The Sol of Bolivia

Machu Picchu, I’d be lost withoutchu

Nicholas Hall — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:13:28 +0000

I know the ryhme is lame, but honest I do not think I could imagine my life at this point being as good without having made the four day hike to Machu Picchu. Words can’t express, all I have to offer is this video… enjoy!

Leaving Cocha

Nicholas Hall — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:05:05 +0000

I just wanted to verbally declare to the world the amazingness that is Cochabamba, Bolivia. On Friday I left the comfort of my bed, had my last pancita and coffee, slung a back pack on both sides of my body and stepped through the front door of Bolivian families home for possibly the last time. I laid my pack in the trunk and felt the sting on the back of my eyes that only natural saline can seem to make burn so bad. I hugged my host mom one last time and watched as she wiped her tears from her cheeks. I watched my street fade in the rear view of the taxi, watched as a street dog chased us, and then listened to the children’s laughs as they walked to school. This was my city, this was my city that I was leaving, this was a part of my life that has changed me for the better. This part was heavily defined by the people who surrounded and loved me while I was in this wonderful city. To them I just want to say a large, large thank you. They know who they are and my summer would have been nothing had it not been for their hugs, laughs, meals, drinks, toasts, jokes, loaned trufi money, and friendship. thank you to all…

Mission Accomplished

Nicholas Hall — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:57:33 +0000

Just like the disastrous proclamation by George W. Bush, I too feel slightly wrong saying I am done with my project in Bolivia. I have completed the necessary forms, finished my surveys, given my donation, and made sure the staff understands the programs I created. However, hear I sit with a few weeks past my last day, I was in the Bolivian AltiPlano and lacked Internet heat, water…, and I cannot but help think of how much I did not accomplish. I left having completed a multi, multi page document that will make interns transition from developed nations to the backa$$wardness of Bolivia easier. I have created surveys and evaluations that will help CEDESOL sell more stoves and in turn positively effect more people who are able to purchase the stoves. All of these were done so that the organization will move forward and advance their goals more easily.

As I sit here, now so far away, I wonder, will it happen? Could I have done more to ensure it happens? Is there still more I can do? I hope to never lose what I’ve learned in Bolivia, both from the job and from the people, I just hope I was able to give enough back…

The Gift of Giving

Nicholas Hall — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:27:01 +0000

One of my very first posts was about the fundraiser I held at The Little Rock Climbing Center, called “Climb it for Climate.” Well after a long two months the dream of giving the gift to CEDESOL has come true. After some trouble with different banks, including getting my atm card turned off, I was able to withdraw the money and make the donation! Where is this donation going you ask?

SCHOOLS and SCHOOL CHILDREN!

When the fundraiser was held the original intent was to purchase solar stoves for families. Well as usually happens in the non-profit world the need is higher in another area. The rural schools cook for hundreds of children every day over open flames and sometimes are able to afford a jar of gas. My donation will be going to the construction of large scale rocket stoves and then their distribution to area schools. The design is coming from fellow volunteers Erik and Mike, who are University of Dayton engineering students. Their design boils 70 litres of water in forty minutes, using 4 kilograms of wood! Job well done gentleman!

A big thank you to the following:

Little Rock Climbing Center, Dean Skip Rutherford, Bob Gee, Betsy McManus, Dan O’Byrne, Thecia Taylor (Partners for America), and everyone else who contributed either on Facebook, twitter, or real life! Thank you all so much!!!

This is the powerful rocket stove the engineers built, check out the size of the pots to be used!

Look how much little wood it uses!

Salsa on my chips, Salsa on my hips

Nicholas Hall — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:17:38 +0000

If I were to be asked about Salsa a month ago I would have said, “Yes bring on the chips.” Now after three weeks of salsa lessons, I’m saying, “Yes bring on the hips!” Salsa with crunchy tortilla chips is a perfect mid afternoon snack. Salsa the dance is a perfect way to spend the nights laughing and celebrating life here in Cochabamba. My friends and I began lessons a few weeks ago in the privacy and safety of a dance instructors private studio. This is probably the most fun I have had on a Wednesday night in my life! The music starts, the hips begin to sway, the instructor partners us up and we begin to fall, smash, spin, and “dance” the night away. Many jokes involving the whiteness of our skin as a natural handicap are thrown out as our spins leave us dizzy and grabbing for hands and hips where we thought they would be located. Not wanting to brag, but I’ve already mastered three spins, one for my partner, one for me and then this weird passing to my left elbow up in the air vaulting the woman forward. And when I say mastered I can do this 50% of the time, the other half of the time my partner is spun off into space like a broken satellite.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned through these classes is to push my comfort zone. Wall flower describes me to a T! Thanks to good friends and a good instructor I’ve pushed through this fear to embrace a very important part of the culture here in Bolivia. They Bolivians are always dancing. The night clubs are filled with young women and men dancing for the sake of dancing, unlike in the states where its dancing for other more deceptive reasons. People do large dances in the plazas and parks, and once I even witness a group of 200 take over a soccer field and turned it into a dance field! By having the most basic understanding of these beautiful dances down, I am so impressed by these men and women who spend the night spinning, laughing, and dancing for the love of rhythm.

