Bolivian Cultural Dances

I was in the city this weekend and there was a parade full of dances including the Chacarera (from Tarija) which is one of my favorite dances. I was able to take videos of some of the dances which I am going to try and upload. If they work I will be so happy you can enjoy in these wonderful dances! Now you will actually be able to SEE what I am talking about. In other news, things are wrapping up in my site since the school year is coming to an end. I am planning a halloween party for the kids so that should be fun. Thanksgiving PC style is also coming up and there will be a party in the city for all the volunteers. My re-connect is also coming up in November where I will be going back to Cochabamba to meet up with my whole group. I am very much looking forward to November! Oops, camera died trying to upload video. Next time!

Up the mountain we go!

This is San Fransisco

At the start of the climb

So in my last entry I think I said I would talk about how the Artesania fair went. The fair is held each year in a different town and all of the towns in the area come out to showcase their artesania work. Some towns are off the paved highway between Tarija and Bermejo, aka my site BUT some of the more rural towns are in the mountains. This year the fair was being held in San Fransisco- a very rural town 3 hours into the mountians. So last weekend I had to hike up a mountain for 3 hours before getting to San Fransisco where the fair was being held.This basically meant that the women in La Merced’s women’s group were also hiking and carrying everything (their artesania work and food to sell at the fair) on their backs over the mountains for 3 hours. Every time I would hike up a steep hill I thought it would end, but it did not. The mountains went on forever until I was very sweaty and out of breath. Coming back down was not that much easier because after awhile it does hurt on the knees. In the end I am glad I climbed that mountain because it gave me a greater appreciation of where I live and made me respect the people who live out there even more. Not to mention that there are people who live even further out there after San Fransisco. Anyway, getting back to the fair...my friend Hannah hiked up the mountain with me and we participated in a dance with my women’s group. Our costume consisted of a sheet that was pinned up by the shoulders. In the pictures I am putting up of us my counterpart is the woman on the left of me. So the day consisted of setting up the display of the women’s artesania work in the morning and later on the judges came around to ask questions to all the groups who were displaying work. From what I heard the judging consited of the number of works women were showing, how long they took to make and if they were hand made or machine made. In the afternoon some people presented some short skits or role plays, followed by the dances. So that's about it for the fair. I am also including a picture of me and my student from one of the lower grades. She is a very sweet girl and is always trying to play with me. The picture with her is one of my favorites. In the end the whole experience was wonderful and made me feel even more connected to my women’s group and community.