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D I R E C C I O N E S
Newsletter of the Arkansas-East Bolivia Partners of the Americas Bob Frans, Ed. rfrans@uark.edu 1366 W. Altheimer Dr., Fayetteville AR 72704-6804 Phone 479-575-3978 or 443-5403, Fax 479-575-3975 www.partners.net (national) or www.uark.edu/misc/partners (Arkansas)
Travels
Much of the bulk of this edition will be taken up with trip reports of
various people who have traveled in the last several months.
Partners of America Sports Program I arrived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia on Wednesday, August 24. After some extensive touring and education of the city, a few days were spent in preparation of the seminars in the following days. I evaluated the facilities and equipment available for the seminars and workshops and tried to determine exactly how many coaches and athletes would be attending as well as the sport that they were associated with. I found that the equipment and facilities were better than I had expected. The stadium in Santa Cruz provided us with a great location for drills and instruction in each of the designated areas. Later that day, I worked with some of the coaches who wanted to gather more information about their elite athletes in order to be able to document the improvement of their athletes with the training. Some of the tests performed were the vertical jump, standing long jump, and 20 and 40-meter sprints. Approximately 20 coaches attended the first seminar without any athletes present. The seminar covered training principles and the tests used to measure the performance of their athletes as well as their fitness levels. The coaches expressed a lot of interest in the information that I had for them and were very enthusiastic about the workshops. The range of sports that were represented at the workshops were much more diverse than I had originally planned. I had originally designed the program for sports such as track and field, soccer, basketball, baseball, and swimming. After meeting each of the coaches, I adjusted the program to fit the needs of each of the sports represented. Other sports included karate, volleyball, and boxing to mention a few. The largest contingent was in Track and Field. The first day went surprisingly well. The information was passed on and understood without much difficulty. For this, I must thank my translator in Santa Cruz, Marco Ortiz, for his wonderful help and invaluable guidance. On the second day of the seminar, the coaches performed a "hands-on" workshop with their own athletes. This workshop put into action the principals and tests that they had learned the day earlier in order to have some personal experience with the material and their athletes. The coaches that had attended the day before arrived again with approximately 2-3 athletes in their designated sport. This workshop was also a success, even more so than the first. I was delighted to see a lot of smiles and enthusiasm when the coaches and athletes performed the tests designed to measure speed, agility, power, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition. The coaches developed a better understanding of the tests and information that was given to them the day before as well as learning valuable information about the training level of their athletes. Following the second day of the seminar, the coaches were presented with complimentary booklets of the University of Arkansas Strength and Conditioning exercises and principals as well as donated t-shirts from the University of Arkansas men's athletics department. The coaches in association with the Santa Cruz Track and Field Association were very thankful and asked a lot of questions about programs that may follow in the future. Each coach and athlete received a certificate stating that they had completed the seminar. The rest of my days in Santa Cruz were spent relaxing, seeing the rest of the city, and helping some coaches that wanted some help with their athletes. I went to a baseball practice and helped the coach evaluate their throwing and hitting mechanics while conducting a practice. Other activities included a dinner with the rest of the Partners of America. The group was very hospitable and happy to have me in Bolivia. Miguel Cortez Escalante expressed his happiness in my arrival in Santa Cruz. He and his wife were very gracious and hospitable and expressed options for the sports program in the future. I must also thank them for their hospitality and genuine interest in the program. Special thanks must go out to Sandra Angela Antelo for her guidance, dedication, and attitude towards the program, not to mention her hospitality. I arrived in Trinidad on Monday, August 19. I met with several partners at the airport such as Mr. WillieTanaka and Roxana Rivero Chavez. Roxana was a very gracious and helpful host as well as her son Carlo, who was my translator for the second day of the seminar. I also went to eat with Victor Hugo Callau, a radio broadcaster in Trinidad and a very nice man. He provided me with a lot of good stories about Trinidad and introduced me to some great food native to Trinidad. The needs in Trinidad were much different than in Santa Cruz so I had to adjust the program to compensate for the different facilities and lack of equipment that was apparent in the city. The Sports Palace of Trinidad provided a great place for us to hold the seminars and aside from strength, conditioning, and fitness assessment equipment, the equipment that they had was very good in comparison to Santa Cruz. The first day of the workshops went well. The orientation of the material went very well with the 16 coaches present. They had a little more trouble grasping some of the material at first, but following questions, were a little more comfortable with the material. The second day of the seminar also cleared up any confusion about the principals from the day before. The drills and tests covered from the day before were put into action with approximately 15 athletes at the Sports Palace. This is where the real learning and experience happened for the group in Trinidad. They reacted very well and seemed very gracious for the workshops. The coaches and athletes in Trinidad were a delight to work with. They were constantly laughing and having fun while staying tuned to the tasks at hand, a skill not yet mastered by most Americans. I must thank Carlo Chavez for his help on the second day of the workshop, his guidance, and his hospitality for the duration of my stay in Trinidad. After the workshop, I went with Victor and his wife once again to dinner, where Victor educated me about his trip to America years ago. What a great experience and what great people! For the
rest of my stay in Trinidad I worked with more coaches as I did in Santa
Cruz. I worked with a basketball team and evaluated their mechanics
while observing their practice style as well. I also gave them a
few helpful pointers on how to improve their game. Next I worked
with a girl's volleyball team and taught them the specific skills of the
serve, pass, set, and spike. I addressed other situational skills
and special plays that can confuse the opposition. I am very proud
of the strides that the girls made in such a short amount of time.
