The Bolivian Cuisine

Buen Dia Amigos! Greetings from Bolivia!

I just wanted to take some time to tell you all about some of the awesome food that we have been able to enjoy here in Bolivia. Just like the 8 essential amino acids, there are 8 essential rules for Bolivian dining (sorry, but the MCAT is looming ahead). They are as follows:

(WARNING - The Bolivian cuisine is not for the faint of stomach. A good dose of Ciproflaxacin is a necessity for any traveler desiring to get the full Bolivian experience.)

1) DO NOT DRINK THE WATER. Just as in many other countries around the world, Bolivian tap water is not safe to drink. We were reminded of this fact just as we arrived in Bolivia by a thrilling presentation on water borne parasites given by Todd, one of our fellow students from Wheaton College. On the bright side however, Bolivians have a variety of tasty bottled drinks which are a must have with any meal. My personal favorite are the different types of fruit juices. Each type of juice comes in a large, 2 liter glass bottle. There are many different flavors including peach, banana, apple, pineapple, papaya, and mango. The apple juice is especially good and tastes just like chilled apple cider. Additionally, a Bolivian favorite is Fanta. This sparkling orange Coca Cola product is a hit with many of the kids and does a great job of blunting the sting of hot picante peppers. Another unique Bolivian drink is drinkable yogurt which comes in a variety of flavors including blackberry, strawberry, and coconut. Although I wouldn't recommend it with a dense meat dish, it is great as a drinkable desert.

2) BRING A FRIEND. One of the best parts of Bolivian food is the massive portion size of many of the dishes. For only around 50 Bolivianos (7 USD) you can purchase a great dish known as pique, my personal favorite. Essentially, pique consists of massive amounts of meat on top of a bed of fried potatoes and is usually served with ketchup and mustard. There are three different types of meat: large cuts of beef, chorizo sausage, and chicken. Hardboiled eggs, onions and peppers usually adorn the top of the mountainous pile of protein. On the second day that we were here, we ordered two dishes of pique for ten people and still had several to go boxes of food to take home with us. Never eat alone in Bolivia or you are liable to end up carrying more than half of your meal home in a bag.

3) SAVE CHANGE FOR A TASTY SNACK ON THE STREET. The best part of traveling around Bolivia on the 15 passenger buses known as Truffis is the plethora of delicious smells of street stands wafting through the air. (Disclaimer: not all smells on a Truffi are what one might call pleasant. Use caution when breathing through your nose.) One of the best snacks on the street is the Empanada, a delicious combination of melted cheese and baked bread rolled together into a beautifully crimped pastry. A close relative of the Empanada is the Saltena which consists of meat and cheese enclosed in a pocket of baked bread. Both can be purchased on the street for around 2 - 5 Bolivianos (around 50 cents). After a hot snack of meat cheese and bread you may need something to cool off your tongue for the ride back to the hospital. The street vendors have just the remedy. Juanitos are probably my favorite food off the street and can be purchased for 1 Boliviano (15 cents). Basically a Juanito consists of frozen yogurt enclosed inside a plastic package (picture a frozen go-gurt). Juanitos come in a variety of different flavors and colors. Generally, each Juanito has a combination of three successive flavors including mango, peach, orange, lime, bubble gum, grape, chocolate, and pina colada. Juanitos are a great treat for the Truffi ride home and I routinely buy two every time I pass my favorite vendor on the corner. Moral of the story: Always carry loose change for some great street food.

