The Autonomy of Richard

Winter School Part 1

2007-01-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

Mimi! My new friend.
Waiting for some service at the bookstore.

Girls giving Bayan some hair care tips.

Some kids.

Navva "working."

Narnia or LOTR?

Athol at the bookstore.

This is the end...

2006-05-25T10:53:00.000-07:00

So now that I am no longer in Bolivia (drag!), maintaining this blog no longer seems to be necessary. In light of this I have moved my operations to a new unucut, totally uncensored blog.

www.paranoidgringo.blogspot.com

But don't worry dear reader, this blog site will always remain a testament to one of the greatest journeys of my life.

Rock on.

10 Good Things About Being Home

2006-05-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

10. I can walk on the side walks without having to climb over piles of rubble.
9. Neighborhoods are wall free.
8. Nobody's burnings trash.
7. People only use their horns in the case of emergencies.
6. There aren't ants all over the places.
5. People have real trash cans.
4. Not as many poor people on the street.
3. 7 a.m. is no longer an option. But then again a part of me misses the option.
2. Dryers. They are awesome.
1. No Mirta

The Cathedral

2006-05-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

Here go some shots from the Cathedral. Over the weekend was the Baroque music festival. Brent and I were walking around the Plaza when we heard them singing and we snuck in. These are the picks. We tried to get into the actual perfermance, but it costs 30 b´s. Mierda! How are the poor people supposed to enjoy anything in this city?

The End of an Era

2006-05-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Costel Branco Players

Sleep Well My Friend

Seb went to the US for some R & R. Hard to say adios to another friend, especially as my time here comes to an end. We will miss you. Who else will crazy dance? Get busy child in your red jumpa!

Pcitures

2006-04-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

Any photos I post are now available through Yahoo. Here is the adress.

http://photos.yahoo.com/richardsnotrich

Not too much longer.

2006-04-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here go some shot of the city from the top of my apartment. The city always looks beter from far away. You can´t see the poor kids, the prostitutes, the trash, poor drainage, bad traffic. It probably looks even better from Miami...maybe even the moon.

2006-04-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

So, what´s been going on with Richard you might be asking. Not much really going on it seems, nothing worthy of posting anyway. Just been living life, working, refining my cooking skills with Brent, and of course hanging out with my new lady friend Jassminka. She is interesting.

Anyway I will be back in the Home of the Brave May 13th. Suppose I will be home for a while, job hunting. I have been searching for jobs here. My ideal work place(s) will be either Chicago or New York. Both places would be very exciting.

Has anyone talked with Shaun lately? Isn´t he a dad by now? I miss that guy.

Weather here has become like a rain forest. Lots of clouds and rain. How ironic that we have a pool now and there is little sun.

I have all these random thoughts and ideas about this city, both good and bad, that I would like to share them with you all, but I think I will save them for when I return. Maybe publish a memoir.

2006-03-10T06:13:00.000-08:00

So after waiting months for the results of my spanish exam, I was able to check the results this week. I passed! According to some institute in Spain, I am officially ¨apt¨ in basic spanish. Feels pretty validating given my time here.

Caio Viejo

2006-03-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

Mmmmmm.....Sil Pancho and Simba

Can you ever look normal in a picture?

That pool is actually very cold.

Aaron says ¨look serious.¨

One of the birds has left the gringo nest. Take care of yourself brother. It has been ¨fun¨ I suppose. Well it was enjoyable when we were living it up in Santa Cruz. Waiting for trains, sleeping on hard beds, throwing food from the apartment, complaining about the city, eating empanadas, drinking simba, and well you know (I plead the fifth here). Who would have thought it would have gone on so long?

Moving On Up

2006-03-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

Costel Branco

So this is my new place. Yes it is more expensive than the old flat, but it is much much nicer. I have a bath tub for one thing. And a pool. Place is right across from work, which is a big plus. And of course the pool on top of the building. But don´t let this condo of affluence make you think I am living it up. Oh no, still barely scrappin by, Bolivian Gringo Style.