I hope that the skills and drills that I introduced to them will help them
progress further. I was extremely fortunate enough to meet the mayor
of Trinidad who presented me with a certificate thanking me for the help
that I had provided for them. I was very humbled by the honor and
can only hope that I was as gracious in return.
I left for Cobija on Monday, August 26. The city was a very pleasant surprise! For those who have not had the pleasure of traveling to Pando, if you have the means, I highly recommend it. It is a tropical environment and has a slower-paced style of life than I had become accustomed to after spending a lot of time in Santa Cruz and Trinidad. The city is very nice and the scenery is breathtaking. I met with Carol Carlo Duran, my host, at the airport. I appreciated her organization and her help with the planning of the seminars as well as recruiting the coaches and athletes. My greatest gratitude must go out to my translator, Paolo. Paolo provided me with great translation and a very useful guide and companion in a new and strange place. My first day in Cobija was a memorable one. After settling
in my hotel room, I spoke to a soccer coach and his team about dedication
to their sport while maintaining a high level of enjoyment. I followed
up with some warm-up drills and begun to start a practice for them until
a downpour ensued. It was a rainfall that I had not seen in many
years. I was soaked from head to toe but it was a day that I will
not soon forget. I then met with some of the coaches that were going
to attend the meetings the next day. I gave them some background
information about the program and exactly what I would be talking about.
The first seminar was the next day. It went very well. I was
surprised to see the coaches learning the material fairly quickly.
I also learned the value of a good translator when you are not fortunate
enough to speak the language. Twenty-one coaches came to the first
seminar, which was held at a building that was once the city hall.
The coaches were very interested and asked a lot of questions regarding
the tests and drills that I had showed to them. The only problem
with this workshop was that it started at 8:15 pm. Everyone was a
little tired at the end of the night.
My last stop in Bolivia was in La Paz. I did not perform the seminar that was started in the other cities but I talked to Cecilia Cordova and other partners who were very optimistic about starting a sports program. With La Paz being such a large city, the needs were numerous and diverse. Cecilia expressed the importance of getting their youth into playing more sports instead of heading toward a path of crime. Other ideas included the program that was started in Santa Cruz, Trinidad, and Cobija, as well as increasing the activity level of the youth in different areas of the city and different levels of economic status. The rest of my stay in La Paz was a great experience. The
scenery was beautiful and the buildings were very authentic looking.
I enjoyed this stay very much. I ended the trip with lunch at Cecilia's
house. Her hospitality was very appreciated as well as her interest
in our sports program. My greatest thanks must go out to Luis, his
kindness and hospitality were excellent. Hopefully I will be able
to speak Spanish and communicate with him a little more clearly next time.
 Victor Hugo Callaú Victor Hugo came to Fayetteville on October 12. While in Northwest Arkansas he was hosted by Bettie Lu Lancaster, Phil Serafini, and Bill Millager. He attended the Arkansas-East Bolivia Partners' Annual Meeting and gave a brief talk to this group. Later, he participated in the reception and fiesta at the Episcopal Church in Fayetteville, and the next day at the Board meeting. He then spent a couple of days with Bill and Gwen Millager at their Rogers home. While there he was able to arrange for emergency equipment for his radio station in Trinidad. He also visited a radio station in Rogers and witnessed a television debate between two state-wide candidates for the U.S. Senate from Arkansas.
