Another Update

Greetings All,
All is going well here in Cochabomba. Classes continue going well and I am feeling a bit more confident in Spanish most days (not all). I had my first birthday away from home this week but it was a good day. I received a good number of ecards (from high tech friends) and went out to dinner with some other students.
I have another week before I move into the Maryknoll house here. I look forward to getting to know the men a bit better and to learn more about the missionary life here in Bolivia.
I enjoy hearing from friends and family so please contact me when you get a chance either by email (tgraff@maryknoll.org) or skype (tgraff1).
My love to all.

Greetings from the Bolivian Riviera

Hello All,
I hope this finds you all enjoying the Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in the South we are enjoying Spring. My first experience of 2 springs in one year.
Last night we traveled to another barrio covered by the chapel in Nueva Vera Cruz. It is about 1o minutes farther up the mountain past San Andres. It is a new barrio started by recent immigrants called La Riviera. I always wanted to visit the Riviera and now I have my chance. It seems like a nice community and I trust that I will enjoy working there if I am ultimately assigned to this area.
Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I continue with langauge school. It is challenging but I am doing my best. My love to all.

Greetings Friends

Hello to everyone.
I am now almonst half way through my time at language school and all continues to go well. I go through the usual ups and downs with the language but overall it is fine. I was at a meeting at the barrio last night and the other people at the meeting were missionaries from Spain and Brazil. I found myself thinking "If they didn't have these accents I could understand what they are saying much easier." I did see the irony of the thought fairly soon there after.
I will be moving into the Maryknoll House here in early November and will finish up Language School in early December or late November. By then I should have my official assigment and begin my work in mid-December.
I enjoy hearing from friends and family and can be reached at tgraff@maryknoll.org or on skype at tgraff1.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Sunday in Bolivia

I was able to celebrate mass this morning with the community in the Capilla de Luis Espinal here in Cochabamba. It is a nice community that is part of the parish of Cristo Rey. It will be a blesssing to be with them for the next 4 weeks as I fill in for Fr. Ray Finch who is usually there but is in Marylknoll for their Chapter Meeting this month. It is good to be with a regular worshipopinbg community again - I did not realize how much I miss it. If anyone would like to be incontact with me my email is ¨tgraff@maryknoll.org" and my skype account is "tgraff1¨>¨. look forward to hearing from you.

Hello my friends

Hello, sorry it has been so long since my last posting. Things have been a little busy with classes, meetings etc. but things will slow down over the weekend. Many thanks for all your prayers and email during these days away. It makes home seem a little closer and Bolviia not seem so far away. Things are going well, it seems hard to believe that I have been here for 6 weeks already. Classes are going well and I am getting a bit more confident in using Spanish. Please continue to keep Bolivia in your prayers. We are presently at a respite in terms of the conflect as both sides are in negotiations are reportedly going well, but one can never tell in Bolivia. I am still feeling very safe - any problems that there are take place in other parts of the country. Thanks again for visiting the blog - it seems like a great way to keep in touch with many people at once!

Daily Update

Dear friends and family. Hope all is well at home. I have now been in Bolivia for over a month and am slowly getting into the rhythm of being a student again. I have 4 hours of Spanish class a day. Most of my classes are now in coversation although I still have the joy of trying to learn Spanish grammar in Spanish. Classes are going well and I see that my language skills are improving slowly but surely. If you want to reach me on skype my address is:tgraff2.

Unrest in Bolivia

For all those who have been hearing about the political unrest in Bolivia please know that the unrest has been in other parts of the country. I hear many different versions of the reasons for the troubles here: racism, economic pressure, outside international involvment etc.. I am sure that all play a part in the troubles that seem to always happen here. Please keep Bolivia in your thoughts and prayers. Know that I am safe and remember you all daily in my prayers as well.