It's a crazy time here at UP CLOSE Bolivia! Projects are evolving rapidly, volunteers are swiftly coming and going, and travel and adventure are always in the air.
It's beautiful here. We live in shared volunteer houses overlooking a campground, where interesting travelers from around the world are always coming and going.
...Unless they're waiting for a stove. When they're waiting for a stove, they never seem to leave...
Below the campground is a raging river, and the mountains are abundant all around us.
On any given morning, a few select people rise early to go to the children's center or the zoo. The children's center consists of either helping in the kitchen (60+ kids eating 2 meals and 2 snacks each day, and dishwashers aren't exactly common in Bolivia! That kitchen sure keeps a person busy) or helping in one of the classrooms. The kids are a joy and shout "HOLA TIA!!" all the way across the center even before they've met you. And the tias are some of the friendliest and funniest people I've ever met!
We are currently building a greenhouse in the zoo out of empty pop bottles. After clearing away the raging weeds in the old greenhouse, we began to wash and chop off the bottoms of the bottles. It's a long, intense project and seems to be moving very slowly, but it's undeniable that progress is being made! We also get to wear these funky zoo outfits, which come in limited sizes so I always somehow end up with XXL. The zoo is a really nice project though, because it allows us time to really bond as volunteers. The only strategy necessary for the zoo - try and avoid thinking about the fact that the lions have to eat... Poor donkeys!!
The volunteers who don't have morning activities generally have planning of some kind in that time period. So nobody's snoozing the day away! (I may have accidentally done that once when the battery of the device with my alarm died in the middle of the night...oops!)
I'm part of the English teaching team, and I LOVE IT!! We currently have two different sets of classes going - Well, the second one starts tomorrow! We will be doing a six week class for teens and tweens in their school.
We have been doing an evening class for the mother's club so far, and the people who attend are extremely fun and easygoing. Even when we fail miserably to express our point in Spanish, or say something terribly wrong, they laugh and communicate to each other what we intended to say, and it's great. Planning can be a challenge though, as the students range in age by about 50 years and range in English experience from never spoken a word to studied several years in school. They are always open to having fun though! We did a mock restaurant yesterday, and I brought legitimate food in... for some of the items. For example, a cookie was a real cookie, but pasta with sauce was an uncooked noodle with a drop of soy sauce. Hmmm....
And then there's everybody's favorite project - the albergue! "Albergue" means "shelter" in Spanish, and in this case it's a temporary home for children of all ages who have been rescued from some traumatic situation, be it trafficking or abuse or unsatisfactory care. We go for two hours three times a week and do activities with the 6 to 17-year-olds. On Tuesdays we do a project of some kind with the girls, Thursdays with the boys, and on Wednesdays we all go outside and have a big sports day! (Wednesdays are the BEST!) And these people aren't amateurs when it comes to sports. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm not playing in the World Cup, because that's what it feels like! Today we were playing futból 12 vs. 2, and the team with 2 was absolutely kicking butt! It was unbelievable. And, simply stated, every single person there is absolutely incredible and funny and sweet and wonderful in every way imaginable.
On weekends we have Fundación Porvenir, which is horse therapy for children with special needs. We play with the kids while they're not riding the horses, and they have SO MUCH ENERGY! I don't understand how anyone can have that much energy so early in the morning on a weekend, but somehow they manage it. We play on the little playground with them, or in whatever other creative way they come up with.
Many of us have elected to take Spanish lessons on top of our volunteer work, which take place down in the campground about 4 hours per week. Our teacher is SO nice and easily caters to every possible Spanish level. In the mere eight hours I've had so far, I've learned several varieties of past and future tense, many other technical details I had previously overlooked, and expanded my vocabulary immensely. It's so great!
There are currently 12 volunteers here and we come from 5 different countries - New Zealand, Germany, Holland, UK, and USA. We come from all different backgrounds and walks of life, but we're all here with one purpose: to create positive change in Bolivia while Bolivia creates positive change in us.
In the evenings we can often be found at the restaurant down the street that serves a complete delicious meal for just 10bs (about USD$1.50), at a café in San Miguel, bonding over a movie, or simply chatting and enjoying each other's company. We also have frequent barbeques, and the other day I bought supplies for s'mores and all the Americans gave a lesson to everybody else on how to make them.
