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Up Close Bolivia: Reciprodad at its Best

Published by Alison Bell

Something that I suspect helps to make a blog good- the thing that has people on the edge of their seats waiting to read a new post- aside from the highly entertaining script, is that the stories are posted fairly regularly and in a fairly organized manner. I mean, if you are following someone’s blog, don’t you kind of want the stories coming at least once a week? I am sure there must be some kind of protocol in the blogging world on this, but I am resisting the urge to Google it! To be honest, even calling myself a “blogger” seems a little pretentious, having been at it such a short time. So, I am going to give a justification, of sorts, for not being a better blogger and posting things as they happen- we are having such a blast and so many great things happen every day that I’ve fallen behind. So, without further ado, let’s jump back a month and talk about the amazing experiences we had while volunteering with Up Close Bolivia…

Once we figured out where we wanted to go, who we wanted to help, and, in turn, which organizations wanted us, we boarded our American Airlines flight from Calgary to Bolivia. Twenty three hours, and more than one bad meal later, Doug and I landed in La Paz, about to embark on our first volunteer placement of the trip.

After a couple of days of acclimatization in La Paz, which included one massive altitude headache, followed by a few doses of Diamox and some ibuprofen, we made our way to our new home with Up Close Bolivia.

www.upclosebolivia.org

“Up Close” for short, is a family-run, community-based, non-profit organization located just south of La Paz. Founded by British-born Emma Donlan and Boliviano, Rolando Mendoza, both former volunteers with years of community and international service under their belts, Up Close Bolivia’s mission is steeped in the philosophy of “reciprocidad” a belief central to Andean culture. According to their website, which you really need to check out, reciprocidad is all about “giving back and contributing in a way which enriches both the person who is giving and the person who is receiving equally.”

Through Up Close, Emma and Rolando certainly do that. Reciprocity is demonstrated in numerous ways through projects which include, supporting a pre-school, running after school programs in two locations, organizing a weekly football club, offering English classes to the community, providing tour guides and support at the Mallasa Zoo, various environmental projects, supporting a Mother’s Club and beautifying the community with murals. I’m sure I have missed other great projects, because it seemed to us that Emma and Rolando always had something on the go and were exploring new ways to give back to and to support their community. All this while holding full-time jobs, sitting on community committees, hosting great gatherings at their home and raising two great kids, David and Bell!

The Mendoza-Donlan Clan, sin Rolaaando, who is taking the picture: Emma, David and Bell and our new friends, Jeremy and Paula dropping be for Happy Hour in our dining room!

The Mendoza-Donlan Clan, sin Rolando, who is taking the picture: Emma, David and Bell and our new friends, Jeremy and Paula dropping be for Happy Hour in our dining room!

While part of Up Close, Doug and I lived in the little village of Jupapina, within view of La Paz, where the organization is based, and spent our days at the Valley of the Moon- Valle de la Luna- Children’s Centre, about 3 km up the road in Mallasa. On a beautiful piece of land, in the shadow of a magnificent peak known as the “Devil’s Molar” and above the “Valley of the Flowers,” sits the Mendoza-Donlan home, a central hub where the family welcomed us regularly for dinners or special events, a quick chat over a cup of real English tea or a Bolivian cerveza, a chance to share one of David’s amazing bowls of popcorn, or to be regaled with one of Bell’s wonderful stories. Next door are three small houses that can accommodate up to 12 volunteers and below this, a newly-developed and beautifully landscaped camp-site with an open kitchen and an adorable A-Frame cottage- our home.

The Devil’s Molar- Muela del Diablo

The Up Close “village” in Jupapina, Bolivia

While we were with Up Close, eight other volunteers, all from Britain, lived on-site. With an average age of 22, we were easily the oldest volunteers by about 39 years! I am sure they must have wondered how on earth they ended up sharing their gap year with people the same age as their parents, but luckily, Doug and I are young at heart (read- fairly immature) and so I don’t think the age difference was glaringly apparent. Robin, Hussein, Josh, Harriet and Katrina were all part of the British International Service Program and managed, in partnership with Up Close, by Naomi, a talented young British woman with a beautiful singing voice and perfect Spanish. Two other volunteers who were there independently, like us, Alice and Sarah, also both from the UK, rounded out the team.

