later, we make it over in no less than 2 taxis at 30 minutes of a drive each and no prizes for guessing- we didn't get to go paragliding. Why you ask? Hmm.... not enough wind... it seemed the God's of wind wanted me very badly to only paraglide over Sacred Valley while in Cuzco and enjoy the unparalleled views of nature's most stunning work.

So, here's having my fingers crossed for a successful outing in Cuzco.

Addicted to Mercado de Inca? Si Si Si

So, for those with a penchant for good deals, the Inca market is just such an addiction that I'd turn into a betting lady if anyone said they could go to it, or even past it and not buy something. 

It's never really about what you want or need, it's just everything is so beautiful, colourful and different from our everyday lives that it's hard not to be tempted to pick up something.

My first time was going to be easy, ok so I just need a couple of dressy scarves and then we're done. 

But hey, look at those gorgeous baby alpaca sweaters, and those colorful, light and breezy drawstring pants. OK- fine I might need them so it's not a crazy purchase. But as I'm walking out, heyyy why not pick up some hobo gloves, a few bracelets, rings, earrings, a 'Pisco Sour' apron and matching oven mitts, a pipe, a backpack, crazy ass boots and some hairbands. 

Phew- are you tired reading this, can you imagine what I felt everytime I stepped out and said 'No- this time is different, I'm only taking some new volunteers to show them where it's at and help them with prices but no way no no way I'm buying anything' Yeah right, we all know how that worked out.

So, for those of you who are in Lima, you want to check out Avenida Petit Thouars in Miraflores or Avenida La Mar in San Miguel for everything Inca. 

My babies at Divino

When I first got placed at Divino Jesus in Pueblo Libre- Lima, I didnt have any expectations of my time there with the kids and had no inkling of what amazing bonds I would form. 

I walked in on my first day to 7 amazing kids aged 1.5-2 years and they had just woken up and waiting for their 'mama' to get them cleaned up and smelling like 'baby'. 

As I peeked in, I saw two faces pop out at me with the widest and most cheerful smiles I've ever seen. I walked in not sure what was to follow and as they all saw me they started screaming out 'Mama! Mama!'. I am not one to cry, but at that point my heart just melted and my eyes welled up with amazement at their unconditional love and welcoming spirit to an absolute stranger.

It's really difficult to say which one I love more, but I am slightly partial to Romina who I think has the naughtiest glint in her eyes, she's a tough cookie and is smart as hell.

Roberto- Mr. Cheeks, has no neck, his cheeks are practically attached to his chest. What an adorable kid, always giggling and happy to play

Moises, Wilder, Luna, Yuri and Evelyn were all absolutely amazing too. I will never forget Evelyn as she was the first one to welcome me with open arms and dance around holding my hands. Wilder has eyes that tell you he is up to a whole bunch of mischief but his smile makes you forgive just about anything he might do. Yuri is self sufficient and never asks for much, until you try to change his Music/DVD routine and then you'll have a murderous scream that would riot most alarms. Moises is an absolute darling, who unfortunately suffers from Down Syndrome and therefore needs special attention, but such a quiet and sweet little boy. 

Luna, the golden haired, green eyed little angel who wants everything anyone has and everything is always 'Mio!'. Her smile would melt a rock without a doubt. 

All these kids are up for adoption (from what I understand except Roberto who has found a wonderful home) and if I were to be that blessed at some point would absolutely return and take all of them home with me.

They taught me what it was to receive absolutely unconditional love. 

Sand surfing y Dune buggy-ing ---> ¡Qué divertido!

Huacachina. I must admit that before I got to Lima I had not heard of this and when everyone around kept throwing this buzzword around I felt that I just had to get with the program. 

It's a bit weird of course that I travelled all the way to the other side of the world to go sand boarding and on dune buggys. One thing I can say for sure is that I've been on a desert safari plenty of times and NEVER, NEVER have I ever had such a fantastic time. The thrill, adrenalin, fear, anxiety, ability to push myself beyond what I had initially set as physical boundaries left me both in shock and awe! 

