1001 Things to Hate About the Convention

New York Press has a fairly exhaustive list of things to hate about the convention , which is invading their city.

Some of my favorites:

988. Because NJ Transit is sealing all the trash containers on their NY-bound trains, it’s Bring Your Garbage to Work Week.

980. TV audiences deprived of sole entertainment angle on convention: Viewers will not get to see the phonetic spellings in the teleprompter text of George Bush’s speech.

864. John Ashcroft not scheduled to sing "Let the Eagle Soar."

822. Delegates think our streets are normally this clean.

821. Delegates think our subways are normally this clean.

820. Delegates think our homeless are normally this missing.

404. Rash of babies named "Che" born nine months from now.

350. Angry protester who thinks Kerry’s first order of business will be to free Tibet and Mumia

Asi es Bolivia?

The original source of this article, entitled Asi es Bolivia?, is unknown. Apparently it was written by a Chilean, in one of their daily newspapers. The article attempts to generalize Bolivian culture, finding faults as well as, romanticizing some of our behaviors.

No matter how much I hate generalizations, especially since I am in the minority from unusual circumstances (i.e. in Bolivia, I am considered upper-middle class with all of my childhood spent in the U.S.), I can't help but think that the majority of Bolivians live very differently than I do. Even though I have experienced so many facets of Bolivian life and am friends with people across the socio-economic spectrum, I would never know how the "other Bolivia" lives.

Some of the fun observations include (translation):

“In Cochabamba, for example, one eats in the morning, mid-morning, at noon, mid-afternoon and at night. You wouldn’t believe someone eating so much. The food is very good and very inexpensive.”

No arguments here.

Yet, the author seems to find fault in his own Chilean society and claims that some aspects of Bolivian society is much more honorable.

“In Bolivia , the unfortunate racism that takes place in Chile, doesn’t exist..”

“As there is less infidelity (in Bolivia) than there is in Chile, the men go out with their friends to get drunk and play cacho.”

I don't think anyone can dispute that there is harmful racism exists in Bolivia , nor that the machismo culture contributes to rampant infidelity in Bolivia.

The author makes an observation about society amongst social classes and ethnic groups.

“Distrust and intolerance are more apparent in Bolivian society. There is a huge distrust of everything, that doesn’t allow for innovation and that impedes progress. This intolerance is manifested between the different ethnic groups, that only listen to their own leaders, that only value what is theirs and it also rejects somebody else’s idea.”

These are pretty harsh words, but, in my opinion, also highly accurate. Although this behavior is not limited interaction between social classes or ethnicities. There is a rejection of change among all groups. Firsthand, I became frustrated when I suggested new ideas and they were promptly dismissed because "that's not now we've always done it."

This article has yet to find itself into the Bolivian newspapers (I think). Perhaps it should stay out, even though it displays a good sense of how the outsider observer sees Bolivia. The fact that a Chilean author wrote this piece, makes it even less likely that it would be well-received.

The List - Bolivia vs. Brasil

National Team coach Ramiro Blacutt released the names of those who will be facing Brasil in World Cup qualifying on September 5th. Jose Alfredo Castillo, who is back starting with UAG - Tecos in Mexico was left off the roster due to his recent trouble with a positive drug test. Blacutt continues to make the mistake of not calling in Jaime Moreno, who plays with DC United, and is clearly playing some of his best futbol in quite some time. What makes this even more troubling is the inclusion of Milton 'El Bufalo" Coimbra. Formerly of Puebla in the Mexican league, Comibra has been without a club for most of 2004. How he is chosen over someone in mid-season and near the top of the scoring leaders in a league (MLS) clearly more competitive than the Bolivian league.

Nicknamed "The Buffalo" because of his clumsy size, he once was described in the Bolivian press as playing as if "the ball burned his feet when he touched the ball". Ouch! Clearly Blacutt has no clue what goes outside of Bolivia, and not even considering Moreno and his fellow MLS counterpart Joselito Vaca, shows some serious tunnel vision. Well, after their improved play in the Copa America, I can place a bit more trust in Blacutt that he knows what he is doing.

La nomina:

GOALKEEPERS: Leo Fernández (Oriente Petrolero), José Carlo Fernández (Santa Fe- Colombia) Sergio Galarza. (Wilstermann)

DEFENDERS: Lorgio Álvarez (Oriente Petrolero) , Juan Manuel Peña (Villarreal - Spain) , Ronald Arana (Oriente Petrolero) , Marcelo Carballo (The Strongest) , Percy Colque (Bolivar) , Gatti Ribeiro (Bolivar) , Sergio Jáuregui (Blooming) , Ronald Raldes (Rosario Central - Argentina) , Oscar Sánchez (Bolivar).