Every morning, Doug made the coffee over our little gas burner and we enjoyed our breakfast al fresco with a million dollar view. Most evenings, we cooked in an outdoor kitchen, but often we weazled our way into an invitation to Paula and Jeremy’s digs up above. Paula and Jeremy, British journalists on a two year (so far) trip through the Americas, joined Up Close in a slightly different capacity as part of the “Work Away” program. They spend their days working the land and on marketing/promoting the soon-to-be campsite- Camping Colibri. Paula and Jeremy became great friends and even taught Doug a new language- British! He is now quite fluent and can easily incorporate terms like “vest” and “knickers’ into every day conversation. Read about their adventures on a great blog called SeventeenbySix at http://seventeenbysix.wordpress.com/category/bolivia/

Up Close also has three terrific Bolivian staff- Anahi, Anita and Raquel- all beautiful, enthusiastic, caring and fluently-bilingual young women, who coordinate the volunteers and the projects. They did everything they could to make our stay in Bolivia terrific, whether it was interpreting for us, helping us find the best place to buy our favourite ingredients, giving us rides into La Paz, or photo-copying recipes for the Mother’s Club at the last minute each week. In fact, everyone treated us like gold.

Anahi, Raquel and Anita

Our main responsibilities with Up Close were to work at the children’s centre, me in the kitchen helping to make lunch for 80 ninos and conducting weekly cooking classes for the Mothers’ Club, and Doug, building a greenhouse and doing a few other carpintero projects. The staff at the pre-school were incredibly kind and welcomed us with open arms. We became great friends with the cooks, the teachers, or as they are called in Bolivia-tias, and the administrators. Working in the kitchen with Maxima and Maria brought me the privilege of eating lunch with many of the staff and Doug, because he was my esposo, joined us on our little stools every day at lunch, too.

Valle de la Luna Children’s Centre

Doug making Maxima, Maria, little Patty and I laugh our heads off.

Delivering lunch to Claydee’s classroom.

Carpintero Canadiense

Tres Carpinteros- Walter, Rolando y Dugla.

Tia Teo

Most days we were given a ride to “work” by Rolando or Emma, and would take a collectivo home. Collectivos, or mini-vans, are the most common form of public transit in Bolivia and our ride home- about 5 Km. cost the ridiculously low sum of 1.5 Bolivianos, or about 20 cents. Our days flowed fairly smoothly- volunteer for 6 to 8 hours, some days take Spanish class at the school next door, other days walk up the hill in Mallasa to the Oberland Hotel for a café con leche and wifi, stop in the little shops to pick up some ingredients and make our way back to our little house. Every day had a little surprise that brought us some huge laughs, most often involving a mix-up in the language. Like the time I told Maxima and Maria, the women I worked with in the kitchen, that when we are in Canada I am a maestra de cochina ( a disgusting/dirty/piggish teacher) instead of a maestra de cocina ( a cooking teacher)! Or, one day when I didn’t feel particularly hungry, so told them no tengo mucho hombre (I don’t have much of a man) instead of no tengo mucho ambre (I don’t have much of an appetite.) Of course, right on que, Doug walked into the kitchen for lunch which brought on another bout of hysteria.

It was very difficult to leave our new family at Up Close Bolivia at the end of November, so to ease the blow, we decided to return on December 11, after a little Bolivian tour, for the annual Christmas party and dinner at the pre-school. More importantly, we returned so that Doug could play Papa Noel and, what a great Santa he was. The kids were thrilled, mesmerized even.

Papa Noel and the Up Close Team

That evening there was a family dinner and the cooks put on a traditional Lechon, roast pork, with roasted potatoes, baked plantain, salsa picante and salad and we all sang Christmas carols. Papa Noel made another appearance, but this time he was slightly taller and had a distinctly British accent. Father Christmas, as he is known in the UK, aka, Jeremy, stole the show!

Father Christmas, the second! Is there such a thing as “one-up-Santa-ship?”