The final word on this is a suggestion for those independent woman and timid men, especially us gringos. Men lead, women follow. Dancing is terribly sexist but in the end it’ll look terribly sexy if the man steps up leads properly and the woman follows.

TOMS eat your heart out

Nicholas Hall — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 22:20:32 +0000

Continuing to sing the praises of my friend Allison and her giant heart for service!

She invited me on Friday to partake in a very special day. She has been volunteering at orphanage here in Bolivia, unfortunately for all parties involved her time here is coming to an end. Wanting to make one last positive impact on the children she gathered together family support and donations and purchased 25 pairs of shoes for these young children. I was lucky enough to get to come along and share in the joy of distributing these gifts, plus a little chocolate cake was thrown in for good measure. As I had nothing to do with any of the shopping, collecting, or organizing I don’t feel it is right to write a full blog post, but I would like to share some pictures that highlights Allison’s commitment to these kids and her heart of gold!

Too young to understand shoes, but loves the ribbon they came wrapped!

helping him put on his new shoes

cutest baby ever, she wouldn't stop crying and I couldn't stop picking her up!

all the excitement that comes with getting something new!

Band Aids and Surgery…Bananas and Solar Stoves

Nicholas Hall — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:09:43 +0000

There is a moral responsibility of every person from every corner of the earth to help those who are in need of help. The nature of that help is something that is entirely up for debate, depending on the nature of help needed, a person’s ideals, and the American ideology of helping someone help themselves. This debate is something that tugs at the heart strings of a public servant. Is it better to give out clean/sterile needles to a junkie or put money into drug rehabilitation. Should I take the time help a homeless person find a job or should I give him my spare change? This debate is something that has continued throughout our coursework at UA Clinton School of Public Service. This debate has followed me to Bolivia and luckily enough I got to be on both sides during this past week. As the title indicates the debate centers around the idea of helping someone today and helping someone’s future. A homeless person can have terrible hunger pains, so is it more important to give them food or a job application? Temporary band aids vs permanent surgery…

On Wednesday I was lucky enough to have a wonderful partner in crime Allison who was in a giving mood and less of aspanish class mood. After leaving our spanish class early, we head out in the search of bread and fruits to make care packages to give to Cochabamba’s homeless population. We set our rules as the person must have children and we must buy our supplies from the informal market vendors (i.e. the people who push wheelbarrows full of fresh bread and fruits as their only lively hood). We made small bags that contained bananas and breads and we walked up and down the streets looking for people who were down on their luck. When we found one we gave them a smile, a bag, and hopefully a full belly for the night. This experience will stay with me forever, because of one woman and her small daughter. Her dark brown skin was almost blackened from a combination of dirt and extreme Andean sunlight. She was sitting on a blanket that was bright pink, blue, and green, but add been aged and darkened through hardship and suffering. Her hand formed a cup of hope as she looked up at the people walking by, but her eyes screamed for sympathy and heartache as her young daughter laid by her side. The eyes spoke, “if not for me, for my daughter…” When she received her bag from Allison’s outstretched hand, her face lit into a intense smile that lit her whole face as if a torch of hope had been placed behind her eyes. As we walked away I looked back to see her ripping into the bag as fast as possible and watched her hand a banana to her young daughter. The little girl did not hesitate, but quickly removed the peel and was smiling in between bites of the small gift. This seen has been burned into my mind as what is possible when people take a small amount of their time to give just a little back and receive a gigantic return! This was my band aid for the woman’s plight. She will still be there if I were to walk by today and she may have already finished her small gift. Her problem was not solved but hopefully for that small moment the bread lasted it acted as a soothing mother placing a band aid on a screaming child’s injured knee.

Now for the surgery, so to speak. Today I woke up and the immense luck of people able to be a part of a substantial change in the lives of children. My friend Allison and my classmate/friend Emily both purchased solar stoves from CEDESOL and today was the day of their trainings and delivery. These stoves are surgery so to speak, they are a means in which to allow a person, school, orphanage, and family to be a part of the change. These stoves will help Emily and Allison’s orphanages save money from their pricey gas bills, while providing the children the chance to learn of the importance of clean energies while enjoying the delicious meals the stoves prepare. The children of the two orphanages were above excited to get a present, while they may not have understood all the overlying themes that came with the donation of the stove they were excited for something new to arrive at their orphanages. The clamored all around the stove, lifting the lid, feeling it grow warm in the morning sun and smiling giants smiles that only children can have as the food began to bubble and take life within. I could almost hear their stomachs grumbling as they watched the soup slowly simmer.

