This is illimani...the highest mountian in Bolivia. Was once an active volcanoe, people fear that it may one day become active again because of the movement of lava below. Who knows. But for now it is a silent beast tipped with snow, towering over La Paz."Ven Yesi, ven!" says Rita. Its on of the dentists that I get to shadow (I saw some tooth extractions today...man those kids are tough, with black rotting teeth and all). She´s a bad influence, she´s stealing me away from the clininc to watch an entrada in El Alto. No I didn´t know where El Alto was or any idea what an entrada was...but when in Rome...I mean Bolivia! Turns out it was the largest desfile (parade) I´ve ever seen. And man those outfits were crazy! Rita lives 5 stories high--it over looked the entire Entrada. Never in my life have I seen so many people-all happy, dancing, eating, drinking. It was the celetion of their independence of La Paz. I ate alot and to end the night was in a parade for Salude Integral! (We got there late...but of course on time in Bolivian time). And yes-I forgot my camera...oops.
Javier and I have been doing home visits to the elderly who havn´t been able to make it to the weekly meetings. This I love. One because I like elderly, they have so much to teach me. Two they are precious when they speak aymari, and three it is humbling to see how they live. The higher we go the harder life seems. No roads, ladders leading up to a doowary, no water, no bathroom, no electricity. But they manage to serve me a refresco when I enter their humble aboad, Who decided it a good idea to build homes on such trecherous, steep, inclinces? Some of those that we are visiting are in bad shape. There is nothing I can do for a cancerous woman with hepatitis, unable to move and too poor to pay for any type of surgery of treatment. She is babbling off to me in a mix of aymari and spanish as she explains to me what hurts through her tear filled, yellow glazed eyes--she´s real sick. My heart hurts for people like her, for the weak, for the forgotten, for the poor, for the hurting. Yeah I am here to help--but honestly can I change their circumstance? A warm embrace, a smile, a cup of tea will only provide temporary comfort. They need so much more...
After our visit we were already half up a mountain where no plants grew and no roads guided you. Javi says, why not? So we kept going up. Up, up, up we go until all I hear is the wind blowing the grass and the finches diving into the trecherous cliffs that boarderd our camino. Its amazing at the top. You see this bowl below, filled with cars, buildings, homes, people all running about--each with their own goals and responsibilities. That is La Paz. A silent business that fills this bowl. I am awestruct of the beauty that lies just beyond the mountains...amazing how true the saying is "once you master one mountain--you are confronted with so many more." (could be a saying...or I am just that
whitty...regardless you can quote me on it!).
I am learning alot from Dr Omar. For some reason or other--one I am not going to question--he has taken me under his wing. He wants me to learn and experience all that I can. In exchange I help him with his English. It works. Don´t you love the barter system?
Today is Dia del Amistad. It´s great. Its like Valentines day--but better. You don´t have to have a lover--its a day to appreciate those close to you, the ones you trust, and friendship in general. Well in celebration of this day--I love all you guys. I appreciate every friendship I have and am so blessed with such loving, giving, thoughtful and entertaining people in my life. Happy Friendship Day.
Here are the two lovely people I live with. So kind, full of life and hilarious. Anitawa has the green hoody on and Janet is the other. Definitely different than I thought they would be...a good different, they are awesome.
Javier and I have been doing home visits to the elderly who havn´t been able to make it to the weekly meetings. This I love. One because I like elderly, they have so much to teach me. Two they are precious when they speak aymari, and three it is humbling to see how they live. The higher we go the harder life seems. No roads, ladders leading up to a doowary, no water, no bathroom, no electricity. But they manage to serve me a refresco when I enter their humble aboad, Who decided it a good idea to build homes on such trecherous, steep, inclinces? Some of those that we are visiting are in bad shape. There is nothing I can do for a cancerous woman with hepatitis, unable to move and too poor to pay for any type of surgery of treatment. She is babbling off to me in a mix of aymari and spanish as she explains to me what hurts through her tear filled, yellow glazed eyes--she´s real sick. My heart hurts for people like her, for the weak, for the forgotten, for the poor, for the hurting. Yeah I am here to help--but honestly can I change their circumstance? A warm embrace, a smile, a cup of tea will only provide temporary comfort. They need so much more...
After our visit we were already half up a mountain where no plants grew and no roads guided you. Javi says, why not? So we kept going up. Up, up, up we go until all I hear is the wind blowing the grass and the finches diving into the trecherous cliffs that boarderd our camino. Its amazing at the top. You see this bowl below, filled with cars, buildings, homes, people all running about--each with their own goals and responsibilities. That is La Paz. A silent business that fills this bowl. I am awestruct of the beauty that lies just beyond the mountains...amazing how true the saying is "once you master one mountain--you are confronted with so many more." (could be a saying...or I am just that
whitty...regardless you can quote me on it!).I am learning alot from Dr Omar. For some reason or other--one I am not going to question--he has taken me under his wing. He wants me to learn and experience all that I can. In exchange I help him with his English. It works. Don´t you love the barter system?
Today is Dia del Amistad. It´s great. Its like Valentines day--but better. You don´t have to have a lover--its a day to appreciate those close to you, the ones you trust, and friendship in general. Well in celebration of this day--I love all you guys. I appreciate every friendship I have and am so blessed with such loving, giving, thoughtful and entertaining people in my life. Happy Friendship Day.
Here are the two lovely people I live with. So kind, full of life and hilarious. Anitawa has the green hoody on and Janet is the other. Definitely different than I thought they would be...a good different, they are awesome.
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