Cochabamba Dreaming

At Geof & Marion's despedida (farewell) all the guys played soccer in polleras (traditional skirts)

Despedida for Beth and I at Julie's Thursday night support network/prayer group

Tottie's class singing Silent Night at Centro de Amistad y Apoyo (Centre of Friendship & Support) - I took this class a few times, in Spanish of course!

Moiko baptising members of our church in the public swimming pool - that big guy behind him is his brother, whom I was no match for in a game of keepy-off in the pool!

Naiot & Uzai ready for excursion to the pool - when the whole family was in the car (including grandma and I) the boys always had to sit in the back with the spare tyre!

My despedida dinner with the Padillas at Bufalo Rodicio

European-looking Plaza Colon

Cristo de la Concordancia (33m statue of Jesus Christ) on a hill overlooking the centre of Cochabamba, visible from almost anywhere in the city

My obsession with church towers continues...this one is in Plaza 14 de Septiembre, the main plaza of Cochabamba

Aussie night at Geof & Marion's house (with Karen & Lydia) featuring Tim Tam slams/dunks!

An 'S' micro coming down Calle 21 de enero, a familiar sight for me in the main street of the barrio (suburb) I lived in

Susana, one of my wonderful teachers at Centro de Idiomas Buenas Neuvas (the language school)

My Bolivian sisters Salem & Jafia dressed as North American Indians at their school's English feria (fair)

View from the balcony at Centro de Amistad y Apoya - that weird-looking contraption is a drying machine for the granola business that shares the premises and are part of the ministry

Bolivian version of a backpack and baby papoose in La Cancha, the southern hemisphere's biggest market

Angelica (another one of my fantastic teachers) about to dig into a typical plate of Pique Macho - meat, sausages, chips, tomatoes, onions, egg, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard

3yo Javier, one of my favourite boys in "my class" - his mother works in the granola business so he was there every day, excitedly greeting Julie & I "hermana, hermana" (sister) as we arrived

My friend Maite (administrator at the language school) and a giant!

Its hard to pick who's not the teenager! When my bed was upgraded from single to double, my room became a popular place to play and do homework

Grover, a friend from our church, and his godson Samuel (Jeremy & Annie's son)

Kids club at the Salvation Army community project I volunteered at

Awarding medals for the Kids club soccer competition that I umpired!

Maughe, director/teacher at the language school, and Julie, director of Centro de Amistad y Apoyo, who also taught me many things through her ministry!

Salem & Naiot trying out my head torch when we the power was out!

John hard at work in Primero de Mayo, the barrio where kids club is...there's an awesome view of the whole valley and mountains surrounding Cochabamba on a clear day

My spiritual parents Veronica and Moises

Naiot´s 9th birthday cake was the biggest I´ve ever seen - enough to feed the big extended family!

A weird procession in the main street

I thought this was a wedding, but no, just as interesting way to display cookware and stuffed toys!