MIDFIELDERSLuis Cristaldo (The Strongest) , Walter Flores (San Jose) , Limberg Gutiérrez (Bolivar) , Gonzalo Galindo (Bolivar) , Limbert Pizarro (Bolivar), Rubén Tufiño (Bolivar) .

FORWARDS: Joaquín Botero (UNAM - Mexico) , Milton Coimbra (without a team).

Capitalizing on Che

The Latin American Post website has an article about the effect Che Guevara's presence has had on Bolivia tourism.

(Vallegrande Mayor) García said that any qualms he had about making money off the Communist revolutionary were extinguished during a 1998 visit to the central Cuba city of Santa Clara, where Guevara's remains were reburied. ''I saw shirts, key chains and jackets for sale with his image,'' he said. ``If they profit from him there, why can't we?

ESPN Visits Bolivia

When the national sports channel ESPN began its five-part series on sports around the world, I wondered which country they would visit in South America. Coming up after the commercial break, ESPN would travel to Bolivia and visit the famed Tahuichi Academy in Santa Cruz. That was my answer.

Not often does Bolivia receive such mainstream national attention for something not involving riots, protests or the drug war. So I was anxious to see how Bolivia and their obsession with futbol would be presented. The commentator would joke that the one thing that many people know about Bolivia was when Mike Tyson, not known for his vocabulary ease, said after losing to Lennox Lewis that he will "fade into Bolivia" (when he meant oblivion).

The piece focused on Americans that attend the Tahuichi soccer Academy and the unusual training methods used. The relatively higher costs (2 week session costs $2100) for this camp helps pay for the thousands of poor Bolivians that get to attend the other school. For example, these Americans run and jump in the Rio Pirai and run up sand dunes as a way to build endurance. These teenagers said they learned not to take things for granted, when seeing their Bolivian counterparts utilizing torn shoes or flat soccer balls.

Unfortunately the piece was relatively short. I wish they would have interviewed Marco Etcheverry or Jaime Moreno, two graduates of the regular academy, who have gone on to star with DC United.

The Source of the Music

In the course of finding myself slowly dozing off, my ears perked up hearing the faintness of a familiar sound. I had to remind myself where I was. In the distance I could hear a live band playing the saya rhythm, with the jiggling of cascabeles. It was apparent that somewhere near, a group of caporales was dancing, most likely in homage to this weekend's feast of la Virgen de Urkupiña. Then I remembered that I wasn't back in Bolivia.

Usually in the United States, loud unsolicited music is not welcome. In Bolivia, it's common place. The lack of any noise regulations allow music to last well into the night. Somewhere everywhere, someone is celebrating a mid-week birthday party or as I found across the street, where the Medical School of the Universidad de San Simon is located, there often would be celebrating something nearly every week. But, in the United States these celebrations are reserved for private and less intrusive surroundings.

Hoping to investigate, I put on my flip-flops and followed the trumpets. Two houses away, something was going on in the backyard, yet I couldn't draw up the nerve to just walk up to the fence. In Bolivia, most house entrances lead directly out onto the sidewalk. Usually there are people just milling around and you could earn an invite.

After two songs, they all went inside respectful of their neighbors. It was such a different experience for me to hear such familiar noises in the suburbs of Virginia.

The Problems With Having an Extended Family

Definitely I am not complaining about my endless supply of tias, tios and primos that I met when living abroad for close to three years. It just seems that as the circle gets wider, so does the potential to lose someone you adore.

My father's best friend from the University had to flee Bolivia in the 1970s because of political oppression at the hands of the military dictatorships. Back then, he was a bit of an izquierdista, and rather to meet the fate of other Bolivians on a hit-list, he took a chance and landed in Mexico.

Thirty years later, he would eventually re-marry with a Mexican woman, who would somehow become my tia. I say somehow because even though I knew her a short time in 2001, it seemed as if I knew her my entire life. She was one of the most cariñosa people I have ever met. She would also affectionately call me "chico".

Soon after they returned to Mexico after visiting Bolivia for the first time in over thirty years, I would correspond with her through the internet. Telling her about my wonderous travels throughout South America, she would always end her reply email asking me when I would visit Mexico. Soon, I would say, yet circumstances never really lent themselves for such a visit. After a planned fall trip to Bolivia, I hoped to go to Mexico in the Spring of 2005. It would so great to spend time with them in el D.F., taking me to special and obscure places in that capital.

However, that visit will never take place the way I always imagined it would.

Today, my mother told me that she had passed away. After a sudden illness, she was gone in less than 48 hours. Someone who had never been part of my life before the year 2000, it suddenly feels that my closest relative had left.

This is the third death in the past year that took place while I was thousands of miles away. The news reaches me through cell phone, email and computer screens. Yet, their deaths never seem real to me. The fact that I am so far away, makes their absence feel the same that it always has been. Now that they are gone, how do I really know that they just aren't far away?

