Sunday, November 14, 2010

Coca plant

Coca Plant

Hello my name is Diego and this is a picture my friends and I found. It’s a picture of a field of coca plants. It reminds me of my families’ coca farm. We found this as we were walking through the jungle carrying our bags of coca leaves so we can make cocaine. It’s a shame these leaves are used for something like this, but it also reminds me of all the good things they are good for, like tea. I’m so tired these men work us to the bone making this horrible thing, but I know I need the money so I have to do what they say even if it is going to hurt someone. I miss my old home, I miss my mother and sister I even miss that horrible prison.

Yours truly,

Diego

Allison S. F7I

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

My pics



My first photo is taken inside my home. It's where I live with mother and my little sister Corina. The second picture is of my favourite food, chupe. Ever since I left the prison, I've been missing my chupe more and more. The third shot is of coca leaves. My parents used to harvest coca leaves back on the farm where we used to live until my parents were sent to prison. The fourth image is my country flag. The bolivian flag. It's hard to say i'm a proud bolivian because my family is very poor and we live in prison. Finally, the last photo. It is a photo of the few bolivianos I used to earn each day. Well thats all of the pictures I have taken so far. I hope to take many more in future years.

-Matthew
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The Coca Plant

Hi. I am Diego. This is a picture of a coca plant. Me and my family used to farm coca plants, before Mama and Papa were framed on that bus for smuggling coca paste. The work wasn't too hard and it was deffinitly better than our circumstances now. I wish we could go back there but it will be another 13 years before we are let out of prison. This picture is important to me. It reminds me of what we used to have and what we will have 13 years from now.


Brianna


My Old Life

I was walking through the village when I found these pictures. They make me feel homesick. One of them reminds me of Corina. It makes me wonder how she is coping without me. Dose Corina still go to daycare, or has she to become a taxi for smaller lodes? Has mama went to go see papa and found out I left? The other photo reminds me of my village. I wonder how much has changed. I love all the noise that the market made. I would love to go back there now. I want to go home, even if it's in a prison.

Esme



jail
This is the womens prison of Belivia. the wemons prison of Belivia is my home because my parents were arested for smuggleing cocain even tought it wasint them. the jail is dark and the sell is small and it hardly fits the three of us. the food is gros and I half to work to uptain the sell for my mother and sister. Robin

Street Vendors


Hola, i'm Diego, I live in the Cochabamba women's prison. This is miss Joesephean, one of the many street vendors. Sometimes when I run errands for her, she in return gives me fresh vegetables for my mother,my little sister Karina, and I. Once and a while I work as a street vendor selling baby clothes that my mother makes. I have to watch out for the police because I don't have a license to sell goods on the street. Mostly the tourists buy the clothes but I still don't make much money. I need to work as a taxi because the women can't leave the prison and my family needs money to pay rent for our cell. Well, i must go now and return to my errands. Adios!
-Kristen

Coca Farm


Hi I'm Diego I'm 12 years old and I'm from Bolivia. This is a picture taken years ago on my family's coca farm. Currently I live in a women's prison with my mom and sister and my dad lives close by in the men's prison. My family got caught smuggling cocaine on a bus but it wasn't my family we got framed. This picture means a lot to me because this is one of my only treasures left from my old life. Whenever times get tough in my life of poverty and living in jail i look at this picture and it reminds me when everything was easy and happy and my mama and papa were not so stressed for money and Carina never cried. I can barely remember running threw the coca and playing with papa and coming home for a great supper made my mama. I can't wait to get out of this horrible jail and to go back to my my old wonderful life because I don't think I can survive in this jail much longer
By: Nathan

My Sister Corina

This is a picture the prison's daycare centre let me take. My little sister Corina is on the far left in the second row up. I hate how she doesn't have any friends. I worry about going away to the jungle and leaving her without any friends, but I know I have to leave. I hope she isn't too misbehaved while I'm gone. If she is, it could cost us another fine. This whole jungle trip just started to seem a bit like a bad idea again...


-Laura

Monday, November 8, 2010

Coca leaves, at the market.


