Thoughts from Rural Bolivia (children are insane) Part III

Tuesday, March 18

The nights were unbearably chilly. After that first night of dreamless, death-like sleep, I didn't have a single peaceful slumber. I woke up every so often in the middle of the night, and in the mornings, I awoke, cramped up because I spent every night curled up in a ball trying to stay warm.
I didn't feel very healthy there. I was always tired, never the perfect temperature, and always hungry. Even though they always doubled my portions, I can never eat more than a couple of spoonfuls of potato foup. I felt feverish all the time.

The act of eating can make anyone seem vulnerable. But when I saw those children squatting on the floor, diggin into their tasteless potatoes as if they were kids meals and crying for more, it made me lose my appetite. I felt so disgusted with myself. I have the world at my disposal, yet why do I still complain?

I hope someday I'll be able to come back to this family. see how they're doing, see if they remember me. On my first day, Vismar told me he wishes to come to the states. I hope he does.

Children have so many different facets. I really think it's true, that saying that children are like sponges and soak up everything around them. All of them are so sweet with the youngest, Leni, the baby. They kiss her over and over and often carry her around the house singing songs. But the next moment, they are throwing rocks at the dogs and slapping each other's heads. Your actions around your kids matter so much, because they pick up your habits. It shows how much you represent your upbringing (although this is very debatable).

I was and still am confused about the school situation. All the children go to school normally, but Yaneth didn't go to school the whole time I was living with her family. This is troubling because 1) she was going to fall behind in school
2) her parents were letting her for my sake
3) she is absolutely intolerable at times.
Already she has made me promise to get apples for her. She also repeats the same facts over and over again: that I am fat, and that she is skinny, that she wants to wear and keep my glasses. Not to mention her habit of constantly asking for gifts. I just felt incredibly uncomfortable around her.

That day, Yaneth locked me out of her house and refused to give me the key. I was running a fever and could barely stand. She wouldn't talk to me or look at me until I said I was going to leave for Cochabamba. Bad idea. She was terrified that I would leave and that she would be blamed for it. So she hid the key and went to go get her father (this all occurred over the course of an hour and a half, approx.). To my embarrassment, the father came and made her give me the key. Yaneth and I were at peace once again when I made her understand that I wasn't actually going to leave. We watched Kung Fu Hustle, which kept order for a little bit. THEN, yon Kevin, the other little one, ran outside and refused to come to me. So I sat there, waiting for him to get sick of the game and return to the house, when Yaneth came to try to control the situation. She aggressively attempted to force him into the house, causing him to fall. Yon Kevin's nose began to bleed and he began crying uncontrollably.

I ran into the house for my tissues, and when I came back, Yaneth took them from me and promptly assumed the role of responsible older sibling. She shushed him, cleaned him up, and tucked him neatly into bed. These kids never ceased to impress me.