People from other countries: (while staring skeptically) "Well, this is underwhelming..."
Americans: "Wait until it's in your mouth!!!"
However, Everybody ended up wanting some more s'mores (ha, get it? Hehe.)
Many people here, myself included, are recovering from a little bug caused by eating unsafe food, so not much weekend travel has occurred for me yet, but I'm excited for the weekends to come!
Also unfortunate is that half of the volunteers currently here are leaving this weekend! It's a sad coincidence that everyone is leaving at once, but I suppose we'll have to carry on.
So that's daily life here as seen through a window of words! Although i wish everyone could look out my actual bedroom window here - the view is absolutely stellar!
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Monday, April 4, 2016
La Paz: First Impressions
I absolutely love it here. People are super friendly, greeting me always with a "buenas tardes, Señorita!" And the beauty in every direction at all times is absolutely breathtaking.
Now I want you to cement into your brain that I love it here, because it's 100% true, but the next few paragraphs may not support that statement.
The very first day I was here, I was asked to walk out to the main road to meet the person doing my orientation. Upon arrival to said road, I spotted a man shamelessly taking a leak in the street. And there were cars going by and everything. He then returned to the group of men he was with, sitting only about 8 feet from the spot he'd just relieved himself. What!?
A little down the street, I saw a stray dog tearing apart a dirty diaper and devouring the poop. Sorry if that's graphic, but better to read about it than see it in person...
And today, I found a random pair of dentures laying on the side of the road.
Congratulations, you have made it through the disgusting portion of this blog entry! No more grossness, I promise!
As we volunteers don't have vehicles and all have different schedules, we utilize public transportation. There are taxis, but they are expensive and not always completely safe. Minibuses are the preferred option. They are like giant vans that you just flag down and climb in. There is always such a wide variety of people onboard - men going to work, women with their children, families returning from the grocery store, kids going to school. There is no minibus "type."
I'm a giant. Even the Bolivian men are all shorter than me. It is for this reason that I occasionally run into problems in the minibus, because I'm either too giant to crouch enough to look out the window and figure out where we are, or there is an air freshener that hangs above the heads of most people but directly in mine. I sure hope I don't need to buy any clothes while I'm here, because I'll be out of luck!
It is very safe here, and even the people who aren't safe generally don't try to do anything violent to a person, they just take money and possessions. I'm already feeling comfortable going places on my own - although I'm very aware that I'm not invincible! (By human standards, anyway.)
You know those photos of traditional Bolivian women that are seen whenever images of Bolivia come about? With the big skirts, blanket shawls, and top hats? Well, I always thought they were just photos of a few select people who happened to be dressed that way. But it's totally reality - there are SO MANY women dressed like that everywhere!! It's incredible.
The elevation here in Jupapina is 10,187 feet, but the airport is at a whopping 13,615 feet. Yes, there is over 3000 feet worth of elevation changes just within the city itself. Some people experience altitude sickness when they first arrive, or at least difficulty breathing due to the thin air. I personally have not noticed any difference at all while dormant, but the second I do anything even the slightest bit athletic (like walking up a small flight of stairs, for instance), I get completely out of breath, heart beating out of my chest, and it takes several minutes to recover.
I'm going to end here, despite there being so much more to say. I'll just add one more thing before I go: I met a family staying at the campground here who is from California and DROVE here to Bolivia. They have been on a road trip for 3 1/2 years now. And they legitimately have a California license plate on their van.
That is all.
¡Buenas Noches!
Now I want you to cement into your brain that I love it here, because it's 100% true, but the next few paragraphs may not support that statement.
The very first day I was here, I was asked to walk out to the main road to meet the person doing my orientation. Upon arrival to said road, I spotted a man shamelessly taking a leak in the street. And there were cars going by and everything. He then returned to the group of men he was with, sitting only about 8 feet from the spot he'd just relieved himself. What!?
A little down the street, I saw a stray dog tearing apart a dirty diaper and devouring the poop. Sorry if that's graphic, but better to read about it than see it in person...
And today, I found a random pair of dentures laying on the side of the road.
Congratulations, you have made it through the disgusting portion of this blog entry! No more grossness, I promise!