4) WAS THAT SOUP BOILED? Soup is a staple part of the Bolivian diet. At lunch time Bolivians flock to local street stands for chicken, beef, and vegetable soup. Although the locals seem to be immune to the potential gastrointestinal problems associated with parasite ridden water, the traveler must use caution when trying this part of the Bolivian cuisine. Naturally, the most important question is "was that soup boiled?" So far, I have risked trying soup a total of three times this trip and either I have been lucky or I have a great knack for guessing which vendor in traditional Bolivian attire with a baby strapped to her back is most likely to have boiled the water in her soup. Despite the risks involved, I have been generally impressed with Bolivian soup. Chicken soup is very tasty and generally contains potatoes, rice, and carrots in a savory broth with a whole chicken breast plopped in the middle. My personal favorite however is quinoa soup. The Bolivians actually eat a fair amount of quinoa and use it as a substitute for rice in several dishes. Quinoa soup is very filling and makes me feel like I am eating healthy even if the broth probably has enough salt in it to make homeade ice cream.

5) BE COURAGEOUS. One particular delicacy in Bolivia is llama. The primary dish of llama is known as charque and consists of crunchy fried llama meat on a bed of hominy. It is also generally served with a baked potato and hardboiled eggs. Initially, I was very excited about trying llama meat, but after a trip through the llama section in La Cancha, the local market, I was a bit more skeptical. The llama section smelled a bit funky and they even had llama fetuses for sale which were far from appetizing. Despite my misgivings however, at the next restaurant we went to I ordered charque. As I stared at the dried crisps of meat in front of me, I couldn't help but have flashbacks to the smells of the meatmarket and the flies buzzing around overhead. I opened up and put the first bite in. The texture of the meat was very dry, kind of like beef jerky, and I had to crunch on it for a while before I could really taste the flavor. It turned out to be a little bit game-y kind of like deer jerky and on the whole was not to bad. Compared to pique, however, it just could not stand up. It was a great thing to try, but far from a staple food in my Bolivian diet.

6) LOOKS ARE DECEIVING. Another common food in Bolivia is known as Silpancho. At first, this traditional Bolivian food is a bit alarming. It comes in two different varieties: chicken and beef. The catch is that the two different meats are nearly indistinguishable from one another. Both are ground up and fried in to a pancake sized patty. Staring at the flat pancake of mystery meat on my plate was enough to make me at first question this Bolivian concoction, but it turns out I was mistaken. The saving grace of Silpancho is that its is served over rice and is topped off with several fried eggs. Mixed together with some picante salsa, the lifeless patty of meat is transformed into a delicious dish that I strongly recommend.

7) DON'T BE AFRAID TO BUY AMERICAN. Normally, I wouldn't suggest eating American food in a foreign country, but in this case I must say the unthinkable, "in Bolivia, order a hamburger". Yep that's right.
Here in Bolivia they are known as hamburguesas and are actually quite different than their counterpart in the United States. The best way that I can describe Bolivian hambeguesas is as a patty of taco meat on a ciabatta. The taco seasoning flavor of the meat gives the hamberguesa a very distinctive taste and it is a must try for any norteamericano traveling in Bolivia.

8) PURGE WITH FRUITS AND NUTS. This is an essential step in successfully navigating Bolivian food. Without fiber, the Bolivian diet of meat, bread, and fried food can leave you struggling for air. Fresh fruit of the streets is a great way to get some essential nutrients and help prepare your body for the next round of pique. The only precaution with fruit off the street is that it must be adequately cleaned using a rinse of bleach followed by purified water. There are a variety of different fruits in the markets ranging from apples, bananas and oranges to kiwis and papayas. The bananas are extremely cheap. I once tried to buy 5 Bolivianos (80 cents) worth and ended up getting 20 whole bananas. The apples here are also really good although you have to watch out for the occasional rotten one. Oranges are a great way to get some vitamin C which is in high demand while working in the hospitals and trying to combat the general lack of hygiene in the city. My personal favorite are the kiwis which I cut in half and eat with a spoon. They are a great snack and actually have twice the potassium of a banana which has been great in fighting off soreness since I have been trying to run here in the high altitude. Additionally, peanuts and a variety of other nuts that I don't know the name of can be purchased on the street. They are a great snack and a good break from Empanadas and Saltenas. I definitely recommend mixing in a good variety of fruits and nuts to maintain the longevity of your appetite while in Bolivia. And remember: trying new food is a marathon not a sprint so buckle up for the long haul.

