There´s one for the Pachamama

It´s been a rollercoaster of a week, but the lows weren´t as low as the highs were high and I wasn´t really even thrown for any loops if you know what I mean;) The first week of work is always a challenge as you search for your niche in a place that was functioning well before you showed up on the scene, but considering I haven´t shed a tear in frustration yet, things are pretty darn good.

The highlight of the week was last night. The first Friday of every month is special here in Bolivia (and throughout the Andean region, I imagine) because it´s the night where everyone (of indigenous decent) offers Q´wa. Q´wa is a ritual offered to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) each month in thanks for good health, success, safety, love, and all the riches she has provided for our sustenance and in hopes that such good luck will continue. Since the majority of the staff at my work are of Quechua decent as are our clients, we offered Q´wa last night on the door step of Fundacion ProHabitat. In Q´wa, symbolic herbs, symbols, and sweets are burned over a small fire and everyone present offers wine and alcohol to the four corners (much like Native Americans) before taking part ourselves. It was an informal, fascinating, tasty, and fun cap to my first week of work. As the embers still smoldered and the smoke rose to the sky, we headed off to a restaurant to the sounds of fireworks and traditional music filling the streets. The combo of new traditions meeting old is fascinating to observe.

Really briefly, other highlights of the week included my discovery of a veggie and hummus wrap at a nearby restaurant, 40 twenty year olds dancing to some very loud music in the living room until 2 AM on Thursday in celebration of my host sister´s b-day, and the amazing pasty, strawberry, whip cream, yummy cake that is still taking over half of our fridge. Life is tough with such tasty food at my fingertips...