After my second week in Cochabamba, I am realizing that learning a new language is a full time job! For this retired teacher...it's a whole new world to be back in Spanish 101. My classes are held each morning from 8 AM to 11:30 AM at the Instituto de Idiamos de Maryknoll, but my studies continue all day and into the evening as I listen, read and speak as much Spanish as I can! I have placed post-it notes around my room to help me learn the everyday words I use the most. My professors at the Instituto are wonderful but my host family members are also very patient teachers! As we eat meals together and share stories about our families, I try to introduce new vocabulary and they do the same. Immersion into a new language and culture is challenging but each step in the process is very rewarding. This past week I was able to use my Spanish skills to purchase something in a stationary store, read and order from a menu, take a taxi to the central city and watch the world news on TV. Just basic beginner steps...but building on these fundamentals will hopefully improve my conversational skills. I have so many questions to ask and not enough grammar or vocabulary to ask them! I carry my pocket sized Spanish/English dictionary everywhere...already the pages are showing signs of wear and tear!
On Saturday, I travelled with my fellow lay missioners to the southern zone of Cochabamba and visited several programs/places where Maryknoll priests, sisters and lay missioners work and live. Population in this southern azone has exploded in the past ten years as more Bolivians from the "campos" (mostly indigenous Quechua and Aymara families) have moved to the outskirts of the city looking for work. Many of the social and educational programs I visited, work collaboratively with other religious groups and non-profits to build sustainable growth and change with the Bolivian people. One of the most critical needs is for clean, safe drinking water...until next time...chau!
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