Bienvenidos a Bolivia!

1 hour time difference, 3 countries, 5 airports, 15 hours of layovers, 30+ hours of travel ... and I arrived in Cochabamba, Bolivia on time, with all my luggage! (Thank you for your prayers.)

This first week has been FULL of Bolivian orientation,
meeting new people, assimilating into a Spanish speaking culture,
trying to comprehend the public transportation,
cooking at a high altitude (= less baking powder & quicker boiling water),
and frantically preparing my classroom and curriculum!

WHEW! My mind has been on overload this week. But nevertheless, I am excited to begin teaching on Monday; and look forward to a rewarding and challenging year teaching a multi-ethnic classroom (So far I know that my class represents at least five nations).

Enjoy a few pictures:


The view: I took this from my apartment just
after a short rain shower. We are in SPRING
down here, moving into the summer rainy season;
you can't see the mountains behind.


Market scene: the ladies are wearing
the traditional white hat of Chochabamaba.


School entrance: The school administration feels
blessed to have a full teaching staff this school year,
last year they were very short.


Playground: I'll be teaching a class of 16 students (one of
the biggest classes), nine Bolivians and seven MK's.




Chochabamba from the mountains, I live somewhere down there.


PRAYER: Health, A smooth and productive first week of school, Open and sensitive eyes and ears to the unspoken cultural differences all around me.