Seis de Agosto Pictures

Stage where the group K'alamarka would play later on that day (I was long gone by that time rolled around).


Making chicharron


From left to right: choco con queso, silpancho and huevo to make "trancapechos", chicharron de pollo, chicharron de puerco, relleno de papa!


Sra. anticuchera


La entrada takes place in a football stadium


La Diablada dancers prepare for their turn around the track


Tinku

6 de Agosto!

Sometimes you forget certain Bolivian holidays when you are wrapped up in your daily life in the United States. Today is independence day (August 6th), yet it is just another workday for the tens of thousands of Bolivians living in Northern Virginia. However, today lets me reflect on this very special day because of all the good times I have had on this day.This year marks the first time since 2000, that I will not be in Bolivia. For four straight years, we made the two and a half hour trip to Villa Tunari for the annual Feria del Pescado (Fish Festival). This two-day long festival featuring bands from the entire country, including los Kjarkas, Yalo Cuellar and other cover bands, that play until the wee hours of the morning, is visited by about a thousand primarily, Cochabambinos. However, the main attraction is the fifty or so fish vendors. With so many different kinds of fish from the freshwater rivers in the Tropics of Cochabamba, fish lovers (like me) are in heaven. Surubi, Pacu, and Sabalo are some of the varieties of fish that are featured.

Yet, I am a bit spoiled. The vendors cannot compete with the cooking by a cousin of mine. As an amateur chef, my cousin makes the two hour drive to Puerto San Francisco to pick-up our ordered 30 lb. Sabalo. His connections in this sleepy riverport village have the fish waiting for us after a early morning catch. This old friend doesn't employ the tactics often used by fishermen in this area. Dynamite is often planted within the riverbed, then lit, and the explosion knocks dozens of fish onto the bank, where they are just scooped up.

Returning from our pick-up (and a stop to eat fish, of course), the charcoal grill is waiting. Yet the cooking time is slow. Placed between two banana plant leaves, the fish takes time to arrive at the desired state, where it will eventually melt in your mouth. My impatience forces me to walk around Villa Tunari, head down to the river, or just take a nap.

The best part of the meal is eating right of the grill. By now, I am famous within my family as the resident fish lover. In Bolivia, people aren’t pleased when you say you like the food. They prefer to see you eat, and eat a lot of their food.

My mouth’s watering right now as I type this. Well, there’s always next year.

Orange

When the Office of Homeland Security raised the "Terror" level to Code Orange, things now seemed closer to home. Every morning crossing the Key Bridge into Georgetown, the huge electronic sign that used to announce $100 fines for using a cell phone while driving, now had a very different message. That sign now reminded all drivers to remain vigilant and report suspicious behavior. I haven't ventured into downtown D.C. lately, but areas I drove through and walked by, were now shut off and cars were subject to inspection.

Even parking lots near Fannie Mae were guarded more closely. I had to register my name and my license plate before running into the nearby printing store. These types of precautions never bothered me, but just reminds me how much closer I am to the epicenter.

It's not that I feel unsafe, it is just that it's just one more added thing to have in the back of my mind. There's nowhere I feel safer than being in Bolivia. Even though petty crime has increased and armed robberies have gone up in Bolivian cities, one can usually avoid any danger by taking simple precautions.

Here working in Washington D.C., these issues now are part of my everyday life and that's something to I must get used to.

Check the Headline

This headline from the Scotsman.com news service makes no sense. Perhaps they should stop trying to be fancy in their writing ("FOR years, union leader Evo Morales has been the bête noire of US drug policy in Bolivia") and get their facts correct.

Musical Memories

My internal debate whether or not to purchase a fancy ipod has left me even more confused. Arguments say that this little device will "change the way you listen to music." I'm not convinced that this a good thing. Up until now, choosing which CDs I bring into the car with me or which CDs made the cut to accompany me to spend one year in Bolivia, has always been a time-consuming and well thought-out affair.

Even taking small side trips throughout South America or within Bolivia forced me to choose what my musical soundtrack would be. With these choices, often these songs or CDs would create some lasting memories that would remind me of a certain place, time or situation. Now when I hear that CD years later, they would trigger memories, as if it were a journal that takes me back to those times.

For example, I can remember sitting in the plaza principal of Samaipata near Santa Cruz, discovering Matt Pond PA for the first time. I can also remember looking outside my seventh floor window in Cochabamba, watching the rain fall, while listening and repeatedly playing Kind of Like Spitting. I can always equate a time and place for a certain song. Even the meaningless lyrics of Argentine cumbias remind me of hanging out in Villa Tunari with my cousins, listening to the newest song de moda.

Would buying an ipod relieve me of having to make those choices? Would the sheer number of songs available at my fingertips reduce the meaningful connections that I have made between music and memories?

Perhaps I should save that money and use it to travel to make more of those memories.