Anyone planning to being close to Lima, it's a must do. You'd want to travel Cruz del Sur from wherever you are as it is the safest and rather luxurious way to travel for tourists. 

Also, you might want to stay at Banana or Desert Adventures right at the Huacachina oasis or Hotel Ollanta in Ica (a 5-7 minute and 5 PEN taxi ride away). The buggy experience along with sandboards and plenty of thrills, more than I can relay here all for just 30 PEN. All in all a crazy bargain for an afternoon you'd probably never forget.

P.S.- You want to go with friends to have a fantastic time and scream like absolute maniacs to enjoy it to the fullest :)

Divino Jesus- INABIF

On day 1, at Orientation we were taken to the various places we could be working at to have a look, meet the people and get a general feel of what we'd like to do over our time in Lima. It was quite refreshing that we were able to make our own schedules and volunteer at more than one place if we wanted to.

We had the wonderful opportunity of sharing some priceless moment with the special needs children at Semillitas, the older orphans at San Antonio and Esperanza and the 0-4 year olds at Divino Jesus. We were also really glad to be taken to La Punta which is a women's shelter (halfway house) for young women. 

Divino was something else, we walked in and instantly a whole bunch of us felt this certain pull and energy that made us all get down to business and say hey! this is where I'll be and I'll fight you for it.

Luckily we were all able to accommodate ourselves into the schedule with precision and have the time with the kids there as we wanted.

I will never forget my kids from A3, who melted my heart from the word "GO", by screaming out with love and unconditional affection "MAMA". The smiles, hugs and love I got from each one of them has made me decide that I'm now on a mission to find a rich guy who can help me adopt all 6 of my babies. I had them dance with me, walk all over me (literally), pull at my clothes, play with me, and oh so much more!

Thank you Roberto, Luna, Evelyn, Romina, Moises, Yuri and Wilder for making my heart just that much bigger to ensure you'll always be in it.

I love all of you

Hola Lima!

After 3+ months in Bolivia, I was bound to be exceptionally emotionally distressed from having left behind my babies and my home with Mama Jeanett and was rather anxious about what Peru or to be specific Lima had in store for me.

Arrived safely and had quite the comedy of errors with no one at the airport to pick me up as was scheduled and I kept making the rounds of the arrivals area staring into people's faces to see if they recognised me or had a board with my name on it.

After a while and failed frantic attempts to call the local co-ordinator (which resulted in the darn phone happily taking in all my money) and of course random people walking up to me and asking me if I was 'Jessica' or 'Bethany' etc, I finally felt a tap on my shoulder and when I turned around it was this kindly older gentleman who was all smiley and asked if I was 'Aarti'. Yipee yaay Jackpot!

So, off to my home stay in Lima and en route I was given a brief introduction to Lima, it's history and things to look out for by Lidia's husband (who picked me up). Got home to Mama Cecilia and had the warmest ever welcome. Met Anna, Marlene and Bob who were to be my flatmates for the time I was there.

I almost barely put my luggage down when Anna asked if I'd like to accompany her and 2 others to the Parque de las Reserva (with the magic fountain circuit). I took her up on it and had a wonderful time meeting 2 others, taking pics and of course enjoying a fresh churro (manjar blanco) y chocolate caliente. 

Bring on the program!

Aduana- How? What? Where?

Here is my way of helping out anyone who has recently arrived in Bolivia (especially mid-long term tourists) who would like to receive a parcel from their home country. 

It's all fine and dandy till it enters Bolivia (by way of any city), and then you get a notification that it requires 'Customs Clearance'. This will take place whether your parcel arrives via International Post or a courier service (DHL, FedEx, UPS etc). 

After getting it done, I realised it was a simple process if only I knew what was to be done and how. So here are the simple steps you can follow.

What you need- to register as a personal importer

Step 1: Fill out the form 170 online. You cannot go to Aduana and ask to fill it there, they will ask you to go online at an Internet Cafe and register (then print out 2 copies). Instructions on how to get to the form: 
go to www.aduana.gob.bo--> Click on Plataforma de atencion al Cliente-->
Click on Registro de importadores- Formulario 170. 

