Troubles.

This week has not been the easiest.  Firstly, I managed to lose my debit card. Like a dummy. I really can't figure out how it happened. I had it in my coin purse, because I needed to go get money out of an ATM in dollars to pay the travel agency for my flight to Cuzco. I used the ATM in the post office while I was mailing postcards, and that's the last time I saw it.  My best guess is that it fell out on a minibus while I was rooting around for change to pay the fare.  It's not a huge deal, my parents cancelled it almost immediately, its just inconvenient to not have any way to access money.  My new one is already in the mail.  I just hope it gets here before I leave for Peru next Sunday!

The other frustrating aspect of this week has been my research.  I finally got an interview scheduled with this woman I've been trying to track down since the second week...and she didn't show up! She did email me the day after to reschedule. It was supposed to be this morning, but she didn't get back to me with what time to come before I left for class, so I'm going to her office in a couple hours.  Its been so difficult to arrange, because even though I have her phone number, I'm out of minutes on my phone and don't have money to buy anymore haha. So we've had to do it over email. Fingers crossed it works out this time! It seems like everyone is having the same sort of issues with being stood up and gaining access.  We're all piecing information together bit by bit, though.  Everyone's projects will come together, I'm sure.  Its just all very stressful.  

Tomorrow is our last day of class.  Unbelievable. I have a little over a week left in Bolivia! I'm going to miss it here. This project has been very difficult, and I'll be glad to be done with it, but I really really like it here. I hope I can make it back someday without something like this paper hanging over my head haha.  I'm very excited for our trip through Peru and up to Ecuador.  My only worry is getting my new debit card in enough time to square some things away before I leave Bolivia.  I'm planning on shipping some of my really heavy and dressy clothes and some books back home, because I won't need them in Ecuador, and that will lighten my load considerably. If anyone know where I can procure a giant cardboard box in Bolivia, let me know.  

Another downside to this week has been the hot water, or the lack thereof.  When we got home from Coroico on Sunday, the living room carpet was soaked, because the hot water heater had exploded.  The owner of the house called someone right away, and they came the next day to rip the carpet up and put in a replacement water heater.  However, the immediate replacement is old and small, since it had to be delivered so quickly.  We get about 3-5 minutes of hot water every few hours haha.  Showers have been very interesting.  They're installing the new one right now though, so I think we're all going to race for the shower as soon as they get done. Hopefully I can get one before I go do this interview.

Tonight, the Bolivian students are taking us to this Tex-Mex restaurant called Highlanders that is supposed to be really good. I'm excited! Most of our "fun" excursions have been in other cities, because when we're in La Paz we're so busy with class and our projects.  Maybe we'll get a little better taste of the La Paz college scene tonight. I'm going to try to get a little bit more work done before I head out.  Gran Poder is this weekend, so I want to get a lot of work done before Saturday so I can enjoy it.  Gran Poder is one of the largest cultural festivals in La Paz.  People have been practicing for it for months.  We've been told that this weekend the city will basically shut down and everyone will gather outside on the main avenues and watch and different groups dance down the mountain from El Alto.  This will go on for basically 48 straight hours.  Gonna be crazy!  I'll post again after I experience it.