Filed under: Anne
Traveling in Bolivia is never what you expect, even if you’re only going 15 minutes away. We were wanting a little taste of the good old U. S. of A., so I made reservations at the only American hotel chain in La Paz, the Radisson. We were excited because it was a pretty low rate, and we would get to swim and watch cable TV! When we went to check in, we were informed that we needed our passports. So we had to explain that after living here for nine months, our paperwork was still being processed and our passports being held by immigration, etc. The man at the desk explained that they did not “have a problem with us”, but the Bolivian police come every day to check who is staying at the hotel and they must show them proof that we produced a passport at the front desk. Seems creepy to me. . . He asked for an exception from the head manager, but he said no so they could not allow us to stay.
Determined to go somewhere, we ended up at the hotel five minutes from our house, which is actually nicer, but also more expensive, which is why I didn’t book it in the first place. Curiously, they were able to give us a room with only our passport numbers, they did not ask to actually see our passports. My theory is that because it is a Bolivian-owned hotel, the government does not watch them as closely. It all turned out for the best. We thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant, pool and TV and got the time of relaxtion we were hoping for.
Is there a Nobel Prize for standardized testing endurance? The children at Highlands International School deserve some sort of award. They’ve made it through a week of mornings taking Stanford Tests - tests in reading, tests in spelling, tests in math, tests in listening, tests in… I’m outta breath!
The testing went on from grades 2 - 8, and I administered three of the more limited-English-proficient of the second graders. They were clearly novice at this ordeal, but they sure were troopers!
So, parents out there, when your dear sweety-pie takes End of Grade tests this spring, I want you to take them to their favorite retaurant, take them to a movie and let them buy a new toy. They have earned it!
Chau for now!
Filed under: General
Since Avery turned four, she’s been asking many more why and how questions and seems to be thinking all the time, trying to figure out how “things” work. Some of her funniest comments so far came this morning before preschool. She asked me how God could hold the whole world in His hands. I guess it’s not safe to sing children’s songs anymore, they will all be analyzed carefully!
We also had this interchange:
Avery: (with gusto) I’m a lion tamer! Mom, what’s a lion tamer?
Me: It’s someone who teaches tricks to lions. Like at a circus. So, do you do that?
Avery: (with complete sincerity) No, do you?
I guess she hadn’t realized that there is a dearth of lions around La Paz for either of us to tame. . .
Filed under: Aside
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth and the life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
Filed under: Tom
Okay, if you are reading this, you likely know me (Tom), you’ll know I’m not exactly a sports fan. So, it surprised even me when I subscribed to listen to Major League Baseball on www.mlb.com! Wonders never cease.
Just another one of those odd things that’s occured as a side-effect of moving here. Go Cubbies.
Filed under: Anne
One unintended positive effect of us moving here is that we are much more environmentally conscious. I have to be honest that in the States we always thought taking care of the earth was a good idea, but it didn’t seem worth changing our personal habits for! (more…)
Avery has now been four years old for two solid weeks.
And wants to make sure no one misses the fact.
Many times (kind of randomly) she will be greeting someone, and somehow this valuable information will find its way into the greeting. It often goes something like this:
“How are you, Avery?” “Fine. I’m four.”
“Buen dia, Avery.” “Buen dia. I’m four.”
Just thought it was kind of funny.
Very briefly, now… I just had to share a thought.
Every once in a while, Anne or I will look around and just notice that something from the States isn’t here.
The other day, walking to the store, I noticed one: no squirrels.
Oddest thing, a city with no squirrels. You actually miss them when they’re gone. Huh!
I am married to a wonderful woman from Louisville, KY. Half her family still lives in the Blue Grass State, and I have to come all the way to Bolivia to discover burgoo. Hmmm. Odd.
If you haven’t had it, burgoo is this amazingly yummy stew.
But what made my first burgoo more special still was the fact that I had it in El Alto, the poorest city in the poorest country in continental South America. (more…)
Filed under: Anne
Avery is in the stage where she is trying to learn how you figure out who is a boy and who is a girl. This meant that for several months she made it very clear she did not like our two male friends with long hair. I think it messed up her catagories: women - long hair, men - short hair. Thankfully, they didn’t take it personally.
I am glad this process is happening in a country where most people don’t speak English. At the hair salon, she pointed at a woman with very short hair and loudly said, “Is that a he?” I explained that women can have short hair too, to which she responded, “But Mooommmm, she’s not wearing any earrings!” Then we were standing on the sidewalk in a busy part of town and as a woman passed by, Avery said to her with suspicion (again, very loudly!), “Is that a dress?” The woman turned and said, “Why, yes it is!” So unfortunately that time Avery picked an English-speaker to question about her gender!