Well, I hope that you have been able to get a taste of the many different components of the Bolivian cuisine through this brief overview. May your spoon be ever shiny and your steak knife ever sharp!

As they say in Bolivia

Provecho!! (Good Eating)

Jake

Lago Titicaca

Hola! Hope you all are doing well! I can't believe we're onto our last week in Bolivia. Time has flown, and we've become quite the veterans at the trufi system, eating street food (especially Annika - who's quite the pro!), and holding basic conversations with the Bolivians! Believe it or not, by this time next week, most of us will be home, but in the meantime, we're soaking in the experiences, bonding closer with each other, and discerning God's will for our present and future through this trip.

 This past weekend, we visited the world's highest navigable lake - Lake Titicaca! Our journey started bright and early at 4:15 am on Saturday. When we arrived, there were vendors everywhere selling us tickets to places we weren't even trying to head to! Now, speaking English at 5 am is quite difficult, but trying to understand and speak Spanish is even harder! Somehow we managed to get ourselves - and our loaded backpacks - onto a bus to La Paz. Bolivian traveling was definitely interesting! While we bought tickets for 5:30, the bus didn't actually leave until 6! And when you take the bus, it definitely doesn't mean a nonstop trip! We had vendors boarding the bus and selling us coffee, gum, bread, and even charque! There were stops to pick up people and drop them off. Jake and I got to meet this sweet little girl name Luz who was in one of the seats right in front of us. She was shy at first but ended up hanging out with us for most of the ride. It was especially funny when she would ask for the names of other people in our group and would yell it out through the bus until he/she woke up. She even walked down the aisle and would wake individual people up, especially Ben! Finally, after a 7 hour bus ride, we made it to La Paz around 1 pm, just in time to catch our next bus.

 La Paz is a beautiful city settled in a valley with brick buildings adorning the mountain sides and the valley itself. We quickly learned on this trip that cameras cannot capture the true beauty of the country we're in. At the La Paz bus terminal, we bought another ticket to Copacabana - which is located on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca. The ride to Copacabana was beautiful, and we could see the lake for a duration of the trip! We finally arrived in Copacabana in the late afternoon, checked into a sweet hotel right by the lake, and bought our boat tickets to the island for the following day. We arrived at the perfect time, with the sun setting right on the lake and the boats providing the perfect silhouettes. We also went out for one of our favorite Bolivian meals, pique macho. Sadly, we were quite disappointed by our meal and went out for dinner round 2! We found a great cafe that quickly became a favorite of ours and ate a nice second dinner before retiring to our hotel rooms. Fun fact: Bolivian hot chocolate, at least at this cafe is awesome! Danica and I can attest to this fact! It's pretty much hot milk with chunks of chocolate at the bottom that you have to stir to melt into your drink! Yum!

Early Sunday morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at the hotel and then headed for our boat to Isla del Sol at 8 am. Our boat had an upper deck area that our team definitely took advantage of despite the somewhat cold air of the Bolivian winter. The view from the top was great, and I can't wait for you all to see the photos! Out on the lake, you can see the different islands and the perfect deep blue of the lake contrasts the white clouds, light blue sky, and green-brown mountains. After 2.5 hours on the boat, where we made friends with the other travelers from South Africa, Colorado, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, we finally docked. When we stopped on the northern part of Isla del Sol, we had to dodge the guide who wanted us to go to the island's musuem and other sights for a lovely fee, of course. We decided to take the 8 km hike to the southern part of the island to catch our boat on its way back. The hike was gorgeous as we could see the lake on both sides of us, and the trail was a fairly easy (though not so easy because of the altitude)! We finished with time to spare and caught a leisurely lunch at a restaurant that looks out onto the lake. What was super cool about this island and just Bolivia in general was all the animals hanging around! As we hiked, we saw pigs, donkeys, llamas, and dogs everywhere! Jake and Anna got some pretty epic pictures with this llama that was definitely posing for the camera! When we finally got back to Copacabana, we managed to get rooms at the same hotel as the previous night, which was awesome, though we all definitely wished we had known it was possible before we hiked 8 km with our backpacks full of clothes and food! For dinner, we stopped by a different restaurant where the men of our group plus Rachel got their taste of the infamous Lake Titicaca trout or trucha! The rest of us tried pizza, chicken fajitas, and quinoa soup which was all delicious! But of course, we had to stop by our favorite cafe before bed for some hot chocolate and a burger for Todd.

