The problem with blogs is that you can never even begin to explain all of what you´ve seen, and then you get disheartened at your inability to write in english (though perhaps this is a result of your improving Spanish?) and end up with long lapses and your parents wondering where you´ve been for the past two weeks.

·skip forward from Uyuni·

Sunday is by far my favorite day in Cochabamba. We wake up late and cook for the entire morning, then have a leisurely lunch of two hours or more. Then we sit outside in the afternoon sun and chat, or play a little cacho, and then watch la favorita (a fabulously entertaining soap opera, which is only made more hilarious by the fact I only see it once a week and have quite a bit of catching up to do). This Sunday I received the news that the Minister of Education had canceled classes until Thursday ¨due to the cold.¨ Since my school is a boarding school, the director decided to cancel all week.
Good News - I have a whole week to travel!
Bad News - With all these cancelations and holidays, I dont know how my students are ever going to learn english or their other course material...

I wanted to go to Potosi last night, but for some reason all the buses were full. Not wanting to lose an entire day of travel, I decided to go to Oruro instead, which if you look at a Bolivian map isnt exactly on the way...

i got to oruro and realized the bus they promised me would leave for potosi tonight doesnt exist, and booked myself a quiet little hostel room for a good nights sleep.

In the morning I secured a ticket to Potosi for 10pm, giving me the day to roam and explore. First went to an archeological museum which was rather disorganized but had an incredible collection of Carnaval costumes. Oruro started out as a mining town, but as stores of minerals depleted it became increasingly run down. Its lasting claim to fame, however, is Carnaval, for which preparations take place all year and the entire towns tourism rates supposedly spike by 5 times in the month of febuary. There are over 20 different distinct types of dance, all with their own intricate costumes and beautiful history of the dance. Not being much of a dancer myself (with many friends hurt toes to confirm that) the whole production of it is fascinating to me. Later I strolled down avenida La Paz, in which all of the costume workshops are housed. Caught in the act of staring wide-eyed at the colorful array, one lady invited me in and explained her work, and the process of spending months on just one costume.

I had a delicious lunch of vegetables and pasta (how very anti-bolivian, i know) and fresh tumbo juice. Ive decided I kind of like eating by myself. Once you get over the initial odd stares from other diners, its actually kind of peaceful.

after walking what seemed like the entire city to find the best ice cream ( and I did!) Went to another Museo which was inside what used to be a mine... some incredible stories about the conditions and triksy little ways people would smuggle out metal in their clothes and sell it on their own .

I hiked back over to the terminal and skyped my family - ended up talking to parents and cass in pa, zach in va, and me over here in ba. =) the internet is pretty swell.

More adventures in Potosi and Sucre to follow....