Good weekend - not all that relaxing but went to the province capital to meet up with some other volunteers for some beer and conversation. I think we've all been having frustrating discipline problems, etc., because on three separate occasions we got into mock brawls that ended with funny, but real, bruises. I've never been hit or hit others as much in my life, but using Jake, Chris and Zack as human punching bags and being likewise used is very stress-relieving. Definitely the most intense game of Euchre I've playing in my life - one bad play and then BAM! :)
I spent my time on chapas (all told, about 6 hours) listening to the Changana being spoken and picking up on the sense of humor you almost never hear, because it's filtered through another language. When you have to explain a joke, it's no longer funny. But when you can pick up on the timing, the presence, and the context of a joke, but not necessarily all the language, it can still be hilarious. Such was the case with the cobrador (guy who collects money) on my last leg of the trip. He was cracking jokes in Changana the whole time and was a general goofball, wearing a wool hat that sort of flopped around the entire time. It made my extremely uncomfortable seating bearable.
Peace
John