As we volunteers don't have vehicles and all have different schedules, we utilize public transportation. There are taxis, but they are expensive and not always completely safe. Minibuses are the preferred option. They are like giant vans that you just flag down and climb in. There is always such a wide variety of people onboard - men going to work, women with their children, families returning from the grocery store, kids going to school. There is no minibus "type."
I'm a giant. Even the Bolivian men are all shorter than me. It is for this reason that I occasionally run into problems in the minibus, because I'm either too giant to crouch enough to look out the window and figure out where we are, or there is an air freshener that hangs above the heads of most people but directly in mine. I sure hope I don't need to buy any clothes while I'm here, because I'll be out of luck!
It is very safe here, and even the people who aren't safe generally don't try to do anything violent to a person, they just take money and possessions. I'm already feeling comfortable going places on my own - although I'm very aware that I'm not invincible! (By human standards, anyway.)
You know those photos of traditional Bolivian women that are seen whenever images of Bolivia come about? With the big skirts, blanket shawls, and top hats? Well, I always thought they were just photos of a few select people who happened to be dressed that way. But it's totally reality - there are SO MANY women dressed like that everywhere!! It's incredible.
The elevation here in Jupapina is 10,187 feet, but the airport is at a whopping 13,615 feet. Yes, there is over 3000 feet worth of elevation changes just within the city itself. Some people experience altitude sickness when they first arrive, or at least difficulty breathing due to the thin air. I personally have not noticed any difference at all while dormant, but the second I do anything even the slightest bit athletic (like walking up a small flight of stairs, for instance), I get completely out of breath, heart beating out of my chest, and it takes several minutes to recover.
I'm going to end here, despite there being so much more to say. I'll just add one more thing before I go: I met a family staying at the campground here who is from California and DROVE here to Bolivia. They have been on a road trip for 3 1/2 years now. And they legitimately have a California license plate on their van.
That is all.
¡Buenas Noches!
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Salvador!
I wrote this blog last week on paper, but I didn't get a chance to transfer it to an electronic device until now. So, let's take a quick time travel back to last weekend when we went to Salvador, Brazil!
We were all SO EXCITED to go! As it is about 25 hours driving from Campinas to Salvador, we flew. The kids we're thrilled about the idea of flying, and it was extremely entertaining to watch their reactions to the take off.
Upon arrival, I was informed that it is necessary to always drive with the windows closed and doors locked for safety, so that was a little shocking! I was also struck by the amount of graffiti covering every wall – never before had I seen so much graffiti in one place.
We stayed in a hotel right near Farol de Itapuã (farol = lighthouse). The hotel was great, with an awesome breakfast complete with a multitude of fruits, cakes, breads, and juices – and one day, I even had a quesadilla-style tapioca with condensed milk and corn. Best breakfast EVER!!! One of the people who worked at the hotel spoke English, so I asked him how he learned. Turns out, he spent a year as an exchange student in DENMARK! And he can even say rødgrød med fløde!!!!!!! I've never been so starstruck.
Salvador is known for its partying. Apparently most cities in Brazil celebrate carnival for four days – well, in Salvador, they celebrate for eleven. This culture of partying was very evident in the amount I saw people drinking, and how empty everyplace was in the mornings (literally nobody on the beach… Methinks everybody was out too late partying!)
We went to many beaches over the course of our time there. The water was warm like a bathtub (not surprising considering the intense heat in Salvador – it hits like a brick and sucks out all the energy a person once possessed.) There were always waves of a pretty decent size. People were surfing where we were swimming, and we took to the sport of attempted amateur bodyboarding – which is honestly the funnest thing I can imagine. I don't recall the last time I was so giddy with glee, and there is a small possibility that I shed a few tears when it didn't look like we would go back. (But we did!) :D
I am so in love with the ocean.
Its majesty is so great, it is home to so many creatures, it has so much strength and power over everything on earth. It is vast; unending it seems. And God is present in every inch. I am awestruck.
We went to Projeto Tamar, a marine wildlife conservation project with a special focus on sea turtles. We got to see critically endangered sharks, many exotic fish, and of course the turtles! The best part came at the end of the day when we saw the newly hatched turtles emerge from where they had been laid, and then journey into the ocean!
