I´ve realized that the majority of my posts so far have been about WHAT Ive been doing, not WHERE I am.
Since the end of the trek, we have been in Potosi. 400 years ago, Potosi was bigger than London and was wealthier than any other city in the world, all thanks to the Spanish conquerers who began mining for silver in Cerro Rico. Nowdays, Potosi is the poorest city in Bolivia.
While many of the residents of Potosi struggle due to mining occupations, the city itself isn´t in such bad shape. I hope that doesn´t sound insensitive, but I cannot help but compare it to the conditions I saw last semester in Nepal.
There is little to no trash on the streets.
There are public statues.
There are stop lights, wide roads, and people generally stay in their proper driving lane.
There are small plazas planted with trees and roses.
VW cars are EVERYWHERE.
Some of the dogs wear sweaters on the street (seriously), and even those that dont look healthier and more diverse than Nepali street dogs. You can even make out their dominating breed, from blue-eyed Huskies, to long haired Spaniels, to sheep dogs, to small, curly haired poodles.
Our ¨home¨ in Potosi was pretty sweet, too. We stayed at the Koala Den, which is the nicest hostel Ive ever been in. There was wireless, free computer access, a tv room with hundreds of dvds, an open kitchen, a selection of games, private bathrooms, hot showers, and a large dining table where breakfast (bread, fruit, eggs, coffee, tea, chocolate) is served each morning. The Koala is full of roaming hipsters: girls in tights with long hair in messy braids, guys in tight pants with small hats and mustaches, and couples speaking swedish and wearing matching 0%prescription readers. This was an added plus, as it made for great people-watching.
Thanks to (more) transportation strikes, and the dangerous flooding in much of the country, we got to stay in our luxury hostel for a few extra nights. Unfortunately this means we have missed our opportunity to visit the salar (salt desert) and the lithium plant in Uyuni. We rode the bus all last night and now we have finally arrived in La Paz. On Wednesday we will be moving up to El Alto, on the outskirts of La Paz to start our spanish classes and homestays!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Cerro Pobre
Our group of 16 paraded down the street, dressed up in ridiculous jumpsuits and yellow hard hats. There was no doubt that we were tourist, and today we were touring the silver mines of Cerro Rico.
Cerro Rico was discovered by the Spanish and has been mined for over 400 years. Although the mountain originally was mined externally, soon the external desposits of minerals disapeared and now the mine carves down 17 levels into the earth. It take 3 1/2 hours simply to walk from the entrance to the bottom of the mine. We only walked down the third level, and I cant imagine going down any further.
Inside the mine was pretty terrifying. When a dynamite went off, every nerve in my body froze as the impact shuddered into my feet and out my ears. The passages are tight and dark, and it is so hard to breathe because of all the dust and the heat. It was necessary to crawl on your hands and knees for five to ten minutes at a time. To me, it was like squeezing up and down a covered playground slide, except the walls were made of cool, jagged rocks. Inside, we learned a bit about the history and present of the mine (both similar stories of poverty and dangers). We also spoke to a few miners, all drinking Ciebo (96% alcohol; sold cheaply in the mining stores right along side the dynamite) and chewing coca for energy.
Being down in the hole was really tough. It was easy to get over the physical strain of breathing through the dust and sqeezing down claustrophobic passages, the emotional impact was harder to shake. It is horrible in the mines and the lifestyle is so bad. Mining culture is riddle with domestic violence, alcoholism, and abandonment. They drink and joke about things to avoid reality; who can blame them? Between 30 and 40 people die in the Potosi mine each year, and at least someone gets injured every day.
To be honest, I hated the tour. I came out feeling very sad. I was sad partially because of the situation in mine, but mostly because of our actions. I felt like an immoral spectator at a zoo: holding onto my privilage, playing ´dress up,´ and seeing the mining life just for shock value. I didn´t feel welcome into the mine, and I felt like I was taking advantage of the miners struggles. Sure, my hands and clothes got dirty, but we were still viewing the mines and the miners through a glass wall.
I understand that experience and emotional response are powerful and can spread awareness- indeed, it sparked some great conversations within our group- but I´d rather learn about mining hardships in a more sensitive way.
Cerro Rico was discovered by the Spanish and has been mined for over 400 years. Although the mountain originally was mined externally, soon the external desposits of minerals disapeared and now the mine carves down 17 levels into the earth. It take 3 1/2 hours simply to walk from the entrance to the bottom of the mine. We only walked down the third level, and I cant imagine going down any further.
Inside the mine was pretty terrifying. When a dynamite went off, every nerve in my body froze as the impact shuddered into my feet and out my ears. The passages are tight and dark, and it is so hard to breathe because of all the dust and the heat. It was necessary to crawl on your hands and knees for five to ten minutes at a time. To me, it was like squeezing up and down a covered playground slide, except the walls were made of cool, jagged rocks. Inside, we learned a bit about the history and present of the mine (both similar stories of poverty and dangers). We also spoke to a few miners, all drinking Ciebo (96% alcohol; sold cheaply in the mining stores right along side the dynamite) and chewing coca for energy.
Being down in the hole was really tough. It was easy to get over the physical strain of breathing through the dust and sqeezing down claustrophobic passages, the emotional impact was harder to shake. It is horrible in the mines and the lifestyle is so bad. Mining culture is riddle with domestic violence, alcoholism, and abandonment. They drink and joke about things to avoid reality; who can blame them? Between 30 and 40 people die in the Potosi mine each year, and at least someone gets injured every day.
To be honest, I hated the tour. I came out feeling very sad. I was sad partially because of the situation in mine, but mostly because of our actions. I felt like an immoral spectator at a zoo: holding onto my privilage, playing ´dress up,´ and seeing the mining life just for shock value. I didn´t feel welcome into the mine, and I felt like I was taking advantage of the miners struggles. Sure, my hands and clothes got dirty, but we were still viewing the mines and the miners through a glass wall.
I understand that experience and emotional response are powerful and can spread awareness- indeed, it sparked some great conversations within our group- but I´d rather learn about mining hardships in a more sensitive way.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
¡Luz, Camera, Actión!
My morning spent with Jose selling newspapers was pretty crazy, but my day only got even more ridiculous. After lunch, I was supposed to follow another child laborer into the cemetary for work. Instead, a fellow union member (Cesar) requested that a few of us help film his brother´s music video! Absolutely nothing about the afternoon was normal, but it was all incredible...
It began to hail as Monika, Evi, and I (¨the video girls¨) walked to meet up with the band in the ¨music district¨of Potosi. We were led into a run down house/studio, and escorted down a few crumbling brick hallways and into a basement bedroom full of bolivian guys. Thank god there were three of us-afterall, there is strength (and comfort) in numbers; by that time we were begining to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into! The bedroom was plastered in posters of every possible genre: Jesus Christ was featured right next to a scantily-clad Brittany Spears, just opposite of Marilyn Manson. Avril Lavine, Shakira, Iron Maiden, and a few mariachi bands were also prominately featured, hovering just above a Tweety Bird beach towel and few stuffed valentine bears. Honestly, it was the weirdest-and most ridiculous- environment Ive ever been in.
