More from Cochabamba

Hi folks. Things continue to go well here in Bolivia. Spanish studies continue to go well. This past weekend I got to experience some interesting Bolivian traditions. I was invited to a birthday party for the grandson of my host family. I was told the party was to start at four. Then when I asked my host family what time I should get there they suggested around 5:00. I was playing card games with the other SALTers in Cochabamba and figured that 5:30 wouldn't be too late to arrive to the party. So I went back to my house a bit after 5:30 and no one had left yet. So by a little after six we walked across the street to the party and the party was just starting. The German guy that lived with my host family before me was also at the party, but he had rushed to get there by 5:00 figuring that he would be late. He ended up being the first one to arrive. This phenomenon of things not starting on time is called "La hora Latina Americana" (Latin American time). At the party we ate, sat around and chatted, ate cake, and played a game called rayuelas. Before the birthday boy blew out the candles on the cake we sang "Hoppy Baretday To Jou" and "Cumpleaños Feliz." After blowing out the candles the birthday boy had his face smashed into the cake, I guess that's the tradition around here. The cake was delicioius. Later we played rayuelas which is similar to corn hole or washers. There is a small platform with a small hole in it and you throw coins and try to get them in the hole or land on the platform. It's a whole lot harder with small coins than with beanbags or large washers.




On Sunday afternoon my host family took me to the neighboring city of Quillacollo (Key-ya-co-yo) to witness the traditions surrounding the Virgin of Urkupiña. This is one of those mixing catholicism with folk beliefs. I don't really understand the whole tradition. We arrived in Quillacollo to find hundreds of vendors selling miniature versions of everthing you could imagine, houses, cars, money, vegetables, fake diplomas, etc. My host family bought a few of the things and explained to me that the belief is that if you buy these things here and perform this traditional ritual you will have these things in the next year. Then, with miniature house and fake money in tow, we made our way up the rocky hill to where people were breaking pieces of rock with sledge hammers and setting off fire crackers. We searched for a place where we could do the same. Before starting working at breaking up some rocks, beer was poured on the rock for Pachamama (Mother Earth). Then the broken rocks were placed in a bag with confetti and fake money and chicha (corn beer) was poured over it with each person asking for things in the year to come, health, money, etc. Next we went to a place where a woman was selling meter square plots of land. There was a similar ceremony with chicha and beer blessing the plot of land.

The whole experience was quite interesting, but was entirely empty of meaning for me. It seemed like more of a commercial adventure for those selling things than a religious experience of any kind. It reminded me of the vendors in the temple that Jesus drove out. It is unfortunate to me to see such a mixing of Christianity and paganism. To some degree I appreciate the Andean tradition of Pachamama (mother earth) because I believe it helps people respect the earth, but the earth is nothing to be worshiped.

I finally got to meet Andy and Cassie Herringshaw who I will be working with in Moro Moro. They are here in Cochabamba for some Spanish refresher courses. More MCCers are coming to Cochabamba this weekend for a get together.