Our journey back was similar to the trip to the lake. We went from Copacabana to La Paz and from La Paz to Cochabamba. It took all day Monday. On our trip from La Paz to Copacabana though, we managed to take a double decker bus (awesome!) and sit right in front (even more awesome!). Though, to be honest, that made it kind of scary because we got to witness Bolivian driving at its finest! Don't worry though, we all made it home safely! Around 9:30 or so, we finally made it back to the guesthouse! It was such an incredible trip, and for 70 bucks, we got to be tourists for a weekend. With sights like Lake Titicaca, La Paz, and even Vinto where we have been living, it's tough to see how someone could look at all these people and places and not come to the conclusion that there has to be a Creator. It's time to soak in these experiences and continue to love on these people and this country up until the last minute we're here! Until next time!

 Dios le bendiga, Myvy :)

A day in the life...

Alright, so for those of you who may still be a little confused as to what a day/week in the life looks like for us here in Bolivia... I am here to solve that problem!

Generally, Monday through Friday we are all on a random, rotating schedule.  There are various places that we could possibly be, so I am going to take the time to tell you about each of the different places! 

1. HOH (Hospitals of Hope): this is the hospital located on our property (a short 100 yards away from our house). When we work at the hospital, we usually shadow the doctors, watch surgeries, or help out in the ER.

2. CBA (Clinica Boliviana Americana): This is a hospital in Cochabamba (the nearest large city, we are in Vinto - a smaller town outside of Cochabamba). When we go there we also shadow doctors, help the nurses tend to patients, and watch surgeries... very similar to HOH! But generally, we are able to do more at this hospital which is exciting.

3. CDA 1 (Casa de Amor): This is an orphanage for babies and small infants ages around 0-3. A typical morning here includes feeding the kids breakfast, playing with them, helping the "tias" (the ladies who give up most of their lives to live at the house and take care of all of the children), discovering poopy diapers, and wiping their "moquitos" (boogies!).

4. CDA 2 (Casa de Amor): This is an orphanage for older kids around ages 4-12. Usually we help them with their chores, help them with "tarea" (homework!), and play games. 

5. MS (Movimiento Sonrisas): This is another hospital in the city! but this one is a children's hospital. Most of the children here are either recovering from surgery, healing in the burn unit, being treated for long term illness, or they are babies needing some love.

6. The Plaza: Amidst the bustling city life, Plaza Principal houses over 30 people.  The plaza is an open "park" where many homeless people live and become addicts to sniffing "glue." Every Friday afternoon, we bring sandwiches, drinks, wound care, Vitamin B shots, our Bibles, and love.  Their lifestyle is different than anything we have ever seen before, but our time with the people who live their is extremely rewarding. We laugh, sing, pray, and really just get to know them by giving them the time of day. The people who live there are the outcasts of society and are considered animals.  People ask us why we spend so much time with them, when really what we should be doing is lining up and shooting them.  For many the plaza is MUCH better than their home - where they are beaten, raped, stabbed, abused, for others it is where they were born, and for the rest it is the only place they have friends. They use their "glue" to numb the pain in their lives. As Shelly and Rachel (the wonderful women who started this ministry) would say, these are the people that Jesus would be with if He were here today. **BIG PRAISE: Shelly and Rachel are nurses and intend on living in Bolivia longterm, helping the people of the plaza transition their lives and come to know God's grace and mercy.

