Just smile and nod

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  Cochabamba, Bolivia
Tuesday, July 1, 2008

The woman I am living with here is 70 years old. She loves to talk to me and has told me all the difficult things in her life. The reason I know that is cause I heard the word ¨dead¨ many times and daugther and husband.  I think I tricked her by answering one question correctly and now she thinks I understand everything. So all I do is smile and nod, it gets me by for now. There are three generations in the house, and two of the daughters are nurses that work very hard. They work from 7 in the morning until 8 in the night every day except sunday. In two jobs actually. They couldnt believe I get two weeks paid vacation a year. PAID: why? And the three month break they just couldnt understand and my spanish was not adequate to give even a partial explanation. But it made me realize how lucky I am, that I can do this, that I have opportunities to travel and learn and that I dont have to work six days a week. The people here are working so hard, and not for the extra car. Just to stay afloat and care for the family.
I figured out the shower, kind of. The more you turn the dial the colder it gets, but if its too low the electric heater (which is attached to the shower head) doesnt turn on and its freezing. It think there must be a short too because every time I turned the dial I got a little shock. Its a little scary to be in a shower with an electrical short, but I turned it like ten times and it was always the same. Maybe it will give my neurons that extra little jolt they need to remember all those new words.
Last night the two granddaughters came to my room and helped me with my home work, its humbling to have a 12 year old correct your basic sentences, but its such a perfect way to connect with them. They love to help me. They stayed with me for hours and we had broken conversations about school and their family and music class and their moms job etc. They played their instruments for me, special local wind pipes and flutes. Then I taught them yoga. No actually I didnt, but it would have been perfect if I knew how. I was so happy when I was going to bed, I was laughing to myself. That I am so lucky to learn from them.  

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