Hola friends!
I think Spanglish is an honest representation of my thinking and speaking at this point. Unfortunately, not fluent yet, but there´s still time. We finished up our daily language lessons at the end of last week and then took off on a quick trip to see a different part of Bolivia. We hopped on a bus for a 3-4 hour trip into the Chapare region. The diversity in nature around here is amazing! It was beautiful to watch the land transform from dry valley, to pinetree-spotted hills, to steep mountains of dark jungle green. That´s where our trip stopped- in a village called Villa Tunari. We hiked 2K to the place we were staying in the forest and enjoyed swimming in natural pools, climbing around the rocky river, and tasting fresh fish and cheap wine. The next day we moved into the villa, proper. The second place we stayed was right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the rushing river. We had thoughts of kayaking for the next morning and somehow found ourselves on a whitewater rafting adventure instead. Just us and 2 Bolivian guides- it was really cheap, really fun, and the only way to spend the hot sunny day in the jungle! We got to jump off the raft, float down the river, and see the land from the perspective of the rio! We loved it.
Now we´re back in Cochabamba and looking forward to our upcoming work with the children in a nearby town called Quillacollo. It´s just outside of Coch, and the center where we´ll be working welcomes about 150 kids everyday (with just 7 staff members). Schooldays around here are either 5 hours before lunch or after, so whatever half-day the kids aren´t at school, they come to the center to study, play, eat, create, etc. We will be going to visit tomorrow and begin working Monday. Wé´ll let you know more details as soon as we learn more about what things look like and our place in it all. Thank you for your love and support always, friends. We welcomed this 27th year with cake and icecream, new friends, and gratitude for the life we are living and things we are learning together.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
birthday wishes
Bundled up in slippers, hat, and pjs...i´ve already received a great early-birthday present:
cool weather!
Not that it´s ever really hot around here, but being the aire-fresco lover that i am, I happily welcomed the rains of last night and this morning...as they brought temperatures down from the 80´s to somewhere below 70 (i´m guessing). Plus, I think I just heard my favorite episode of friends come on...the one where nobody´s ready. We don´t really have big plans for our birthdays, but we´ll probably just indulge in some cheesecake, or a movie, or a hike or something. Or we may find ourselves spontaneously taking a trip somewhere- who knows!
Other than that, things are going well. We´re sort of at a standstill with the political situation around here, but we´ll keep you updated. Next thing we know we´ll be receiving our ballots to vote for the US election (hopefully, if the mail doesn´t fail us).
Not to spend too much time on it, but earlier I resisted the urge to write in my state of rage and fury...after listening to last week´s VP debate. Wow. breathe, korie. My heart´s pounding already, but I just want to make my birthday wish and request, especially to the women out there: While, I am still somewhat realistic-cynical about politics and the fact that there are no perfect candidates, I actually feel like we are living in a time when we have an opportunity for change and for hope. We will, for the first time in history, have either a black president or a woman VP. This is amazing and exciting, and my Spanish got really ´good´ suddenly when talking to our host-mom about this.
But I must say, as a woman, as a US citizen, my heart was sickened and saddened a week ago at the thought that our children (our little girls, particularly) might have for a role-model a woman who (my apologies) represents so much of what I believe needs to be changed in US society. In my opinion, we need role models (men and women) who represent intelligence, compassion, and hope. We need people who work for peace and social justice, who honor and make a priority those who are forgotten and oppressed, who are willing to talk honestly about making sacrifices in order to care for the earth and for people who are suffering upon it- often times suffering because of situations they were born into and/or situations that have been placed upon them (poverty, violence, failed health, loss of caregivers-providers, war, trauma, abuse, neglect). I am far from having solutions, but when i hear the options: hopeful talk about making choices, changes, and sacrifices to correct some of our terrible decisions of the past OR fearful talk about ´making ourselves more secure,´ giving to those who already have so much, and being tough-strong enough to ´see things through´ to the finish...the choice seems clearer to me. When I observe the candidates´ behavior: whether they speak and act with respect for one another, it seems telling as to whether they would listen and respect the voices of people in the US and around the world. I have to trust deep inside myself and trust my hope. And I have to, at least, give my hope a chance by supporting someone who I believe might lead us into a world that looks a little more like the kind of place I dream for all living upon it. With this in my heart, I blow out my candles!
cool weather!
Not that it´s ever really hot around here, but being the aire-fresco lover that i am, I happily welcomed the rains of last night and this morning...as they brought temperatures down from the 80´s to somewhere below 70 (i´m guessing). Plus, I think I just heard my favorite episode of friends come on...the one where nobody´s ready. We don´t really have big plans for our birthdays, but we´ll probably just indulge in some cheesecake, or a movie, or a hike or something. Or we may find ourselves spontaneously taking a trip somewhere- who knows!
Other than that, things are going well. We´re sort of at a standstill with the political situation around here, but we´ll keep you updated. Next thing we know we´ll be receiving our ballots to vote for the US election (hopefully, if the mail doesn´t fail us).
Not to spend too much time on it, but earlier I resisted the urge to write in my state of rage and fury...after listening to last week´s VP debate. Wow. breathe, korie. My heart´s pounding already, but I just want to make my birthday wish and request, especially to the women out there: While, I am still somewhat realistic-cynical about politics and the fact that there are no perfect candidates, I actually feel like we are living in a time when we have an opportunity for change and for hope. We will, for the first time in history, have either a black president or a woman VP. This is amazing and exciting, and my Spanish got really ´good´ suddenly when talking to our host-mom about this.
But I must say, as a woman, as a US citizen, my heart was sickened and saddened a week ago at the thought that our children (our little girls, particularly) might have for a role-model a woman who (my apologies) represents so much of what I believe needs to be changed in US society. In my opinion, we need role models (men and women) who represent intelligence, compassion, and hope. We need people who work for peace and social justice, who honor and make a priority those who are forgotten and oppressed, who are willing to talk honestly about making sacrifices in order to care for the earth and for people who are suffering upon it- often times suffering because of situations they were born into and/or situations that have been placed upon them (poverty, violence, failed health, loss of caregivers-providers, war, trauma, abuse, neglect). I am far from having solutions, but when i hear the options: hopeful talk about making choices, changes, and sacrifices to correct some of our terrible decisions of the past OR fearful talk about ´making ourselves more secure,´ giving to those who already have so much, and being tough-strong enough to ´see things through´ to the finish...the choice seems clearer to me. When I observe the candidates´ behavior: whether they speak and act with respect for one another, it seems telling as to whether they would listen and respect the voices of people in the US and around the world. I have to trust deep inside myself and trust my hope. And I have to, at least, give my hope a chance by supporting someone who I believe might lead us into a world that looks a little more like the kind of place I dream for all living upon it. With this in my heart, I blow out my candles!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
mailing address
hola friends!
And Happy October!
Some of you have asked for an address to which you can send cards or packages.
we can receive mail at:
Chris and Korie Campbell-Stanley
c/o Bolivia Cultura
Casilla 2411
Cochabamba, Bolivia
We´d love to hear from you, in this: the best month of the year (in my opinion)!
With Love from...
the nearly 27-year old, español-attempting, culture-explorers.
And Happy October!
Some of you have asked for an address to which you can send cards or packages.
we can receive mail at:
Chris and Korie Campbell-Stanley
c/o Bolivia Cultura
Casilla 2411
Cochabamba, Bolivia
We´d love to hear from you, in this: the best month of the year (in my opinion)!
With Love from...
the nearly 27-year old, español-attempting, culture-explorers.
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