Volleyball!!!

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very tired and must have played like 10+ games of volleyball explanation will come later. Hope I recall everything That happened today and might just pass out in the middle of this entry. Its currently 1130 and listening to more Grateful Dead who I have concluded are more musically advance than zeppelin, the stones, the beatles and Even hendrix. To understand this one must listen to their live albums or live videos. Today was my first day of class so when I woke up I remember Mirza telling me to use the shower downstairs but when I walked down with my towel and what not at around 7am (class being at 8am) Mirza said alot. Having no idea and not really caring because I just woke up decided against the shower. Spanish in the morning is intense F that I want to ease into my day but when someones talking in tongue I dont comprehend its uneasy on the mind. Its Early! I thought to my self and very cold probably Id say around 40 degrees in my house. Bones felt aching a little bit. Breakfast was soothing but my tea was a mild temperature and cold which left me unsatisfied. I quickly boiled some water understanding that a long day was ahead of me and (ahhhh much better). Mas Azucar por favor (more sugar please). Eating a couple differnt pieces of bread with butter and the unsusual cheese I left at about 730. Glancing at my cell phone was 1 text from a friend Scott. "are you dead?". Haha I thought to myself and responded "I Never die! I only cease to exist at certain places during different times". no response. Well I had on a colored shirt the one that people all tell me they see me in but wore a new zip up hoodie I bought before I left cali for it was extremely cold. Temperatures I hear that morning were around 0 degrees C (32F). Its really cold but this is Mid winter for the natives so I was really enjoying the Brisk of early morning had a refreshing feel walking to school. Not prepared to take a Trufe or taxi by myself I decided to walk. Definately not carrying my laptop bad idea on a 25 min walk. While I pproached the institute I could actually see KEN in the distance and as we kept walking the same pace I pointed and our paths literally crossed. Thats crazy what are the odds of that. Walking in the institution together with ken I was greeted by brooke first and introduced Ken to her. Then found John and introduced John to Ken and caroline. There was about 20 individuals all of different races and a couple nuns and priests. Interesting I thought I wonder if there all here for the 6 month program? Well at 8am this lady came down and walked us all upstairs and there were seats all in the form a circle. (sidenote)--when I got to the institution I was actually pretty sweaty and downed like 4 cups of water...much bettter Well when I first arrived upstairs I wondered whether to sit with Caroline and Ken or with John and sooner than
I could decide there was no seats next to either of them so I sat down next to some seat next to someone's seat who had their reading glasses on it. Later found out that it was the instructor Kathy who was sitting next to me and 2 asian nuns were to my right. This is intense..I was the youngest one at the institute im pretty sure but even better for me for a vast learning experience was ahead I presumed. Well we were all handed a folder with a bunch of different pieces of paper inside and I glanced over and actually got carolines eye a bunch of times during our orientation which is weird (not interested for the record). WEll I looked over at John and he still looked like he was dying in a way maybe didnt sleep much. Well I was actually the first to introduce myself and had a little to say but everything I said a guess was satisfactory for everyone so I ended abruptly. Blah blah blah people introduced theirselves and people translated from english to Spanish to even other asian languages which I actually found amusing. The asian nuns didnt speak a word of english or spanish so needed some other dude
to translate everything that was being said which made the orientation expand in length. At around 1030am or so we had our coffee break. At first there was no coffee and John and I cracked a little jokes and were kind of being disrespectful so I decided to progress onward and investigate what else was going on during the coffee break. Soon as coffee arived I grabbed a cup and started to pour some sugar and cream and Noticed the girl KITTY behind me. KITTY!!! (recognized her because of her introduction and speaches during orientation that morning(also she was the one who was My mom and I were Emailing). Gave her a big hug and was so glad to finally meet her. The coffee was SOOOO GOOD! omg dont really understand but decided not to question and let it be. Next was more blah blah blah of the orientation and the campus tour was next. Before the campus tour John and I were planning on eating some pizzeria somewhere for it was long over due. We even were recieved a small packet on places to eat that were considered some of cochabambas favorites (cochabamba being food capital of bolivia). Great it should be no problem but after the small tour of the institution and understanding where all problems basically could be answered. Also frogot to mention that before the tour we were given times and
