| Saturday, January 28, 2006 |
| From the land of purple toilet paper... |
Sadly, I never did get to go to Tiawaniku today because those silly german gringos never e-mailed me back. While shopping for a present for a certain someone up north I bumped into one of Patricias friends that I was partying with last night, and we ended up spending the day together. I saw my first movie in spanish...Los Hermanos Grimm....and I pretty much was lost the whole time, but it was amusing nonetheless. Particularily because its an english movie that was dubbed in spanish...haha...I could pick out words like "Faster, faster!" and "Lets go!" but thats about it...hahaha.
I get frustrated not knowing spanish because I cannot converse with the people that I really want to get to know. I want to talk to strangers in cafes, the indigenous people that are so marginalized here, the 12 year olds that shine shoes all day, the buskers and musicians, the transients from across south america, the people who search through garbage every night on the roadsides to make a living, the people cooking hamburguesas on the sidewalk late at night, the women who sell vegetables in the markets, and the children who play in the rain every afternoon...but I know that I have plenty of time, and in a month or two I will be able to do all the things that I want to, and everything will work out in the end.
I e-mailed a spanish teacher in La Paz today, and I am hoping that I can get some lessons for a few weeks. Which means that I will likely be in La Paz for the next month, which isnt terrible, but not my first choice.
So yeah, Patty and her friends took me out partying last night....we danced until the wee hours of the morning to latino music. It was really great. They serve alchohol in buckets here, its really funny. Oh, and the toilet paper is all one-ply and purple. Who knew?
So my trip to Copacabana this week is on with Patt-meister. Were off to Lake Titicaca for 2-3 days, it should be great.
Anyways, its approaching midnight and I have a brand new charango to play...buenas noches, amigos. |
posted by Ben @ 7:35 PM  |
|
| 6 Comments: |
-
hey ben! (remember me??)
i am loving reading about your adventures, makes me wish i was back in Calcutta...i wish that every day actually. have you had the feeling yet that you feel more naturally accumstomed to/comfortable with Bolivian culture than north american? I remember having that feeling every day.
I hope you're having an incredible time and learning super much. you're awesome, and hopefully i'll see you when you come home.
love bronwyn
-
Hi Ben. I look for your blog entries every day! Sounds like you are settling in well despite your temporary language barrier. I assume you are making out okay with the banks etc. Since you are planning to stay put for a while do you need to find longer term accommodations or can you continue at the hostel? Don't forget to use your calling card...hint, hint. Love Mom.
-
Ben:
Good job with the local ladies... (*virgin seducer!*). If I were Patricia's parents I'd have her home at 8 when you're on the loose too.
It's nice to hear that your safe and having fun, and I hope that the Spanish teacher can help you so that you can converse with everyone. One tip I picked up in Germany: try to have the locals you do speak to add as much Spanish into their conversations as possible. It tends to help.
-
BFAT, PARTY TIME, EXCELLENT, WOO WOO WO WOO! I hope you get the hang of spanish sooner then later, hesse. I had a dream i woke up in a foreign land to your smiling face, it was the most beautiful dream ever... I applied to Camosun college rather then uvic, our hearts will re-unite soon my friend, soon. Sooner then you want :)
I miss you bfat, i hope you have many heart filled stories for me to read in the future.
oh yeah, for who ever posted :
"At 7:59 AM, Anonymous said…
Ben, you need to ask yourself why, why did I give Deryck my blog address. "
I dont like you.
love forever and always,
deryck w. BUSH!
-
Hola mi hijo: Glad things seem to be going well for you-that you are safe,making friends and getting a chance to actualize your adventure. You are a bright guy and I am confident you can acquire the language quickly as you immerse yourself. Try to learn a new phrase or idiom every time you encounter a spanish speaking person and encourage those who are bilingual to spend some of your time speaking spanish. How are you finding the altitude. Hope your trip this week goes well and that you soon start forwarding some pics and discover the phone system. Love Dad
-
Deryck, you know you love me.
|
| |
| << Home |
| |
|
|
|
| Ben Martin's log of his 6-month journey to the South American Andean nation of Bolivia. |
| About Me |
|
Name: Ben
Home:
About Me:
See my complete profile
|
| Previous Post |
|
| Archives |
|
| Shoutbox |
"Courage, my friends; 'tis not too late to build a better world." -Tommy Douglas, the Greatest Canadian |
| Other things |
| Feel free to use my logs for whatever purpose, just make sure to credit me! |
| Links |
|
| Powered by |
Isnaini Dot Com
 |
|
hey ben! (remember me??)
i am loving reading about your adventures, makes me wish i was back in Calcutta...i wish that every day actually. have you had the feeling yet that you feel more naturally accumstomed to/comfortable with Bolivian culture than north american? I remember having that feeling every day.
I hope you're having an incredible time and learning super much. you're awesome, and hopefully i'll see you when you come home.
love bronwyn