This is Bolivia

This is Bolivia! I had an awesome day today with teachers and staff from the school. We went on a really cool hike about 1.5 hours from Santa Cruz. We met at the school at 7:30 am, after staying up late the night before at a school function. (More on that after) Guillermo, one of the tech guys at the school set the whole thing up, and for 30$ we had a bus, brunch, dinner, and a guide.
We went to a place called Singer’s Paradise in Bermejo, Bolivia. There we hiked in for about 15 minutes to a family home run by Chris and his wife. He was in the band called System of Down. (I never heard of it, but the younger crown had. He told us that he got tired of the band, hopped on his bike and headed south traveling until he got to Bolivia where he met his future wife in Samaipata. They live on this farm of 7 acres where they grow everything they eat, make cheese, delicious bread, and yummy meals. They have 5 kids including one that is nursing and she would be walking around nursing the baby while getting the food ready.
Brunch: Salad, rolls, green eggs and I have no idea what was in them to make them green, tomatoes with fennel on them, tea or coffee.

We hiked for probably about 1.5 hours thru the rainforest with butterflies, streams filled with tadpoles galore, all kinds of plants, including ones with these horrible stickers that would seemingly reach out and grab onto you. Ouch. We had to walk in the stream many times and I was so glad I had worn water shoes and a swimming suit. It wasn’t an easy hike and the guys were picking off ticks. There were also bugs that would bite and people would swell up where they had bitten you. Luckily I didn’t have any of those problems. Don’t know why.
The waterfall was beautiful and we enjoyed resting and enjoying the water before we started back. Guillermo stayed back at one point to help me collect some tadpoles and we got behind. When we tried to catch up to the group we couldn’t find the trail. For a few minutes I was getting sorta worried, but we finally found the trail and caught up. No one noticed we were missing so we didn’t say anything. I would not like to have been stuck out there overnight! We headed back to the house for dinner, but it wasn’t quite ready so we walked about 5 minutes to the river where we swam. It was beautiful and refreshing. This is what I was thinking Bolivia would be like, and it was wonderful. We then headed back and had another vegetarian dinner. Salad greens, (some greens I had never seen before), tomato salsa, black beans, tortillas, cheese, rice, creamy sauce like a cilantro, and hot or mild sauce. Silvia and I played a song on the guitar, and then Chris played one for us. He can really play the guitar and sing!

They sold us coffee, chocolate and rolls. I bought some of the yummy rolls to bring home.

We walked back to the bus and drove home. I jumped off the bus near my home and walked home..in the dark… didn’t want to get a taxi at the school. I’m doing like everyone else and getting off the bus in the middle of the street and crossing thru traffic to the “sidewalk”.

Last night the PTA, they call it the Mother’s Club, had a big dinner for all the staff and the seniors and their parents. It was held at one of the parent’s of the kids at the school. Because all the houses are behind high and guarded walls, you don’t know what’s behind there. But there was a huge yard, probably 1/2 a football field and a really fancy house. They had set up tons of tables and had a live band with a former student who is a really talented singer. There was tons of wine (not for me) and a delicious dinner. There was a dance floor set up on the grass and we all danced after dinner. It began at 8 and I left at 11:30. It was mandatory that we attend, but it was sure nice to go to. Everyone was dressed up and fancy.

I love my weekends! School with the kids is really difficult, but it’s going to get better!