Know we are home and no-one probably will see this, but for our own records.
Finally got to see a prison. Very small - 30 women - in Quillacollo town. Went with a member of staff from CAICC, who thought the main Cochabamba prisons may be too manic and problematic to go to. So to be ok to go in, we needed to buy some gifts. 30 packs of OMO were lugged in by Den and gratefully received. We arrived to a small stone entrance with 2 very disengaged guards - one sucking a lolly -and were ushered through an ancient wooden door to a small room filled with boxes and tables. This was the visitor, storage and dining room in one. Adjoining was a tiny yard with laundry and cooking facilities and what appeared to be holes knocked into the walls for spaces to 'live' and sleep. Minimum sentence was 1 year, with most there for 'drug trafficking' (0.5 kilo). You have to pay to be released, so many spend many more years there. (2 yrs can become 10). ROTL is $20,000!!!! You get a monthly allowance, but have to buy your 'cell', food and anything else you need, so men make furniture and women do laundry or crafts to sell. The kids can live with the Mums and the kids and wives can live with the men and go out to sell the wares, but when the wives go out to get provisions, the kids are left in the prison to the risks of abuse. CAICC tries to get the most vulnerable to the centres each day, along with the kids who have been left with extended family by parents who have moved abroad for work. The family members often abuse these kids.
So, back to the prison...Lou Lou was asked if she would like to speak to them, thinking it would be one to one, but was left to address the group. So in broken Spanish explained how she was working to improve support for women in the UK prisons and was now linked to CAICC to support the same in Bolivia. Two women kissed her and thanked her. We were only there for 20 minutes and couldn't really see or ask much, but still an experience we won’t forget.
We got a micro and then a taxi back, which had 6 of us and the driver!! We then met up with our Spanish friend Arantxita, for beer and cultural exchanges and her work with Voices of Latin America. The city streets are becoming more busy with people from the land, as they sleep here for Xmas, with the hope of some handouts.
The next day - our final with CAICC - we said our farewells, with hugs and thanks from the staff and bracelets from the older kids. We even managed to rush through our England presentation, which despite our limited language, clearly included our dislike for the queen, the dangers of the EDL and the student riots. Rather proud of ourselves for that. They seemed to like it and it has been left for future reference/scrap paper.
Despite the bonds we felt we had with the kids, they no doubt see tonnes of different volunteers, so were more interested in their imminent swimming trip than us leaving! Lou Lou was ok until the cook started blubbing and that set her off too. That night was due to be cocktails and clubbing, but alas, Lou Lou was hanging out in the loo AGAIN. Lost a stone in weight though, but perhaps not in an enjoyable way!!
Saturday Lou Lou went to Incachaca, a sub tropical area a couple of hours from the city. Despite a tour company rip-off, still saw some great scenery, tackled a rope bridge and passed farms, car crashes and wedding celebrations a plenty. Best bit was walking through clouds of butterflies, worst bit was falling on bum in the mud. For the evening, we met up with friends for our goodbyes at Casa de Campo, a rather splendid Bolivian restaurant, famed for traditional food. So Lou Lou munched on mashed potato and dashed to the bathroom every 20 minutes, whilst the others dined on chorizo, kidneys and udder. Yes UDDER!
So we felt at home, Saturday night the lightning storms and dogs serenaded us and we left at 10am for our journey back to cold Inglaterra. But the dogs had one more treat in store...as we settled into our seats on the plane, a woman passed us by, carrying a lumpy handbag, from which the hairy face of a dog emerged right into the face of Den. Need the exact words and facial expressions be described? You can guess them we're sure.
The flights were long, but we entertained ourselves doing air guitar to the Hendrix radio station, whilst sipping cheap wine and watching an amazing lightening storm below us. Coming into Sao Paulo was like landing over a Bladerunner scene and made you question Brazil's commitment to fighting climate change - turn a few lights off perhaps? Heathrow at 2pm and ham, egg and chips by 6pm.
