Lately I have been keeping busy with my tasks in the library: tutoring, helping kids find books, planning upcoming activities and deciding what books to purchase that will best serve the students. At times, 20 kids will swarm into the library in order to practice different subjects, such as Math, or to play different board games. Other days require much waiting. The weather and encouragement from teachers and parents greatly affects library attendance. Hopefully both will continue to offer positive encouragement.
In April we are planning to have activities for the youth of the neighborhood. We are planning different games and crafts for them to participate in. We desire for more students to know about the library and thus have decided to team up with the Catholic Church. Around 100 kids will be preparing for their first communion April 12 and the nuns have asked us to help organize different activities for them in the morning, prior to the mass. We jumped on the idea and decided to use this opportunity to help benefit the library. Since the library occupies a room within the church´s compound, it shouldn´t be too difficult to use the space for various activities. We also hope to have seminars for parents about the importance of reading later on in the month. Students come to use the library to do homework, but very few come solely to read the different novels and stories we have available. Hopefully such seminars will help promote reading at home and library attendance.
During the month of March our group of SALTers visited Cochabamba for three days. We traveled the 12 hour bus ride on a Friday night and arrived Saturday morning. We then spent the next two days in meetings and seminars about the new constitution, Indigenous Cosmology and beliefs, law 1008 (established to help reduce drug trafficking and production, but instead has resulted in thousands of unjust arrests.) and about an organization called the Democracy Center which helps to lobby for citizen rights in Cochabamba and Bolivia as a whole. We also spent time sightseeing, but we were all very thankful for such an informative experience.
As for me, I am enjoying my time here in Bolivia. Every week presents different challenges, but I am thankful for the lessons I have learned from them. My host family is very hospitable and I appreciate the relationships I have established within the community. I feel more adjusted to the culture and language which helps as well. Time is moving quicker now and I realize July is rapidly approaching. Please continue to remember me in your prayers during my last three and a half months abroad. Chao.
