He llegado!

Hello kids,

Although the official giving of thanks day is over, I still send my gracious appreciation to all of the well wishes i received. If I can continue on my own with half the confidence and love yáll have for me, I should be just fine on this new adventure. The positive energy got me here safe and sound (yes, as sound as each of you can picture me to be).

As my title states, FINALY i have arrived! I´ve been in Bolivia about 24 hrs now (it took me about the same amount of transit time to get here). Of course I´m still experiencing the place and space transformation daze, but all in all I am happy to return to this country that intrigued me so much the first go around. I´m in Cocha now with my warm and welcoming host fam. It took us the amount of no time to get back into the groove of things. I entered the casa exhausted- they greeted me , served me a refreshment and sent me up to my room to reconnect/unpack/rest. After having been in the travel state for more hours than I can remember, my bed was the first thing I said hello to. To my surprise, immmediately I was swept into a deep sleep for the next two hours only to awake to the ¨Raych, nos vamos?¨calls of my sweet host mama and sis (this continuous Vamos(ing) state, I remember well). I was simuletanously dreaming what my next lived step in Cocha ended up to be. That´s pretty much the flow here. I´m usually not informed of exactly where and why we are going, but am always at the ready (in sleep and wake) regardless. I have only just discovered upon my return that despite my fluency in the espanol, often times even after the outing has commenced, I never can quite place the purpose of the "vuelto" (mini-trip) and my part in it. Let´s say, it´s all in the going. Sometimes ya just gotta go to have gone. No ve? (right?)

Bueno pues, I just wanted to touch base and let all know that all is well. As soon as the stretch limo pulled up to my gma´s house in NJ (this is a funny story) the trip has passed in famous style. I´m glad to be back.. surrounded by the vibrant smells sounds and sights that entice and complex me so. Oh yes and it´s summer here so said vibrancy is in full shine. Thus far high lights of the Cuba Borda house (my beloved host fam) have been: 1. Picking up right were with left off with an evening game of cards with the whole crew (side note: using the before unopened cards that i sent them from Oregon upon returning to the states--- they had waited to cristen the cards upon my return to the casa:). 2. La cancha.. the hustle and bustle of my favorite informal economy, la Cocha´s place of market. 3. the 80´s music DVD bought at la Cancha that we all just crammed onto the couch (in Ciesta) to enjoy-- Sweet Dreams are made of Thee is a sweet song and even though my host mom doesn´t believe me, that person in the suit singing it is totally a lady.

My feelings are mixed about the future, but it´s quite the comfort to return to such a wonderful fam that will always be just around the corner for any assitance, security and loving i may need.

Paz for now'´ i´m hearing the ¨vamos¨from down stairs, and well, that´s my cue:)-

lots of love always, i hope all is equally well in your Stately lives
R