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