As we waited for the filming to begin, Cesar entertained us by playing us some bolivian techno music on his electric drums. Monika whipped out her harmonica (which, obviously, she had conveniently in her raincoat pocket...) and added her own rythm to the music. For the next hour, we continued our culturally-confused jam session, and it was pretty awesome, and ridiculous.
Finally the filming began. Monika was chosen as the main girl in the video ¨porque es mas baja,¨(because she is the shortest). Once we saw the lead singer (and star of the video), we understood: Monika is barely 5´1¨ and she towered over him by a few inches, at least! But the height gap was nothing compared to the age gap. The man is pushing 45 years old. It was ridiculous. I could barely keep a straight face during the filming as he and Monika had to hug and hold hands.
After filming a few scenes in the house, one guy told us to get in his car so we could drive to the center of the town. Super sketchy...Especially because his car is one of those unmarked taxis that tourists are always being warned about! But, trusting Cesar, we got in an everything was fine. Actually, driving around to film scenes in different parts of town was an awesomely unique way to experience Potosi. Crammed together in the backseat, all we could talk about was how crazy our situation was: being driven around by a strange bolivian band to act in their music video! Do I even need to say it? Ridiculous.
In the end, Evi and I got to make our appearance in the video: Evi as the ´new love interest´(sitting down, of course, due to the height difference), and I as Monika´s friend. I hope the compile the video soon, because I cant wait to see it. Maybe I will see my face in the bolivian music videos they play on the long bus rides; if it is completed in time, there is a good possibility I will!
The whole experience was so surreal. It honestly felt like we were in a dream. It was so strange to follow a band around the city as a video entourage. It was simply unique and totally awesome. And ridiculous.
As if selling newpapers in the morning and staring in a music video in the afternoon wasn´t enough: Our instructors ordered pizza to our hostel for dinner...and they ordered half a veggie pizza with no cheese, just for me! Talk about a great day.
It began to hail as Monika, Evi, and I (¨the video girls¨) walked to meet up with the band in the ¨music district¨of Potosi. We were led into a run down house/studio, and escorted down a few crumbling brick hallways and into a basement bedroom full of bolivian guys. Thank god there were three of us-afterall, there is strength (and comfort) in numbers; by that time we were begining to wonder what we had gotten ourselves into! The bedroom was plastered in posters of every possible genre: Jesus Christ was featured right next to a scantily-clad Brittany Spears, just opposite of Marilyn Manson. Avril Lavine, Shakira, Iron Maiden, and a few mariachi bands were also prominately featured, hovering just above a Tweety Bird beach towel and few stuffed valentine bears. Honestly, it was the weirdest-and most ridiculous- environment Ive ever been in.
As we waited for the filming to begin, Cesar entertained us by playing us some bolivian techno music on his electric drums. Monika whipped out her harmonica (which, obviously, she had conveniently in her raincoat pocket...) and added her own rythm to the music. For the next hour, we continued our culturally-confused jam session, and it was pretty awesome, and ridiculous.
Finally the filming began. Monika was chosen as the main girl in the video ¨porque es mas baja,¨(because she is the shortest). Once we saw the lead singer (and star of the video), we understood: Monika is barely 5´1¨ and she towered over him by a few inches, at least! But the height gap was nothing compared to the age gap. The man is pushing 45 years old. It was ridiculous. I could barely keep a straight face during the filming as he and Monika had to hug and hold hands.
After filming a few scenes in the house, one guy told us to get in his car so we could drive to the center of the town. Super sketchy...Especially because his car is one of those unmarked taxis that tourists are always being warned about! But, trusting Cesar, we got in an everything was fine. Actually, driving around to film scenes in different parts of town was an awesomely unique way to experience Potosi. Crammed together in the backseat, all we could talk about was how crazy our situation was: being driven around by a strange bolivian band to act in their music video! Do I even need to say it? Ridiculous.
In the end, Evi and I got to make our appearance in the video: Evi as the ´new love interest´(sitting down, of course, due to the height difference), and I as Monika´s friend. I hope the compile the video soon, because I cant wait to see it. Maybe I will see my face in the bolivian music videos they play on the long bus rides; if it is completed in time, there is a good possibility I will!
The whole experience was so surreal. It honestly felt like we were in a dream. It was so strange to follow a band around the city as a video entourage. It was simply unique and totally awesome. And ridiculous.
As if selling newpapers in the morning and staring in a music video in the afternoon wasn´t enough: Our instructors ordered pizza to our hostel for dinner...and they ordered half a veggie pizza with no cheese, just for me! Talk about a great day.
Extra! Extra!
If you know me well, odds are that I have made you watch Newsies (the movie musical). It happens to be one of my favorites. Yesterday morning I got to live the life of a newsie! I actually job-shadowed a child laborer who works as a newspaper seller.
I woke up at 6:30 to meet Jose on the street and pick up his stack of the day´s paper. While we waited, he and his friends were shy; they kept hiding and avoiding eye contact. When the newspaper truck finally arrived, Jose picked up the papers, yelled something at me, and started running.
Literally running.
I hardly had time to realize what was going before he was half way down the street. When he told me we were going to run to sell the papers, I thought he was kidding! But he wasnt. To cover more ground, quickly, a lot of the top sellers run. I spent the rest of the morning chasing after a nimble 14 year old boy at 14,000 feet of altitude. As if walking up the stairs didnt already put me out of breath in the mountain town. Needless to say, I was exhausted when we sold out, which was, thanks to all of our running, an hour before everyone else.´
The experience was so unique and wonderful. Jose was quiet at first, but by the end I got him talking. It was interesting to hear his story: He works in the morning every day of the week, and attends school in the afternoon. At night he studies. He loves fútball and somehow, between all of this other activities, he finds time to play. He never laughed at my spanish skills (to my face, anyways), and we could communicate pretty well. It was the curious, toothless, old men we sold to that I struggled to understand!
So, HOW exactly did I get the opportunity to job-shadow Jose? Its all thanks to a wonderful organization called CONNAT´SOP. Since being in Potosi, we have been partnering with this organization and they have provided a really interesting looked into child labor.
CONNAT´SOP is an acronymn for a long phrase that basically means union for child and adolecent laborers; its the local branch of the national organization NNATS. This union´s main objectives are 1) To display child labor as good and healthy, not harmful. 2) To work to gain rights and recogition for child laborers. and 3) To end child labor in the silver mines of Potosi (which they see as undignified and dangerous). The union, though helped by a few local organizations, is self-run by the youth members.
The use and acceptance of child labor in Bolivia is so different from in the US. In the states, we view child labor as harmful and exploitive; stealing precious childhood (a romantisized western idea) from our nations youth. In Bolivia, as in many poorer nations, the idea of childhood doesnt exist. Children work to support themselves and their families. The main western critique of child labor is that it prevents the children from recieving an education. In the US, this is pretty much true. In Bolivia, on the other hand, working opens the door for many children to attend school. CONNAT´SOP requires all of its laborers to attend school, and it provides support for them to do so. Without income from working and the support the union provides, education would not be an option for most of these children. Before you judge the cruel, youth-stealing term ¨child labor¨ be sure you take a deeper look.
I woke up at 6:30 to meet Jose on the street and pick up his stack of the day´s paper. While we waited, he and his friends were shy; they kept hiding and avoiding eye contact. When the newspaper truck finally arrived, Jose picked up the papers, yelled something at me, and started running.
