You hear all the time that Americans live life in a hurry and that we never take time to slow down and enjoy things. One of my goals of life in Bolivia is to learn how to chill out a little. The only problem is, what do you do when you have nothing to do? Some volunteers are learning to play guitar. I´ve thought about learning photography and cooking my own meals (gasp!) , but it´s completely necessary in order to avoid eating lima bean and potato soup everyday. I welcome any other ideas or suggestions you may have.
The other thing.... Presidente Evo Morales decided to help out the poor communities by donating a $40,000 tractor to each and every farming community here in Bolivia. Thoughts on the impact this donation will or will not make? Or perhaps on the sustainability, practicality, or efficacy of such an act? I know you want to weigh in on it!!!
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I would either take up whistling or learning how to juggle. It took me a summer each so you're have some time to kill. Either that or the next great American novel.
yo....you knew i would feed back when you brought up evo ;). but first i'll address the less enticing question. take advantage of the time to read...which i'm sure you already do. read a lot...alternate between fun fiction and boring, but so informative non-fiction. also i heard journaling is good. i wouldn't know....actually i did it in ecuador and honduras. i think it can teach you a lot. you can excercise and pick up a new sport. like...uh...soccer! i'm sure you heard about evo playing on top of a mountain a few months back in order to protest the FIFA ban on high altitude stadiums. i guess more than anything, you should build relationships (preferably the non-makeout ones). i don't know how hard it is where you're at, but finding a crew would be huge. especially crews that love to dance and also discuss socio-cultural issues. then again, i don't think you're at that site for long, right?
ok, i think a tractor is a great symbol of preferential option for the poor. it clearly has utility if you think of the old proverb of giving someone a fishing rod instead of the fish. all in all it's a good thing but it of course does not undo the decades of land pillaging that many indigenous are still suffering from. how do you use a tractor with no land? how do you use a tractor when you've been pushed back to live and farm on the side of a mountain? i'm no farmer but a tractor isn't going to be able to service all the impoverished. regardless, evo is a pioneer of western hemisphere socialistic leadership. he still has a lot of time to prove or disprove his legitimacy but so far he's on the right track. i know a lot of u.s. citizens may think otherwise when they see him next to the likes of chavez and castro, but that's politics. i'd like to think that evo will stay grounded and honest unlike the other two. but i'd rather see him shaking hands with them than bush ;) plus i LOVE his sweaters...have you seen them around? miss you tons, pablo.
I think you should spend time on a journal, take creative pictures, pick up small objects and write about them, ponder life, take up sketching, and spend times with your family and team just because. Long talks that go late into the night become treasured memories when you look back. Anyway, I'm glad you're good and that you take time to write these stories for us =) Oh yeah, and I agree with Paul. 'nuff said.
I say, Learn how to drive a tractor.
I think your tractor's sexy.
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