Ticket to Ride

2006-03-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

Well over the weekend I had to make my way down to Yacuiba to renew my visa. I almost looked foward to this trip, given that we had been moving all weekend. I thought a nice trip into the beautiful country side could do me some good. Maybe give that town a second chance. The trip started off well. Had a nice double decker buscama, which is just a chair/bed. They even showed the Rundown, which is a great movie in any language. Figured The Rock was cooking me up a nice trip. But when I arrived there, troubles came my way. First was that the weather was terrible. It was cold and raining. My Santa Cruz clothes did me no good. Then I made my way to the immigracion, which is a room about the size of my old dorm room. After I gave them my passport, I had real trouble. It seems that I hadn´t gotten a stamp on the Argentinian border as I should have in December. And since each day was 10 bolivianos, I owed about 900 b´s, well over a hundred dollars. So what did I do? I bribed the guys there. They asked what me for what I had, like 20 dollars, and I gave to them. When in Bolivia ya know. Afterwards I went to the Argentinian border, got my stamps there and made my way back to Bolivia. On the ride back they had a wonderful selection of dubbed classics. The first was Black Clack, some Chinese film from the 80´s, which just had some girl killing people over and over again. I wonder what the kids on the bus thought? Then to balance out the equation, they showed Homeward Bound: The Legendary Journey. The camba guy beside me was in tears at the end of the movie, which I thought was special. Musically, we enjoyed the sounds of cumbia, which i like the music Selena created back in the day, but utilizes the same beat in every song. But needless to say I am back in Santa Cruz, where I am like 80% safe, and my apartment is awesome. Have pics of it soon. What did you all do over the weekend?

2006-02-10T07:49:00.000-08:00

So last night I tried to call Aaron and Audrey to say hola before they were off to Spain. They were not there. Then I tried Josh. The same. But you know who I did talk to?¨Jaime. He is busy defending our country from Bin Laden and Commander Cobra, and still has time to answer the phone.

Going to Sami Patta this weekend...for free! Be back with pictures. I hear it is an amazing place.

We Are Not Alone

2006-02-02T17:02:00.000-08:00

So over the weekend they had a pre-carnaval party here in Santa Cruz to mark the month before the actual carnaval. They had a parade from La Plaza Principal to Monseñor Rivero with people in crazy costumes dancing, and of course there was the super beautiful queen of the carnaval in Santa Cruz. From what I have learned things get pretty crazy here. Just three days of non-stop partying on the streets of the city. People playing with water guns, paint, whatever is around them. Of course there is always the downside. They have comparsas, groups of guys who get together, get drunk, and fight other comparsas. People get killed folks! But no one worry, as I will remain on the path of the straight and narrow...at least for the first night.

Anyway, I have digresed from my actual story. Saturday, Brent and I were heading to Centrosfera to hang out with some friends. Our cab driver of the night, who had a pretty nice car for a cab, began ranting about UFO´s and what our government was hiding. Normally drivers here talk with gringos like myself about the city, the women, weather in the US...intelligent questions. But what level this guy is working on I have no idea. At least he had a decent cab.

Oh, and I think I may be in a band too...singing...

Lida´s Goodbye Party

2006-01-31T12:35:00.000-08:00

Lida

Enrique, the roomie who is never actually in the apartment, and Lida.

Richard and Sharron

Aaron.

Friends

Alex

Jorge, on vacation from Brazil.

Lida, take care of yourself. We´ll see each other soon. The apartment will be a quiet place without you around. Cuidate.

2006-01-30T15:59:00.000-08:00

Kids Write the Darndest Things

2006-01-30T15:29:00.000-08:00

The following was written by Daniela, a 10 year old in Aaron´s Spectrum 2 (or was it 1?) Class. It is supposed to be a conversation between the Daniela and a doctor. What this is we have no to figure out. Note that nothing has been edited. This is what he wrote:

Jonh: Hellow Daniela.
Daniela: Hellow Jonh.
Jonh: What the mother?
Daniela: My computer doen´t working.
Jonh: Bok of a cinema is not persong.
Daniela: Let´s go Jond I have two ticket.
Jonh: Let´s go.

Wow.

Give Me Them Bananas!

2006-01-19T16:23:00.000-08:00

So we saw something very interesting on the way to Feast last night. Enrique, Aaron, Lida and myself were at a red light around the Cristo (the big Jesus statue here by Burger King). The traffic is front of us was moving, and I saw this truck filled with bananas. Behind the truck, which was moving, was a young boy. This boy was holding on and running behind the truck. I´d say the truck was moving around 30 mph. And the boy was able to get a hold of a whole bunch of bananas to share with his comrade who were washing windows, juggling, and asking for change. Simply witnessing this whole transaction was surreal, like something you´d see in a movie. Santa Cruz the Movie, how would that look. It is sad that kids have to do things like that just to get by. I hope they were tasty.