Literally running.
I hardly had time to realize what was going before he was half way down the street. When he told me we were going to run to sell the papers, I thought he was kidding! But he wasnt. To cover more ground, quickly, a lot of the top sellers run. I spent the rest of the morning chasing after a nimble 14 year old boy at 14,000 feet of altitude. As if walking up the stairs didnt already put me out of breath in the mountain town. Needless to say, I was exhausted when we sold out, which was, thanks to all of our running, an hour before everyone else.´
The experience was so unique and wonderful. Jose was quiet at first, but by the end I got him talking. It was interesting to hear his story: He works in the morning every day of the week, and attends school in the afternoon. At night he studies. He loves fútball and somehow, between all of this other activities, he finds time to play. He never laughed at my spanish skills (to my face, anyways), and we could communicate pretty well. It was the curious, toothless, old men we sold to that I struggled to understand!
So, HOW exactly did I get the opportunity to job-shadow Jose? Its all thanks to a wonderful organization called CONNAT´SOP. Since being in Potosi, we have been partnering with this organization and they have provided a really interesting looked into child labor.
CONNAT´SOP is an acronymn for a long phrase that basically means union for child and adolecent laborers; its the local branch of the national organization NNATS. This union´s main objectives are 1) To display child labor as good and healthy, not harmful. 2) To work to gain rights and recogition for child laborers. and 3) To end child labor in the silver mines of Potosi (which they see as undignified and dangerous). The union, though helped by a few local organizations, is self-run by the youth members.
The use and acceptance of child labor in Bolivia is so different from in the US. In the states, we view child labor as harmful and exploitive; stealing precious childhood (a romantisized western idea) from our nations youth. In Bolivia, as in many poorer nations, the idea of childhood doesnt exist. Children work to support themselves and their families. The main western critique of child labor is that it prevents the children from recieving an education. In the US, this is pretty much true. In Bolivia, on the other hand, working opens the door for many children to attend school. CONNAT´SOP requires all of its laborers to attend school, and it provides support for them to do so. Without income from working and the support the union provides, education would not be an option for most of these children. Before you judge the cruel, youth-stealing term ¨child labor¨ be sure you take a deeper look.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Dogs Always Come Home in Disney Movies
We attracted a dog during dinner on the last night of the trek. He stayed with us overnight and helped finish off the leftover oatmeal in the morning. As a joke, we named him Salí, which means ¨go away¨ in spanish. ¨Salí¨ is what Bolivians always yell at dogs so that they get out of the way, and we thought it would be funny if a dogs name was Salí because then when you are calling your dog, you are really saying ¨Come, Go Away! Come!¨ Is that a little cruel? Maybe, but we got a kick out of it.
Salí followed us the whole next day, trotting right by our heels as we hiked. This dog has quite the personality and we all grew attached to him quickly. Tim, our semester advisor, grew especially attached. None of us wanted to leave him when we reached our bus at the end of the day. I asked Tim, almost jokingly, ¨Please Dad? Can we keep him? Please?!¨ And his eyes showed that he was considering it. Still, it was a stretch. Pick up a stray dog in the mountains and bring him back to the city as a pet? Our schedule is packed, and how can we travel around with a dog?
Our pick-up bus was parked on the other side of a large swinging bridge. As we filed across, one by one, Salí tried to follow but was spooked and ran back. No amount of coaxing, bribing, or feeding could get him to step on the wobbly wooden planks. Suddenly we realized that Salí might not be coming to the other side of the river with us; we might have to say good bye for good.
Standing on the other side of the bridge, we watched Salí run down from the bridge, barking and barking, not sure why his new friends were leaving. He paced up and down the shore, looking for another way to cross besides the bridge, but the river was deep and fast and full of rapids. We knew he couldnt swim across. He continued running and barking for more than fifteen minutes, while we watched on the opposite shore, not sure what to do.
BUT THEN HE JUMPED IN. Everyone went crazy, afraid he would drown and shocked that he would be so persistant to cross. We all dropped our backpacks and ran towards the point where he was headed. About half way across, his head began bobbing as he fought the strong current, and we all held our breath. But he kept swimming and swimming and swimmin and HE MADE IT! We were all laughing and crying and screaming with disbelief. I finally understand why people describe dogs as loyal. The whole scenario was straight out of a Disney movie: the dog who faces death to be reunited with his family. Obviously, it was decided that we HAD to keep him.
He hopped right on the bus and slept the whole way back to Sucre. We picked off a few (huge) fleas, gave him a rabies shot, and bought a colar. After a 5 hour bus ride (and two minor vomit-accidents on Tim´s shirt), Salí is happily asleep on the floor of our hostal in Potosi. Now, we officially have a dog!
Salí followed us the whole next day, trotting right by our heels as we hiked. This dog has quite the personality and we all grew attached to him quickly. Tim, our semester advisor, grew especially attached. None of us wanted to leave him when we reached our bus at the end of the day. I asked Tim, almost jokingly, ¨Please Dad? Can we keep him? Please?!¨ And his eyes showed that he was considering it. Still, it was a stretch. Pick up a stray dog in the mountains and bring him back to the city as a pet? Our schedule is packed, and how can we travel around with a dog?
Our pick-up bus was parked on the other side of a large swinging bridge. As we filed across, one by one, Salí tried to follow but was spooked and ran back. No amount of coaxing, bribing, or feeding could get him to step on the wobbly wooden planks. Suddenly we realized that Salí might not be coming to the other side of the river with us; we might have to say good bye for good.
Standing on the other side of the bridge, we watched Salí run down from the bridge, barking and barking, not sure why his new friends were leaving. He paced up and down the shore, looking for another way to cross besides the bridge, but the river was deep and fast and full of rapids. We knew he couldnt swim across. He continued running and barking for more than fifteen minutes, while we watched on the opposite shore, not sure what to do.
BUT THEN HE JUMPED IN. Everyone went crazy, afraid he would drown and shocked that he would be so persistant to cross. We all dropped our backpacks and ran towards the point where he was headed. About half way across, his head began bobbing as he fought the strong current, and we all held our breath. But he kept swimming and swimming and swimmin and HE MADE IT! We were all laughing and crying and screaming with disbelief. I finally understand why people describe dogs as loyal. The whole scenario was straight out of a Disney movie: the dog who faces death to be reunited with his family. Obviously, it was decided that we HAD to keep him.
He hopped right on the bus and slept the whole way back to Sucre. We picked off a few (huge) fleas, gave him a rabies shot, and bought a colar. After a 5 hour bus ride (and two minor vomit-accidents on Tim´s shirt), Salí is happily asleep on the floor of our hostal in Potosi. Now, we officially have a dog!
Singing in the Rain
I havent gotten much sleep in the past week. We have been so busy, I hardly have time to think!
After getting off the overnight bus from Cochabamba to Sucre, there was no time for a nap. Sucre is a beautiful colonial city. All the building are white and the colonial style churches reach up towards the sky, mimicing the mountains behind them. Unfortunately we didnt have much time to explore the city because we had too much preparation to do! We immediately began to organize our food and gear for the trek. After a late dinner and last minute packing, we went to sleep for a few hours. At 4:30 am we woke up, loaded onto the bus, and headed out to start our trek.