Instructions/Directions are available in pdf format (if you require)in the 3 links below the form 170

• Requisitos para el registro y empadronamiento de importadores
• Instructivo para el llenado del formulario
• Direcciones y teléfonos de oficinas de la Aduana Nacional

Step 2: If you are a temporary resident/visitor, take your proof of address (this can be your hotel/home address to verify authenticity of where you live while in Bolivia). You will need a copy of this and on the copy write your full name, passport or ID number and a signature

Step 3: Original passport and a copy (main page only required). Again the copy will need your full name, passport or ID number and a signature

Step 4: Sketch of map of residence in Bolivia (MODELO DE CROQUIS). You can either print this out online from www.aduana.gob.bo (Page 4 of the 'Requisitos para el registro y empadronamiento de importadores') or get it at an Internet/Fotocopias shop right outside the Aduana. It is a small shop where the people are extremely friendly and they know the process, so for Bs. 8/- they will give you a paper on which you can draw the map of where you live, and have to write down the zone and sign. 

Step 5: If you visit the Internet cafe, they will also give you a manila folder, and help you print out the online form (2 copies) for the registration. Please note that the form has to be filled online and no other way.

Step 6: Visit the Aduana around 1330hrs (1:30pm) or later, it is the 2nd door on the right with two people seated and plenty of chairs if you need to wait in a queue. You will need to see the person on the right (in the room) and hand over the folder with all copies. 

Step 7: He/She will ask for your original ID (passport or other), check all details filled out, authorise it on the online system and get your fingerprint on the form printout. 

That's it! 

Basically, if you take the filled out online form 170 (2 copies), copy of passport, copy of proof of address (latest electricity/water/telephone bill), sketch map on the required page and go directly to the office, it will not take more than 5 minutes (unless there is a queue). 

Where is the Aduana?
Available at the link 'Direcciones y teléfonos de oficinas de la Aduana Nacional' on www.aduana.gob.bo. If you are in Cochabamba, it is located in Quillacollo at km 7.5 on Av. Capitan Victor Ustarez

How to get there?
If in Cochabamba, take any trufi from Heroinas/Ayacucho, Av. Aroma, Av. Beiging or Av. America that has Quillacollo Plaza or Blanco Galindo as direction/destination. There are a number of trufis (51, 207, 209, 290 etc). 

If you get the Blanco Galindo trufi, get down at Km 7.5, some trufi's might turn off the road so keep an eye and get out to change for a Trufi to Quillacollo Plaza. Once on Av. B Galindo walk up a street to Capitan Victor Ustarez (about 2 blocks). 

You will see a large compound with trucks and a large sign 'Aduana Nacional'

Good luck and God speed :)

Off to the river we go (with the BABIES!)

Tuesday morning and another cold start to the day. Nowadays it isn't really an option to take a hot shower in the morning as it is a survival thing.

Off to Ushpa to a fun day with the niños in maternal and soon after breakfast we get the kids to walk out as usual which tends to be just to the basketball court where they get to run around, play with toys etc. and just be in the sun for a bit. This time however, it was different, we keep walking and soon I realise oh oh! we're going on a trek to the church again. 17 little ones going down a pebble ridden steep path requires an extreme amount of alertness and quick reflexes.

After a fair bit of walking (for the babies), we reach the church and Jose Miguel is surprisingly smart as he automatically turns to the right even though the kids have probably only been there a couple of times before.

More surprisingly for me and the other volunteers, Rosemarie tells us to walk on and the realization hits- We're going to the river!Another 15 minute walk down hill, crossing a highway with little ones who can barely walk, just learning to walk and a few who cannot walk yet. Adventure indeed.

Arrive at this crazy looking narrow as hell path that is so dangerous even for an adult to walk on their own as you really have to balance between fitting in the path, not getting scraped by thorns on both sides and making sure you don't slip on the pebbles and other obstacles.

I see your obstacle path, and I raise you the path with kids who can just about walk. It was without a doubt the most tiring and scary thing I've done in the longest time.