It was fascinating, heartbreaking, hot, dusty, hilarious, political, knackering and much much more, but we loved it and are glad that our friends and family came along too.
Ciao.
x
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Heyyyy
Hey guys,
Glad you're enjoying it all the scenary looks to DIE for. El ninos look veryyyy cute!! Spoke to Grandad today and he is keeping well and sends his love. Can't wait to hear EVERYTHING when I come down at xmas. And hold on dad translated for you??? Hahah I can imagine it now! Be safe and be prepared to come back to arctic condition, I was up to my knees in snow last week UK has been chaos they say a white winter is expected (yay) but major train delays (booooo!) so hope everything is okay getting down to you! Loveeee Lal xxx
Glad you're enjoying it all the scenary looks to DIE for. El ninos look veryyyy cute!! Spoke to Grandad today and he is keeping well and sends his love. Can't wait to hear EVERYTHING when I come down at xmas. And hold on dad translated for you??? Hahah I can imagine it now! Be safe and be prepared to come back to arctic condition, I was up to my knees in snow last week UK has been chaos they say a white winter is expected (yay) but major train delays (booooo!) so hope everything is okay getting down to you! Loveeee Lal xxx
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
One more VERY exciting thing.....
Finally met with the director of CAICC today and Tenis translated a 2 hours ocnversation between her and Lou Lou about the different prison systems. The director really wants Lou Lou to attend a conference in Paraguay next May when all the projects that work with prisons across South America will be coming together for the first time, to talk about how they can develop a formal support structure in the prisons. She also wants to keep in touch and to do future work with Lou Lou. So should we decide to return in the future, there are the bare bones of some possible developements. As for Paraguay...Lou Lou is still paying off Oz, but will go to the cross roads and sell her soul if needs be!!!!
Ciao
xxx
Ciao
xxx
Monday, December 6, 2010
Until we meet again
Hey all
This maybe our last posting as v busy up until we leave on Sunday morning. We went to a great guitar concert in the week and then Friday we went to the main house for some traditional food, which included a previously unheard of cut of beef that is somewhere between the skin and the belly. Was very salty, but good. We then hung around as we were supposed to be going to a regional Q'owa, the monthly Pacha Mama offering ceremony. As per Bolivan - or Pete Cook - time (xx!) the 'after dinner' departure had still not happened at 11.30pm, so some of us opted for touring the local streets and we saw plenty of Bolivians smoking out their shop fronts and streets with little fires of burning coals and various sacred items.
Lou Lou has managed to get a bad throat in 95degrees! But it didn´t stop us spending Saturday touring the city, eating crepes, spotting the trees that had been struck by lightening in recent storms and preparing our presentations for this week. Saturday night, out housemate was going back to Oz and it was her birthday, so we decorated the house and made food and had a v nice evening with other volunteers and Bolivians. We did manage to start a small fire with the candles and also invited a trillion evil little bitey ants into the kitchen by leaving out some cake. Oops!
Sunday we spent a very civilized day by the pool at a 4star hotel in the posh bit of town. It did rain a bit , but we took shelter and sipped watermelon juice, whilst parrots wandered by. The down side was a rich Bolivian who declared that he was living in a fascist state - pretty much what any middle class and rich Bolivians have declared to us, plus denouncing Evo for not being able to read!! There is some issue re some new laws that Evo has brought in re racism and how he had banned all mention of it in the press, which obviously means no reporting of racist incidents either. Journalists launched a petition which has had thousands of signatures, but think people are signing it against state control of the media too, like in Venezuela. Not entirely sure, as not found anyone who can explain it to us in English.
Sunday evening, Lou Lou went to the movies with a group of volunteers to see a crap action film, but wanted to hang out with new friends and experience a Bolivian cinemas, which was just like going to Avonmead. They were switching the Xmas lights on, so we came out to sparkling reindeers and a giant coca cola tree. We then had a mega chinese takeaway.