Hi my name is Diego; I live in Bolivia. I took this picture in the market. It is of a street vendor selling coca leaves. Our main export is a drug called cocaine (made from coca leaves, as seen to the left). This drug is terrible; it gets into your body through your nose and will get you high. It is also extremely addictive, and will ruin your life, but that's just the beginning... It will rot and eat your nasal cavity and brain! Soon after, you will find yourself more unless than a pile of dirt (due to lack of brain cells). Anyway, these are some of the many facts about cocaine and the coca plant. Nigel

My Ideal Cell

Hi, my name is Diego and this is my so called "Home". This is where I spend all of my time except for when I do my errands. I think that no living thing should be forced to pay to live in this cell. It is no place for a human being! I sleep on that single bed with my mom and my sister each night. You have no idea what it is like to share a small cell and bed with your sister and your mom! It is really crowded and horrible! If I could create my own cell it would be nothing like the one I am living in now. I will tell you three features it would have. First, it would be four times as big as the one that I am living in now. Second, it would have a bathroom with walls, a door, a proper toilet, a sink, and a shower. Finally, it would have three beds, one for my sister, one for my mom, and one for me. Also they would all be custom made. That would be my ideal cell but to tell you the truth I would rather not be living in jail at all!

By: Katrina R.

Coca leaf


Hi I'm Diego and I see coca leaves everyday , and now even more often since Ive been working for Rock . Though these leaves are harmless in the leaf state they can be transformed into a power full drug called cocaine . Coca leaves are legal in the leafy state but once they are turned into coca paste it is no longer legal, after the coca paste is made it can be made into cocaine. You could be sent to jail for possession of coca paste and or cocaine, my family was arrested for this , but we were innocent. I also see coca leaves being sold at stands outside while I do my taxi errands. I often wonder if those who buy coca leaves at these stands make cocaine from them ...


Jamie

the way I live

THE WAY I LIVED

This is my old home.
My life was simple and happy!
I awake to feed the cows and chickens
with my dad, then we would go inside to enjoy
a breakfast made by my mom! I hade no
troubles until I got on the bus......
This is my new home!
Now I have all the troubles you can have.
I got dumped in this jail because when we left the bus, there was coca paste on our seat, so we got franed.
I live with my mom and braty sister who was born in the jail. My dad lives across the road. At first when I was sent to the jail, my mom, sister and I had to sleep on a mat in the front entrance. We had no money to pay for a cell. That's when I became a taxi. I deliver and bring objects to people and do homework for rich kids all for money. My life is tough. I just spilt soop that I now have to pay for, also I am leaving my family for 2 weeks and going with my friend Manu to earn money for my family. Hopfully, it is nothing illegal but it probably will be! I hate this jail!
valentina

Coccaine

Coccaine
Hey I'm Diego and this is a picure of coccaine leaves. Coccaine are a huge part of my life in serveral ways. First of all, my familly was framed for selling coccaine. If it wasn't for those evil people in the world, ( well, thats whati thought they were ) my familly and i wouldnt be in jail for 17 years. Secondly, I not only started selling leaves but i also started smoking it to! I thought that if I started selling coccaine I would get my familly money, but it just led me to a bad habit. Lastly, coccaine is a great deal in Bolivia and can get people great money. Theese are three reasons why coccaine is a great part of my life.
Katrina Hart :P

The Journey

Hi I'm Diego. These are some scenes I've seen during my life.


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The first picture is of home before Mama and Papa got framed for smuggling coca paste and got sent to jail. The field is so green and so unlike the gray stone prison where I live now. The second picture is of my cell where Corina, Mama and I live. I'm surprised we all fit in it.

The third picture is of the terrifying road we travelled along to get to the jungle. Beautiful isn't it? The last picture is of my new workplace. This is when they are mixing the chemicals to add to the coca leaves. It stings on our bare feet, but I have to work hard. How else are we going to pay off our debt?

Rachel

Bolivia The Land Of Cocaine


Heeeeeeeeey, my name is Diego. I am 12 years old and I live in the woman's prison with my mommy and little sister Corinna, in Cocha Bomba, Bolivia. I live in the woman's prison with my mommy because i help take care of Corinna. Sometimes i go and visit my daddy in the men's prison. My family and I used to live in the montages of Cocha Bomba, my favorite place in the world. Along time ago, my parents, Corinna and I were sitting on the fountain in the city, and my parents were framed by attempting to be using cocaine. My Parents are serving 17 years in the men and woman's prison, and since me and Corinna have no place to stay, we stay inside the prisons with them. I work as a taxi in the woman's prison and do plenty of chores such as delivering mail to the post office, doing school work for the boys and girls at school, I don't like to brag, but I am really smart. Pretty much my whole day is filled with lots of things to do. Mostly what I do, is hang around with Mondo, my best friend who is 14 years old. Thats alittle bit about me and my family. Seeeeee you sooooon!