We finally reach the dried out river, get the babies to sit down, entertain them a bit, feed them mandarinas and then yipee an uphill battle this time. Now, the babies are exceptionally tired from the long walk, the struggle to get to the river and sleepy. So, task is to climb up holding on for dear life and carry babies who don't want to even stand any more. Wow! When we finally got back to the class, one could tell we were beyond exhausted and really just wanted to climb into a bed somewhere and relax. Alas! This would not be possible as the kids have to be fed lunch, cleaned up, put to bed and then we have to wipe down, sweep and scrub the classroom clean before we can leave. 
What a day!

La Niña...o....El Niño?

It was one of those days when we had too many volunteers in maternal and so I figured I could help out elsewhere. Off I went to check if I could assist in the office or Inicial 1. It so happened that Inicial 1 was glad to have my help that day and so I had the opportunity to get to know those kids as well as put my oh so fabulous Spanish (NOT) to the test.

Funny story here was I thought all day that this one kid was a girl as the kid had long hair and rather delicate features to be fair. Until I was to take 'the kid' to the toilet and off came the pants, lo and behold 'its a boy!'. Yup all along it was a boy, and here I was making the poor little one have an identity crisis by referring to him as a girl. Learnt my lesson- hopefully next time I wont have to wait until I take the kid to the baño to figure it out :)

Sorry Jose, my bad! (I didnt know his name earlier or would have been the best bet at figuring out the gender).

Nails at Mimate- Cochabamba

There is a nice little salon/parlor on Av. Salamanca, casi Lanza called Mimate and offers all beauty, spa and personal care services for good quality and great prices. So a few of us decided it was time we had our pampering session of massages and nails!

They offer a wide range of massages and all kinds of unique and crazy nail art. What took us longest was just to choose how we'd like our nails. Phew! Decisions decisions #FirstWorldProblems 

https://www.facebook.com/mimatetb

Día de la Madre

Monday 27th of May is the Día de la Madre in Bolivia, but since it's a holiday at Proyecto, we had a wonderful festival at the day care grounds on Sunday that started at 1000hrs and ended around 1900hrs in the school up the hill.

The day comprised various acts put on by each class right from the babies at maternal and Inicial 1, 2 to the older kids and then the ones up at the school who had the more well choreographed acts.

It was absolutely amazing to see the turnout of teachers, parents, students, volunteers all there to help out, raise money and put up a fantastic day for the mother's and children. There was a variety of foods, drinks, activities, raffles and awareness programs on site to allow for maximum participation and enjoyment of all those present.

Was a fantastic day indeed.

Rain, Rain go away

After a very interesting week (to say the least), I was to FINALLY receive my money via Western Union and then the hunt began. Luckily, I had the wonderful support and company of a fellow volunteer Julia, who very kindly and rather patiently accompanied me to 3 locations until we finally found a Banco Union that gave us the money and not to miss- most of it in notes of 10 Bs. 

Of course once the money was safely tucked away (thank god for being a woman!), and making myself feel more curvy ;), we decided to go shopping. 

Of course, just about that time when the rain gods decided to bless us rather mercifully and present us with an almost torrential downpour. 

Considering Cochabamba winter is always dry, this was an interesting turn but hey- after the week I'd had this was just one small obstacle in the way of buying fabulous new boots. 

We managed to take shelter in the 25 de Mayo market and found some good bargains. The market is sort of a mini version of the rather massive market in 'La Cancha'. Some shopping and buckets of rain later, we make a dash towards Plaza Principal to basically get in a hot cuppa when I find the most glorious looking boots in the window display. We stop, try and after all the unsuccessful tries all afternoon, this pair is perfect. The right color, size, fit - it was meant to be :)

Chugging along a massive box (I bought boots), protecting it like a delicate child from the rain we take cover in Cafe Paris and I decide to have the famous Le Croque Monseiur. Once we're done again no sign of an available Trufi given the weather, so we take a taxi and head to our respective homes. 