There has been some interesting dog developments. Lou Lou has taken to grabbing Tenis for protection on at least 2 occassions of late. It would appear that the sleepy dogs that lay around under the trees in the day, like to gather a la Westside Sory stylee in the evenings and zig zag across the road towards you in a saliva sodden slalom, so that despite your efforts to hasten to the opposite side of the road, they eventually surround you in a snarling pack. There were 12 large dogs yesterday, which prompted Lou Lou to squeal 'don't move` and for Denis to grab his t-shirt in the region of his heart. The dogs eventually tootled off, unaware of the trauma they had caused and before we could recover, a stradler came out from under a gate, but from where we were stood, appeared to rise up from out of the pavement, the flames of hell licking up around him. There followed much beer, cider, wine, etc.
So today was a normal day at work, we had a quick siesta in the park at lunchtime, not far from the local builders who slumped into their wheelbarrows for a quick 40mins.
Tonight LouLou is doing a presentation on CAICC, tomorrow we hope to meet with the director of CAICC again, 3rd time lucky - another Bolivian habit: mañan means anytime from tomorrow to next year! Wednesday we should be going to the prison and then doing our UK presentation to the kids, Thursday is another owrk day, followed by shopping and starting to pack up and an attempt to get contact local NUS. Doesn´t look like Lou Louwill get any links with sex worker project, but can only try. Friday is our final work day, exit interview, then friend's birthday party, cocktails and private karaoke lounge. Saturday Lou Lou is off with a group to hike into a tropical zone and then a bunch of us are going to a posh restaurant for a Bolivian meal for our send off : (
So, may post some more pics if possible - can´t right now, as probs with IT. If not, will bore you senseless with pics on our return.
Sleep deprivation dependent, may well be in Sugarloaf c.6pm Monday night, will txt people if going!
Take care mis amigos, miss you, but don´t want to come home either, as just beginning to settle into the crazy way of life here. Catch you in the subzero temperatues soon,
Lou Lou & Tenis
xxxx
This maybe our last posting as v busy up until we leave on Sunday morning. We went to a great guitar concert in the week and then Friday we went to the main house for some traditional food, which included a previously unheard of cut of beef that is somewhere between the skin and the belly. Was very salty, but good. We then hung around as we were supposed to be going to a regional Q'owa, the monthly Pacha Mama offering ceremony. As per Bolivan - or Pete Cook - time (xx!) the 'after dinner' departure had still not happened at 11.30pm, so some of us opted for touring the local streets and we saw plenty of Bolivians smoking out their shop fronts and streets with little fires of burning coals and various sacred items.
Lou Lou has managed to get a bad throat in 95degrees! But it didn´t stop us spending Saturday touring the city, eating crepes, spotting the trees that had been struck by lightening in recent storms and preparing our presentations for this week. Saturday night, out housemate was going back to Oz and it was her birthday, so we decorated the house and made food and had a v nice evening with other volunteers and Bolivians. We did manage to start a small fire with the candles and also invited a trillion evil little bitey ants into the kitchen by leaving out some cake. Oops!
Sunday we spent a very civilized day by the pool at a 4star hotel in the posh bit of town. It did rain a bit , but we took shelter and sipped watermelon juice, whilst parrots wandered by. The down side was a rich Bolivian who declared that he was living in a fascist state - pretty much what any middle class and rich Bolivians have declared to us, plus denouncing Evo for not being able to read!! There is some issue re some new laws that Evo has brought in re racism and how he had banned all mention of it in the press, which obviously means no reporting of racist incidents either. Journalists launched a petition which has had thousands of signatures, but think people are signing it against state control of the media too, like in Venezuela. Not entirely sure, as not found anyone who can explain it to us in English.
Sunday evening, Lou Lou went to the movies with a group of volunteers to see a crap action film, but wanted to hang out with new friends and experience a Bolivian cinemas, which was just like going to Avonmead. They were switching the Xmas lights on, so we came out to sparkling reindeers and a giant coca cola tree. We then had a mega chinese takeaway.