7. Clinics: We will set up makeshift clinics at local churches and orphanages every once and a while! These tend to be some of the highlights of my week, taking vitals, checking for cavities, etc.

On Saturdays, we tend to relax, hike, and explore Cochabamba.  In the afternoons, we go to a different plaza and bathe children, giving them fresh clothes and braided hair for the girls. On Sundays, we attend church and spend the day relaxing!

In order to reach all of these wonderful destinations, our day here consists of riding "trufis," which are vans full of people.  Trufi drivers put a sign in their windshield telling people alongside the road where they are headed, and then we flag them down. It's a makeshift bus/taxi that definitely makes for an awesome experience.  

This past weekend was a Bolivian holiday ("feriado") Thursday-Sunday. We learned that the President determines how long holidays are... based on how he feels? which seems very interesting. But, with this, there was extra help needed at the orphanages because the tias were celebrating with family and friends.  So, Friday morning Jake, Andrew (a student from Messiah College in PA), Kyle (another student), and I arrived around 7:45 to begin assisting at CDA 1 - the baby orphanage. When we arrived, the kids were just waking up and we were there to greet them in their bedrooms.  After getting shoes on all of them, we carted all 15-20 kids down to breakfast in their high chairs. It was quite a task feeding over 15 babies/infants eggs and bread with the four of us and only 1 tia! Somehow we managed and played with them all morning until we came back to our house for lunch. Because of the holiday, they had asked us to come back later that night again because their was a celebration happening.  Jake, Andrew, and I all went back to the orphanage from 6-11 PM! Let's just say, Jake and Andrew had enough baby time for the day... so many overwhelming poopy diapers, loud obnoxious crying and screaming, hitting, pulling hair, whining, and the list goes on.  But at the end of the day, walking away from the orphanage dead tired, we were all so happy that we could give the tias a day of rest. We were amazed that those women dedicate so much time into the children, even when they have their own families/children back at home. What definitely struck me most that day at the orphanage were the few stories that we heard about the children who lived there. One girl, Ruth, had just been placed in the orphanage because her mom attempted to sell her multiple times and was finally turned into the police. Another girl, Jhoselin, who was born blind, lives at the orphanage because her dad has AIDS and is unable to care for her various needs.  Another little boy, Gillermo, has burn scars covering the right side of his face. He obtained these scars when he was very little. His mom was cooking in the kitchen with him strapped on her back and the stove somehow blew, killing his mother and leaving him scarred. The stories are endless... As I go about the rest of my time here in Bolivia and even when I return to the states, I see/meet/encounter so many different people from day-to-day.  It's so easy to forget that everyone has a "story," God has uniquely designed each and every one of us all as His children through different experiences. Those little children need LOVE and we are there to provide that. My favorite moments here in Bolivia are showering the endless orphans with kisses, hugs, and "I love you's," and in return, getting to see their smiling faces. If only they could understand how much I love them, but even more, how much God loves them. The innocence and purity of these children and the love required to raise these children is such a good example of how we should live our everyday lives. If only I could take all of them home with me........ Cliver, Giovanni, Maria, Jhoselin, Ruth, Gillermo, Camila, Mindy, Pablo, Samuel, Fernanda......

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." - James 1:27.

Love always, 

Brittany (with help and additions from the lovely Annika!)

Scrubbing In

One thing I was looking forward to in Bolivia was observing surgeries. My first week in Cochabamba was wonderful - riding trufis (a Bolivian form of transportation that is like a combination of a taxi and a bus), playing with sweet children in the orphanage, and sitting in on consultations - but it was somewhat lacking in medical procedures. Yesterday I finally got a good dose of blood and guts. This week there is a group of physicians from Knoxville, TN volunteering at the hospital, so there are more opportunities to scrub in on surgeries. I had the opportunity to observe two hysterectomies (removal of the uterus). 

