The other day a fellow volunteer came in to Tarija dreadfully sick with fever, vomiting and diarrhea. She called the Peace Corps doctor to get her blood test results and was informed that she had both amoebas and a ¨severe¨ bacterial infection. The doctor had her jot down the long, complicated names of three different drugs, and I set off with the list to the nearest pharmacy, leaving her curled up in a ball trying to retain fluids. Considering there is a pharmacy on pretty much every city block, my mission did not take long. I presented the ¨prescription¨ sans doctor´s signature, to the ¨pharmacist,¨ who found the pills, put them in a neat little bag, and printed my receipt. (This was a new-fangled, fancy pharmacy. Usually receipts are handwritten.) The total? 6.50 Bolivianos. Translation: About 81 cents.

***

My host family´s cat just had kittens. Last year at about this time, there were kittens as well. They all disappeared, probably fleeing to escape the torture inflicted on them by Ana and Sofía, but that´s just my theory. Let´s forget about the treatment of Bolivian animals for just one second and appreciate how many cute, furry puppies and kitties I get to see and play with due to the lack of spaying, neutering and housebreaking. Bob Barker might not be pleased, but newborn animals put a smile on my face.

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It´s almost Carnaval time again, which means the streets are teeming with water balloon-toting, summer vacation-crazed kids. And they are stealthy, let me tell you. You walk down the street, minding your own business, and all of a sudden wetness explodes on the back of your head. You whirl around, but there is noone in sight. To remain dry, one must regard every street corner, every balcony, every open door as a possible threat. Everyone is a suspect. As you round each corner, you find yourself scanning the next block for wet splatter marks on the sidewalks and walls indicating the scenes of previous attacks and areas to be avoided. 'Tis the season to be soaked by strangers when you least expect it.

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Yesterday I went to the PAN office and found no work to be done except some general harrassment of the alcaldía to buy the materials for a project we´re trying to do. After that I excused myself for the rest of the day. Instead of ¨working,¨ I sat in the plaza with my little friend Paola eating cookies and yogurt. Then I sipped mate and fed the birds with my favorite senior citizen. I ended my rigorous and gruelling day with Ana and Sofía making origami whirley-birds and reading a book. I have the greatest job in the world.

***

Cheap drugs, young animals, the attitude that allows public water balloon attacks, and the joys of being a Peace Corps Volunteer are just a few of the things that make me glad to be back.


Okay, this entry was too sappy. Another one of the things I did yesterday was meet a highly-educated, well-read woman who thinks the number of homosexuals has increased dramatically in the recent past as a direct result of the hormones pumped into our livestock and produce. Don´t worry. If you slather that burger with enough ketchup, you won´t even taste the gay!

Oh, and today a mere acquaintance told me flat-out how fat I had gotten while at home... I have some readjusting to do.


The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Sarah Anderson and in no way reflect the views and opinions of the United States Government or the Peace Corps.