The trek from the nest to the ocean is the most dangerous time of the turtles life, and after seeing the release I understand why! If there is a sandcastle, the turtle gets stuck. There is a hole, the turtle gets stuck. And the waves are so intense that many turtles get flipped over by them, and they will quickly be buried in the sand by the proceeding waves. Additionally, the turtles are programmed to head towards the light emitted over the ocean by either the sun or the moon. However, if a human-made light source is greater than that of the sun or moon, the turtles will head towards that instead, leading them into great danger and minimizing their possibility of ever returning to the ocean.
Salvador is interesting in that everyone and everything lives together. There are vast preserved natural areas right next to apartment buildings. There are favelas (the poorest and usually most dangerous areas in Brazil) right next to huge, fancy, rich houses and apartments that have personal gondolas to the beach. There are no boundaries.
One day we went to Pelourinho, which is where Brazil ultimately began. The cobblestone streets are bumpy and windy, and there is literally a church on every corner. Apparently they used to have a different church for each day of the year - all Catholic, I might add.
When we arrived, it was a little scary as there were many men pointing to parking spaces and attempting to convince people that they were in fact the real parking people, and it was difficult to tell who was legit and who just wanted to rob us upon exiting the vehicle. We had to make sure nothing was sticking out of our bags or pockets; there were people approaching from all directions trying to sell us things. I will fully admit to being terrified. However, the old town was very beautiful and worth it. It was quiet (because again, it was morning), bursting with tourists and street drummers as well. In the summer, they have tons of drummers who come together for huge concerts. Michael Jackson even recorded a music video with the drummers there in Pelouronho (for his song "They Don't Care About Us").
We spent a great deal of time visiting with André's family and friends. They were all so wonderful! And it was interesting to see how home lives differ between Campinas and Salvador.
Then, all too soon, the time came to return to Campinas. I saw the southern star out the plane window while over the ocean, which was pretty exciting because it's nearly impossible to see it from lower elevations, especially with the city lights. At that moment though, I could see galaxies. I've never seen such a pitch black, unobstructed sky in my life. A great end to a great trip!
We were all SO EXCITED to go! As it is about 25 hours driving from Campinas to Salvador, we flew. The kids we're thrilled about the idea of flying, and it was extremely entertaining to watch their reactions to the take off.
Upon arrival, I was informed that it is necessary to always drive with the windows closed and doors locked for safety, so that was a little shocking! I was also struck by the amount of graffiti covering every wall – never before had I seen so much graffiti in one place.
We stayed in a hotel right near Farol de Itapuã (farol = lighthouse). The hotel was great, with an awesome breakfast complete with a multitude of fruits, cakes, breads, and juices – and one day, I even had a quesadilla-style tapioca with condensed milk and corn. Best breakfast EVER!!! One of the people who worked at the hotel spoke English, so I asked him how he learned. Turns out, he spent a year as an exchange student in DENMARK! And he can even say rødgrød med fløde!!!!!!! I've never been so starstruck.
Salvador is known for its partying. Apparently most cities in Brazil celebrate carnival for four days – well, in Salvador, they celebrate for eleven. This culture of partying was very evident in the amount I saw people drinking, and how empty everyplace was in the mornings (literally nobody on the beach… Methinks everybody was out too late partying!)
We went to many beaches over the course of our time there. The water was warm like a bathtub (not surprising considering the intense heat in Salvador – it hits like a brick and sucks out all the energy a person once possessed.) There were always waves of a pretty decent size. People were surfing where we were swimming, and we took to the sport of attempted amateur bodyboarding – which is honestly the funnest thing I can imagine. I don't recall the last time I was so giddy with glee, and there is a small possibility that I shed a few tears when it didn't look like we would go back. (But we did!) :D
I am so in love with the ocean.
Its majesty is so great, it is home to so many creatures, it has so much strength and power over everything on earth. It is vast; unending it seems. And God is present in every inch. I am awestruck.
We went to Projeto Tamar, a marine wildlife conservation project with a special focus on sea turtles. We got to see critically endangered sharks, many exotic fish, and of course the turtles! The best part came at the end of the day when we saw the newly hatched turtles emerge from where they had been laid, and then journey into the ocean!
