Day 143 - Shirley's Day Out

Shirley’s Day Out

Two of my friends at school, Mariela and Martha, told me this week that we were giving a surprise birthday party for Shirley.  She is a lady of about my age, that like me, has volunteered a year in Bolivia to help at the SCCLC.  She works as a general aide in the elementary school.  My Bolivian teacher friends have adopted her as one of their own, so they wanted to take her out for a nice meal.

They were leaving from the school, but since I leave earlier than them, I took a taxi to Urubó, a town across the river from Santa Cruz.  I have to tell you about this town.  It did not exist when I was here in the 80s.  There was no bridge across the River Pirai then.  If ever you wanted to go to the other side, you drove across the river (or more accurately, drove through the river).  Recently a bridge was built over the river in more upper class part of Santa Cruz, comparable to Highland Park in Dallas.  Across the river has exploded a new community of beautiful homes, resorts, golf clubs, equestrian track, and a bright new mall.  I feel like I have entered Southern California when I am there.

Across the River From Santa Cruz

I got there early and walked around the mall.  The weather changed about the time I arrived.  I was in a short-sleeved t-shirt, appropriate for November, since this is comparable to the August in Texas.  But this fierce wind dropped the temperature 20 degrees.  While taking a picture, I almost lost my phone.  It almost blew out of my hand.  At the restaurant we were eating at, the door blew off.  It was windy!

I arrived about 4:00 and the rest of the group, Martha, Shirley, Fernando, Mariela, Michaela, Ninoshka, and José, straggled in over the next 30 minutes.  They had chosen Fridolin, a local chain restaurant.  The founders were from Austria and moved here in the 60s.  Their original restaurant is on the First Ring, but now there are more across the city and country.  The food?  Awesome.  Delicious. 

A Bolivian dinner out with friends is not a quick meal, kiss each other on the cheek and say goodbye.  It takes hours.  This is time to get to know each other intimately, to laugh and to cry.  To develop friendships.  I said I arrived at 4:00 and we didn’t leave until 7:00. 

Shirley got a few gifts.  Mariela, Martha, and Ninoshka played a game that they ask the birthday girl three questions.  These are meant to get to know you better.  I broke in with my own question, “chocolate cake or carrot,” because they had those on the shelf.  Mariela shouted, “his question doesn’t count!”  I won’t embarrass my friend Shirley by telling the answers.  I think she enjoyed the evening.

José and Ninoshka drove me home.  Ninoshka is ever the Spanish teacher.  When I made a grammatical error she corrected me.  I like that, because it helps me learn.  José I had not really got to know before tonight.  He is a lover of history, like me.  He teaches Bolivian history and I got a lesson on the Battle of Pari (a blog coming your way soon).  They also know the family of the pastor of Los Mangales, the church I attended in the 1980s.  Pastor Raul has gone to be with the Lord, but Mary and her daughters are still around.  Maybe I will get to be reunited with them soon.

This is why I love Bolivia.