What comes up, must come down…right?

Dogs barking. Birds tweeting. Diesel engines running probably a few blocks away. It is 100% sunny with not a cloud in the blue sky at 5:52pm (one hour ahead of EST) on Wednesday, January 6, 2010. I sit at a desk in my own room with my own bathroom attached, looking out the window at the one-car driveway with the main house to my left and the locked gate to get in, to my right. It is warm, maybe 80 degrees Fahrenheit and a cool breeze blows the white lace window hangings (they don’t deserve to be called shades for absolutely no light is blocked out by them) every now and then. Makes me wonder how early the sun rises and how much sleep I’m going to be able to get.

Wow has it been a day. If you know me, you know how much I love breakfast followed up by dinner and lunch close behind. Today however, I have only eaten two meager bites of toast and later I had one strawberry and one plum (both incredibly tasty). It’s almost 6pm and I’m not at all hungry. That’s because I now know what it means to have altitude sickness and the only good I can see in it is just that – now I know.

I left Miami at about 11pm and arrived in La Paz, Bolivia (the capital city) at about 7am (which felt like 6am to me). Fortunately I slept the best I’ve ever slept on a plane. As we land, I finally wake up and go out to get in the customs line, fill out paperwork very groggily, and get my two suitcases. The four of us (Clare, Lynn and Joel) went to check our bags yet again for our final flight.

Back to my altitude sickness – just had to set up the scene. As we’re standing in line, I feel like one of Voldemort’s apparitions (don’t know if that’s the right word) slowly dying as his spirit and energy are sucked out of him and he sort of dissipates into nothing. I’m doing everything I can to stand up and that is very difficult. I feel like I’m going to pass out. I’m getting hotter and hotter as all my energy is sucked down into the floor and dragging my body with it. I have to go to the bathroom but don’t want to leave because this is important. Finally, the airline lady says I don’t have to be there and my comrades can check me in, so I walk as fast as I can to the bathroom. Lesson – bring toilet paper with you to bathrooms, don’t leave it in your backpack. I still feel awful as I leave and catch a glance of my extremely pale face in the mirror.

Next thing you know I’m back with the group and Lynn is holding me as I up-chucked my dinner. Clare went to get some Bolivianos (the money) and we went to a café where they ordered breakfast and I got a water bottle and two coca teas, which helped my upset stomach. For those unfamiliar with coca tea, absolutely no worries. It is different than cocaine by a long shot. I proceeded to lie down across three or four chairs lined up next to each other and took 2 naps, and I HATE naps! I didn’t feel good but I sure did feel better afterwards.

The flight from La Paz – Cochabamba took ½ hour and my host mom (Ana Maria works as a secretary at the language institute) and host sister (Daniela) were there to greet me. I’m glad I know an itsy bit of Spanish and I’m sure it will get better each day as I’m trying to refrain from using any English. Once we got to their street, Ana Maria got out and unlocked the gate so we could drive in to the little driveway and then they showed me to this little guest house that is all to me – a bedroom and bathroom – I know, WOW! I would say it’s like a two-car garage converted into a guest house. Guess what else??? There’s hot water in the shower!!! I’m living it up.

I then met my 2nd host sister, Cecelia and all three of them are very nice so far. They’ve been hosting students for a long time I think. She, just like my sister Leah, loves to cook and started preparing food for dinner later tonight. They’ve got tons of fruit and vegetables here in the valley of Cochabamba, which thrills me. At the house, they’ve got mango, papaya, bananas, plantains, apples, prunes, strawberries and probably more I just haven’t seen yet.

I have no idea what will come next, but I’m not too worried. Probably it’s because of all the support, love and good vibes you’re sending my way and I know that one much greater than me has the upper hand. Besides, I cried enough on Wednesday to last me a good long while. Thank you all for being here. I’m so so so glad and thankful you are! In addition to YOU, 5 Things I’m thankful for today: clean water, good health, sleep, kindness, my family