trainers we are now free to make our own schedules, work however we like, live in our communities and just be. We had a wonderful despedida for the host families where they all got certificates and the volunteers also got prizes for training related activities. From the AG group 3 of the 5 gardens won prizes, my group obviously was amongst the winners and here is a picture of 
our prize-winning garden and our garden winning cake. My group (Rachel, fellow veg and Brandon, the joker) grew some mighty fine vegetables in Doña Carmen’s casa and we shared our prize with the family for all their help. Other highlights include: Pat cross-dressing as a cholita, Pepe, Carla, Andres and Ben performing Viva Mi Patria Bolivia with a special verse relating to our barrios, dancing the Cueca, a traditional Bolivian paired line dance which we had learned in Spanish class that week and Andy and Natalie swing dancing.The few days we had in the city before swear-in were fabulous, they put us up in a swanker version of the hotel we stayed in when we first got to Bolivia and we all got to hang out and enjoy our last few nights together as a group. When it came time for swear in we were ready, people were decked out and I have to say this group can look pretty good when it wants to. About a million pictures were taken and then it was time for the real celebrating to begin. We had a theme of glitter and glam/fabulousness/all the guys wore ridiculously tight jerseys,
so really no theme at all. But the way people committed to their outfits was incredible and it made me love this group of people even more. There were some 
amazing finds in the cancha (it’s like a Wal-Mart threw up,) including my all sequined 80s style shirt that I found for just 5bs! There was spandex and a blue wig, retro dresses from every decade and the most amazing shoes that Sarah found in the free stuff pile in the volunteer lounge, kind of like Dorothy’s shoes if Dorothy was turning tricks on the corner. Her husband John wore the tightest belly shirt that said “Little Miss Naughty” and they both proceeded to talk in these terrible Staten Island/Long Island accents all night. We had dinner on the PC dime at this buffet place that had 
a great salad bar and TONS of meat. Literally all night long they walked around with swords of meat of every kind slicing off pieces for those who wanted it. It’s the kind of place a meat lover like my Dad would die for. Cow udder and llama meat, he is so there. We announced superlatives during dinner (this was inspired by the Dundies of “The Office”) and I got most likely to marry an Argentinean, seeing as how I can swim to Argentina if I wanted to, I think it was fitting. Afterwards we actually got to go out dancing and it was so much fun! There is this one really small bar that plays the most random 70s/80s/90s stuff and we just took over the place. After that we went to the “fireman bar,” given this nickname because there is a fire pole you can slide down and we danced to some really good Spanish music. It was a great way to become official as PCVs.The rest of the weekend was spent saying good-byes. Bill, the training director, invited us to his house for a BBQ and I got to go swimming in his absolutely freezing pool as we listened to records on his sweet sound system (he has an amazing record collection.) The jet setters of Tarija flew down on Sunday and after buying some of the “finest” furniture Bolivia had to offer I loaded up a taxi and headed to my site on Wednesday. Shopping was such a hassle, you have to argue over every price and it just gets to be exhausting after a while. My main purchases were a mini stove so I can cook for myself sometimes, my bed, which was the cheapest one there was, crossing my fingers that it lasts 2 years, and a dinky metal/vinyl ropero for my clothes. More about site to come…immediately above this post.
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