The case of the tourist suitcase...

30 August 2008

Dear Family, Friends, and Supporters! And buenos dias!!

Having arrived safely in Cochabamba last Sunday 24 August, much of this week has been spent trying to get my "lost" suitcase, one of two that was sent from Winnipeg. After numerous hours on the telephone with both airlines, seven trips out to the airport, and more hours of waiting, they finally found my suitcase in Budapest! Apparently my suitcase has a travel bug, too...only it did not send me a postcard?!! Maybe it's in the mail...

Many have wanted to know about my long days of travelling to get here. My day and a half of flying and layovers (some 30 hours) left me feeling quite exhausted. I flew from Winnipeg to Chicago, a five hour layover there (that was mostly unpleasant unfortunately), then from there to Miami, for a three hour layover, then to Santa Cruz via La Paz...in Santa Cruz there was a four hour layover....and finally arrived in Cochabamba on Sunday afternoon. Although I felt exhausted for this last leg of travelling, I was still not too tired to view the Andes Mountains from my window seat. It was a beautiful, sunny day and the scenery was spectacular!

Cochabamba, itself, is nestled in a valley that is surrounded by mountains, they are brown now because it is winter here. The first of September is spring and with it will come some rain and by November everything will become green again. I am very happy that I will be here to see that as it is already quite stunning! All around the city there are many different types of trees and flora. Many palm, coconut, and banana trees can be found in the parks, with their fountains and green spaces. In places that get watered regularly it is quite lovely!

My host family are very nice and hospitable. They have hosted many other international students for over twenty years. Already I have heard many stories of others who have lived with them. In the house/compound are my host parents, both retired, their daughter and grandson, who is 2 years old, as well as a hired girl. The grandson is friendly and very busy...always into something. And I am grateful for his energy and curiosity in this first week here as I adjust to a new city, country, school, language, culture and temporary home. He has a way of making me smile at the most unexpected moments! We are conversing fairly well with my broken Spanish and their broken English and already my host mother has taken me to the very large market here, La Cancha, and to a local supermarket. I am beginning to get acquainted with them and with the neighbourhood in which we live, very close to the school.

As I settle into my room and new home, there has been time to adjust to cultural differences...the traffic which may or may not stop at a red light...the cars without seatbelts, small stores everywhere, people wearing traditonal clothing, the dry, dusty streets....as well as the calla lilies everywhere, elegant and simple beauty in the midst of harsh realities.

Classes begin on Monday and I look forward to meeting other students and learning Spanish in order to speak properly and conjugate verbs in their proper tenses!!

My family, friends, and supporters, thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and emails. As we begin this new journey together, let us give thanks to God, whose love and grace measures far beyond any distance we might be apart, whose loving embrace extends to all! Amen.

Hasta luega (until next time)...

Grace and Peace~

Fran.