There has been some interesting dog developments. Lou Lou has taken to grabbing Tenis for protection on at least 2 occassions of late. It would appear that the sleepy dogs that lay around under the trees in the day, like to gather a la Westside Sory stylee in the evenings and zig zag across the road towards you in a saliva sodden slalom, so that despite your efforts to hasten to the opposite side of the road, they eventually surround you in a snarling pack. There were 12 large dogs yesterday, which prompted Lou Lou to squeal 'don't move` and for Denis to grab his t-shirt in the region of his heart. The dogs eventually tootled off, unaware of the trauma they had caused and before we could recover, a stradler came out from under a gate, but from where we were stood, appeared to rise up from out of the pavement, the flames of hell licking up around him. There followed much beer, cider, wine, etc.
So today was a normal day at work, we had a quick siesta in the park at lunchtime, not far from the local builders who slumped into their wheelbarrows for a quick 40mins.
Tonight LouLou is doing a presentation on CAICC, tomorrow we hope to meet with the director of CAICC again, 3rd time lucky - another Bolivian habit: mañan means anytime from tomorrow to next year! Wednesday we should be going to the prison and then doing our UK presentation to the kids, Thursday is another owrk day, followed by shopping and starting to pack up and an attempt to get contact local NUS. Doesn´t look like Lou Louwill get any links with sex worker project, but can only try. Friday is our final work day, exit interview, then friend's birthday party, cocktails and private karaoke lounge. Saturday Lou Lou is off with a group to hike into a tropical zone and then a bunch of us are going to a posh restaurant for a Bolivian meal for our send off : (
So, may post some more pics if possible - can´t right now, as probs with IT. If not, will bore you senseless with pics on our return.
Sleep deprivation dependent, may well be in Sugarloaf c.6pm Monday night, will txt people if going!
Take care mis amigos, miss you, but don´t want to come home either, as just beginning to settle into the crazy way of life here. Catch you in the subzero temperatues soon,
Lou Lou & Tenis
xxxx
Friday, December 3, 2010
Who has hidden all the rice?
(Thursday)
Ok, so right now, jumping into a pile of snow would be sooo good. Even the Bolivians are saying it is too hot. Went to la cancha again today and nearly melted from the heat. LouLou went all 'Room with a View'. We went to buy offerings for the monthly pacha mama event tomorrow. The aisles were crammed with coca, herbs, trinkets and hundreds of llama foetus, some tiny alien things, other fluffy cuties, but all v stinky and we had to try not to retch infront of the sacred items. There was a big no photo stance - this one is form web. Apparently Evo has brought in much strictor attitudes around the way the sacred traditions are exploited.Talking of Evo, we stumbled across a long line of people queuing for rice. The media is adamant that there is no food crisis, despite failing rains and reports of hoarding of maize, sugar and rice by shop keepers keen to push the prices up. There was also some bloody skirmishes in La Paz with coca growers http://laht.com/article.asp?CategoryId=14919&ArticleId=380522. We have been looking at the graffiti too, lots of anti and pro fascist stuff. Where´s a can of spray paint when you need one?
So, we are going to try and combine politics and language skills - god help us - and see if the local NUS will do a message of support for UK students, will keep you posted.
Tonight we are going to a guitar concert and then spending the weekend preparing a presentation on UK for the kids - can't wait to show them pics of Chas n Dave! We are also going to a local hotel pool with some friends to chill. For our last weekend, we hope to go to tropical area for a day, but it includes going over a 150ft rope bridge across a gorge. LouLou is prepared to risk this for a glimps of a toucan and other flaura and fauna. Tenis is not so easily presuaded, so he may have to sit with a beer and a book and watch from afar.
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| Trufi interior |
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| With Ava, the cook at CAICC, taskmaster! |
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