I’ve been here in Bolivia for 2 weeks now and I cannot
believe how fast the time has gone by. I figured I should probably let everyone
know how I’m doing. My travel day for the most part went well, so thank you for
all that prayed. Despite a 24 hour flight delay, and almost passing out at the
high altitude airport in La Paz, I made it to my final and more comfortably lower
destination in Cochabamba. And guess what? My two checked bags safely made it
with me and the contents I packed were in there too. J Cochabamba is a city in
central Bolivia in a valley and is known as the "City of Eternal
Spring" and "The Garden City" due to its spring-like
temperatures year round. I’m learning Spanish in this city with a school I found
online back in the states. I managed to avoid taking any Spanish courses In
College, so I figured I should learn here. The name of the school is “Volunteer
Bolivia”. I’m really satisfied with the school and the 8 week immersion program
it offers. The school provides a home stay program so that I have a place to
stay while taking classes here.
Classes consist of 2 sessions a day and I have class 5 days
a week. I have 2 teachers that I love
and they teach me in the mornings. I get one on one instruction and I prefer
this individual learning setting. The names of my teachers are Chi Chi and
Fernando. They are both former teachers from the well-known Maryknoll language institute
in Cochabamba which is no longer running. I honestly love the way Chi Chi
teaches me. She is very energetic, has a passion for teaching, and is funny. If
she notices I do not understand something, she will try all ways to explain the
concept to me even if it means standing up on a chair and talking in a different
tone of voice. One day she told me I was a special student of hers because I
was Catholic. She showed me a special Marian necklace that she had around her
neck and she told me she wants to help my mission by teaching me Spanish. Fernando
is my other teacher and he is very approachable. Before class starts, he sits
next to me on the bench outside and asks me how I’m adjusting to everything. I’m
in the process of applying for a one year visa and he goes out of his way to
help me. I am very blessed to have two wonderful teachers who care about the
beginning of my new experience in their country.
After classes are over I return home to the family I’m living
with. I live with Vicki the mama and her husband Rodolfo and their twins Rocio
& Mauricio (19) and a daughter who is a teacher Paola (30). Paola is gifted
and speaks 5 languages including English. Sometimes if something is very
important for me to know, we will converse in English. The family is very
hospitable and I feel like a son/brother. I like exploring Cochabamba and neighboring
towns with them. My time well spent has been taking short car rides and simply talking
with them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no fluent speaker but after 2 weeks, with
patience from my family, I can hold a conversation. They have been really
impressed by how quickly my Spanish has improved and I can tell they are
excited for me. They told me that after my ~1 year long mission in Okinawa,
that I will have to return to them here in Cochabamba to say goodbye to them before
I head back to the states. Ahh!! I don’t even want to think about saying
goodbye to them!!
I think I’m still in
the honeymoon phase here and I hope it doesn’t go away anytime soon. However I don’t
want to fool you, not everything has been a picnic. I have had my frustrations….mostly
involving the rate at which I’m adjusting to the culture. I have had a couple
days of “traveler’s-you-know-what” making many trips to the bathroom. I’m
better now; Chi Chi said the color of my face looks normal again. I play a lot
of charades and feel like a little kid sometimes. There are times when I feel
one way but only can explain it in an incorrect way due to my limited
vocabulary. I have trouble thinking in Spanish. Last week I told Mama Vicki and
Paola that I have my days when my Spanish Is good and I have my days when my Spanish
is bad. Their response was “Adam, you have only been here one week! Give
yourself a break!” Ha! I have asked God to help me become more patient with my
rate of adjustment here and to give me a new mind set. God is making me new for
my mission. Its perfect timing as we are in the beginning of Lent, the season
of renewal, the spring time of the church. I’m going to continue to enjoy the
newness of each day here in the city of Cochabamba, the “City of Eternal Spring.”
