¡Hola!I am in Bolivia! I left Arkansas on Monday and arrived on Tuesday. The view out of the airplane windows as I flew through La Paz was one of the most magnificent sights I have ever seen. There was a thick layer of clouds with the tops of huge, snowcapped mountains protruding out of it. I flew through at dawn, so everything was lit with a gorgeous glow. The pictures I took don’t do it any justice. Even though I am staying in Santa Cruz (not La Paz), the minute I saw this beauty I thought, “Wow. This is going to be an amazing year.”
Above: Me and my family before take-off.
When I arrived at the Santa Cruz airport, my family was waiting for me. Everyone here greets each other with a quick kiss on or near the cheek. I kiss everyone!
On the way home from the airport we ran into about a dozen roadblocks. Santa Cruz was having a “paro,” which is like a non-violent protest where everyone refuses to work or drive. In order to get past the blocks (which were created by the citizens from dirt or rocks or caution tape or Bolivian/Santa Cruz flags or tire scraps...) we had Santa Cruz flags all over the car. In some cases, though, we had to take different routes.
There are 9 departments in Bolivia (kind of like states), and when they pay taxes all the money goes to the central government in La Paz. Almost all of this tax money comes from 5 departments, including Santa Cruz (where mostly “cambas” live). However, when the government gives this money out for projects and the like, 80% of it goes to the other 4 departments (where mostly “collas,” who are kind of like mountain people, live). Essentially, the 5 camba departments are protesting for the right to keep a certain percentage of their tax money to be used in their area. (Just like how in the U.S. the states each have some state tax money.) The Santa Cruz department is the biggest supporter of this protest for autonomy.
My first night here I went to a dinner party at a house that my host mom designed. It is probably the nicest house I have ever been in! I met my mom’s 3 best friends… they call
themselves the women from Sex and the City.My school was changed to Colegio Espiritu Santo so that I could be where most of the other exchange students are going. School goes from 7:30-12:30 so it is very short. Two days a week, though, I have to go back in the afternoon from 2:15-6:30pm for more. The reason for this schedule is so that families can eat lunch together and observe siesta. Although I had heard about siesta before coming here, it still strikes me as odd that everyone sleeps in the middle of the day. However, my head is usually aching from all the Spanish, so it’s quite nice to have a nap. Above: My bedroom.
My family is awesome! My host dad is always trying to explain difficult concepts to me in Spanish (like about the Autonomy). He also tells me lots of jokes, but I never get them because it takes me too long to figure out what he is talking about.
My house is absolutely gorgeous!
They have a brick wall surrounding the property and it's yard. It feels very outdoorsy because all the doors and windows are usually wide open and/or made of clear pane glass that huge and crystal clear. They even have an indoor garden, surrounded by the same glass. Half the time in the house I am unaware of whether I am actually inside or outside. The maids live in a separate little building in the back yard.On food… they have THE best juice here! Banana juice, grapefruit juice, orange juice, apple juice… all of it is fresh from the fruit and homemade.
Above: Front of house.
They also serve tons of meat here. It is not uncommon to have 4 different meat dishes served at one meal. The most unique (to me) thing I have eaten is corazon de pollo, or chicken hearts. They're actually pretty good!
Downtown Bolivia is quite a sight! The traffic is terrible and nobody obeys traffic laws in the least. There is no sense of “lanes” or “turn signals” here! Often times you see poor people on the streets dressed in dirty clothes and begging for money. Sometimes you see collas too, who are dressed in big skirts and hats. Someone once told me that Santa Cruz is not so much a city as it is a large pueblo… and I believe this is true. There are no skyscrapers or malls or anything, but there are tons of dirty, crowded streets and small shops and street vendors with goods laid out on the ground for sale. It doesn’t sound luxurious, but it’s really amazing to see. Often times, I feel like I am walking around on a movie set.
Above: Back of house.
My Spanish is far from good, but I am getting better everyday just by trying to listen and speak. Tomorrow I am going to Samaipata which is a small town with some sort of ancient ruins.
I hope everyone is doing well in los estados, and if you have any questions about my experiences, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them in my next letter. I will also try and send some better pictures of the city.
Chao,
Maija