The trek was unlike any trek Ive ever done. While we were surrounded by natural beauty, staying in tents, and cooking over camp stoves, we werent really in the wilderness. Instead, we were floating in and out of rural communities. Our first night, we arrived in a village looking for a field to camp in. Because it was raining (read: POURING), they offered the local school house for us to sleep in. It was wonderful, and dry, and totally different from what I was expecting. The next night, we set up our tents in a family´s livestock pasture, right next to their grazing donkeys. The family who owned the land entertained us that night by showing us showing us local weavings, and the youngest boy played a traditional Andean flute. On our last night, we camped in the yard of an old church. We awoke in the morning to water balloons being launched at us over the wall surrounding the near-by school.
I am fortunate to have seen so many different mountains in my life. Each range is so different and so unique, yet I always struggle to distinguish them. During one of our silent periods on the hike, I meditated on this point and tried to eternalize the personality of the mountains around me. While there are many similarities between the Himalayas and the Andes (particularly their importance to the populations that respect and depend on them), there are also very, very strong differences. To me, the Himalayas are dramatic and sublime; they are sharp angles of dark gray, living green, and bright white. In contrast, the Andes are tranquillo and have a nurturing beauty; a careful marble of purple, aqua, brown, orange, and sage.
Despite the distractions of being surrounded by 19 other people (13 students, 4 instructors, a guide and an intern...not to mention a dog who will be discussed soon), it was impossible to ignore the astounding beauty surrounding us. My favorite moment of the trek was on our third day, during our hike through a GIANT crater. The crater itself is a giant hole sunk into the ground, most likely formed by an ancient volcano. It is surrounded on all sides by scalloped hills of exposed, layered rock. These hills are unlike anything Ive ever seen: concentrically layered like an onion with bright aquas, oranges, purples, and browns. (Just wait until I am able to post a few photos, which hopefully will be soon!) As we headed over the pass and out of the crater, the weather rolled in. Clouds and rain soon obscured our view of the mountains, and made it difficult to see even the person walking in front of us. My boots were weighed down with at least 7 pounds of mud. But as I looked down to see just how much mud really was clinging to my boots, I was suprised. Yes, there really was at least 7 pounds of mud on my feet; that part wasnt suprising. I was suprised because the mud on my feet, just like the rock on the mountains, was in layers of so many colors. It looked as if someone had painted an earthy, jewel-toned rainbow onto my toes. I smiled to myself, alone with the simple, astounding beauty of mud, before something snapped me back into the reality of being in a group of 20: Greg squealing as he sunk calf-deep into a soft spot on the trail. I laughed out loud and smiled even bigger, because the only thing better than the beauty of Pacha Mama is experiencing it with lovely people.
After getting off the overnight bus from Cochabamba to Sucre, there was no time for a nap. Sucre is a beautiful colonial city. All the building are white and the colonial style churches reach up towards the sky, mimicing the mountains behind them. Unfortunately we didnt have much time to explore the city because we had too much preparation to do! We immediately began to organize our food and gear for the trek. After a late dinner and last minute packing, we went to sleep for a few hours. At 4:30 am we woke up, loaded onto the bus, and headed out to start our trek.
The trek was unlike any trek Ive ever done. While we were surrounded by natural beauty, staying in tents, and cooking over camp stoves, we werent really in the wilderness. Instead, we were floating in and out of rural communities. Our first night, we arrived in a village looking for a field to camp in. Because it was raining (read: POURING), they offered the local school house for us to sleep in. It was wonderful, and dry, and totally different from what I was expecting. The next night, we set up our tents in a family´s livestock pasture, right next to their grazing donkeys. The family who owned the land entertained us that night by showing us showing us local weavings, and the youngest boy played a traditional Andean flute. On our last night, we camped in the yard of an old church. We awoke in the morning to water balloons being launched at us over the wall surrounding the near-by school.
I am fortunate to have seen so many different mountains in my life. Each range is so different and so unique, yet I always struggle to distinguish them. During one of our silent periods on the hike, I meditated on this point and tried to eternalize the personality of the mountains around me. While there are many similarities between the Himalayas and the Andes (particularly their importance to the populations that respect and depend on them), there are also very, very strong differences. To me, the Himalayas are dramatic and sublime; they are sharp angles of dark gray, living green, and bright white. In contrast, the Andes are tranquillo and have a nurturing beauty; a careful marble of purple, aqua, brown, orange, and sage.
Despite the distractions of being surrounded by 19 other people (13 students, 4 instructors, a guide and an intern...not to mention a dog who will be discussed soon), it was impossible to ignore the astounding beauty surrounding us. My favorite moment of the trek was on our third day, during our hike through a GIANT crater. The crater itself is a giant hole sunk into the ground, most likely formed by an ancient volcano. It is surrounded on all sides by scalloped hills of exposed, layered rock. These hills are unlike anything Ive ever seen: concentrically layered like an onion with bright aquas, oranges, purples, and browns. (Just wait until I am able to post a few photos, which hopefully will be soon!) As we headed over the pass and out of the crater, the weather rolled in. Clouds and rain soon obscured our view of the mountains, and made it difficult to see even the person walking in front of us. My boots were weighed down with at least 7 pounds of mud. But as I looked down to see just how much mud really was clinging to my boots, I was suprised. Yes, there really was at least 7 pounds of mud on my feet; that part wasnt suprising. I was suprised because the mud on my feet, just like the rock on the mountains, was in layers of so many colors. It looked as if someone had painted an earthy, jewel-toned rainbow onto my toes. I smiled to myself, alone with the simple, astounding beauty of mud, before something snapped me back into the reality of being in a group of 20: Greg squealing as he sunk calf-deep into a soft spot on the trail. I laughed out loud and smiled even bigger, because the only thing better than the beauty of Pacha Mama is experiencing it with lovely people.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Goodbye, Cochabamba!
The strike is calming down so we are finally able to leave Cochabamba. I already love to city so Im sad to leave, but I cant wait to see more of the country. We are taking a night bus and will be in Sucre by tomorrow morning.
From Sucre, we will be going on a short backpacking trip. Then we will be visiting Potosi and the Uyuni. We have some awesome things planned for both places!
In short, I wont have internet for a while. But stay tuned for some insite on fusion cultures and updates on Sucre, Potosi, and Uyuni!
From Sucre, we will be going on a short backpacking trip. Then we will be visiting Potosi and the Uyuni. We have some awesome things planned for both places!
In short, I wont have internet for a while. But stay tuned for some insite on fusion cultures and updates on Sucre, Potosi, and Uyuni!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Radicals, Racism, and Activism
I almost didnt get to write this post today. The streets are wild with protests over transportation prices, and nearly everything is closed. A woman let me into her internet cafe through the back door, since her front gate is barred "para cuidar."
Politics are so active in Bolivia right now, and I´ve been lucky to have so much exposure to the world of Bolivian activism in the past few days.
-We had dinner with Jack H., an american who has gone-native and become a radical leftist activist for indigenous rights in Bolivia. He is an amazing muscian, and he is married to prominate activist and artist Valentina. He spoke about his work and what still needs to be done for los campasinos.