A story for Thomas and everyone else. But mainly for Thomas.

2006-01-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

So the weekend was a very interesting one. More bad than good I suppose, but then again come to expect anything here.

The weekend started off great. Sebastian and I headed off with some friends to Centrosfera, a popular teen hang out place. There you can find many styles of fashion and folk. Punk rockers, emo kids, wanna be frat boys dressed in Pumas and Hollister, accompanied by models and wanna be models. Really the whole spectrum of the Camba youth culture, 90% of whom were consuming cervezas and tragos. On a side note, I met a fine lady there whom I taking out for an evening sometime this week.

Saturday is when it got bad. I went with my friend Ximmena to Centrosfera again where I sang american rock songs with people who didn´t speak any english. That was fun. It was after we left the club that things turned for the worst.

Ximmena had mentioned we were going to a club that had all kinds of people...straights, gays, all kinds of people. That is most clubs from my frame of mind. Maybe some of you can see where this is going, but please allow me to continue. So we go to this club called Frozen. We went in to this club where I saw the one thing I prayed I would never have to see in my life. Gay men dancing and thong underwear on stages all around me to techno music. And it wasn´t like it was fun gay club with disco music like in that movie American Wedding. It was just really really gay. Masculinity in hand I quickly vacated the premesis.

If only you were here Booger to share in that experience. I miss you Brother. I still can´t thank you enough for coming to pick me up that time at the airport.

The next day I got sick after eating at a new restaurant. The wrath of milanesa is a mighty one. So needless to say that the weekend was an exponential worse one.

But the weekend has been pretty good so far. Nothing to complain. But then again it is raining.

The New Year

2006-01-02T10:43:00.000-08:00

As we ushered in the 06 here in Santa Cruz, I thought of this Deathcab for Cutie song.

¨So this is the new year.
And I don't feel any different.
The clanking of crystal.
Explosions off in the distance (in the distance).
So this is the new year.
And I have no resolutions.
For selfl assigned penance.
For problems with easy solutions.
So everybody put your best suit or dress on.
Let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once.
Lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn.
As thirty dialogues bleed into one.
I wish the world was flat like the old days.
Then i could travel just by folding a map.
No more airplanes, or speedtrains, or freeways.
There'd be no distance that can hold us back.
There'd be no distance that could hold us back.
So this is the new year.¨

New Years festivities here are pretty much like any party during the year, but with funny hats, none of which I could wear thanks to my huge had. I went out with of my lady friend and her friends out to some party on the fourth ring. There I was acosted by two small children who kept on asking me to say words in english. Then like most weekends it started to rain, tropical style. So the head of this house took us all to his restaurant, and nice place downtown. We stayed until after midnight, when my friend wanted to hit up Equi Petrol for some clubbin. Leaving the fresh steaks in my hungered state we went dancing for a few hours. Whenever I got back home I was starving so I went walking around the clubs near my house. There I found a lady selling hamburgers, which I chowed down on at 4 o´clock in the morning.

Josh, Jesse, Jonas, Jamie, Bargo, Aaron, Audrey, Rachel, Hannah...my dear friends, I love you all and may there be more happy new years to come.

On Holiday...

2005-12-31T07:14:00.000-08:00

hough the Christmas holiday passed over the weekend, people here had a day off monday. Ah, Bolivian´s and their holidays. Anyway, some friends and I went out to La Laguna for a bit of swimming. It was a bit outside the city, which was indicated to me by the miles of dirt road we had to drive through. The rain was really hard in the morning, so as we were making our way there, we encountered cars that were stuck in these small lakes of mudd. We had to give people rides and pull them out. How people were able to get old Toyotas, cabs eve as far they did is a mystery to me. We even saw a hue truck full of fruit stuck in the mudd. I wonder if they made it out?

A Taxi Cab Confession

2005-12-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

Mr. Hill, Rivers, Dude... know this. I heart you. There I said it. I am sorry Audrey, but I could not hold it back any longer. And now everyone knows. Sorry Thomas, but you are yesterday's edition.

Relax said the nightman...

