Un boda de un doctor en Montero

2 weeks ago some of the experts of the FORSA and I were invited to a wedding of a doctor at Montero, where I am supposed to work for 2 years from the middle of February. One of the Japanese experts of the project, a surgeon, picked me up in front of the house of my host family. When I opened the door of his car, he didn’t utter a single word but “why?” I looked at myself and wondered if my dress was inadequate for a Bolivian wedding. Then he continued, “Don’t you have the other box?” I got really confused at what he mentioned; “the other box”. Meanwhile, he was calling a driver of the project to see where the box is. Shortly he added, “It should be on your desk at the office. Let’s rush into the prefecture to get the present now.”

It took almost 15 min to get to the prefecture where our office is located. At the gate of the prefecture there was a guard. While telling the guard that we left a present in the office, the doctor realized he actually forgot a key of the office in his house. Driving to his house and returning to the prefecture again asked 30 min. When the surgeon got back to his car from the office, he didn’t hold anything with his hands.

On the way to Montero, he mentioned, “Yesterday I asked a driver to get two presents; 2 sets of towels for men and women. One is from me and the other could be from you to the bride and groom. But now we only have a set for men. I wonder where the driver put the other box for women.” It is the custom here to give daily necessaries as wedding presents.

We finally got to a hall of a wedding party. Still, there wasn’t the bride and groom. It was nine past twenty. It took us more 30 min to realize that this party was somebody else’s. We had more than 3 glasses of Cuba Libre or rum’n coke by the time. Even the parents of the groom kissed us on the cheek appreciating our visit. When they asked us, “so how did you get to know my son?” I responded, “We are from FORSA.” Then the mother nodded saying, “oh, yes, of course. Please help yourself.”

When we finally arrived at the right place, friends of the doctor were everywhere. Most of them are involved with FORSA project and were welcoming us as if we were their family. 12:30AM they fed us finally. Until then we had to continue dancing, drinking, and enduring the hanger. Before a cake would be served, the Japanese doctor and I escaped the wedding. It was around 1:30AM when we left the party. Indeed, I had a nice experience.