Second week in Tarija, getting my life on track.......

It has been awhile since my last update. The reason is that work has started and that I got a bit sick due to some bad food and weather change. Temperatures dropped from low 30 C to low 20 C and even once 15 C. On top of that, I believe the jet lag and change climate/culture/food has caught up with me. I have a slight cold right now, have little energy and my stomach is not 100%. I hope that I am feeling better before the weekend, as I have several plans and invitation.

So far, I have been quite busy; here is a short update……

-          some colleagues from work showed my the big lake and dam just outside of Tarija. It is a wonderful drive (only dirt roads) and midway we stopped at some little street restaurants to eat deep fried fish and little river lobsters (see photo)

-          worked out in the gym (see photo) a few times and had lunch and dinner with Monica and Christian.

 

-          With the help of Monica, I found an apartment at Parque Bolivar (put these coordinates in google earth and you can see my apartment). The apartment building is brand new and I can move in on May 1^st. Photos and more on my apartment of course later.

-          Still having lunch and dinner at the plazas almost every day. And guess what, my favorite restaurant so far, Gattopadro, has great chocolate mousse!!! Another favorite dish at Gattopadro is “Tacos Mexicanos” (see photo, the whole dish for just 3,50 euros)

-          Still working on my paperwork to get the Bolivian driver’s license.

-          Had 2 meetings with my colleagues from Broederlijk Delen, Belgium. They are here to visit Bolivia and the projects and people that the NGO is supporting. It was nice to meet once again with my colleagues, and during the meeting with my Bolivian employee (Cetha Emborozu ./ APROCA) we filled in some of the missing project details. The project has become an even bigger challenge, as more responsibilities and work now lays with me and my colleague Lourdes. She too is a food technologist, and the both of us will be working very closely together on this project. We know meet daily at the office or the production plant to revise the project plan, start cost calculations, break even point calculations, talk to suppliers and contractors, etc. The building of the plant and its facilities progresses slowly. We had a business lunch and meeting on Sunday at the place below......

-          We visited Christian's farm, just outside Tarija. From his farm you can see the production plant where I will be working (green building in the middle of the second photo). The farm includes a vinyard. Tarija is famous for having the world highest vinyards.

-     I have started Spanish lessons on a daily basis, during my lunch break. I am getting private lessons from a teacher who teaches at the American School in Tarija (CBA). It has been a long time since I had homework on a daily basis ;-)

-          Furthermore, I have spent time with Christian and Monica, who are of great help with a lot of things, plus they are great company. Monica toured me around to some small tourist town just outside of Tarija during the weekend. Besides them, I am starting to meet more and more people. One of them is Aline, from Belgium. She is in Tarija for one month. Following a dinner at Gattopadro last Saturday, she invited me for dinner at her place last Monday, where she served me her first-ever cooked risotto. It was good and we had another fun night.

-          Besides work and Spanish lessons I am busy with looking for a car, furniture for my apartment and everything else from towels, cutlery, cups, pans and pots, a fridge, stove, washing machine, etc.

After 2 weeks in Tarija, I have to say I like the city and it’s atmosphere. As I am just starting to get to know the people and the language, I am sure things will get so much more interesting, challenging, fun, etc. over time.

Some more photos from Tarija: (left) a car waiting for the newly wed couple, (right) hotel Ceibos, the hotel of Christian's parents

This coming weekend is already completely scheduled. I hope I feel better soon, so I don’t have to cancel anything. Friday night or Saturday night I will go out with Mauricio and some of his female friends. Saturday afternoon I have a barbeque with Christian and Monica and some people from the gym. People from work invited me to go out dancing with them, but I had to postpone that to the next weekend. Saturday morning, Christian and I go hiking outside Tarija, to see some waterfalls. In between, I have to move the little stuff I have into the apartment. Soon I will go and get my box from La Paz, with my B&W ipod dock, my PC, my motorcycle helmet/boots/jacket, and some other stuff. Can’t wait to have my own place, as I am getting a bit tired of my small room at Hostel Carmen.