Travels with Mom and Dad

It is amazing how fast time flies, even when you are moving slowly. My parents have both felt the strong effects of the high altitude. Tuesday as we toured Tiwanaku (pre Incan ruins) they both had very little energy. We had the same guide, Juan, for Tiwanaku as we did for the city tour the day before but this time I drove. He took us to the original site of La Paz, present day Laja. We saw the an ancient church with the foundation stones built out of rocks from Tiwanaku.

Juan is a local “mayor” of his neighborhood of 6,000 people and after the day of ruins and history Juan invited us to see his neighborhood in El Alto. We drove through the neighborhood; learned how the local government is divided up, how he leads his neighborhood in improving streets, schools and local governance and met some of the people placing pavers in the streets. He explained how USAID and Save the Children provide food for every 25 square meters the woman pave over. The results were very even, environmentally sound and attractive streets were there was only dirt before. They are planting street trees as well. Juan’s unpaid job may well lead him to greater political heights. From what we saw he is doing a fine job for his neighborhood.

We also met Juan’s family. We visited their house which is more aptly described as a compound. There are about seven families within his immediate family living at the compound and there is currently a large addition underway. I expect there is always some aspect of addition going on. His mother, father, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews even cousins were all very cordial and friendly as he introduced us around. We had dinner that night at one of La Paz’s better restaurants, La Comedi (Tracy and I ate there last December).

The next morning we took our time and left a little late for Copacabana. We crossed between San Pablo and San Pedro by the same rickety ferry boats that Tracy and I had five months ago. It was a beautiful drive, very clear and sunny. Lake Titicaca sits at 3,800 meters (12,450 feet) and the we figured the passes we drove over high above the lake were another 300-500 meters (1000-1600 feet).

Copacabana is where Mom and Dad really felt the altitude. The first night we were there Dad was sick and the second day Mom was sick. Dad recovered fairly quickly and we took a tour of the Isla del Sol (Sun Island) which is credited with being the religious birthplace of the Incas some 800 years ago. It was a perfect day with lots of sunshine. Dad stayed close to the water while I hiked to some ruins on the north end of the island. We climbed a fairly steep path for a mid day lunch (fresh trout) in the middle of the island. We both climbed the short distance to the 800 year old Sun Temple at the southern end of the island. Back at the Hotel Rosario (which we would all highly recommend) Mom stayed in bed all day and worked through her bug. The night before it was just Mom and me for dinner in a restaurant and that night it was just Dad and me in a restaurant for dinner.

Friday everyone was feeling better. We took our time leaving town and toured the famous Basilica of our Lady of Copacabana and saw the Virgin of Copacabana which is a 450 year old carving that people pilgramage to see and is the patron virgin of Bolivia. On the three hour drive back to La Paz we had rain, snow, sun and blowing dust. The drive through El Alto was dominated by the strong wind throwing dirt and debris across the road and at the multitudes walking roadside.

Friday night we had a filling Japanese meal at Wagamama’s, a local Japanese restaurant and Dad and I ate trout sushi. This trout is actually the same color as salmon.

We had a leisurely Saturday morning this morning. I went to the gym and we were of course late getting started. We first headed to Plaza Murillo to find a bookstore Juan had told us about. As it was after 12 noon but before 3 pm the store was closed. There was an interesting celebration in the square of folkloric music and dance. We walked along Calle Comercio, the pedestrian shopping street, and across the bridge over Avenida Montes.

On Calle Comercio all three of us had our shoes shined by two young boys. These shoe shiners always were ski masks over their faces giving them the appearance of bank robbers. The only plausible explanation for the ski masks I’ve heard is that they don’t want their school mates to see them shining shoes. I have had my shoes shined a number of times and it has always been two bolivianos (which is about 24 cents and I generally give them five bolivianos). This time the kid asked for 20 bolivianos. I objected and said that is way too much. He quickly reduced it to 10 bolivianos, still a high “gringo” price but within reason. So we paid the total 30 bolivianos. In the meantime two policemen approached and started questioning the boys. The policeman told me that it shouldn’t be more than one boliviano. I stupidly explained that they asked for 20 bolivianos but we were fine with paying 10. The last we saw of the boys they were being walked away with the two policeman who we can only assume ended up with the bulk, if not all, of the 30 bolivianos.

