Gearing up for the next stretch

Winter!

I am back in Bolivia after a 5-week visit to the States. It was wonderful! I had missed the cold weather, snow, and air so cold that it takes your breath away. (I know, I know - it probably sounds strange to those of you who live in it full time for 6 months out of the year, but it is beautiful to me.) Also great was meeting the newest members of my ever-growing family, hanging out with my family and playing games (even euchre!), catching up with friends, and -though I hate to admit it- shopping. I went back to WI with a pretty clear list of what I would 'need' to get me through the rest of my time in Bolivia. It was comforting to try on clothes and have them fit, or to walk into a store that I knew would carry exactly the item I was looking for. The main market in Cochabamba (la Cancha) is great, but when I am seeking something in particular, I am often told by various vendors that the article I want is "mas alla" (over there), followed by a wave of an arm, gesturing in a random direction. A rather vague description, wouldn't you agree? Compare that to a store in Manty which I will only call "FF" and any clerk in the store can tell you not only in what aisle the item is stored, but also where in the aisle it is located and on what shelf.  I tell you, I really felt very spoiled by such specificity. Anyway, one item that alluded me almost until the end of my stay was a device that I could use on dogs - to get them to stop barking. (Although after having been bit twice by dogs, my parents were really pushing me to buy mace or pepper spray.) My neighborhood is full of dogs that bark for what seems like all day and all night. Although I have adapted to an extent, there have been occasions in which I have dreamed of owning a weapon that would give those dogs an actual reason for barking at night. Since buying a gun was out of the question, I researched online and found some training devices that claim to send out high pitched noises that would cause a dog to stop barking. Well, I thought, why not try it?  Desperate times call for desperate measures, after all. So I went ahead with my experiment and bought an "As Seen On TV" de-barker with hopes of solving the problem. Each night before retiring, I turn the device on.  Happily, I have noticed a difference. My landlords own two dogs that are human friendly but bark at anything else (and set off the dogs of neighboring houses) and they have stopped barking every time a stray dog passes by the house. At least during nighttime hours. There is a short range on the device - only about 30 feet. . . I am tempted to ask my parents to send more so that I can plant de-barkers at specific places in the barrio. But that might change the 'charm' of the general area, so for now I will resist that urge and just be happy that Doggies One and Two have calmed down.
During my visit, many people from the States asked me what my next steps are in regards to my future.  I have less than a year and a half left on my contract and mostly I am trying to take each day as it comes. I am not sure if I will sign up for another 3 year contract, but in the upcoming months I hope to reach a point of clarity on that issue.  Thanks to all who are supporting me in my journey! I will try to be a better blogger and keep you all entertained and up-to-date on the happenings here in Cochabamba.