The first surgery was performed because the woman had an ovarian cyst. The thing looked like a small balloon, thin-walled and so full it might burst any second. For most of the procedure I stood behind the patient by the anesthesiologist. I am interested in pursuing a career in anesthesiology so I enjoyed talking to him about the field. I learned that many Bolivian patients prefer regional instead of general anesthesia, mostly for safety concerns. I noticed that some of the Bolivian medical staff were taking pictures of the surgery, so I made sure to bring my camera for the second procedure. 

The second hysterectomy was done because the woman had a cyst on her Fallopian tube and myomas (balls of muscle tissue) in her uterus. Her uterus was very enlarged and I snapped a few good pictures. During this procedure I talked a lot to Karen the PA. She has assisted many surgeons and is currently going back to school to get her medical degree. She was helpful in answering my questions about the procedure and I enjoyed hearing about her experience as a PA and a medical student. I also asked her if she was worried about being a good mom and a good doctor. She said of course she was, but she felt that God was calling her to go back to medical school and if it His will, He will provide a way for her to balance her career and family. It was comforting to hear that someone else had my same concern and was trusting in God to find a way for her to do both well. 

I loved everything about observing the surgeries - the scrubbing in, the cutting, the suturing, and the vast knowledge required to do all this. I am fascinated by how much the human body can handle. 

Thank you for keeping me and my team in your prayers. Feel free to email me at rteranishi@westmont.edu if you have any other questions!

-Rachel

Visiting El Cristo

 

This past weekend, our Westmont in Bolivia team decided to visit El Cristo, which is located right here in Bolivia! After a long trufi ride, we made it to the foot of the hill on which El Cristo is located and began the long trek up the stairs. The altitude made the journey quite difficult but in the end, we all made it! Here are some photos (credit to Danica)!

 

A fun team picture with the (smoggy) city in the background. A breathtaking view nevertheless!

The great view from the top! And Mali from Wheaton is pretty great too :)

The entire group of hikers, consisting of Westmonsters, Wheaton, and Messiah College peeps.

In order to get the entire statue of El Cristo into our picture, we got to get a nice Bolivian family in our shot as well! What's a picture in Bolivia without a Bolivian family?

The gondolas taking people up to El Cristo. Look at that amazing view from up top with the mountains in the background! The hike was quite steep!

We got to stop for ice cream after our hard work climbing El Cristo! Que delicioso!

Thanks for visiting our blog! Everyone's got a busy schedule this week, and it's hard to believe we're already a week into it. We will be sure to update on some of the highlights of this trip! It's been a blast so far!

Dios le bendiga!