-We visted the Democracy Now center, and were lucky to have a meeting with Jim Shultz: world famous activist best known for ousting the Bechtel Corporation the Cochabamba water wars. He spoke about his work and how to organize for a cause. He is a genius man and not one of us didn´t leave wanting to pick up a picket sign. (Dont worry, Mom. Im not going to get arrested.)
-Last night we had dinner at Collectivo Kartari, which is a politically motivated artist collective. They shared their wonderful tallents with us, explained their purpose of educating others about indigenous history and abuse, and they fixed us an AMAZING vegetarian meal.
The current strike today didnt suprise me, because I witnessed the planning of it in the plaza yesterday, around a gallery of politcal articles and critiques. Without twitter and facebook, these galleries are how information is spread to the masses. And there were masses. I soon found myself in a conversation with a local, asking about the current situation and what was about to occur. Despite my poor spanish, we were able to discuss Evo Morales, Obama, socialism, racism, and inequality.
Trust me, if there is any true natural high, its talking politics in a nother language!
Politics are so active in Bolivia right now, and I´ve been lucky to have so much exposure to the world of Bolivian activism in the past few days.
-We had dinner with Jack H., an american who has gone-native and become a radical leftist activist for indigenous rights in Bolivia. He is an amazing muscian, and he is married to prominate activist and artist Valentina. He spoke about his work and what still needs to be done for los campasinos.
-We visted the Democracy Now center, and were lucky to have a meeting with Jim Shultz: world famous activist best known for ousting the Bechtel Corporation the Cochabamba water wars. He spoke about his work and how to organize for a cause. He is a genius man and not one of us didn´t leave wanting to pick up a picket sign. (Dont worry, Mom. Im not going to get arrested.)
-Last night we had dinner at Collectivo Kartari, which is a politically motivated artist collective. They shared their wonderful tallents with us, explained their purpose of educating others about indigenous history and abuse, and they fixed us an AMAZING vegetarian meal.
The current strike today didnt suprise me, because I witnessed the planning of it in the plaza yesterday, around a gallery of politcal articles and critiques. Without twitter and facebook, these galleries are how information is spread to the masses. And there were masses. I soon found myself in a conversation with a local, asking about the current situation and what was about to occur. Despite my poor spanish, we were able to discuss Evo Morales, Obama, socialism, racism, and inequality.
Trust me, if there is any true natural high, its talking politics in a nother language!
bolivia: llama fetus and chocolate soymilk
Last Thursday morning (almost a week ago), I stepped off the plane at the world´s highest airport (13,000 ft) in El Alto, on the outskirts of La Paz. I was shakey with altitude, but mostly with excitement. After a full day of travel, I was excited to feel the rainy, coca-scented air of Bolivia.
From La Paz, my group hopped on a bus to descend to a lower elevation that would become our orientation home for the next few days. OH MY GOODNESS, THE BUS. It was the best foreign bus I´ve ever been on. It was a double decker bus (which I´ve never ridden on before), and the seats were like lounge chairs. I was lucky to sit on the top at the very front, surrounded by glass windows on three sides. I watched the Bolivian landscape roll by, chewing on coca leaves, and I couldnt help but laugh to myself everytime we passed a "Llama X-ing" sign on the side of the road. I was pretty content.
Between the llamas, the coca, and the bright indigenous people, Bolivia has, in many ways, matched the image I had in my head but never expected to see actualized. The only difference is that Bolivia is so clean! La Paz, in contrast to Kathmandu, is nice and well kept. There is no trash on the streets, there are green areas and gazebos dotting the city, and colored shrubs are planted in geometric patterns along the road medians for no purpose other than asthetics. Its true, I havent yet visited the poorer regions of Bolivia, but so far is has been extremely tidy.
Our group´s first few days were spent at El Poncho- an Eco-Lodge built from divine Andean numbers and cosmology- doing orientation activities and getting to know each other.
I´ve truly never been in a group that has clicked so well, so quickly. We are all very different, ranging in age from 17 to 21, but we get along great. We are already like family.
Still, the group experience is really different from my last semester. Our seminars on group dynamics and leadership roles are strongly reminiscent of NOLS, meanwhile the accountability we have to our instructors reminds me of a loosely-framed People to People trip. Perhaps the biggest difference is not being in a group, but rather being in a class-type setting with organized lessons and activities. It is different from the freedom and mobility I am used to, but I am learning more academics and gaining more contacts than I ever would on my own. In our free time, I still have plenty of opportunities for the cultural interaction that I love.
The other afternoon, while on a short hike, I was lured into an onion patch by several local girls. I spent the next hour chatting and pulling weeds by their sides. They sowed me some Bolivian dances, and in fair exchange I sang them a Celine Dion song and performed the Macarena.
I am currently in Cochabamba, one of Bolivia´s larger, nicer cities. Cochabamba is also home to South America´s largest Christo (Jesus statue) and South America´s largest open-air market. I have gone to visit both. I discovered my new favorite fruit in the market: chirimoya (custard apple). You can find anything and everything in the market, from hats to meats to furniture to live animals to stolen car parts. One of the strangest things I discovered were the dried llama fetuses (used as offerings) that hang from so many of the small stalls. The smallest were only 12 inches, but they grew upward in size and some were even mature enough to have fur.
The only thing I´ve found for sale in Bolivia that has shocked me as much as the llama fetuses is chocolate soymilk. Not lying. The beverage I expected to live without is actually sold (in plastic bags, no less) at every corner market and street cart!
I could bore you with more about my first few days in the country, but I wont. If you really want more perspective, you can check out the Yak Yak board at http://www.wheretherebedragons.com/yakyak.php (my course is Andes and Amazon, spring 2011). This is a collective blog that my whole group will be updating (under compulsion...) throught the course.
No worries! I´ll still be updating this blog, and most likely I´ll be copying and pasting onto the Yak Yak board. But feel free to check it out if you want to hear about Bolivia from the mouths (or keyboards) of my peers.
From La Paz, my group hopped on a bus to descend to a lower elevation that would become our orientation home for the next few days. OH MY GOODNESS, THE BUS. It was the best foreign bus I´ve ever been on. It was a double decker bus (which I´ve never ridden on before), and the seats were like lounge chairs. I was lucky to sit on the top at the very front, surrounded by glass windows on three sides. I watched the Bolivian landscape roll by, chewing on coca leaves, and I couldnt help but laugh to myself everytime we passed a "Llama X-ing" sign on the side of the road. I was pretty content.
Between the llamas, the coca, and the bright indigenous people, Bolivia has, in many ways, matched the image I had in my head but never expected to see actualized. The only difference is that Bolivia is so clean! La Paz, in contrast to Kathmandu, is nice and well kept. There is no trash on the streets, there are green areas and gazebos dotting the city, and colored shrubs are planted in geometric patterns along the road medians for no purpose other than asthetics. Its true, I havent yet visited the poorer regions of Bolivia, but so far is has been extremely tidy.
Our group´s first few days were spent at El Poncho- an Eco-Lodge built from divine Andean numbers and cosmology- doing orientation activities and getting to know each other.
I´ve truly never been in a group that has clicked so well, so quickly. We are all very different, ranging in age from 17 to 21, but we get along great. We are already like family.