On October Victor Hugo transferred to Central Arkansas, spending
a couple of days with Sue Heily in Conway and the remainder of his time
with Thecia Taylor in Little Rock. He departed for Bolivia from Little
Rock on October 25 .
Miguel Angel Mendoza S. Sr. Mendoza attended the International Partners Convention in Quito. Because he was a scholarship awardee for that conference, he was able to visit his Arkansas counterpart partnership afterwards. Miguel represented East Bolivia from his home city of Trinidad. He arrived in Northwest Arkansas on November 24, following the Quito conference, and was met at the airport by Gwen and Bill Millager and by Bob Frans, who was his Fayetteville host. Although Miguel had only a week for his visit, including both Fayetteville and Little Rock, the days were full of activities. Initially, he was able to tour Washington County agricultural areas with the kind assistance of Merle Gross, Staff Chair of the county extension service. Juan Carlos Mehta, top student in the Crops, Soils and Environmental Sciences Department and from Bolivia, was his translator. Later, he toured the Springdale Jones Center and met with Hispanic leaders there. These arrangements were made by Gwen Millager. Although it was Thanksgiving week, he took it in stride.
On Wednesday night, Bob took him to Ft. Smith for a Thanksgiving dinner
with Bob's daughter Ceciliaand Mike Callaway and family. On Thanksgiving
day, Phil and Mary Alice Serafini were his hosts with their family and
friends. On Saturday of that week we transferred to Little Rock where
Thecia Taylor was his host for the rest of his stay.
Part of his stay in Central Arkansas was devoted to shopping and to a tour
of the Pine Bluff and Stuttgart area. The last day of his stay in
the area he was taken to Mariana and hosted by the Staff Chair of Extension,
Lazaro English, a former Weed Science student and colleague of Bob's.
Lazaro graciously invited us to the weekly Rotary Club meeting, where both
Bob and Thecia were able to outline the purpose of Miguel's visit, as well
as the Partner organization. Bob was able to meet several former
colleagues at this meeting - he worked for many years at the adjacent Cotton
Branch Experiment Station. In the afternoon we were able to visit
the station where we were met by Claude Kennedy, Director of the station.
We were also able to tour one of the leading and modern cotton gins of
East Arkansas and briefly visited a fish farming operation nearby.
The next day, December 3, Miguel departed for Bolivia.
Don Dombek Although we do not have a running account of Don's most recent trip to Bolivia, we thought his report to the Washington Office would be of interest to you in keeping up with his activities with Farmer to Farmer in East Bolivia. This is his account: December 26, 2002 – January 11, 2003 What was the purpose and primary objective of your trip?
What Institutions/organizations/groups were you primarily providing
assistance to?
What services/assistance did you provide?
Any recommendation/suggestions for future volunteers, or comments?
As mentioned above, this trip was mostly about meetings, and there were several good ones. I spent a lot of time with Miguel Cortez and Juan Antonio Pereira discussing ideas and future projects. We met with representatives of all of the groups listed above, and as a consequence of those meetings we refined existing FTF proposals and developed a new one that I believe will be successful. An important part of this trip was my visit to Cochabomba. I am very
impressed with what Mauricio Ramirez and his colleagues have accomplished
there and I believe we can learn from their successes. This trip has already
resulted in a volunteer trip for Paul McLeod, we have another traveler
scheduled for May and I'm currently recruiting two other volunteers and
searching for another. My goal was to begin to reenergize our end of the
partnership, and some progress has been made.
Paul McLeod Paul, an entomologist from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, also traveled to East Bolivia under the Farmer to Farmer program. Again, since we do not have a running account of his trip, we present his trip report as submitted to the Washington office: Dates: 15-24 March 2003. What was the purpose and primary objective of your trip?
What Institutions/organizations/groups were you primarily providing
assistance to?
What services/assistance did you provide?
What were your observations, and what do you feel you accomplished
through these activities?
Some newer information was provided to vegetable and corn producers. Use of this information should help in better management of insect pests, improvement of pesticide safety, and resistance management. From the information that you have, did you notice or become aware
of any changes that resulted from recommendations of previous
FTF volunteers?