places for our interviews which were to help us be placed due to our current advancements in spanish (how well did we speak the language was the purpose). Mine and Johns were at 150pm which actually delayed our original plan to go to la cancha for another day I was planning on purchasing a KNife and A USB drive so I could easily transfer my blog entries. (Aye its late 1210pm at moment)...Well the tour of the place didnt take long but we actually went inside a church and sat around each person if you wanted placed something in the middle of some decorative circle of nonesense kind of but people put a lot of people something significant inside. A watch, ring, sunglasses(help me SEE what i need to see), and etc...Then we watched in silence some pictures of bolivia then it was over. I actually asked kitty where the nearest Pizzeria was and she looked at me quite puzzled. "Um...its kind of disrespectful to eat pizza during the day here?" haha I thought she was joking at first but she held to her response. "um Ok well what can I eat before 150pm?" I asked it was about 1230ish. She showed me some plate with rice, vegetables, and chicken that she said could be found on the institute but looked like quite an unapetizing substitute for pizzeria. she also noted on some street that if we took a Left would have friend chicken. FRIED CHICKEN! JOHN LETS GO FIND IT! I shouted and he agreed and we were on our way. There was a native selling some Alpaca and baby Alpaca Fur which was actually very soft could be softer fur Ive touched ever. WEll John and I had no idea where we were going and I was starving and bread and coffee at our break just didnt cut it so we were on a pretty desperate mission. Dogging cars and involved in tense conversations we actually found a what looked like american restaurant of chicken but was closed. We must have walked like 5 blocks east and nothing not one single restaurant. Across the street I read a sign that said Almuerzo restaurante Pollo and what not written very unclearly. This seemed satisfactory for we needed sustanance. Walked in and just sat down at the first table we saw literally there were like 4 tables and the one we sat at had some other peoples remains of the food they just ate and was a little dirty. The lady asked me something and I just said si! and she brought us 2 bowls of stew with some bread that I used to dip. UN dos coca cola? Si? gracias something like that took place and before we knew it we were content. 2 cokes 2 bowls of meat stew and 2 orders of break less than 2 dollars. "YO MAN we just got fed for less than 2 bucks I exclaimed as we left THIS IS AWESOME! I told John considering I recall actually spending 5 dollars for a canned coke in Italy. 3.50 Euro bust!
Well going back to the institute we actually we were actually about 20min early for our interviews which
I found suprising thought we had taken much longer. We went to the student center where they had 2 active computers with skype supposedly and a tv and couches. Rest area I liked and flipped on the T.v. as 2 older women were occupying the computer. One actually asked me to help change the language on the computer back to English but it was even a keyboard I was unfamiliar with so I had no idea. paris hilton mtv show was on and for some reason on every channel. "Shes not even pretty, just all shiny" John said and we laughed and then turned off the t.v. for was pretty rediculous come to think about it. Well I did access the computer when one of the ladies left and found some very unfortunate news about my school situation and an upsetting email from my mom. Dam thought I took that paper...cant believe I left it on the computer...(Well dont quite understand why everyones not that happy with me back home for I feel like I did the best thing I could for myself at the time and actually WIll never come to regret it for could be the best thing Ive ever done for myself and probably saved my life.) Well after responding to some blog responses about as quickly as I could I was almost running late for my interview. I made a wrong turn went up the wrong stairs and found a bunch of priests rooms where they seemed to be living.