Still, the group experience is really different from my last semester. Our seminars on group dynamics and leadership roles are strongly reminiscent of NOLS, meanwhile the accountability we have to our instructors reminds me of a loosely-framed People to People trip. Perhaps the biggest difference is not being in a group, but rather being in a class-type setting with organized lessons and activities. It is different from the freedom and mobility I am used to, but I am learning more academics and gaining more contacts than I ever would on my own. In our free time, I still have plenty of opportunities for the cultural interaction that I love.
The other afternoon, while on a short hike, I was lured into an onion patch by several local girls. I spent the next hour chatting and pulling weeds by their sides. They sowed me some Bolivian dances, and in fair exchange I sang them a Celine Dion song and performed the Macarena.
I am currently in Cochabamba, one of Bolivia´s larger, nicer cities. Cochabamba is also home to South America´s largest Christo (Jesus statue) and South America´s largest open-air market. I have gone to visit both. I discovered my new favorite fruit in the market: chirimoya (custard apple). You can find anything and everything in the market, from hats to meats to furniture to live animals to stolen car parts. One of the strangest things I discovered were the dried llama fetuses (used as offerings) that hang from so many of the small stalls. The smallest were only 12 inches, but they grew upward in size and some were even mature enough to have fur.
The only thing I´ve found for sale in Bolivia that has shocked me as much as the llama fetuses is chocolate soymilk. Not lying. The beverage I expected to live without is actually sold (in plastic bags, no less) at every corner market and street cart!
I could bore you with more about my first few days in the country, but I wont. If you really want more perspective, you can check out the Yak Yak board at http://www.wheretherebedragons.com/yakyak.php (my course is Andes and Amazon, spring 2011). This is a collective blog that my whole group will be updating (under compulsion...) throught the course.
No worries! I´ll still be updating this blog, and most likely I´ll be copying and pasting onto the Yak Yak board. But feel free to check it out if you want to hear about Bolivia from the mouths (or keyboards) of my peers.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
One Last Note
By the time the (predicted) snow arrives in Raleigh tomorrow morning, I will be in the hot, tropical Amazon rainforest in Bolivia.
Okay, I will actually be in La Paz (which is in the mountains), but the tropical rainforest made a better contrast with the snow. Still, it will still be summer in Bolivia and there definitely will not be snow in La Paz!
My plane leaves in a few hours and I am almost (kinda, maybe...) all packed. So far, the nerves/excitement/fear hasn't set in. Those emotions come from the travel preparations like flight details, emergency contacts, visa materials, and all those practical things you take care of that make you FEEL like you are really responsible for going somewhere. This whole group-travel thing has stripped me from those preparations, because the program has done it all for me. They even mailed me a little card to carry with me in the Miami airport so that I dont get lost...seriously!
I am also not nervous because I dont really feel like I will be gone for that long. Last summer, I would have guessed that three months away from my friends and my home would have felt like forever, but not anymore. Im leaving today and I feel like I'll be back next week! I guess this made packing easier, because I kept telling myself "No, dont packed the extra bottle. Its only three months. Its OKAY if you run out of soap..."
Dont get me wrong, just because Im not nervous doesnt mean Im not happy to go! I can't wait to meet the other nine students in my group, and I cant wait to step off the plane tomorrow morning in the highest capital city in the world. The Andes mountains are calling my name, and I cant wait to see the Amazon, either.
I should probably stop procrastinating and finish packing (I swear, Im ALMOST done) and clean up the landfill in my room (yes, its time to pick up those Nepal photographs and store away the Saree...). Then Im going to enjoy one last bowl of gluten-free cereal and non-dairy milk-a 'last supper' if you will- before I head off to a land of new, and probably non-vegetarian, food.
My next post will be in Bolivia! And although Im not sure how often I'll be able to update this blog, I should have computer access at least once a week. I know this because we are required to email our parents weekly, although I dont know if these emails will be sent before or after our full-body tattoo/piercing searches and our drug- and alcohol-tests. Needless to say, I will be safe and you WILL hear from me.
Until then...chao!
Okay, I will actually be in La Paz (which is in the mountains), but the tropical rainforest made a better contrast with the snow. Still, it will still be summer in Bolivia and there definitely will not be snow in La Paz!
My plane leaves in a few hours and I am almost (kinda, maybe...) all packed. So far, the nerves/excitement/fear hasn't set in. Those emotions come from the travel preparations like flight details, emergency contacts, visa materials, and all those practical things you take care of that make you FEEL like you are really responsible for going somewhere. This whole group-travel thing has stripped me from those preparations, because the program has done it all for me. They even mailed me a little card to carry with me in the Miami airport so that I dont get lost...seriously!
I am also not nervous because I dont really feel like I will be gone for that long. Last summer, I would have guessed that three months away from my friends and my home would have felt like forever, but not anymore. Im leaving today and I feel like I'll be back next week! I guess this made packing easier, because I kept telling myself "No, dont packed the extra bottle. Its only three months. Its OKAY if you run out of soap..."
Dont get me wrong, just because Im not nervous doesnt mean Im not happy to go! I can't wait to meet the other nine students in my group, and I cant wait to step off the plane tomorrow morning in the highest capital city in the world. The Andes mountains are calling my name, and I cant wait to see the Amazon, either.
I should probably stop procrastinating and finish packing (I swear, Im ALMOST done) and clean up the landfill in my room (yes, its time to pick up those Nepal photographs and store away the Saree...). Then Im going to enjoy one last bowl of gluten-free cereal and non-dairy milk-a 'last supper' if you will- before I head off to a land of new, and probably non-vegetarian, food.
My next post will be in Bolivia! And although Im not sure how often I'll be able to update this blog, I should have computer access at least once a week. I know this because we are required to email our parents weekly, although I dont know if these emails will be sent before or after our full-body tattoo/piercing searches and our drug- and alcohol-tests. Needless to say, I will be safe and you WILL hear from me.
Until then...chao!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Itinerary
So here is the itinerary, as promised. It's a little long and detailed, so I have made a brief "overview" of it and posted it below, before the detailed version:
February 10-15: Land in La Paz. Rest in Cochabamba, do orientation, etc. Trek to the summit Cerro Tunari (16,000 feet).
February 16-21: Travel to Sucre, then start our first long trek in the Cordillera del Fraile.
February 22-28: Travel from Sucre to Postosi while investigating salt, lithium, and other resource deposits, and how they relate to Bolivia’s future and green energy.
March 1-9: Urban homestays in El Alto, while participating in service learning. Head to Oruco for carnaval on March 6.
March 10-28: Homestays, language study, and independent study project in Sorata.
March 28-April 8: Trek though the Cordillera Real to the Amazon. Finish with a 2 day trip on the river.
April 8-17: Stay in the Amazon town of Asuncion, learning about Amazonian life, doing service learning, and exploring the ecology.
April 18-19: Rest days in Rurre.
April 19-May 5: TBD! The weeks are to planned by the students. Some options are: homestay in the Bolivian coca growing community, trekking in Peru, visiting Machu Picchu, and/or homestay in Cuzco.
May 6-12: Back to Bolivia. Maybe a trip to Lake Titicaca, a lodge in Sorata, or back to La Paz. THEN COME HOME!