What future volunteer assignments do you think are needed, and what
are the next steps in moving the program forward?
Sending post-graduate students
from agricultural sciences of the Universidad Autonoma "Gabriel Rene Moreno"
should be developed further. The two requirements needed from Bolivia
are
Any recommendation/suggestions for future volunteers, or comments?
Please provide some comments on how the trip affected you personally,
or how you generally feel about the Farmer to Farmer program.
Profiles Continuing our practice of providing information about our Partners or Bolivian students, Bill Millager has provided us with an interesting piece on a former student. Here is her profile: Patricia Cors
Extracurricular - There are a lot of Bolivians who like to hang out together. We have always liked to have parties to celebrate our independence together, like the 24th of September, which is the Day of Santa Cruz. We like to enjoy our typical foods, such as majadito (rice with meat and eggs), plátanos, corn cakes, and fried yucca. Community Activities - While at the University, I was also active in SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise). We tried to help people start businesses. For example, we had a project where we taught hispanics some tips about management, marketing, and legal procedures to start a business in Northwest Arkansas. We also sent some people to the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) at UofA. It was a good feeling to know that we had helped some people get started with a good business. Experiences at Tysons
- After graduating, I started working at Tysons. I worked as a production
supervisor on the night shift at the entree plant in Fayetteville.
They do the Uncle Ben's Bowls - have you seen those? That's their main
product, rice and meat dishes. They also make the kit bags like fajitas,
pata dinners, and Asian foods.
Patricia and Mauricio's Wedding -Actually I recently got married; you may have seen the pictures in the newspaper El Nuevo Dia from Santa Cruz. (www.el-nuevodia.com/ Fiesta/Enero/fie030107b.html) It was a nice wedding; it was a beautiful day for me and Mauricio. Mauricio and I met about five years ago, while we were students at the University. The wedding was on January 4th of this year. Future Plans -
My husband Mauricio Ribera is working in Alabama right now. My visa
status doesn't allow me to move to Alabama for a while yet.
Further Studies
- So, in two months I'm going to move there. Actually, I was thinking
in a year I would begin to study for a masters degree in human resources.
I was thinking I could do it at some school in Alabama, possibly at Auburn
University.
Long Term - Our
plan - long term - is to work for about three more years in Alabama and
then go back to Bolivia. We'll go back to
Santa Cruz. We haven't searched for any jobs there yet; but probably a
year before we go there, we'll start looking for some jobs.
Family - I look
forward to going home eventually; I miss my family a lot.
Travels - I have
been, when I was a child, in Argentina. I've been in Brazil, in Chile,
in the Dominican Republic - that was very nice. Where else?
Jamaica - just one day - it is beautiful.
The Central Arkansas Partners gathered for a delicious potluck
at Thecia Taylor's home on March 9. The program focused on networking
with the director of the Arkansas International Center at UALR, Martha
L. Morton. Martha is also director of "Bringing Mexico to Arkansas
Teachers" and
On April 15 approximately 20 Partners met at Thecia Taylor's house for another potluck. No, we weren't rejoicing about having to pay taxes, we were welcoming Osman Pereyra Q. representing Academia de futbol Tahuichi Aguilera. Le Ann Robertson was in charge of his program which was facilitating his meeting coaches and other people interested in soccer. While our Executive Director, Bob Frans, was unable to attend our welcoming potluck, he saw to it that we had a beautiful spring bouquet for the table. Joe Waldrum, director of the Leadar program for Arkansas, reminded us that Ray Barclay of Fayetteville also had experience with Tahuichi. He was able to come to the party and shared with us his experience of sending his sons to the school while he and his family were in Santa Cruz on a Partners trip. These experiences were particularly helpful for Lynn and Kayleigh Smallwood, who were at the party. Kayleigh currently is playing soccer in Little Rock. Osman presented a video and commentary to add to our understanding
of Tahuichi - his trip was a continuation of our efforts in the Sports
Program. While in Little Rock Osman visited with Robert Trevino,
the governor's representative for Hispanic affairs and Pepe Becete, a central
figure for soccer affairs in Central Arkansas. Pepe's daughter Claudia,
Irene Compadre and Desha Peacock all assisted in translation for Osman.
