Sucre - a home from home

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It has been over 6 weeks since we last had spanish lessons and we probably should be better by now, but can make excuses for this.. 2 weeks on a boat with English speakers and time in Chile, where you have to be super fluent to understand a word!

So for the last two weeks we have been having more lessons. One to one lessons at 5$US per hour. And they have been brilliant, I have really enjoyed them. My teacher, Lenny, has taught me so much.. not only reflexive irregular verbs, but loads about the culture here, how people live, how much they earn, how much they pay for healthcare, how long they go to school, what they eat and when, what they celebrate and when, etc . I feel like I know more about Bolivia than England right now! She told me about the terrible was the indigenous people are treated and was especially interested in how treat the indigenous people in the UK. When I said that I was indigenous she couldnt believe it... but ýou dont look very indigenous´! She was very interested in life in England, how much I earned etc, for what i paid for my last car - I could have bought a huge house in Sucre, it is so cheap here.

We had lots of interactive lessons, we went to the market, the cemetery and the cafe mirador, where we could see the whole of the city. It was stunning!
Private lessons are the best for me. My proudest moment was when a local said to me ´your spanish is really good. I dont think he realised that he made my day!

We have been living in a 3 bedroom house all to ourselves for the first week, until a couple of our friends turned up and moved in. The house was at the back of a pet hair salon, so was a bit shocked when we first pulled up in the middle of the night!!
The fruit and veg market is brilliant, it has everything...and even though we are paying gringa prices it is still so cheap. I have been able to cook for a change, so it really has been like home.

While I have been here I have been doing some volunteering too, in an orphanage for girls aged between 5 and 15. They are very lovely and always seem happy and grateful for what they have, which really isnt alot. They were very well behaved and polite. We have been having lots of fun, they are just normal girls who love to have their photos taken, I found it sad that they didnt have any photos of themselves, so took lots and got them developed. I also found it sad that a couple of girls didnt know when their birthdays were as they had just been found wondering the streets after being treated terribly and abused etc, was very terrible. On my last day (after waiting for them all to put their best clothes on) we went to the park and ate icecream, went on the trampoline and the ferris wheel, it was fun. The smallest girl, who was five was just like a 5 year old at home, she grabbed onto the slide when it was time to go - and wouldnt let go. I was so upset when it was time to say goodbye, but saved my tears until I left. I do wonder what will happen to them.

We went one sunday to Tarabujo on the local bus, which was hilarious. I love the buses in Bolivia, just when you think it is full to the top, another 5 people get on, along with a few chickens, dogs etc. It is so entertaining. A big change from the ´gringo´truck to the dinosaur prints. It was so obvious we wee gringos and children followed us down the street shoulding it at us. The dinosaur prints were amazing too.

I love Sucre, with its white buildings and beautiful parks, the people are lovely. I know that one day I will come back...but now we are heading to the jungle..
Will post photos soon..


To Kate & Darryl: hope the wedding went well, I was thinking of you. Love youxxxx

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Comments

[mum]

book
loved your latest blog.its like readin a book. not sayin what sort of book tho. keep enjoyin yourself this is not a dress rehersal.your lookin good on your photos. healthy and slimmer.luv ya num 2daughter.thanks for the home made mothers day card.brought memorys back you done me one like that when you were 5yrs old.byeeeeeeeee