2005-12-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

My friends, I know that many of you may have been wondering when the R-Dog is heading back state side. Well it won´t be for a while. As of now I am flying home around May or June. It seems that for the first time an airline company is actually helpful. I can change my flight, and pay for it a few days before I depart. So as of now my flight is for June 20th. A long way away huh?

You may be asking yourself: ¨Why is Richard staying so long?¨ Well rest assured there are no Richard Jr´s running around yet. I really have no reason in particular why I am staying. There is money I have invested here. I bought a mattress made a hay, I have a fan....things I can´t just leave. Perhaps I just don´t feel ready to head back to the states yet. Life isn´t always perfect, but when was life always perfect in the states? Maybe with time will have an actual answer which I can give you.

Maybe it is the empanadas. They are tasty.

Random Pictures of Life

2005-12-09T11:04:00.000-08:00

That´s right friends, there is a Burger King in Santa Cruz.

In La Moon.

Moths are quite large in Santa Cruz.

Aaron, Mozdeh, and Sebastian

O puta indeed.

The roomies: Richard, Alex, Aaron with our friend Lida.

2005-11-27T12:27:00.000-08:00

This is the first time in a while that I have actually written anything. Over a month maybe? How time flies. My time has become nothing new or exciting. Being somewhere different you may think that everyday is crazy, especially here in Santa Cruz. But my days are normal, just working, eating, spending time in good company, and video games (a familiar setting huh guys?). Sure there are those moments of craziness, like throwing the frost from your freezer at padestrians on the street or getting stuck on the 5th ring because the roads are flooded or discovering a new club or finding a comfortable taxi. So much just seems normal now.

In a month now I will back in the states for, honestly I don´t know how long. I can honestly say that leaving Santa Cruz will be hardest thing I have ever had to do. More than leaving Berea and those that I love behind to go to a whole other hemisphere. But as a friend once told me, doing things that you don´t want to do are worth it in the long run. My biggest fear is that I have forgetten how to be an U.S. citizen. It is like I am between Santa Cruz and the US. If Martinez is Pseudo Mexican. Then in this point in my life I am Pseudo Cruceño.

Oh and Jess I got the card, thanks a bunch. It touched me deeply to recieve a card from home.

This weekend I am heading off to Argentina. My visa expires and I need to leave the country for a new one. Should be an interesting trip.

Richard´s Birthday

2005-11-18T07:37:00.000-08:00

Here´s a collection of photos from the birthday over this past weekend.

Richard, looking a little too happy for his own good.

With friends at Bodegita de Cuba. Given Enrique´s thumbs up, he must have approved of the party.

Patty and Paula

Aaron and Ximmena

Bloggin´ Blues

2005-11-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

So yesterday afternoon I was creating this sweet Entry featuring some pictures of my roomies ad myself shopping, when all of a sudden I got some error message and the whole thing is erased. Mierda! Suppose I will have to try again Sunday when life isn´t so busy. I miss you all my friends.

Farewell to a Friend

2005-10-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today October 27, 2005 my beloved cat passed away at the 60 (cat years) due to kidney failure. Rest in peace ol' gal. You were wild and beautiful.

New Day...New Template!

2005-10-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

So I was growing weary of the all black format and thought a change could do me some good. So I have gone with this green and white look. The green and white is close to the colors of the Santa Cruz flag (green and white). Anyway, going to have some pics from Juan Latino and the party friday posted soon.

A Special Thanks

2005-10-17T21:35:00.000-07:00

Wanted to give a shot out to A-Team for making my post card writing experience oh so easy. With all the money I'll save I can wrap the post card in coca leaves and write the letter with the blood of an ancient Tihuanacan warrior.

Being and Becoming Revised

2005-10-13T23:49:00.000-07:00

Josh, the other day you made a comment in one my posts about my time here and how I was spending it. You asked about me about what happened to "being and becomming." I appreciate your words, even though they seemed a little harsh to my ears, because they made me think. What am I doing here? From my parents and other folks here I am always being asked about my future. "What are you going to do with your life Richard?" On the wall of a room in North Carolina hangs my communication degree, and what is it doing for me? What I am going to do when I get home? It's gig time, what t-shirt am I going to wear? Questions like these are really important I know, and I run them through my mind constantly.

But a few days ago I came to this realization. I have these two different worlds that I exist in. Each of these worlds have their own set of goals and priorities, friends and what not. In America I have there are these goals I have regarding work and starting to pay off student loans and creating a new life for my self after college (not in Berea). And originaly when I came to Bolivia study I was still apart of that world. I new when I was going to go home and things were more definite.