Democratic Initiatives Recently, Bettie Lu Lancaster traveled to La Paz on a special project. This is her report: On March 30 Ingrid Arinez (a lawyer from La Paz and a doctoral student at the UofA) and I met in La Paz with Partners from La Paz, Oruro, Potosi, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Cobija and Trinidad, to plan projects for the Bolivia Justice Project, Ciudadanos Trabajando por la Justicia. After three days of intensive workshops in La Paz - we even worked through breakfast - those of us from Cobija, Trinidad and Arkansas flew to Santa Cruz where we joined about a dozen more members of their Justice Committee for several days of further meetings to develop specific projects. Bolivia has instituted a new Code of Criminal Procedures (CCP), based on a United Nations model and Latin America legal concepts. The new code introduces many of the democratic principles we take for granted here in the United States, such as the principles of innocence until proven guilty, justice and equality. Accused can no longer be held more than 8 hours without due cause and must be informed of their rights. A bail system was instituted, and trials, must be completed within three years. Lawyers must be provided for those who cannot afford them. Both sides will present their arguments orally and publicly. It attempts to correct abuses of the old system. Previously, accused persons were often detained without a judicial order, kept isolated, and often the subject of abuse. Lawyers were not provided for those who could not afford one. Many were not informed of their rights. Detention sometimes lasted more than five years before sentencing. Cases were not public, but were handled through the passing of paper documents. Under the new system, a jury composed of two technical judges (with legal training) and three citizen judges now hears cases in which the sentence is more than four years. Trials are public and oral. The new code respects the basic rights of both the accused and victims. But the CCP is not well understood, especially among the most disenfranchised segments of society, such as the indigenous, poor and women. There is widespread distrust of the new reforms and lack of understanding. The general perception among Bolivians is thet the CCP is causing an increase in crime and that the new code favors criminals. This perception is fostered by sensational media coverage. Under a contract with USAID, Partners has established a program entitled Ciudadanos trabajando por la Justicia, a 3-year, $4 million program which seeks to (1)achieve measurable understanding, acceptance and support for the reformed justice system in Bolivia, and (2)increase the capacity of civil society, through a network of organizations, to monitor the implementation of the CCP and advocate for continued reforms, improving access to and participation in the justice system. Partners has set up an office in La Paz, under the direction of Martha Cecilia Villada, with an expert staff to carry out the project. Partners chapters, along with other non government organizations (NGO's) are invited to submit proposals for 2-year projects to carry out the objectives of the program, targeting women, indigenous, youth and the poor. We Arkansas Partners were there to advise on what resources we might have to help with implementation. By the end of our stay a project for Santa Cruz had been outlined. When detailed projects are drafted, Cobija, Trinidad and Santa Cruz will each send them to Arkansas for our comments. Representing East Bolivia at the La Paz meetings were Miguel Cortez, Marisol Guzman and Luciano Velasco from Santa Cruz, Carol Carlo and Rosario Vaca from Cobija, and Gladys de Munoz and Roxana Rivera from Trinidad. The Santa Cruz Committee chair is Gaby Saruco de Parada, past president of the Comite Civico Feminina. Gabriela Eugenio and Aida McKenney are very active members of this hard working committee, which had met 19 times before the La Paz meeting. Partners President Malcolm Butler, and representatives from USAID participated in the La Paz meetings, and Anabella Bruch participated in both La Paz and Santa Cruz. Here in Arkansas, several meetings were held to gather expert advice before Ingrid and I traveled to La Paz. Will Miller, Director of the Ph.D. program in Public Policy, has been particularly helpful, and Amilcar Medina gave us advance information after his February meeting with Martha Cecilia and her staff in La Paz. Others involved have been: Judith Kilpatrick, Molly Sizer Stephenson, Don Voth, and Steven Neuse. Arkansas will be expected to be involved throughout the implementation of the East Bolivia projects. We worked hard in Bolivia. The meetings were intense, the code complex and the grant requirements complicated, but Bolivian hospitality prevailed. Rosario Anaya was my gracious homestay hostess, feeding me delicious meals, and driving me to meetings. Those of you who remember her daughter, Gabriela Equino as a young girl in love, will now fine her a dedicated wife and the mother of a delightful two-year old boy. The committee hosted a restaurant dinner, we were feted for luncheons and teas, ands Gladys and Miguel Justiniano hosted a dinner. Although a weekend in Samaipata was planned, the weather was bad, so I dined at the home of Blanquitaand Walter Callaú with two of their lovely daughters, sons-inn-law and grandchildren, and spent a day in the country with their other relatives. The only bad note was that Ingrid was detained by the INS
in Miami without explanation, a frightening experience, causing her to
miss her connecting flight. Fortunately, her papers were all in order
and she was released after four hours.