Hmm...this must not be 311(3rd floor) that Im supposed to be at. Saw kitty talking and asked KITTY wheres the 3rd floor and she pointed not really acknowledging me at the time but did show me the way successfully. I got to the small room with literally 2 desks in it and no more room for more and sat by myself for a minute. Hmmm...wheres this paper that had my interview time on it that they gave me??? I had lost it...I was really starting to question the time of my interview so remembered Kitty saying that it was posted on the wall in the main room. Actually ran into kitty again "hey I lost my paper the interviews are posted righT?" yes she responded and I was correct 1350pm weird military time still confuses me I guess. So went and waited at my interview room and a beautiful bolivian older woman entered and pulled out the SAME EXACT recorder I USE and have been using for the past year for my...(captains log). I also would record guitar riffs and what not and could put everything I recorded with the tape recorder on a cd considering the sound engineer I am. The interview went pretty smoothly and ended in like 5 min (all students were aware they were being recorded so it was not a suprise). When John and I had seperated for interviews we agreed that we werent going to see each other anymore today so
we said our goodbyes prior. Note---I did bring my passport today and some dude was making a copy for me and was working on getting my visa for longer. He had disappeared by time of the interview and I think I recall going back to the student center to access computer once more or something. Some guy I had met before cant remember his name pulled his laptop out and we conversed. He actually told me a story of some lady who was walking bout a month ago home from institute and some guy in a car reached out and grabbed her purse. She was attached to it so they dragged her a great distance and ended up breaking some rips and was mildly injured. "think I have any problems taking my laptop to and from school?" I asked and he said I was fairly a big guy and most likely no one would mess with me. Well John actually went to the student center during this conversation I was like What??? how was your interview mine lasted like 5 min or somethin...Good good we both agreed we had done excellent in our performances for the interview. We ended up walking to my house for didnt know what else to do with the day. When got hme Mirza Prepared us some soup. "Cmon john you gotta eat man" he still barely
touched his food. I actually ate all the soup and Mirza prepared me some meat with potatoes and some cake. Almost felt like home though when we were both drinking coca cola I had bought at the supermercado day(s) prior. After I wanted to take some pictures of the weird fountain that I will post shortly. We sat by the fountain observing the gardener and I took some pictures of the mountains and houses and all the surroundings. We talked about probably everything we could think of from girls ---to future plans to the purpose of life for what seemed like hours. Leaving our seperate ways from there I walked back home before nightfall. (nose is starting to run as I type this hope im not getting sick). Well Went home and had some more chilean drink wheat and peaches. Didnt know what to do and Mirza asked me if I wanted to play volleyball with Daniellea? I agreed but didnt know where daniellea was and decided to play some guitar. Guitar helped soothe the mind as well and what seemed like maybe an hour or so went by when I decided to see what else was going on in the house. I walked down to find Daniellea in the kitched and asked if I wanted to play volleyball with Ariselle and LUis again at 8?
Sounds like a plan or replied something like that to confirm my attendance. Daniellea had to go somewhere and Mirza Prepared me some more meat and an Egg overeasy. I put the egg inside a piece of bread (ahh like a breakfast fastfood sandwhich from the states) but even better. Even the spices they use are just better quality and a taste Ive never had before and couldnt possibly replicate. Daniellea came back and a little bit later Ariselle and her sister or something were there. At first I had no idea where we were going to play but then understood that that we were actually going to be playing at the neighbors house literally right across from my front door. Ken was also present and we kind of bonded (dont think ken and John are fond of eachother) considering we were on the same team for about 10 different games loosing majority of them and us the only 2 speaking english. aye...my nose...Its still really weird how like woman kiss you on the right cheek when greeting you here its kind of nice not going to lie. Why dont americans do this? O yea they are all shallow and dont want to leave america
because they are all scared and feinding for money as their main priority with not trusting anybody and are just happy living their lives in solitude behind the wheel of their cadillacs. 2 other individuals(guys) friends of arriselles arrived and made the teams 4v4 when playing volleyball. we must have played literally for almost 3 hours and then walked to get some aguafresca or somethin with lime which reminded me of squirt. Girls are crazy might I add as they were all laughing and joking acutally told me the drink had alcohol which come to realize did not. Ken and I were puzzled as had no idea what they were saying...not long after drinking 2 2 liters of this squirt substitute which was probably better than squirt in my opinion they parted. Night to all...2 days till Im 21 Im so buying a large taquina which is the beer advertised nearly everywhere around here actually brewed in cochabamba.

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