New Friends and Anna’s fun and fabulous Yoga for beginners.

Time is passing in San Jose, and I am trying to make some new friends. I have been spending time with a cute older lady by the name of Dona Rosita. Rosita runs an Italian restaurant from her house, and is famous throughout Peace Corps Bolivia for her pizza. Rosita is from San Jose, but her father was Italian, so she learned about food and cooking, in an international way that most Bolivians have not had the chance to experience. She is a wonderful host and makes all of her food by hand. I started spending more time with Rosita while my site mates were gone, and have really enjoyed getting to know this amazing lady. She is a world traveler and picked up gourmet traits from all parts of the globe. She lives alone, simply and enjoys sharing her cooking with all who pass through San Jose. It is amazing that in a town that only knows campo cheese and white carbs, she manages to get her hands on mozzarella and whole wheat flour. Most people here would not even know what those things are! I spent a good deal of time with Rosita this weekend, helping her prune an overgrown bougainvillea on her patio. My work was definitely worth the delicious, food: homemade yogurt, wheat bread, fruit juice, deserts and pizza that she made for me. Moreover though, it is really nice to have someone to talk to in the community that is really interested in learning about me, and where I came from. She was overjoyed to see pictures of my family, friends and boyfriend… She also was excited about my possible projects and more than willing to help.

During one of our many conversations over the weekend, she mentioned that she did yoga when she lived in Mexico. I was very impressed, because that would have been quite a long time ago, before yoga is as popular as it is today. I told her that I too enjoyed doing a little yoga. Before I knew it, the next day I was invited to a tea party of one of her cousins, and there were 10 older women ready to start yoga classes with me. I was a little overwhelmed by their requests, that we start the next day and have class every night, especially because I am not what I would call a yoga expert, myself. But, as I began to think about it, and saw how truly excited and almost desperate these women were to being something they saw as an option to a new and healthy part of their life, I couldn’t turn them down. I did however, compromise on the timing, Anna’s Yoga Inspired Exercises/Healthy Practices for Beginners will start in 2 weeks and will be held once a week. My future students are so eager with anticipation that one claimed “I can’t wait.. I am counting the days” and others asked what they should do to prepare? Drink water? So yes, my students are drinking lots of water, and eating more fruit and vegetables than ever in these 2 weeks in preparation! Wish me luck.

The most exciting news of the week is that Mama will be here this Friday, for a whirlwind tour of San Jose! I guess my yoga student is not the only one counting the days in anticipation!