However upon deciding to stay and live in Santa Cruz, I created this new world for myself. The goals I have here don't apply to my life in America. Here I have a jobs teaching english both privately and most recently at the Instituto Superior de Idiomas. With this work in place, one of my goals is completed. I also have this goal of serving those in need, and this is fufilled through my work in Juan Latino and working with other Baha'i youth in a local colegio. I also have friends here, and I am part of a social structure. I suppose that for my time here I am very fufilled.

I really don't know yet what I am "being and becoming" yet Josh, all I can tell you is that my time here has had its ups and downs, but my experiences here have and continue to change me physically and mentally all for the better. Perhaps I will discover my purpose here tomorrow, or maybe the day I get on the plane to leave. Until then I am just going to be. And probably get smaller too.

A Recommendation Here...

2005-10-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Josh and Bargo (the rest of the guys as well with consoles), if you have to play one game before the world ends please play Fahrenheit. It is available for X-box and PS2. My roomie bought it yesterday, and it is an amazing game.

The Maid and The Maidless

2005-10-10T19:07:00.000-07:00

So this weekend Sebastian is moving up to the 5th floor his buddy Enrique to a new place (with A/C that swine), and Aaron is going to move in here. To celebrate all the moving and the fact that Enrique is also becoming a Baha'i we are having two big parties. Enrique and Sebastian and having some sort of techno "all white" party, thus Alex and I have trying to find a store that rents' white suits. The after party will be here in our apartment. I hope for a very exciting weekend of no sleep (sarcasm).

Anyway, Aaron and I have proposed to Alex that since our maid will be moving up with Enrique and Sebastian (just working, not living), we should just go without one. I mean, Aaron and myself have lived in apartnments without maids. But Alex, like many Bolivians, has lived a maid-full life. Hopefully this will be a interesting change for all of us. Just hope our diet doesn't turn from fresh fruit and meat to a fresh box of Captain Crunch and Frosted Flakes.

Postales

2005-10-05T08:59:00.000-07:00

I know this is totally riding on the coat tails of Jonas, but if you want a postcard from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, send me an address. Josh and Jonas I definitely owe you guys a postcard. Josh I think I had your address, but there is a 99% chance I lost it. Either that or I ate it.

By the way, on my last post I was complaining about the incredible hotness in the city. Scratch that, because it is cold and rainy today. But as Ruha said, live with what you got.

Remember When...

2005-10-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Guys, remember when the air conditioning used to break in Kentucky all the time for various reasons (rain, wind, a bird landing on it, sun rises, calling it bad names, God, etc)? Remember how it became impossible to do anything because it was miserably hot and all you could was either lay on your bed or play Double Dash or CS? Well, it seems that you can take a man out of Berea, but you can't take the Berea out of the man.

Felicidades Clay!

2005-09-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

So I have gotten word that Clay has been in a BP commercial during the Amazing Race. How I wish I had CBS right now! I think Clay should do a commercial with a gas company down here, like Genex or PetroBras. All the stations have girls who pump gas (wink) in skimpy outfits. Imagine combining pretty girls (mostly) with the sexual bravado and charisma of Mr. Goodpasture. Or even put him with the Magnificas! I'd watch that. And believe me, the gringo card here can get you anywhere here. Except immigration, the DMV of Bolivia.

No Pants No Service

2005-09-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend my tourist visa expired. Now you would think that getting a new one would be easy to obtain. But this is Bolivia, where things do not come easy. I have two options. One is to leave the country and come back in for a one month tourist visa or pay for a student visa. The student visa can be obtained with the right papers, which I can get from Nur. Anyhow, today I went to Nur to get the papers I needed and headed over to immigration. When I got to immigration I go up to the guard to let me in the building. But he doesn't let me in! He points to a sign saying people aren't allowed into the immigration who have shorts or sandals on, both of which I had on. Luckily I see Daniella who was getting her ID and I she took in the papers for me. But even then I had a problem because I was missing a paper saying what I was studying during my time here. So tomorrow I have to get the other paper tomorrow and try again. Next time though, I am wearing pants.