OKAY. So here is the longer version:
February 10-15: The morning of the 10th We’ll find ourselves huddled outside in the dawn air of La Paz saying “Hola” to one another formally. After a brief breath of high Andean air we’ll take a bus to the more temperate city of Cochabamba in the middle of the country. We’ll head directly to Quillacollo, on the outskirts of town, a tranquil neighborhood at the foothills of the Andes. Also near the entrance to Tunari National Park where we will begin our in-country orientation with a welcome ceremony, workshops on group dynamics, culture and norms of the Andes and Amazon. We will also have the chance to meet with important organizations in town. Finishing our time here we will do a short trek and attempt to summit Cerro Tunari nearby, at over 16,000 feet.
February 16-17: Travel from Cochabamba overnight to Sucre across the vast Torotoro National Park, through the arid folds of the high Andes, arriving the historic colonial capital of what was Alto Peru and one of Bolivia’s most important cities.
February 18-21: Participate in our first extended trek in the Cordillera del Fraile outside of Sucre, backpacking through the arid tectonic wonderland that is this range, filled with dinosaur footprints, hot springs and oddly shaped craters and inhabited by the Jal’qa people, known for their brilliantly imaginative weavings.
Feb 22-28: Resources Expedition: Travel from Sucre to Potosi, site of the infamous Cerro Rico, which single-handedly financed the Spanish Empire for centuries and contains one of the most tragic stories of abuse of indigenous cultures in the Americas. Today it is Bolivia’s poorest region and the still active mines give insight into resource extraction and environmental issues. From Potosi we will head west to the salt flats where we will explore the vast expanse of the world’s largest salt lake as well as conduct an investigation into the recent find of the world’s largest lithium deposit, visiting the processing plant and speaking with local experts about what this means for Bolivia’s future and the future of green energy.
Mar 1-9: From the altiplano we will return to the city of El Alto for our first urban homestays. Here we will partner with Teatro Trono for homestays and creative projects, as well as a possible service learning opportunity either with Trono or with Maria from Desarrollo de la Mujer. We will finish our time here with a short trek in the nearby mountains and then an observation of the build up to carnaval in the streets of La Paz. We may also include a visit to Oruro for carnaval celebrations on Mar 6th.
Mar 10-28: SORATA. Arriving after carnaval, we will begin homestays, language study and Independent Study Project work in the stunning village of Sorata. Here we work with local mentors and possibly a non-profit that provides medical care to remote villagers here. We will also have opportunities to study weaving, Andean music, dance and politics. Our time here will be defined by the 20 hours of Spanish study per week, as well as the grassroots development projects, with opportunities for student led hikes and trips to La Paz on weekends. In our three weeks here we will really become a part of this community and immerse ourselves in this magical and challenging mountain lifestyle.
Possible Weekend Excursion: During this time we may have a hike from Sorata to high lakes, farming communities and right to the toe of a magnificent glacier below two 21,000 foot peaks and directly above town.
Mar 28-April 8th: Begin our extended trek through the Cordillera Real to the Amazon, either via the Illampu Circuit and down to the Camino de Oro or traversing the Cordillera Real and descending the Choro Trail to the tropical yungas. Either trek will take us through majestic Andean landscapes rich with high altitude culture, and then take us plummeting through the various ecological tiers into the Amazon rainforest. With either option we will ultimately make our way to Guanay where we begin a river trip for 2 days into the Bolivian Amazon.
April 8-17: travel down the Beni river from Guanay to the Tsimane-Moseten town of Asuncion in the Bolivian Amazon, where we will stay for a full week, learning about Amazonian life, participating in a service learning opportunity and exploring the rainforest ecology. From here we will continue down river to Rurrenebaque, a bustling tourist hub for the Bolivian Amazon.
April 18-19: Spend a couple of rest days in Rurre, visiting with Daniel Robison, a local expert in development and conservation as well as a possible visit to an animal rehabilitation center.
Apr 19-May 5: Our final weeks involve the expedition phase and will be determined as we go, based on the group’s abilities and interests. This may include a stay in the afro-Bolivian coca growing community on the way back up from the Amazon or possibilities in southern Peru such as: spectacular hikes such as the Choquequirao trek, visiting the magical communities of Q’eros, visiting the famous ruins of Machu Picchu and/or participate in one more independent and engaging homestays in the Cuzco area.
May 6-12: We will finish our course where it began, in Bolivia, possibly ending our time in Lake Titicaca at the Isla del Sol, the mythical birthplace of Incan and many pre-Incan civilizations. Other options may include the city of La Paz, an Andean lodge high in the mountains or Sorata, or “home” for this course.
February 10-15: Land in La Paz. Rest in Cochabamba, do orientation, etc. Trek to the summit Cerro Tunari (16,000 feet).
February 16-21: Travel to Sucre, then start our first long trek in the Cordillera del Fraile.
February 22-28: Travel from Sucre to Postosi while investigating salt, lithium, and other resource deposits, and how they relate to Bolivia’s future and green energy.
March 1-9: Urban homestays in El Alto, while participating in service learning. Head to Oruco for carnaval on March 6.
March 10-28: Homestays, language study, and independent study project in Sorata.
March 28-April 8: Trek though the Cordillera Real to the Amazon. Finish with a 2 day trip on the river.
April 8-17: Stay in the Amazon town of Asuncion, learning about Amazonian life, doing service learning, and exploring the ecology.
April 18-19: Rest days in Rurre.
April 19-May 5: TBD! The weeks are to planned by the students. Some options are: homestay in the Bolivian coca growing community, trekking in Peru, visiting Machu Picchu, and/or homestay in Cuzco.
May 6-12: Back to Bolivia. Maybe a trip to Lake Titicaca, a lodge in Sorata, or back to La Paz. THEN COME HOME!
OKAY. So here is the longer version:
February 10-15: The morning of the 10th We’ll find ourselves huddled outside in the dawn air of La Paz saying “Hola” to one another formally. After a brief breath of high Andean air we’ll take a bus to the more temperate city of Cochabamba in the middle of the country. We’ll head directly to Quillacollo, on the outskirts of town, a tranquil neighborhood at the foothills of the Andes. Also near the entrance to Tunari National Park where we will begin our in-country orientation with a welcome ceremony, workshops on group dynamics, culture and norms of the Andes and Amazon. We will also have the chance to meet with important organizations in town. Finishing our time here we will do a short trek and attempt to summit Cerro Tunari nearby, at over 16,000 feet.
February 16-17: Travel from Cochabamba overnight to Sucre across the vast Torotoro National Park, through the arid folds of the high Andes, arriving the historic colonial capital of what was Alto Peru and one of Bolivia’s most important cities.
February 18-21: Participate in our first extended trek in the Cordillera del Fraile outside of Sucre, backpacking through the arid tectonic wonderland that is this range, filled with dinosaur footprints, hot springs and oddly shaped craters and inhabited by the Jal’qa people, known for their brilliantly imaginative weavings.
Feb 22-28: Resources Expedition: Travel from Sucre to Potosi, site of the infamous Cerro Rico, which single-handedly financed the Spanish Empire for centuries and contains one of the most tragic stories of abuse of indigenous cultures in the Americas. Today it is Bolivia’s poorest region and the still active mines give insight into resource extraction and environmental issues. From Potosi we will head west to the salt flats where we will explore the vast expanse of the world’s largest salt lake as well as conduct an investigation into the recent find of the world’s largest lithium deposit, visiting the processing plant and speaking with local experts about what this means for Bolivia’s future and the future of green energy.