Annika, Ben, Brittany, Danica, Jake, Myvy, and Rachel

A Night With the Paramedics

Hola from Bolivia!!! Yesterday Jake and I had the chance to spend the night shadowing the on-call paramedic team that is stationed a little way down the road from hospitals of hope. It was a great chance to practice our Spanish when they picked us up. We found out that Jose and Jimmy are two twenty-year olds who have been working as paramedics for a little over a year. We brought our sleeping stuff and Captain America in Spanish, planning on having a relaxing night, watching a movie they liked, sleeping and waiting for a call. But as soon as we stepped into their little waiting room the radio buzzed to life and a voice came over through the static in hurried Spanish describing the situation. There had been a car crash in the city, truck vs. taxi. We quickly rushed out the door, hopped into the back of the ambulance and sped down the road with sirens blaring and lights flashing. The first thing I noticed was that no one pulled over off the road for the ambulance. Thus we found ourselves swerving in and out through traffic rushing to the scene. The firemen had already arrived and were taking a Bolivian husband and wife back to the hospital due to their more serious injuries. We picked up the taxi driver who only had a few minor scrapes and cuts and took him back to the hospital. As soon as we walked in to the emergency room I was a little bit shocked, it was my first time seeing such a traumatic scene. They already had the woman stabilized and it looked like she had a broken leg and 6 inch gash on the back of her head. The man however commanded the majority of our attention. He had been drinking and driving and was being very loud and hard to constrain. He had suffered multiple fractures in both legs, along with lacerations, and a shattered knee cap. The skin on the heel of his right foot was barely hanging on and he had also hit his head hard and had a huge gash to show for it. We helped to hold him down to the bed while the doctors and nurses helped to get him stabilized with blood, fluids and a catheter. Once he had been stabilized and sedated he was loaded onto a stretcher and rushed back into the ambulance. We took him down father into Cochabamba to another hospital that had a radiografia machine that would give an MRI showing any potential damage to his head. On the way there however we encountered one of the most shocking experiences of the night. We were speeding down the left lane when Jimmy suddenly swerved. There had been a man laying sprawled out in the middle of the road that we almost hit. We didn't even stop to check his condition, take him to the hospital or at least move him off the road and check for identification. After the MRI had been examined by a radiologist, it was determined that there was no serious damage to the head and we took him back for surgery on his legs. A doctor named Trish, who we had become friends with, asked us to come scrub in for the surgery. This was the first time that either of us had seen a surgery so we were super excited. Once they had examined and cleaned the wounds they started to tie off blood vessels and prepare to stitch him up. It ended up being a huge mess as they ended up using over 30 stitches. Another interesting thing was that throughout the entire procedure the doctors and nurses were taking pictures of everything on their cell phones. Jake and I had a hard time understanding much of what they were saying due to the fact that most things had to do with medical terminology that we were unfamiliar with in Spanish. Finally around 3:30 in the morning the surgery was done and jake and I washed up and went back to the volunteer house where we stay. As I lay in bed physically exhausted, my mind was wide awake racing, trying to process all that had just happened. I realized that all the blood and gore that I had just seen didn't phase me at all. The thing that was hard for me to watch was the family as the three children were told that their parents were hurt. Also listening as the extended family talked about how they are going to be able to scrape up enough money for the medical bills. It was also inspiring to see how quickly and efficiently the surgeons worked in analyzing the situation and acting on it. I realized how excited I am for that day far in the future when I might be able to help some one in a similar way if the Lord is willing. This memory of our night with the paramedics will help to serve as a motivation for me when I'm up late next year studying O-Chem, reminding me that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that there is a good reason to work diligently in school. ¡Dios les bendiga! Ben

Photos! Finally!

Here are some photos from our journey so far! They're out of chronological order, but at least they're up and running!

Here's part of our crew helping out in the kitchen - washing dishes, drying, and putting them back to their proper place.

Benjamin: Ben-HA-min (en espanol)
Proof that he's alive and well!

"Helping" out in the kitchen; whereas, Annika - the creeper in the background - is washing the dishes!

Jake is chipping in as well!

Ben and Myvy know how to rock it in the kitchen while also doing hard work.

Finally landed in Cochabamba! Our first trufi ride to the hospital guesthouse.

Layover in La Paz - Can you find everyone passed out on the floor? [Hint: West brothers are still in DC, and Myvy is the photographer.]

The view outside the airport in La Paz.

Another look outside the window at the airport in La Paz.

Jake is clearly enjoying his time here in Cochabamba!

Bathroom in the girls' room - the guesthouse used to be an orphanage.

A look at the sinks in the girls' bathroom! Look at all that shampoo and conditioner!

The back view of Hospitals of Hope.

A frontal view of the guesthouse! Those mountains are awesome!

Rachel and Alfredo at the Bogota airport in Colombia.

Some Bolivian natives!

Annika is having fun while Myvy acts as papparazzi!

Myvy working on her artistic abilities while waiting at the Bogota airport!

Left & Below: More shots from the ride to the guesthouse.

Danica was also a victim of Myvy's papparazzi tendencies.

Catching up at the dinner table after Ben and Jake are reunited with the rest of the team :)

More pictures and posts to come! We'll keep in touch!

Dios le bendiga!

Myvy, Danica, Annika, Jake, Ben, Brittany, and Rachel