Sunflower Oil, Razor Blades, and Batteries

2005-09-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Well the past few weeks have been interesting on both the good and bad side. Better just to get the bad stuff out of the way. Got my cell phone stolen. It is an odd feeling when you loose something like a cell phone. I mean it is just a cell phone, but there are all these numbers on it, and you carry it around all the time. When it is gone there is weird feeling. How attached we are to material means! The weather has been a little crazy as well. During Saturday it went from really really humid to cold and windy and then to rain and cold. On the positive side, ExpoCruz took place over the weekend. This is a business fair that takes places all over South America. They have everything there. Each country has its' own building. There are handicrafts, farm equipment, animals, furniture, electronics. Name it, and I bet it was there. The women as well were gorgeous. Some of them, of course, have too much make-up on and have had boob jobs...but yeah there were a lot of pretty ladies in beautiful clothes (or lack thereof) selling everything. A part of me recognizes the fact that these women are being exploited for the sake of commerce, but such thoughts are put aside when I see a Magnifica walking around.
http://www.fexpocruz.com.bo/

When It's Cold Outside...

2005-09-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

It is really cold outside. Last week I bought a fan for my room because it was hot. But the next day it turns cold. It's like God pressed his irony button. For the most part no one is out. Most of the cafes and the Plaza are barren. I look forward to the sun making its appearance again.

The wall of a Cuban restaurant, inscribed with nuggets of wisdom from all over the world.

Dream Weaver

2005-09-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

I just woke up, and I had a very interesting dream. For the most part most of it can't be remembered, except for two parts. The first part involved me flying somewhere. In the dream I was checking in to fly, when it seems I left my passport in the bags that were taken to the plane. I asked the dude, "How am I going to get on the plane without my passport?" But for some reason they let me in. Later on it seems I was sleeping right beside the airplane, and I could just open the side on the plane to get my passport. But did I actually get the passport?

The next part of the dream is the icing on the cake. I was traveling somewhere, in a bus. Not a micro, but more or less a school bus. Out the window, I see Josh come running! Someone says, "Josh always runs places when he's trashed." Then Josh climbs on the front of the bus and starts dancing. The driver sprays him water flash dance style, and Josh keeps on dancing like a maniac.

Thats when I woke up. I miss you Josh.

Between a Culture and a Hard Place

2005-09-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have been watching CNN over the past week in regards to the crisis in Louisiana and soaring gas prices. Watching the news, it feels like America is so foreign to me now. Really things just seem crazy in L-town the gas crisis too. There is crime of unspeakable sorts all over that city and when I see this I think, "that's my country?" But even here I still feel out of place after two months. So here I am in Santa Cruz in a Michael Landon-esque limbo. The another night at Equi Petrol a girl I met asked me why Bush wasn't doing enough for the people in Louisiana. Truthfully I really didn't know how to respond. There just seems to be a lot of anger regarding the situation. I suppose all that can be done given the magnitude of the situation is being done. Watching the news things here are crazy enough. Watching the news you can see people getting beaten up the streets with the "Eye of the Tiger" in the background. I can only imagine something like that happening here...it would be chaos.

Guess I need to listen to more NPR. If only Flem was here. Swine!

Here is a picutre of my apartment, which of course has nothing to do with my entry.

La Paz is for Lovers!

2005-09-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Aaron and La Paz: a deadly mix.

From a distance, a football field. Oh yeah, the city of La Paz.

The faces of Tihuanacan priests. According to our guide, the faces were made to look like they had coca in their mouths.

The ruins of Tihaunacu, a pre-Incan civilazation over 5 thousand years old. Here they held religious ceremonies, burned stuff, even had a few parties I bet.

Anisa, Aaron, and Richard in front of the Puerta del Sol, a symbol of the country.

Craziness in the town of Tihuanacu. Traffic was wild there.

The side of a Tihuanacan Sun God statue. The spanish tried to decapitate it, but since they couldn't they put the mark of the anti-christ on it (it is the "t" marking on the shoulder).

Moon Valley, where apparently there used to be ocean. Why don't they call it Ocean Valley?

Richard, Anisa, and Aaron on the way to Copacabana.

A shot of Copacabana located on Lake Titicaca.

Isla del Sol, a place I wouldn't mind retiring to. From the island you can see beginning of the Andes Mountains. It really feels like the ocean out there.

