Preparing to Leave

Hi everybody!

This coming year I am going to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, to be an Ambassador and exchange student through the Rotary International Youth Exchange program.

I am leaving for Bolivia on August 18th!
My flight will leave Fayetteville around noon and head to Dallas/Ft. Worth for a hefty 4 1/2 hour layover. Next, I'll go to Miami. After only 1 1/2 hours there, I will fly straight to the Santa Cruz Viru Viru International airport to meet my host family.
When I arrive, 20 hours after my departure, it will be around 8:00AM on August 19th!

With a population of about 1.5 million people, Santa Cruz de la Sierra is the largest city in Bolivia. It is located in the Santa Cruz department and is just a little bit southeast of the center of the country.
The primary language spoken in Bolivia is Spanish, although many of the citizens are indigenous and speak Quechua and Aymara.

My first host parents are Pico Gutierrez and Chacho Antelo. I have one host brother, Luis Andres (21), who is studying graphics at Universidad Privada Santa Cruz de la Sierra (UPSA), a local college. I also have two host sisters, although neither of them will be there during my exchange. Alejandra (23) just graduated from the University of Richmond in Virginia and Mafer (15) will be on her own exchange in Front Royal, Virginia.
I will also have a host dog, a Yorkshire terrier named Gypsie. Two maids, Elva and Juana, will live in the house with me as well. My host mom insists that they, too, are part of the family.

I will attend high school at Colegio Isabel Saavedra.
I have already graduated high school, so this is a "gap" year for me. When the year is over, I will return to the United States and begin my undergraduate education.

Wish me luck! My next letter will come from Bolivia!

Maija