Today I started back working in the orphange, but this time I am working in the babies room and am completely in my element. These gorgeous little tackers are my work for the next 5 weeks. Today was the last day for 2 of the volunteers and the last few weeks have seen the number of volunteers reduce dramatically as they all head back to start University in September. We´ve gone from having 9 to just 2 volunteers, but the permanent staff are used to it, they tell me that it happens every year. Nevermind, just means more hugs for me.
The past weekend we had our monthly ¨dirty weekend¨where we head to an orphange to do something for them. This time it was decided that we would make board games for the children but alot bigger than normal so they could play them outside and we would spend the day with them teaching them how to play, it was a huge success. There was Chinese sticks, Chess, Twister and Snakes and ladders and another game the french team made and they turned out great. The frenchies really lived up to their reputation as being artists, their game was incredible. The orphange was a little over an hour away from Cochabamba in a small town called Arani. It was an orphange that is run by nuns and it was incredible compared to the one that I work at. The staff at from Projects Abroad tell us not to compare but its hard not to when you see the difference. This place had a beautiful big vegetable garden, running water, separate kitchen facilities, toys to play with, a great outdoor area to play and alot more law and order which means the children are alot better behaved. My family tell me that is the difference between places run by the churches and places run by the government. 
Otherwise its been a fairly standard couple of weeks, I´ve eased off the weekend travel as most of the places the other volunteers are heading to are places I´m heading to after I finish working and they are just so far for a weekend. So its meant that I´m spending time in Cochabama and lots of time with the family which is what they do on the weekends, visit Aunts, Uncles, cousins and more aunts and uncles. Luckily Marcelo (my host brother) helps me to escape the entire family from time to time. The other weekend we went shopping at the market, first and last time I go shopping with a Latin American boy. For starters they like shopping more than a women and their taste in clothes is not something that I would ever give a second glance to. I tell him he like bling way too much and he tells me that I need to trade my old clothes for new ones. Given that my beloved jeans (the only pair I brought with me) decided to rip right through the crutch it was time for a new pair. And given that saying no it not something I am that great at, after saying no to his suggestions at least 30 times I was starting to feel a little bad and gave in and agreed to try on some jeans. Now we all know that women like to be told that they look great in whatever clothes they are wearing, so after the 3rd or 4th time of me asking ¨are you sure they look good¨and the response being ¨they look amazing¨who wouldn´t buy a pair aof jeans with 2 playboy bunnies embroided on your arse?? Awful I tell you, my only reassurance is that cost the equivalent of about $10 and I own alot of long tops. 
In the past week I had another little vist from my old friend Mr Food Poisoning, my only problem is that he doesn´t give me 1 proper dose that is over and done with in 12-24hours, no I´m lucky enough t have 3 days of constant nausea with the occasional vomit. And I finally had to come clean and tell my host mum that I just really dont like soup when she tried feeding it to me for 3 days when I was sick, then I gave her the explaination of all the things I didn´t eat when I was younger but explained that I was much better with my food now, and all she could say was ¨your poor mother¨:) Anyway by Friday I was sick of the sight of my room and agreed to go out with my Uncle to see a local musical groups that come from the department of Cochabamba but the town is about 3 hours away. It wasn´t that much fun sitting through the first hour of speeches and presentations but the music from this group was incredible, so incredible and like nothing I seen before, its been great having an Uncle connected with tourism. Then for a change of pace on Saturday night I thought lets see if we can fix this stomach with a beer, and to be honest it didn´t work but a vodka and OJ seemed to do the trick, and Marcelo and his friends took me to see a Bolivian Rock band---loved it!! The boys gave me a translation of the lyrics, a little less rock sounding when you translate it but great music, especially when they mix in some of the traditional instruments from Bolivia.
This is a photo from a parade, they seem to have them at least once a week here. I just loved these outfits, the shoes in particular.
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