My life

We have made it through 9 weeks in Chuqui Chuqui only partially scathed. One casualty in week 6 saw our squadron’s number decrease from 6 to 5. Apart from that we’ve managed to dodge a number of wayward flung tomatoes, enemy dog attacks and bacteria infested soups. Morale dipped after we found out that the high command was pulling us out for good in December. 

What little help we’d offered to the people of Chuqui Chuqui seemed almost irrelevant when it became clear that we wouldn’t be here much longer. Added to this is the fact that both of our captains went AWOL in week 7 and 8 (we suspect that they were frequenting one of the numerous R&R camps), while we remain firmly entrenched on the front line. This has however allowed us to form close bonds with our in-country compatriots, helping to win the ‘Hearts and Minds’ of the local community that we’re here to help. While it has been a slow process we have started pushing forward in the field. We’ve dug into our positions (literally) and we’re now starting to see progress. Excursions into the local school have helped us establish links with the younger generation.

 We took part in a school fair on Tuesday giving out fruit salad and teaching about nutrition. We have taken to offering English lessons as well as taking part in sporting activities such as netball and football. Music classes have also been arranged with Bolivian songs learnt and English songs taught. This cultural integration has helped to subdue much of the anxiety faced by our squadron, however, we have started to see minor cases of PPTSD (Pan-Pipe Traumatic Stress Disorder). On occasion members of our group have been jolted awake in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, to the ‘toot-toot’ sound of the wooden instrument; only to find that they were merely figments of our imagination playing tricks on us. With less than a month left it is yet to be seen how much of an impact we will be able to have. However, we will push forth and try to get as much done as possible

Over and out.

Private Eamon Al-Hato.

[P.S.] A truck has just crashed into the Chuqui Chuqui bridge. It appears to have spilt gallons of red and blue liquid. Not sure if this is an attempted attack on our base or as some have been saying a drunk driver spilling a load of sports drinks. 

[P.P.S.] It turns out that the cargo being carried was in fact Powerade.

Eamon Al-Hato