The stoves will be able to be used for years to come, they will save money for their organizations, they will help the organizations not use non-renewable resources for fuel. The bread helped the woman feed her hungry child that night. The bread and bananas satiated a hungry stomach for one night. Which one delivered more good? I cannot stay but thanks to the opportunities here in Bolivia, I learned that a doctor has to perform surgery to solve the problem and a mom placing a band aid calms the pain for a moment or two. I learned firsthand the importance of being a part of both procedures and the immense joy that comes with them.

Learning how their meal is being cooked

she smiled for everything but the camera, while she was waiting for the bread to be done baking!

La Paz + Isla del Sol + Copacabana = AMAZING!

Nicholas Hall — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:38:56 +0000

The craziness of La Paz and the beauty of Lake Titicaca cannot be expressed in words… so enjoy the videos and photos:

La Paz and its beautiful vistas

Those are llama fetuses used for medicinal purposes or curses!

Buses take one ferry, people take another...

Blessing the car with alcohol, fireworks, and flowers

Easily one of the most beautiful places I've ever been!

Lake Titicaca puts out the fires of the sun

It was an ocean hugged by mountains

Proud to be an American, sort of…

Nicholas Hall — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:40:49 +0000

There comes a moment when every Yank is travelling abroad that they might hide from being an American. Now I’m passionately patriotic and will defend my countries freedoms and rights until the day I die, however, I did shrink away from this pride for a few moments on Friday.

My friend Allison and I were walking around the “Artisan Market” which is a lovely little market that specializes in handcrafted gifts and uniquely Bolivian items. The market is wonderful place filled with little shops that sell all kinds of beautiful gifts; from silver jewelry to llama wool socks and jumpers. As we were walking around I heard a distinctly American voice…

Now I will interrupt this story to say a piece of advice to anyone who travels; numbers are not hard, nor is learning simple expressions like, hello how are you, what is the time, where is this, how much does this cost. Therefore when you travel the native people will be more courteous to you and probably be more apt to help you. So we continue with the story…

The American voice rang above the spanish sounds coming in and out of my ear, when you hear your native language it is terribly distinctive, almost as if your ears are searching for those familiar sounds. Well I heard the sounds and I cringed. The woman was using a very American approach to international trade, asking a question in english then repeating it louder and slower, until the point of almost screaming and thinking the poor Bolivian woman would eventually learn english. It sounded something that looked like this:

“How much does this cost in American Dollars?”

“How much does… this cost in… American Dollars?”

“HOW MUCH…DOES THIS…COST…IN…AMERICAN…DOLLARS?”

I quickly lowered my head and walked as far away from this woman as humanly possible. I was ashamed for that moment for this woman and for the country we shared. I thought for the moment of all the travelling the Americans and the similar scenes unfolding in markets around the world. However, I was brought back to my American pride as Allison and I tried to barter our way through a purchase of socks using broken spanish and smiles, the difference between the two saleswomen was amazing. So I implore all travelers from any background, learn a few basic phrases, do not impose your customs/language on a foreign nation! It’ll make the world a better place for you and me…

Api with Abi

Nicholas Hall — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:17:55 +0000

This is the woman's lovely roadside set up that is brought on top of a car every morning!

Continuing with my rhyming titles and posts about food. I’m updating everyone on the greatness that is Api. This is a purple colored delicious drink of heaven. It is made from purple maize that is ground up boiled and then sweetened with pineapple and lemon juice. To top it off it is mixed with cloves and cinnamon to give it an almost autumn flavor. Api is served damn near boiling and so you must let it sit for a little bit before enjoying the flavor. This is an excellent time to breath in its fragrant aroma and enjoy a delicious pastry, i.e. a buneyellos which is a Bolivian funnel cake. Anyone who has been to an American state fair knows the delicious properties of funnel cake! Once the Api has cooled just enough small sips are in order! The liquid cascades into ones mouth filling the throat and chest with a warming sensation that is perfect for the evening or morning chill. It compares to a hot glass of apple cider on a cool fall morning or a steaming cup of coffee on a rainy spring day.

Api is sold by camposinas on the street corners and sidewalks, it has also been made for me by my host mom to a delicious perfection! McDonald’s and Starbucks could take a lesson from these wonderful women as they pour the steaming delicious Api into a glass cup that is used at their portable picnic table. Creating virtually know waste, except for the napkin to wipe off the powder sugar from the buneyellos. If you are ever in Bolivia, look for a woman stirring a large cauldron, sit down and enjoy the delicious warming sensation that is Bolivian culture in a drink!

Abi and I enjoying the deliciousness