"At least she tries..."

1/22/17 2:14 p.m.

It has been a lot in just a few days, but I am finally starting to find my place. Dr. B let me come with very little oversight or instruction, stating only, “You will find what you are supposed to do.”

The first day, really only my assigned translator spoke with me. But now, I have found more of the boys speak English than they first let on. One of the ones in college approached me with a copy of “Night” by Ellie Wiesel in his hand and asked if he read to me would I help with his pronunciation. I was only too glad.

Once the older boys learned I am willing to do this, my afternoons and evenings have been spent being read to, helping with both pronunciation and comprehension. Try explaining the difference with an apostrophe showing possession versus a contraction, neither of which exists in Spanish.

In turn, they hand me the newspaper and I read to them in Spanish. They have been impressed that my pronunciation is good if my own comprehension is lacking. I work on translating what I read, which is spotty, but not horrid. At times, it has helped the older ones who are unsure how to make a clean translation from Spanish to English. Together, we make a good team.

The house mother and her husband are also going to start taking some English classes from me. I won’t discuss politics here, but we have discussed politics a good deal. I also had to explain that part of the escalation in the US prices is that everything must meet a regulation, or a standard. While there is perceived sense of freedom, lives are very restricted. I may write an entire post to explain that later … but for example, they are using tree trunks as support beams in the volunteer house they are building, wooden ladders that terrify me (looking like garden stakes nailed together), and of course no hat or safety gear. In the Mercado, fruit is laid out on the ground, chicken and meat are sold in open air settings in 98 degree heat, etc…

Yesterday, some boys from another home came over for a day of fun – soccer, basketball, treats, and general fun and fellowship. Thirty-eight from that home, 23 at this one … it was a day. And yes, yes, while I am not brave enough to venture onto the soccer field with these agile semi-professional players, I did get on the basketball court. I was not very good. They were kind and let me score just to stay in the game, but in the end, they were very excited I played at all.

“At least you are willing to try.” My 40 something year old self who probably cites bowling 3 years ago as the last sport she did played basketball with ten 18 to 20 year olds. I hurt like the dickens today, but I will be out again tonight giving it my best. To think, six months ago my MS was progressing to constant falls and a persistent limp to the fact that I am now trying basketball?!?

And, yes, yes I know they giggle at me behind my back, but all-in-all, the general acceptance and delight has been a welcome.

I washed my clothes with the boys today, and they offered me the one washing machine they have, but everyone else was hand washing in the sink. So, I preferred that they teach me to wash by hand. My water never came out clean. After the third rinse, one of the boys said it was because I was washing blue jeans and they water would never be clear. Once again, my interpreter said they were laughing that I even tried.

My goal is to live more simply, to be a support, and to be an extra hand. I do not want to be a burden.

I went to the market today and figured out there are name brand shirts here at the price of 30 bolivianos. At a 7 to 1 exchange, that is $4 a shirt. Quite a bargain. However, cell phones? They still start at $100 US (700 B) for the cheap phones. I passed on getting me a phone. It did plant an idea that I would like to talk to Dr. B about…

The average annual income here equates to about $5,000 per year. So, $100 - $250 for a phone is a serious investment. The only boys who have phones are the 3 who came to America. I want to see if Dr. B would let me start a fundraising campaign to buy 25 unlocked phones. That way, when the boys graduate and go to University, they could have a phone with them. I believe the monthly rates are about $5/month, and SIM cards are only about $3 … I think that would be quite a gift, and an encouragement to go on to University.

And yes, to answer your question, there is a University in town that is free. You must pass a test to get in. Don’t ask me about healthcare.

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