We hope to return to Bolivia in the future and work with Emma, Rolando and the rest of the gang at Up Close Bolivia again. We fell in love with Bolivia and its people. When we decided to travel to South America as volunteers, we thought that as volunteers, we might help to enrich the lives of others. Little did we know that it would be our lives that would be enriched beyond measure, and so to Up Close Bolivia, we say a very heartfelt, thanks!

Chocolatada in Yanque, Peru: an amazing day for dos Canadienses

Published by Alison Bell

Waiting for the Choloatada

Early this morning, even earlier than this usually happens, I was awakened to the sounds of a loudspeaker announcing something in rapido Espanol. Often, trucks will drive through a neighbourhood announcing “platinos, papayas, paltas, narrrrrranjas” over and over and over, full blast, at what seems to me to be an ungodly hour. In reality, most people here have probably been up and working for a couple of hours, and Doug and I are probably the last two people still lounging in bed in this bonito Andean pueblo.

Today when I heard this, I just figured it was a fruit vendor, so I pulled on my eye mask, rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. No good! It was getting louder and the announcer’s voice was being drowned out by the high-pitched squeals of niños.

“OK, I better check this out,” I said to myself, and so I opened the curtains in our hotel room at the Killiwasi Lodge and saw hundreds of children running through the fields across the way. I look at my watch and its only 5:30. What the heck? At first, it looked to me like the kids were on an Easter Egg Hunt, but then I saw a long line of parents waiting outside a small building on the other side of the field.

“Ah, I get it, it’s the Chocolatada.”

Last night, while we were sipping pisco sours in a little café on the square in Yanque – there will be more on this later, as I have formed a bit of an addiction- the owner’s son told us excitedly that Papa Noel was going to be visiting en la mañana and that there was going to be a Chocolatada. Chocolatadas, extravaganzas of hot chocolate, panettone, and regalos– presents- are held around South America por Navidad, sometimes in schools and at other times for entire communities. As part of their annual Christmas party, Up Close Bolivia held a terrific Chocolatada at the pre-school in Mallasa just before we left Bolivia, and the kids loved it, so I definitely wanted to check this one out.

I quietly dressed and snuck out of the room, trying not to wake Doug, who was hoping to sleep off a whopper of an Andean cold. Heading for the growing line of kids and mothers, most dressed in the traditional clothing and hats of the region, I was stunned by the number of people who were waiting at the gate of the hotel, too many for me to count.

I noticed a man taking pictures so asked him “que pasa?” to which he replied In clear English, “my family is hosting a Chocolatada for the town.” “Wow,” I exclaimed “necissita assistar?” or something like that, which was not correct Spanish at all, but he got it and responded “si, si, si” and led me through the gate and into the back where two huge vats of hot chocolate were simmering over an open fire, attended by a beautiful Collagua woman. Collagua and Cabana are the two indigenous peoples in the Colca Valley and pre-date the Incas.

Mi Amiga, Victoria Sarayasi a beautiful Collagua woman.

I was immediately welcomed by the extended family of grandparents, mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, and children.

“Cual es su nombre?” I was asked by who appeared to be the matriarch of the familia.

“Alison,” I replied.

“Bienvenidos, Aleeson,” she shouted over the blaring Christmas music and gave me a huge hug. She then proceeded to introduce me to everyone.

The family, who are from Arequipa, have been hosting this event in Yanque for the past ten years at what was once a small hotel, but is now, I later learned, the country house of Dr. Giovanni Salar, the man I first met. He and his six brothers and their families provide the funds and host the event. It’s a huge under-taking, but everyone seemed to know their roles and were being given directions over a loudspeaker, in between Jose Feliciano singing Feliz Navidad and Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, while the growing throngs waited outside.

Each person is served hot chocolate and given Christmas presents- toys to the children and clothing to the adults. According to Gaby, Giovanni’s daughter, who spoke excellent English, the entire family knows their responsibilities, but she was thrilled that I had offered to help because they were short this year.

“Hey, I can get more help. I’ll be right back,” I said, and flew across the field to get Doug, who I knew would hate to be missing this.

“Dugla, Dugla, get up, you gotta come help with the Chocolatada.”

