Hello everyone- hope alls well with you etc.

Anyway, the oddest thing happened the other week. Met 2 new volunteers who had just litereally arrived from England and someomne got chatting to one of them called Jason and found out that he lives in Basingstoke. Such a small world. I come 5000 miles or something and here is someone who lives 10 minutes away from me. Oh well.

Last sunday, ALexandra and I went up to see the Cristo, which is very similar to the photo above, i will change it with the original when i find a higher speed connection! Anyway, i have to say it was prety amazing. We went up in a bubble lift and you actually got to see how big Cochabamba actually is, which is a lot bigger that i expected! The statue, just as random information is slightly higher than the one in Rio, as the Bolivians said that Christ when he died was 33 years old and a bit, so its 33 meters and a bit, where as the one in Rio is only 33 meters.

I think i have finally got into a routine here and i am much more settled here. The orphanage is going really well, ihave changed to an afternoon shift as the kids are at school in the mornings, which is actually really tiring because i then have my spanish lessons an hour later after i finish. So i literally leave and go into town for spanish. I am brain dead at the ned of the day.

I have to say i am very pleased with my self. I cant teach to save my life and i normally give the most longwinded explanation ever ( if anyone teaches pleases give me some tips on how to help with homework!). Anyway, i taught one of the younger boys how to form his letters by dot to dot, using their exercise books that have little squares instead of lines. It was such a mission and so infuriating, when this little boy knew exactly what to do, but still kept getting it wrong.

The biggest disappointment this week though, was that the three other volunteers adn i that work at Alejandro MAgno where going to take the kids out on saturday to a swimming pool for the day, so they could get out nad have a bit of fun. We were all ready, having arrived at 9 am saturday morning to the orphanage, having hgot home at 1.30 am that nmorning- how impressive is that! We rang the head of the orphanage to check it was all ok etc having confirmed it with ther the day before- and she turned around and made the excuse that it would be too dangerous to tkae them to the pool as the roads were too dangerous because of the rain we've had (yes i know rain! Its been like england, howvwer it is the rainy season here). The likelyhood of them being too dangereous is very slim and it sounded like she couldnt be bothered. All in all we were all very pissed off. So we all decided to go off for lunch just the four of us and ha a very relaxed afternoon, having eaten and then gone to a really nice silver jewlery market, and then Germander and I, one of the volunteers, who incidentally i am going to go travelling with, went off saw a church and went o cafe and chatted. A very realxed and chilled afternoon.

Next weekend is Carnival in Oruro, which everyone is getting very excited about, as its just one big party all weekend. We are going to have to brace ourselves tho, as we,have already experienced, in getting really wet. The Bolivians all go mad at carnival and at least 2 weeks normally three weeks before the hype starts and everyone satrts throwing water balloons at everyone else! Its crazy and Gringos are a much sort after target. The likely hood of staying dry in a day, i have found out is very slim. So yesturday, when there was a whole group of us walking around, we made loads of dreams come true! However, having experienced this maddness for the last 3 weeks, we were armed and ready, a bag of waterballoons between us and a watergun, we faught back. It was so much fun.

Lots of love and speak soon xxxxxxx