The trek from the nest to the ocean is the most dangerous time of the turtles life, and after seeing the release I understand why! If there is a sandcastle, the turtle gets stuck. There is a hole, the turtle gets stuck. And the waves are so intense that many turtles get flipped over by them, and they will quickly be buried in the sand by the proceeding waves. Additionally, the turtles are programmed to head towards the light emitted over the ocean by either the sun or the moon. However, if a human-made light source is greater than that of the sun or moon, the turtles will head towards that instead, leading them into great danger and minimizing their possibility of ever returning to the ocean.
Salvador is interesting in that everyone and everything lives together. There are vast preserved natural areas right next to apartment buildings. There are favelas (the poorest and usually most dangerous areas in Brazil) right next to huge, fancy, rich houses and apartments that have personal gondolas to the beach. There are no boundaries.
One day we went to Pelourinho, which is where Brazil ultimately began. The cobblestone streets are bumpy and windy, and there is literally a church on every corner. Apparently they used to have a different church for each day of the year - all Catholic, I might add.
When we arrived, it was a little scary as there were many men pointing to parking spaces and attempting to convince people that they were in fact the real parking people, and it was difficult to tell who was legit and who just wanted to rob us upon exiting the vehicle. We had to make sure nothing was sticking out of our bags or pockets; there were people approaching from all directions trying to sell us things. I will fully admit to being terrified. However, the old town was very beautiful and worth it. It was quiet (because again, it was morning), bursting with tourists and street drummers as well. In the summer, they have tons of drummers who come together for huge concerts. Michael Jackson even recorded a music video with the drummers there in Pelouronho (for his song "They Don't Care About Us").
We spent a great deal of time visiting with André's family and friends. They were all so wonderful! And it was interesting to see how home lives differ between Campinas and Salvador.
Then, all too soon, the time came to return to Campinas. I saw the southern star out the plane window while over the ocean, which was pretty exciting because it's nearly impossible to see it from lower elevations, especially with the city lights. At that moment though, I could see galaxies. I've never seen such a pitch black, unobstructed sky in my life. A great end to a great trip!
Saturday, April 2, 2016
From Campinas to La Paz is 1435 Miles
Today is the day I voyage from Brazil to Bolivia! As something new, I'm going to write an ongoing blog throughout the day. By the time this is published, the day will be in the rearview mirror and everything will be known. But as of now, it's all questionable! Will I make my short connection? Will my taxi be there when I arrive? Will I be kidnapped and killed? Stay tuned!
11:02am - The day began early at 7am with an unwelcome alarm after a whopping 3 1/2 hours of sleep. I ate a delicious breakfast with Carol and André, and played with the kids who were heartwarmingly opposed to my departure.
Oh no! Lost track of time, we're running late! I nicknamed Carol the "wolf driver" as we sped to the bus. Luckily, the bus was late too so we made it just in time!
The bus went directly from Campinas to the airport terminal, and it was very nice. However, if you've ever thought using the restroom onboard an airplane or train was difficult, try using it in the back of a bus while driving on the bumpy and hilly roads of Brazil! Luckily, I didn't fall in.
After embarrassingly going to the check-in desk of the wrong airline, I made it to the right place! I'm currently standing in an indefinite line, waiting for the invisible airline workers (who aren't actually invisible, but haven't shown up yet) to check in my baggage.
12:18pm - I made it to the gate! 2 hours early - the perfect amount of time to explore the airport and [hopefully] not get lost!
Not going to lie, the last hour has been pretty rough.
After the not-invisible workers finally arrived, I went to check my luggage. They promptly weighed my carry-on bag (one of my great fears as I'm about 2kg over the 7kg weight limit. Luckily, they didn't say anything!) Next they asked for the address of the place I'm staying, which totally threw me off because I've never before been asked to produce such documentation at the check-in desk.
After what felt like 15 minutes but was probably closer to 3, I determined that the email which contained the address was sent on Jan. 13th, but my email app only went back to Jan. 28th. I would have to exit the vicinity and call my parents, thus requiring me to get in the very back of the now football-field-sized line.
Epiphany - they probably want the address so they can issue me a visa... But I already have my visa! BINGO. Documents copied, boarding pass in hand, off to find the gate.