Tracy P.S :D

Cocaine and it's Finished Product


Hi I'm Diego and I have been working very hard with these guys making cocaine. I found this picture buried in the mud and thought it would make a good picture about my life. It has been hard but I think I can not pull through. I don't understand why those three guys are not in here stomping on the coca leafs. I don't want to say anything to them because I am scared they will do something with me. I'm not sure if Mondo is enjoying it. This is NOT fun at all but it will be worth it at the end. that is if we get paid. It looks horrible right now but wen it's finished I bet it will look good. The guy on the street will pay a fortune for this stuff. I wonder if my mother and father are looking for me. I really miss Corina.
Preston

Saturday, November 6, 2010


My Home
Hi! I'm Diego and I'm 12 years old. I live in Bolivia where sadly home to me is a jail cell. I won't have a real home till I'm 24 years old.The reason my home is a jail cell is because my mom and dad got framed for using cocaine!So at 12 years old I live in the San Sebastien Women's Prison in Cochabamba, Bolivia with my mom and little sister Korena. My dad lives in the Men's Prison a little while away from here. I miss him immensly and don't see him as much as I want to, so I make an effort to visit him as often as i can. Our cell is very small as you an see and has only 1 bed and not much space at all to move, but luckily I am free to go wherever I want(school, village...etc) and don't have to stay in the cell all day long. Some of the women is the prison are crazy, so my mother gets worried from time to time for the safety of her kids. One time, one of the ladies had Korena in her arms and was shaking her and yelling.Luckily the guard took her away fast, though my mother was scared and furious with that women and me too for not watching her closely. The cell is very expensive so we have I have to pay the rent since my mother can't go out of the cell. To pay the rent I work as a "taxi" doing errands for the women at the prison, and I get paid doing extra homework for some of the kids at school! Well I think my mom wants me to take Korena out to the park so that she can have some time to herself. Adios! (Adios means goodbye in Spanish, the main language spoken in Bolivia)
Anna:P

Friday, November 5, 2010

The Making of Cocaine


Hey, I'm Diego and in this picture there are in the mixing stages of the making of coco paste. We mix the coco leaves with kerosene and a lot of other fuels and chemicals. We then mix it either with our feet or with motorized mixers. It is then strained from the chemicals and then it is packaged in tinfoil for it to be sold.
RJ :)


Hey, I'm Diego. Lately this has been my life. Working hard, hard hours to make illegal drugs to earn money for my family. I wouldn't have had to be here if I had just been paying attention to my little sister when I was supposed to. That's what lead to me getting here...Here, me and a bunch if others are forced to work. Day and night, with barely any food or water! We're always draining water from the leaves and then pouring deadly and flammable chemicals onto them. I just wish I could be back home on our old farm, but that won't be happening for a while now, since my parents are in jail. It wasn't their fault though. I will be stuck here for a while, and it won't be fun, but i have to if I want to secure our spot in the jail for my mom, Corina and I to live.

The cocaine lab.
This is where I first started my jod as working for cocaine smugglers. At the start, it eas awful, but then they started giving us drugs to smoke. at first, it was awful, but then i started working harder and harder. The chemicals burned on my bare feet, but I knew we needed the money considering my mother and Korina live in jail. The man you see in the picture is Rock. He's our boss but his name explains a personality... he's dumb as a rock, and extremly mean. He's making cocaine... a disgusting, addictive drug. I miss home and i lnow this is the wrong thing to do but this is what Mando said would make us alot of money... so here goes nothing.
David :)

Diego's pictures




The photo on the is a picture of my jail cell at San Sebastian Women's Prison. My sister, my mother and I all sleep in the miniscular bed in the right of the photo. It makes me feel really sad that all of this was not my parents' fault, and yet they are the ones in jail. It seems like fate has gave us a blow that I don't think will ever fully heal. I haven't been able to sleep for a long time, I keep having the thought that god has left us. I still have hope though. I still believe that miracles are possible.
The next photo is of my mom and my dad harvesting the coca leaves. It makes me feel pretty good when I see my mom happy like that. I haven't seen her smile in a long time. It also makes me think about how one moment you can be happy and prosperous and the next moment your sad and gloomy. I hope that one day I will be out of this prison and out in the coca fields. Th thing I want most though is to be free.
Vytas

What my life is and what my life could have been...

This is a picture of the prison I live in. I was standing on that balcony when I dropped the ball and spilled the soup. That was how this nightmare started. I wish we did not live in jail. I wish we could live on the coca farm. Speaking of coca farms at school today I found these two pictures I think they represent what my childhood could have been like. I hope Mondo isn't still thinking about going on that trip thing but now that I think it may not be a bad idea. Maybe I could help Mama pay off that stupid pot of soup. I will go with Mondo on the trip. I will, I will, I will. See you when I'm back,
Diego


Gillian