Good Morning Class

The mystery of Bolivia to most Americans is not surprising as our geography skills generally wane after rote memorization of world capitals and countries in seventh grade. There is no shame in this though— I study geography now, but that does not mean I know every world capital or the name of every country (yet! ha). I have gotten a lot of good questions and here is the best I can do.

The conversation about where I am studying abroad normally breaks down after I say “Bolivia.” The responses I have typically gotten are as follows:

1.The regretfully blank stare (but not wanting to ask where it is) followed by “Wow! That’s great!” After about 10 minutes, they ask where it is.

2. The accurate general location, with ample amounts of hesitation. “Is that…in… South….America?”

3. The unabashed question. “Oh! Where is that?”

Of course, some, like my sister (and many others), have confused it with Belize for some time, while others, like my doctor, begin sharing bits of trivia about the inner workings of llamas and the monthly high/how water temperatures of Lake Titicaca for the past 10 years.

Conversations then have led to “Why are you going there?” (aren’t you an English major?) and then “What exactly will you be doing?” I have never been entirely sure of the answer to the “why” question, but I think it has something to do with the “what” question.” The program I am going though is called School of International Training (SIT). They have programs all around the world and emphasize “experiential learning.” Basically we have class when we are in our home stay city (Cochabamba for me), and every other week we take sort of like large field trips to other cities and locations. Then the last four weeks are an independent study where everyone does their own thing and presents it at the end. I knew I wanted to go somewhere in South America. I have only heard good things from many friends who have traveled there. It is a region I have been drawn to for a long time and I wanted to be able to be immersed in a Spanish-speaking country.

Bolivia was a place I didn’t know much about before I started looking at programs. Not knowing much or many people who had been there appealed to me. It was a mystery and so I didn’t have many expectations about what it would be like. Now, I still don’t know much, but I know a little, enough to know a few basics: It is one of few countries in the world where the majority of its population is indigenous (mostly rural farmers) who have fought/still fight to maintain their indigenous languages (so they don’t speak Spanish) and traditions. It is one of the poorest nations in South America; and one of two landlocked countries in South America. It has mountains (The Andres), jungles (the Amazon), highlands, lowlands, and plains. The current president is Evo Morales, their first indigenous president ever and was recently reelected to another term. Bolivia has two capital cities: the administrative capital is La Paz (the highest capital city in the world, at around 12,000 feet) and the constitutional capital is Sucre. My home away from home will be Cochabamba (also known as the “Land of Eternal Spring” for its nice weather. It is about 8,000 feet above sea level). I will be two hours ahead of Central Time.

That’s all. I expect five pages looking further into any of these topics on my desk by Monday.