Home- quick dry and change to head out for a fantastic evening which was to follow. Off to La Recoleta where we tried a fantastic Middle Eastern restaurant and then headed to Muela el Diablo for drinks. Super fun company, drinking games and trial of shots, cocktails, local Bolivian wine and we are at Escaramanga which is a Salsa club. Finished off the night with a rather co-erced but what I ended up really enjoying Salsa dance with Julia, Ellie and Sebastien. 

Back home at almost 0300hrs after a wonderful day and an even better night to get some rest and wake up to another day of fun, food and friends.

90 days in Bolivia- 300+ USD

I've travelled the world over and lived in 4 foreign countries but it's funny that I had to come to Bolivia all the way in South America to feel for the first time it was a disadvantage to have an Indian passport. Bad enough that I had to pay USD85 in New York for a visa, but I was told by the Embassy there that all I had to do after the 30 days was show up at local Immigration and they would extend the visa up to 90 days which is the maximum allowed for tourists.

Lo and behold- I decide to go in a few days earlier and get told there is no extension possible but I have to apply for a new visa (with a long list of documentation) every 30 days and pay approximately USD 100 each time.
Surprisingly I was not as upset as I should have been and was almost ready to leave until I decided to stay at least another month. Rightly so, my change of tickets would probably cost as much as the new visa charges. 

So, we get communicating and organizing to get reference letters, photographs, bank statements et al for Monday morning. The very kind gentleman Rafael (PH lawyer) accompanied me and helped me apply after much waiting and process and then I'm told hey wait! It's not over yet you have to come in tomorrow for a verification- no details given. 

All this to stay and help out in a developing country. Instead of being happily welcomed (people such as myself who come readily, spend money, and time to add value) irrespective of Nationality, it seems they have the list sorted out for which countries are allowed such liberties (90 day tourist visa) and which have to undergo what almost seems like a complete background check to let me stay and help their own people.

Funny this, but such is life.

P.S.- Great part is the fantastic support from the volunteers who were trying to provide solutions, find other people who might be able to help and eventually when there was no point worrying reminding me that a Cheesecake reward was well due for the duress :)

Hubble bubble, Toilet Trouble

'Twas a breezy Saturday morn when the birds were chirping and the sun just peeked from behind the clouds indicating it would be a glorious day when the shrill and unwelcome tra-la-la of my shiny new Samsung monochrome shook me out of my daydream to remind me of toilet cleaning duty at noon. 

We were tasked with the cleaning the girls and boys toilets up in the school at Ushpa and while it was not compulsory, it would be a great initiative and a wonderful day when spent together with fellow volunteers working towards helping others out. 

So, off Sebastien and I went, making our way up to Ushpa on the wonderful Sabado, we bumped into Emily and Marie at Km0 and then took a bus. Aishling had got supplies and was kind enough to lend us scarves which we didn't end up using. 

It was a long hard day, but felt great at the end. We celebrated by heading out to Paprika and enjoying a well deserved delicious albeit slightly expensive leisurely lunch.

Sharing is caring

Was back to working with the little babies today after a short break and realised just how much I've missed them.

It was really nice to be greeted by warm smiles from the usual suspects like Said, Wilbur, Caren, Jose Miguel and what's a warm welcome when not accompanied by some good old fashioned mischief.

What I really enjoy about these little ones is that even though they are so young, they have already imbibed the wonderful qualities of warmth, friendship and sharing.

Here's two of our babies sharing a little snack. 

Doh!

I had an interesting experience in my first week at Ushpa, I suppose you can call it an exceptionally steep learning curve.

Given, it was my first time interacting with babies, I had no clue that one of the kids in the day care was too little to walk and when it was time to take them out to the playground I wondered why Said was not able to walk without support and kept stumbling.

I kept nudging him along supportively and patiently while wondering "what's happening here!!". Soon, I noticed some understanding yet bemused and unapproving glances from the teachers when the realization dawned 'Maybe! Just maybe he's too little to walk just yet'

Goes to show, you truly can learn something new every day. Might leave your pride slightly bruised, but hey it's all good :)

Labour Day

Just had one day of work and today is May 1- yaay for labour day. Though not quite sure I deserve a break just yet :)

So, we have the opportunity to sleep in (yeah right, my idea of sleeping in is waking up at 0800). Then, all the volunteers are to meet at Eliza's at Calle La Paz to basically chill out, get to know who's new and figure out activities for the big team building day on Saturday.

