Text Me!

As much as I miss the monthly cell phone plans of our homeland, I just learned about some news that I thought was really exciting.  You can text me for FREE from the United States.  That’s right folks… Absolutely 100% free with no charge to you OR me.  How great, no?

Here’s how you do it…

FIRST go to this site… it’s in Spanish but I’ll walk you through it.  It’s simple even if you don’t speak Spanish (push control and click simultaneously on this link and you’ll go right there):

http://www.tigo.com.bo/v2/envio_mensajes.php

SECOND type my cell phone number under “Para”.

My number is 77694745

THIS MEANS that you drop down the “76″ option under “Para” and change it to “77″… that’s the first two digits of my phone number.  Then type the remaining numbers into the blank space.

THIRD write me a message under “texto”.  This section can be in English if you’d prefer. 

FOURTH copy the pictured letters into the blank under “Codigo”

FIFTH sign your name under “Firma” so I know who you are.

SIXTH send away!  Just press “Enviar” and you’re in bussiness.  One completely free text message sent to the Southern Hemisphere.  Awesome, huh?  I think so.

Anyway, post any questions you have about this and I’ll be sure to answer back.  If I didn’t specify a certain section leave it blank!

Even if you are completely unfamiliar with “texting” or have nothing of great importance to say to me, send me a text message anyway!  It’d be great to hear from you AND you get to send a free text message to South America.  Whoo!

Little bit of everything…

Testing water quality with my friend Matt and the jefe (boss)

Donkey Kisses

 

Bolivian countryside form of transportation

Latin dance club accomplice

Myself inhabiting one of the sketchier hotels Bolivia has to offer

Roommate, Buddy, and Pet

Mi Casa

Banana pancake-making station

View of the Chaco from my patio

Patio

 

Bathroom complete with pink toilet paper

Little slice of the bedroom

Festival of San Juan

The Town March

My neighbor’s first birthday extravaganza…

Bolivian Pinata

Little Party Animal

My Former Life in Cochabamba, Bolivia…

The Andes Mountains from my bedroom window

Mi Casa

 

My host Bolivian host parents... the next best thing

Undergarments, Geckos, & Macaroni and Cheese

Most Missed American Food of the Week:  MACARONI & CHEESE

Recent break through: discovery of a supermarket in a large city four hours from my site.

Recommended Serving Size: 3 per container… 

Bolivian serving size: 1 box…

I am aware that this adds up to be over 1200 calories by the time I’m done with this cuisine.  However, I figure 24 hours a day of conjugating Spanish verbs (including dreaming in Spanish… I really can’t escape from Bolivians now) will make up for it.  I’ve even pushed myself to share the hoard with my American site mate from time to time which has been a positive growing experience for me. 

I’ve been warned by my superiors that women have gotten a hold of the date rape drug here in Bolivia.  It is especially common in larger cities for women known as “pildoritas” to slip the drug into unsuspecting male victims’ drinks.  The offender then lures the helpless man to a secure location where he passes out and… Nope… she takes his money.

 

I’ll withhold from providing any further insight on gender and human desire…

 

Um… ok…

 

Since Wal*Mart has not yet made its way to Bolivia, all business is small business.  There is a small family owned store for most anything.  However I woke up one morning this week and walked out my door to find that one stocky, go-getting Bolivian woman had decided to make the bold business move of setting up a female undergarment tienda right in front of my house.  Currently a generous 1/3 of my doorway is now obstructed by a table containing lacy Latin women’s what-have-you’s.  Given the inevitable awkwardness of talking to a woman behind a table of underwear I’ve decided to bury the hatchet.

 

For those of you who read my prior posting, this is not helping convince community members that my house is indeed not a brothel.

 

When socially offered a cup of tea in Bolivia, saying “Thank you” means “I don’t want any”.  You can’t be too polite here.

 

I have a pet gecko that somehow did a ninja move and snuck into my bedroom one night when the door was open.  He’s the size of my thumb, likes sitting in my hand, and eats bugs for me.  I’m still looking for a few little specks of gecko poop to clean up just to make it official… the pet thing that is.  I’m open for name suggestions.

 

Thanks again for your feed back.  It’s always good to hear from Americans.  God bless and enjoy the summer for me during my Bolivian winter in the southern hem.