Next I went through about 3 different security checks, in one of which I accidentally went through the Brazilian-citizens-only line and it took several failed passport scan attempts as well as a woman talking to me in a few different languages before I figured this out. I may have also accidentally gotten on the elevator to the VIP lounge, pressed the button a few times, determined the elevator was broken and exited, and then realized I was already in the floor I wanted to go to.
Oh my gosh, I'm a wreck.
3:46pm - I'm currently on the plane headed to Cochabamba. We're scheduled to land at 4:15, but the plane is showing no sign of decent. I have no idea why.
After my last entry, I went in search of the wide variety of cuisine usually available in airports. I didn't find it. What I did find was a Starbucks, a baguette place, and a couple vending machines. Guess it's pão de queijo (cheese bread) and a blueberry muffin for lunch today!
While waiting in line at Starbucks, a man asked me if I spoke English. He was from Iran (what is it with running into Iranian people in the airport!?) living in Italy, just passing through GRU on a layover. He was very interesting to talk to. And I felt pretty macho about being able to help him communicate with the worker who only spoke Portuguese - it was refreshing after being the ONLY person who didn't speak perfect Portuguese for so long.
Then it was time to board the plane. And that, folks, is when the transition from Portuguese to Spanish officially took place.
And I'm flunking.
The flight attendant greeted me with the standard: "Hola, ¿cómo estás?" The answer to this question has been natural instinct for me since 7th grade. Yet I responded with the Portuguese "muito bem," realized my mistake, took a few seconds, sputtered a few random Spanish words, and continued on defeated.
I didn't know it was possible to have a conversation and have no idea what language it's in, but it happened. I couldn't tell what language the man sitting next to me was speaking (THAT'S how similar Spanish and Portuguese are) so I was being careful to only use words that are the same in both languages. I finally discovered that he is Bolivian, but he's been in Brazil so he knows a decent amount of Portuguese. He's the perfect person to speak to, because I can try to speak Spanish but he will still understand when I accidentally say a Portuguese word. There's some intense "Portañol" (as the ladies at NAS called it) going on right here!
4:10 now and still no sign of decent. Hmmm this is getting curious... Well, at least I'm on the same exact plane for the next leg of the flight, so it can't exactly leave without me! Although I remain unsure about whether I'm supposed to exit the plane or not. I read someplace that they make everybody get off, go through customs, full on exit the airport, then reenter from the outside (all in the 1hr 20min layover). But the woman working for the airline full on admitted that she had no idea what I'd do upon arrival to Cochabamba. So that's frightening. I guess I'll have to wait and follow the crowd!
4:52pm local time (5:52pm according to time schedule of last update) - So I figured out why the plane wasn't descending on time.... Because the flight arrival times are always written in local time, but my phone clock still had Brazil time. That explains it! So we actually arrived rather early.
I can't even express how beautiful Cochabamba was flying in. It's a stormy day, and the clouds and the mountains seemed to dance together, becoming one.
We landed and exited through the REAR of the plane onto the tarmac. This totally threw me off as I don't recall ever exiting a plane from the rear, so I jumped up and went and was about halfway to the door of the airport when I realized I had forgotten my suitcase in the overhead compartment. Oh the walk of shame as I reentered the now empty plane and grabbed my suitcase!
There was a long line at "migración," but it was super quick. I still can't get over going to a country and not even having to speak to the customs official, or present baggage in any capacity.
I began to stalk the people in front of me, as I knew they were going to La Paz as well and I honestly had no idea where to go. To my surprise, they spoke English too, so that was a bonus! I honestly don't think I ever would've figured out where to go or what to do without them, as our flight wasn't listed on the board yet. After it showed up, we went through security again and I'm now sitting at the gate with a whole hour to spare! And I was scared about not making my connection....
By the way, I went through security with two full bottles of water, and they said OH THAT'S FINE! So here I am sitting at the gate with my waters in hand. Talk about culture shock!!!
10:14pm - I MADE IT!!!!! AND I'M NOT EVEN DEAD OR KIDNAPPED!!!
The flight from Cochabamba to La Paz only lasted 35 minutes, but it was 35 minutes of some of the most incredible sights I've ever seen. We flew right next to some thunderheads and it seriously felt like I was on a train in Heaven. And the snow-capped mountains peeking through the clouds all the time - I took so many photos, but they don't come close to capturing what it was truly like.