Here are some pictures taken from my trip to La Paz. It is the highest capitol in the world, something one is quickly reminded of when they get off the plane and notices the air supply is cut in half. I have a love hate relationship with this part of Bolivia. Although I appreciate the indigenous aspect of this city, a lot of it is really depressing and violent; as if things are going to explode at any second. The part of me that loves it appreciates the beauty of the places around La Paz, such as Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, and Isla del Sol.

What Happened?

2005-08-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

So I go the ¨job interview¨ which was a total sham. It was at someones house near the center of the city. There I was, the only gringo in a sea of Bolivians, trying to be persuaded into selling Herbalife products. It was like being at an infomercial. Needless to say I left dissapointed. The best part of the whole experience was the cab drive on the way there was the first one I have met who speaks english.

Looking Good, Life That Is

2005-08-26T13:35:00.001-07:00

This morning I was awakened by the sound of a text message being sent to my cell. Normally I would be annoyed, but today was different. Seems as though some friend of mine here in Cruz town has recommened my skills to an empresa, or a private company. Tomorrow I go to their office for an interview. This an exciting turn of events, because I have no idea what to expect or how to prepare. I really have no idea what the company does or how much I could get paid. All I know is that they are an American company. Needless to say this is a welcomed change given all the money I don´t have. Stay tuned to see what happens next.

Back in Black

2005-08-20T11:46:00.000-07:00

I heard that tune at Pueblo Viejo the other night and I immediately thought about Flem. They have a really good cover band there that plays a wide array of American rock songs. Their keyboard player looks like the keyboard player from Spinal Tap. The resemblance in uncanny! It was there I had a very interesting encounter with a very pretty lady. Brent and I were hanging out and listening to the music, and there was this lady behind us with some guys (brothers or cousins I assume). Anyway, she looked over at me and made this face (a good one). Needless to say I was intrigued. Later on that night as I was heading to the bathroom she was heading back to her table. She stopped and talked to me (in Spanish), and later on that night I got her number. Now she may have just talked to me because I am a gringo, and I do tend to stand out in a crowd, but who oh well...Richard does need to practice spanish!

My days have begun to mold into the same basic rountine. This routine for the most part involves waking up late in the day, playing video games, eating, and hanging out with friends. Not a bad deal I know, but I start to feel useless after a while. Although spending time there has taught me some new skills, like how to wash clothes by hand, since the water line broke that connects the washer. Oh how domestic am I! I need to buy a fan, because it is not even summer here yet, and it is getting hot!

Now don´t think old Richard is lazy, far from it. I have continued looking for work, but nothing much has happened in that department. But I have begun volunteering at Juan Latino, a community 45 minutes outside of Santa Cruz, in the country. There I am beginning to teaEnglishish to the children in the community. I figure there I can be more fruitful with my time, and do some. There are a number of ideas I have which can help the children learn. I could spend all my time here hanging out in clubs and roaming about the city, but what kind of Bahai would I be then?

I think a buddy of mine is getting a job over at Cambridge, and there they pay well. He may need some help with classes, and I of course would be more than happy to help a fellow gringo as a T.A.

Look for another post next week, unless blockades or riots block me from the internet cafe.

A few more photos...

2005-08-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

My fellow gringos, Aaron and Brent.

The Plaza in the afternoon.

Finally Some Pictures!

2005-08-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

This post of course is dedicated to the anniversary of Aaron and Audrey, whom I miss dearly.

Me with my host sister Teresita (what is she eating?). She is precious.

This is a night shot at the Plaza in the center of Santa Cruz. It is a little dark in the shot, but it is a nice well lit place. They have men in suits who walk around selling coffee. From what I have heard they have the best coffee in Santa Cruz. Now if only I could like coffee.

The Story So Far

2005-08-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

First off, I have to thank everyone who reminded me how I didn´t put the link to this page. Josh and Jonas, I am lost without you even when we are worlds apart. So for those of you who do not know, I am staying here in Bolivia until the 29th of December. It was a tough decision, but one that I do not regret. The powers that be seem to want me here. What will I be doing you might ask? That remains to be seen. As of today I am finished with my classes at Nur University and I need to make some money. Getting a work permit would require me to sell off my organs and limb, so I think I will stick to teaching english. It pays well, and unless I want to go on a diet of empanadas and water I should start soon.

Today I moved out of my host families place and into an apartment, which I will reflect more upon later.

Mob Rules

2005-08-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

So I meant to post something a month ago before I left for Bolivia, but yeah I didn´t. A lot has happened over the past month believe me.