It was a really great day, with most of us showing up, got to meet volunteers and realised that boy oh boy I am the oldest, isn't that just quaint. 

So we have people from Ireland (quite a few in fact), Germany, France, Israel, Australia and England. The 2 English girls are leaving soon and an English couple will be joining the brood the same weekend (Rachel and Toby).

Everyone is really great to get along with and after introductions and figuring out how to make the 'Game of Life' relevant to our workplace and get the various teams at Proyecto to bond, we settled in for some beer and giant pizzas.

All in all great day with some good laughs, fun activities, lazy lounging on the couch, coffee, food, chores and meeting new people. That's what it's all about.

Day 1

After all those years of waking up to get to work on time and turning myself into a morning person, I realise that it's not over yet. In order to get to the village in Ushpa Ushpa at 0830, we have to leave an hour earlier which means I need to wake up sometime between 0600 and 0630.

Wow! So here we go! All raring to go- woken up, breakfast is had, and Sebastian and I are waiting for Trufi 101. After a relatively long wait we get into one and a 10-15 minute ride later we make a stop at the crossing of Avenida Heroinas y Ayacucho. There we wait for the Trufi 123 and make our 30 minute journey up to Ushpa. 

Oh btw, a Trufi is an 8 seater taxi/car which is public transportation in Cochabamba run by private operators. How it works is that there are different routes that Trufi drivers can apply for with a syndicate and then ply that route every day. So each journey on a Trufi costs 1.8Bs (roughly 0.25 USD cents), basically on a daily basis one spends USD1 for the entire travel. If we do get late/there's a strike or there are no available trufi's and we take a taxi, it's still only 8-10Bs for a journey within the city limits (approx USD1.4).

Once we reach Proyecto at Ushpa, Sebastian introduces me to everyone including Mabel, Eliza, some other volunteers and shows me around the day care, and the school uphill. He then gets to his class and let's me explore on my own. 

Eliza (the local head of Proyecto), helps answer all my questions, sets me up with a Spanish teacher who will come to my homestay twice a week for 2 hours each and helps me figure out what I'd like to do at PH. The day is easy enough and I get introduced to the staff I will work with starting tomorrow and they seem super friendly. Its noon and basketball game time between volunteers and the staff, its fun. 

A bunch of us hang out later and then head into the city towards Plaza Colon on the 123 Trufi and have some lunch after which we all head off in our respective directions. There I get to bump into other volunteers who were not on site today.

Buenos Noches!

Peru en route Bolivia

After a 3+ hour stopover in Lima, I arrived in La Paz. The airport is unique for the main reason that it is located in the city of El Alto which is at a 4060 m altitude. 

All passengers are clearly advised to walk slowly and be very careful when they step out of the air plane as the oxygen is quite low and can cause altitude sickness or disorientation. I was also told that this has one of the longest runways in the world because of the wind speed at this altitude and planes need more ground to cover to reach the required cruising speed. 

Luckily after 7 hours at a tiny little airport and thankfully free access to WiFi I got onto a 35 minute local BoA flight to Cochabamba- the place that was to be my home for the next 90 days.

Almost 25 hours after leaving New York, here I am at my final destination Cochabamba. Simple enough to exit and standing right at the entrance to greet me were Phoebe and Aishling. 

Really nice girls from Ireland who have been here a couple of months and will continue for a few more. They kindly help with my luggage, get us into a taxi and take me to their apartment where I also meet Tom- another volunteer from Ireland and get told that my flatmate Sebastian (from France) would arrive shortly to pick me up and take me home.

Sebastian arrives, seems really nice. About 22 years of age, friendly and super nice considering he had to translate every single thing for me given our host mother speaks no English. After some introductions to the family and unpacking finally I was in bed. The next day was to be interesting- my first day at Ushpa Ushpa- where the project is located. Had to sleep well to rise early and leave by 0800.