On Saturday, May 10, longtime members Phil and Mary Alice Serafini
hosted a fabulous asado for the Arkansas-East Bolivia Partners. The
party was a welcome feature of the UA graduation weekend for the 2003 class
of Bolivian students.
The crowd was impressive in size; tangible joy and relief overflowed. Barbecued meats and fried yucca, flowing constantly from the outdoor grill and jumbo backyard deep fryer, were the menu of choice. A great selection of other traditional foods and Arkansas favorites was accompanied by copious snacks and beverages. A great many Arkansas Partners mingled with the students and the significant number of parents who had traveled from Santa Cruz and La Paz for the graduation weekend. The Bolivian student community has grown rapidly in size ever since (retiring) Executive Director Bob Frans negotiated the pivotal in-state tuition program with then-Chancellor Dan Ferritor in 1996. Currently, over eighty Bolivian students are enrolled during each semester. Recent asados have also witnessed a growing population of infants and toddlers, tagging along - or being carried in by their student parents. When it came time to recognize individual graduates, President Thecia Taylor and Regional Vice President Margaret Clark presented tokens of remembrance: blown-glass bluebirds of happiness created by a renowned nearby art studio. Each student was greeted by applause, cheers, and affectionate comments from the crowd. Eleven Bolivians had graduated in 2002. This year, there were between 11 and 13 graduates, depending on whose numbers were accepted.
As the party got underway, guests became aware that one of the graduating students had special reasons to celebrate. Juan Carlos Mayta was the outstanding student in Bob Frans' former department (used to be called Agronomy, but now is Crops, Soils, and Environmental Sciences). He was honored as one of four First Honors Program Distinguished Graduates from the Bumpers Agricultural College. Commendably, Juan Carlos had managed to raise the money to bring his parents Lidia Apaza and Julio Mayta to graduation - their first time away from Bolivia. We understand that his folks are Aymara and Quecha respectively. Juan Carlos is scheduled to pursue the Masters degree in soybean breeding this fall under a new faculty member, Dr. Chen.
Arkansas Partners also met Yvan Cordova, who has been Juan Carlos's roommate. Yvan is a bright young Bolivian attorney who had been a law professor at a private university in La Paz. He is in Fayetteville to refine his (already excellent) English at Spring International and will work for a masters degree (LL.M.) in San Diego, CA starting in August. His intent is to learn more about U.S. legal provisions which are comparable to the new Bolivian system. As described by Yvan, the new is vastly different from the "old" approach, in which arguments are/were submitted exclusively in writing for a judge's ruling (in other words, no jury). All of this makes for fascinating dynamics as the transition unfolds. Yvan expects to return to Bolivia. He intends to teach law again, helping to train lawyers in the newly essential skills. This was all very timely, as it relates directly to Bettie Lu Lancaster's recent trip to Bolivia. (Some of us had heard a verbal report, and a more detailed version appears elsewhere in this Direcciones. Bettie Lu had gone to learn more about the newly-enacted Bolivian judicial code and its implementation progress. She was accompanied by first-year Public Policy PhD candidate Ingrid Arinez (who has already earned an LL.B. in la Paz and an LL.M. from UA). Significantly, USAID has funded Partners for a large "Bolivian Justice Project" to support the process. Bob Frans conversed at some length with both Juan Carlos and Yvan. "Both young men spoke of how their attitudes had changed since being on campus - both, initially, were 'leery' of us gringos, having heard only the horror stories from their homes. I think the experience at the Serafini home Saturday night had a profound effect on both of them. They seemed to both confirm that we were much different than they had been led to believe. "An interesting sidelight, both the young men were quite adamant about returning to Bolivia upon completion of their respective degrees; I liked that!" The party was not all serious conversation. Later in the evening, two young Bolivian ladies visiting from Canada gave a memorable guitar and vocal performance to an exuberant crowd response.
6/16/03
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After
about six or seven months, I passed the TOEFL. I went back home until
classes would start again in the fall of 1998. I taught English for
a while - with the little English that I knew! I was an English instructor
with the CBA (Centro Boliviano Americano), which is the English institute
in Santa Cruz.