We landed in La Paz, which is nothing like I expected it to be (but that's good, because how boring if everything is exactly the way it's expected!) We went through a final document check, and they also double checked to make sure that each person picked up the correct luggage.
I walked through a door and was so surprised to almost run into my name, as the taxi driver was holding a sign. We headed towards the taxi and he said he'd pull it up while I waited at the door. SCARY MOMENT, I looked away and then saw a cab pulling up and I thought it was him. So I started heading towards it and almost got in. Luckily the right one pulled up just then, and I realized my mistake! It made me very insecure though - what if this wasn't the right one either!? Taxis can be very dangerous here...
Then we were immersed in the crazy city traffic, followed by 3000ft worth of elevation drops in the next half hour. And then I was left at the door of UP CLOSE, where a multitude of very friendly and welcoming people greeted me. And the rest of the night has been spent talking to them!
I'm so excited to wake up tomorrow and see where I am! I see the silhouette of the mountains behind the house, but I really have no idea what sights surround me.
My battery is completely dead - The battery of my mental and physical functions, that is. Methinks it's bedtime! Goodnight(: Thanks for following my journey today! <3
11:02am - The day began early at 7am with an unwelcome alarm after a whopping 3 1/2 hours of sleep. I ate a delicious breakfast with Carol and André, and played with the kids who were heartwarmingly opposed to my departure.
Oh no! Lost track of time, we're running late! I nicknamed Carol the "wolf driver" as we sped to the bus. Luckily, the bus was late too so we made it just in time!
The bus went directly from Campinas to the airport terminal, and it was very nice. However, if you've ever thought using the restroom onboard an airplane or train was difficult, try using it in the back of a bus while driving on the bumpy and hilly roads of Brazil! Luckily, I didn't fall in.
After embarrassingly going to the check-in desk of the wrong airline, I made it to the right place! I'm currently standing in an indefinite line, waiting for the invisible airline workers (who aren't actually invisible, but haven't shown up yet) to check in my baggage.
12:18pm - I made it to the gate! 2 hours early - the perfect amount of time to explore the airport and [hopefully] not get lost!
Not going to lie, the last hour has been pretty rough.
After the not-invisible workers finally arrived, I went to check my luggage. They promptly weighed my carry-on bag (one of my great fears as I'm about 2kg over the 7kg weight limit. Luckily, they didn't say anything!) Next they asked for the address of the place I'm staying, which totally threw me off because I've never before been asked to produce such documentation at the check-in desk.
After what felt like 15 minutes but was probably closer to 3, I determined that the email which contained the address was sent on Jan. 13th, but my email app only went back to Jan. 28th. I would have to exit the vicinity and call my parents, thus requiring me to get in the very back of the now football-field-sized line.
Epiphany - they probably want the address so they can issue me a visa... But I already have my visa! BINGO. Documents copied, boarding pass in hand, off to find the gate.
Next I went through about 3 different security checks, in one of which I accidentally went through the Brazilian-citizens-only line and it took several failed passport scan attempts as well as a woman talking to me in a few different languages before I figured this out. I may have also accidentally gotten on the elevator to the VIP lounge, pressed the button a few times, determined the elevator was broken and exited, and then realized I was already in the floor I wanted to go to.
Oh my gosh, I'm a wreck.
3:46pm - I'm currently on the plane headed to Cochabamba. We're scheduled to land at 4:15, but the plane is showing no sign of decent. I have no idea why.
After my last entry, I went in search of the wide variety of cuisine usually available in airports. I didn't find it. What I did find was a Starbucks, a baguette place, and a couple vending machines. Guess it's pão de queijo (cheese bread) and a blueberry muffin for lunch today!
While waiting in line at Starbucks, a man asked me if I spoke English. He was from Iran (what is it with running into Iranian people in the airport!?) living in Italy, just passing through GRU on a layover. He was very interesting to talk to. And I felt pretty macho about being able to help him communicate with the worker who only spoke Portuguese - it was refreshing after being the ONLY person who didn't speak perfect Portuguese for so long.
Then it was time to board the plane. And that, folks, is when the transition from Portuguese to Spanish officially took place.
And I'm flunking.