Straight out of bed and off to a Chocolatada

It was an unbelievably wonderful morning. The children were so adorable and everyone was so appreciative. The children were funneled into lines, first to receive a gift, and then hot chocolate. I was in charge of crowd control, dividing the niños and niñas into separate lines.

“Niños aqui, Niñas acqui, “Niños aqui, Niñas acqui, “Niños aqui, Niñas acqui…”

Lining up for hot chocolate, cups ready!

Mama y Nina

Vanessa, a lovely woman who works at our hotel, Killawasi Lodge, and her daughter Leonella.

Dugla helped serve the hot chocolate. Everyone brought their own cups- some used cups, others pop bottles, baby bottles and even small pots.

Eyes the colour of chocolate and heart-melting.

Perhaps the most touching moments of the morning were when we served the elderly people of the community, each carrying their little cups. The women, weathered and wearing traditional clothing, and the men in their sombreros and sandals, many using canes, reached out to take our hands or to give us a kiss.

Signoras

Abuelo y los niños

No seats required at a Chocolatada

A Beautiful Cabana Woman

“Muchos gracias, muchos gracias por todos,” was repeated and repeated.

Really, it is us who should be saying “muchos gracias.” It was an amazing experience and we both felt so privileged and grateful to have been a part of it.

And so to Giovanni Salar and his family,and to all the people of Yanque, Peru, Doug and I say a huge gracias and Feliz Navidad.

Familia de Giovanni Salar

An Invernadero for the Valley of the Moon Children’s Centre

Published by Alison Bell

A Greenhouse for the Valley of the Moon Children’s Centre

“When should we start building the Invernadero?” Doug asks Rolando on our first morning with Up Close Bolivia.

”Ahora,” Rolando responds, “now,” and the next thing we know, Rolando and Emma have whisked us off to the hardware shops in Calacoto, a southern suburb of La Paz, to buy everything they will need to build a greenhouse. As in many areas of La Paz when it comes to selling goods, we arrive at a street that has about twenty little hardware stores, each selling identical products. There are streets and alleys across the city and in the central market specializing in just about everything. Need a camera? Go to the street in central La Paz with dozens of stores selling camera equipment. Or, how about a wedding dress? Just head to the bridal shop street!

With funds generously donated to Up Close Bolivia and without hesitation, Rolando leads us to his favourite shop and the dos carpinteros start collecting materials; nails, screws, anti-termite stain, paint-brushes, and metres of yellow-tinted plastic. Apparently the sun here is so strong that clear poly doesn’t last. And, just as I am beginning to glaze over in the midst of all of this talk of length of nails, size of screws and thickness of poly, Emma appears from across the street with four salteñas, the delicious empanada-like pastries available from little stalls every morning around Bolivia. The minute I bite into my first salteña, I am brought back to life, although I may not be the prettiest sight. The art of salteña- eating requires a bit of skill in order to avoid the sweet, savoury, spicy juices from running down your chin and all down your front! I make a mental note to get a lot more practice in the coming weeks, as I reach for a stack of napkins.

Once we have our hardware, it’s off to the “pole lot” to buy the poles for the greenhouse structure.

Buying the poles for the Greenhouse

Then we jam the poles into a taxi for delivery to Mallasa. Doesn’t every lumber shop deliver by taxi?

Pole Delivery, by taxi!

Over the coming weeks, Doug, with the assistance of Walter and Rolando built a 3 metre square greenhouse in the grounds of the Valle de la Luna Children’s Centre. Working with the hardwood poles required some different techniques, new to a Canadiense carpintero. As Doug explained, “the wood is so hard that not only do you have to pre-drill the holes, you have to dip the screws in grease so that you don’t burn the *@x! out of the drill.” Every day, we watched with excitement as the greenhouse took shape. Walter, an agrologist by trade, mixed the soil carefully and chose a variety of seeds, Maxima was thrilled at the prospect of cooking with fresh greens and the niños ran around the playground calling out, “hola, hola, hola, señor.” From the brick and hand-mixed concrete foundation to the seedlings sprouting in their beds, the project took about four weeks. Not fast enough for a multi-tasker like Doug, who was working part-time while also taking Spanish classes from the lovely Wendy, but warp-speed to the rest of us!