Mar 1-9: From the altiplano we will return to the city of El Alto for our first urban homestays. Here we will partner with Teatro Trono for homestays and creative projects, as well as a possible service learning opportunity either with Trono or with Maria from Desarrollo de la Mujer. We will finish our time here with a short trek in the nearby mountains and then an observation of the build up to carnaval in the streets of La Paz. We may also include a visit to Oruro for carnaval celebrations on Mar 6th.
Mar 10-28: SORATA. Arriving after carnaval, we will begin homestays, language study and Independent Study Project work in the stunning village of Sorata. Here we work with local mentors and possibly a non-profit that provides medical care to remote villagers here. We will also have opportunities to study weaving, Andean music, dance and politics. Our time here will be defined by the 20 hours of Spanish study per week, as well as the grassroots development projects, with opportunities for student led hikes and trips to La Paz on weekends. In our three weeks here we will really become a part of this community and immerse ourselves in this magical and challenging mountain lifestyle.
Possible Weekend Excursion: During this time we may have a hike from Sorata to high lakes, farming communities and right to the toe of a magnificent glacier below two 21,000 foot peaks and directly above town.
Mar 28-April 8th: Begin our extended trek through the Cordillera Real to the Amazon, either via the Illampu Circuit and down to the Camino de Oro or traversing the Cordillera Real and descending the Choro Trail to the tropical yungas. Either trek will take us through majestic Andean landscapes rich with high altitude culture, and then take us plummeting through the various ecological tiers into the Amazon rainforest. With either option we will ultimately make our way to Guanay where we begin a river trip for 2 days into the Bolivian Amazon.
April 8-17: travel down the Beni river from Guanay to the Tsimane-Moseten town of Asuncion in the Bolivian Amazon, where we will stay for a full week, learning about Amazonian life, participating in a service learning opportunity and exploring the rainforest ecology. From here we will continue down river to Rurrenebaque, a bustling tourist hub for the Bolivian Amazon.
April 18-19: Spend a couple of rest days in Rurre, visiting with Daniel Robison, a local expert in development and conservation as well as a possible visit to an animal rehabilitation center.
Apr 19-May 5: Our final weeks involve the expedition phase and will be determined as we go, based on the group’s abilities and interests. This may include a stay in the afro-Bolivian coca growing community on the way back up from the Amazon or possibilities in southern Peru such as: spectacular hikes such as the Choquequirao trek, visiting the magical communities of Q’eros, visiting the famous ruins of Machu Picchu and/or participate in one more independent and engaging homestays in the Cuzco area.
May 6-12: We will finish our course where it began, in Bolivia, possibly ending our time in Lake Titicaca at the Isla del Sol, the mythical birthplace of Incan and many pre-Incan civilizations. Other options may include the city of La Paz, an Andean lodge high in the mountains or Sorata, or “home” for this course.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Pre-Departure
I've been home for over a month. I don't know how I ever survived! By January 1, I was ready to bolt out the door and into another continent. But while there have been some dull times, I've stayed really busy, for the most part. It's nothing like riding an elephant or hiking the himilayas, but for those of you who are interested, I've made a list of what I've been up to over the past month. I have...
-been a guest speaker at a staff meeting at Broughton High School (a weird reversal or roles...)
-been trained for Equine Therapy
-made a decorated, 4-tiered birthday cake for 90 people
-done yoga, religiously
-taken CPR and First Aid
-taught IB senior english for a day
-run 6 miles "barefoot"
-gotten my wisdom teeth out
...Which brings me to now. At this very moment, my room is divided. On one side, pictures from Nepal are spread all over the floor next to a photo album in the making, and my saree is hung, still "airing out" on the door. On the other side, my trekking gear is slowly accumulating in a "ready-to-pack" pile, right next to my Andes and Amazon reader and my Bolvia lonely planet. I could make a horrible metaphor about how my room is just like my heart, but I wont. Instead, I'll go back a few weeks and explain how everything got to be this way...
When I arrived home a few days before Christmas, I wasn't happy to be home and I wasn't looking forward to Bolivia. My mind didn't have room for anything else except Nepal. It was weeks before I even acknowledged that I was heading to Bolivia. I remember the first day I woke up and felt a little excited about heading somewhere new. I think the excitement may have been forced up by boredom, but nevertheless, it was there. I still miss Nepal (and my brothers) every day, I am getting more and more excited about experiencing something new. Cora is off having a blast in Argentina, and I want it to be my turn, too.
I am excited, but I am nervous, too. Not nervous about being independent and facing a new place, culture, and language- that is old news. I am nervous because in Bolivia, I will be traveling with a group, rather than alone as I was in Nepal. I am nervous about being sheltered and NOT being alone. Last spring, I thought I would be happy to have a group of friends to travel with, but now I am worried I might miss my freedom. To give you an idea: I had to sign a "rules" contract, I have course reading material, they gave my mom a "parent handbook", and the worst (OH! it is BAD!)...we have matching program t-shirts to wear in the airport. Obviously, I refuse to wear the t-shirt, but still, its the prinicpal of the matter.
I recently got an draft itineray, and I will be posting that sometime in the near future. Be on the lookout!
-been a guest speaker at a staff meeting at Broughton High School (a weird reversal or roles...)
-been trained for Equine Therapy
-made a decorated, 4-tiered birthday cake for 90 people
-done yoga, religiously
-taken CPR and First Aid
-taught IB senior english for a day
-run 6 miles "barefoot"
-gotten my wisdom teeth out
...Which brings me to now. At this very moment, my room is divided. On one side, pictures from Nepal are spread all over the floor next to a photo album in the making, and my saree is hung, still "airing out" on the door. On the other side, my trekking gear is slowly accumulating in a "ready-to-pack" pile, right next to my Andes and Amazon reader and my Bolvia lonely planet. I could make a horrible metaphor about how my room is just like my heart, but I wont. Instead, I'll go back a few weeks and explain how everything got to be this way...
When I arrived home a few days before Christmas, I wasn't happy to be home and I wasn't looking forward to Bolivia. My mind didn't have room for anything else except Nepal. It was weeks before I even acknowledged that I was heading to Bolivia. I remember the first day I woke up and felt a little excited about heading somewhere new. I think the excitement may have been forced up by boredom, but nevertheless, it was there. I still miss Nepal (and my brothers) every day, I am getting more and more excited about experiencing something new. Cora is off having a blast in Argentina, and I want it to be my turn, too.
I am excited, but I am nervous, too. Not nervous about being independent and facing a new place, culture, and language- that is old news. I am nervous because in Bolivia, I will be traveling with a group, rather than alone as I was in Nepal. I am nervous about being sheltered and NOT being alone. Last spring, I thought I would be happy to have a group of friends to travel with, but now I am worried I might miss my freedom. To give you an idea: I had to sign a "rules" contract, I have course reading material, they gave my mom a "parent handbook", and the worst (OH! it is BAD!)...we have matching program t-shirts to wear in the airport. Obviously, I refuse to wear the t-shirt, but still, its the prinicpal of the matter.
I recently got an draft itineray, and I will be posting that sometime in the near future. Be on the lookout!
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