The flight attendant greeted me with the standard: "Hola, ¿cómo estás?" The answer to this question has been natural instinct for me since 7th grade. Yet I responded with the Portuguese "muito bem," realized my mistake, took a few seconds, sputtered a few random Spanish words, and continued on defeated.
I didn't know it was possible to have a conversation and have no idea what language it's in, but it happened. I couldn't tell what language the man sitting next to me was speaking (THAT'S how similar Spanish and Portuguese are) so I was being careful to only use words that are the same in both languages. I finally discovered that he is Bolivian, but he's been in Brazil so he knows a decent amount of Portuguese. He's the perfect person to speak to, because I can try to speak Spanish but he will still understand when I accidentally say a Portuguese word. There's some intense "Portañol" (as the ladies at NAS called it) going on right here!
4:10 now and still no sign of decent. Hmmm this is getting curious... Well, at least I'm on the same exact plane for the next leg of the flight, so it can't exactly leave without me! Although I remain unsure about whether I'm supposed to exit the plane or not. I read someplace that they make everybody get off, go through customs, full on exit the airport, then reenter from the outside (all in the 1hr 20min layover). But the woman working for the airline full on admitted that she had no idea what I'd do upon arrival to Cochabamba. So that's frightening. I guess I'll have to wait and follow the crowd!
4:52pm local time (5:52pm according to time schedule of last update) - So I figured out why the plane wasn't descending on time.... Because the flight arrival times are always written in local time, but my phone clock still had Brazil time. That explains it! So we actually arrived rather early.
I can't even express how beautiful Cochabamba was flying in. It's a stormy day, and the clouds and the mountains seemed to dance together, becoming one.
We landed and exited through the REAR of the plane onto the tarmac. This totally threw me off as I don't recall ever exiting a plane from the rear, so I jumped up and went and was about halfway to the door of the airport when I realized I had forgotten my suitcase in the overhead compartment. Oh the walk of shame as I reentered the now empty plane and grabbed my suitcase!
There was a long line at "migración," but it was super quick. I still can't get over going to a country and not even having to speak to the customs official, or present baggage in any capacity.
I began to stalk the people in front of me, as I knew they were going to La Paz as well and I honestly had no idea where to go. To my surprise, they spoke English too, so that was a bonus! I honestly don't think I ever would've figured out where to go or what to do without them, as our flight wasn't listed on the board yet. After it showed up, we went through security again and I'm now sitting at the gate with a whole hour to spare! And I was scared about not making my connection....
By the way, I went through security with two full bottles of water, and they said OH THAT'S FINE! So here I am sitting at the gate with my waters in hand. Talk about culture shock!!!
10:14pm - I MADE IT!!!!! AND I'M NOT EVEN DEAD OR KIDNAPPED!!!
The flight from Cochabamba to La Paz only lasted 35 minutes, but it was 35 minutes of some of the most incredible sights I've ever seen. We flew right next to some thunderheads and it seriously felt like I was on a train in Heaven. And the snow-capped mountains peeking through the clouds all the time - I took so many photos, but they don't come close to capturing what it was truly like.
We landed in La Paz, which is nothing like I expected it to be (but that's good, because how boring if everything is exactly the way it's expected!) We went through a final document check, and they also double checked to make sure that each person picked up the correct luggage.
I walked through a door and was so surprised to almost run into my name, as the taxi driver was holding a sign. We headed towards the taxi and he said he'd pull it up while I waited at the door. SCARY MOMENT, I looked away and then saw a cab pulling up and I thought it was him. So I started heading towards it and almost got in. Luckily the right one pulled up just then, and I realized my mistake! It made me very insecure though - what if this wasn't the right one either!? Taxis can be very dangerous here...
Then we were immersed in the crazy city traffic, followed by 3000ft worth of elevation drops in the next half hour. And then I was left at the door of UP CLOSE, where a multitude of very friendly and welcoming people greeted me. And the rest of the night has been spent talking to them!
I'm so excited to wake up tomorrow and see where I am! I see the silhouette of the mountains behind the house, but I really have no idea what sights surround me.
My battery is completely dead - The battery of my mental and physical functions, that is. Methinks it's bedtime! Goodnight(: Thanks for following my journey today! <3
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