Hello again

Well after just 13 days in site, I'm back in the city buying seeds and supplies to help get some family gardens started.  The lack of seeds seems to be the major limiting factor for vegetable production (and hence, consumption) in my ...so it seems I've found my primary project:  seed saving!  I still have a lot of learning about the subject to do, but it's nice to feel like I have some sort of guiding force to my work.  For now, I'm stuck buying seeds that will give plants (important, yes) but won't help the community be self-sufficient in terms of seed supply, but I've come across some organizations that will maybe donate organic seeds that can be open-pollinated.  This sort of food/farm justice is my passion...so you can imagine how exciting it is for me to maybe be working directly on a project to fight the big seed/ag conglomerates in favor of grassroots-level organization.

The past almost two weeks held two main activities.  The first was the planting of vegetables in the community (but run by the school) farm.  It was not my project, but that of some ingenieros...who I have to admit have their hearts in

 the right place, and were not as bad as some that I've described in the past.  

They did a great job teaching about double-digging, and set the stage for me to do compost piles in the schools, for sure, since they stressed the importance of adding organic matter to the soil.  It was great fun making these raised beds and planting with the kids...unfortunately since that time, the gallinas (hens) basically ate all the plants.  They did leave us with seeds and the plants in the greenhouse are safe, so we will have transplants soon.  Now if we could just kick the parents into gear (caring for the farm is their responsibility) to get them to really make a good fence.

The second thing was the campeonato.  Since schools have been on vacation nation-wide ("winter" vacation), I guess this is when they have the traveling sports competitions.  Three neighboring municipalities (kind of like big counties or districts I guess) travelled to my lovely town to compete in soccer, running, volleyball and basketball.  There was also a beauty pageant at the closing ceremonies (duh, this is Bolivia after all...we love beauty pageants!)  The town was full of strangers, which made being a gringa difficult once again...everyone in my town, save a few, know that I belong there and don't need to be cat-called, but unfortunately the visitors did not know.  In any case, I had fun loitering in the crowds, cheering on my teams, etc.  The municipalities rotate years hosting, so I was lucky to be here in a year when we were hosting.  People really went all-out making food to sell, they know an economic opportunity when they see one (triple the people?  all hungry? yes!).

In a few weeks I'll be seeing my training buddies for almost 3 weeks, in Cochabamba (how I missed that city!), when we have our reunion, project meetings, diagnostic presentations, and language training (I need someone to correct all the lazy habits I've acquired deep in the valles cruceños).  Until then, enjoy summer in the U.S., or wherever you are...this girl misses raspberries and corn on the cob like none other!

Post below this is my attempt at making a slideshow of images of my town (as requested)...I wanted to have it as its own object, but I will have to save that for another trip I suppose.