Our goal was to reach San Francisco Church. It’s really more that a church and dates back hundreds of years. We toured the cloisters attached to the church and by then were very hungry. We walked a few blocks south of the church using the directions written by our forefather Archibald Baker to try and find the location of the house where my grandmother was born. The area has obviously changed significantly in the last hundred years and it is impossible to locate any sign of the immediate area he described, needless to say the house. The second house they lived in was on a street that a veteran taxi driver of 20 years told me doesn’t exist under that name today.

Finally we found a cafe and had lunch around 3 pm. After lunch we walked back up the hill to the Plaza Murillo only to find the bookstore still not open. Now it is nap time before we venture back out tonight to San Francisco Church for a baroque concert

House guests arrive

Mom and Dad arrived early today.  Their flight was 45 minutes late, but still before sunrise just after 6 am.  We drove down from the airport in El Alto giving them their first real view of the city stretching across the craggy valley below.  We hit a little morning traffic so they got a good introduction to the crazy driving as well.

They settled in for a little rest after their long flights and I went to my last class for the a while.  In the afternoon we had a tour of the city and went up to a great outlook high above the city.  After a nice dinner at my favorite little Thai/Indian/Chinese restaurant we headed home for an early night to bed.  Tomorrow we tour Tiwanaku with the same guide we had for the city tour.

In the routine

I cannot believe how quickly time is passing. I thought the time went by fast on the road but it seems to be even faster when I’m stationary. My parents arrive in a week for a nine day visit that will include some travel in the car and flying to Santa Cruz.

My daily language classes will continue through this week until my parents arrive and then I’ll take a little break. I really like the school in Achumani. There aren’t many other students at this time so there isn’t much socializing. I have met a few people through the weekly conversation class. Marie-Laure, from France, has been sending me information on weekly events at the Alianza Francesa. Last week I attended a theater show. I didn’t really understand a whole lot of the spoken word (it was in Spanish) but the staging was very interesting.

Last week I also attended a social gathering of the American British International Association. It was a fairly shi shi event held at a very nice newer home (felt a little like Forest Heights – for you Portlanders) in Achumani where my language school is located. The director of the school is a member and took me as her guest as her husband was away.

It is supposed to be a gathering to speak English, however I had many conversations in Spanish. I shamelessly asked one Columbian gentleman who works with an NGO if they need any volunteers. I also met the US ambassador. In my casual attire an unwitting honesty I asked him what he did in La Paz, a fairly common question among strangers at such an event. My obvious lack of preparation in knowing the local dignitaries was not well received. Later when I met the British ambassador I was better prepared.

I met one older gentleman who innocently gave me a lesson on class structures. I don’t remember how we got to the point where he told me that the poor are a necessary part of the world, but I was certainly listening intently from that point on. He is obviously very wealthy. He had been to China in the last few weeks and his wife was draped in a very nice fur. His trip to China had helped reinforce his belief that the natural resources don’t exist in this world to cure poverty. Somehow the level of construction there, in the world’s most populated country, led him to the conclusion that there will always be lots of poor people in the world.

It struck me as I listened to this man that I was standing in the poorest country in South America which is currently going through extreme political upheaval. The center of the political storm is the first popularly elected indigenous president, Evo Morales. As Morales makes good on his promises to not only open the political and economic system to a previously neglected large portion of the population he is threatening much of the previous power and economic structure. He is being accused of not only opening the system to those mistreated through history but giving them priority and advantages. I don’t think he’d deny that. When the people who hold control over an economy dismiss the fact of poverty as necessary and unavoidable it makes it easier to understand certain actions taken by many current Latin American leaders and their popular support among the poor.  My unintended teacher was a very nice gentleman and I’m sure he sleeps very well at night. I had to very intently concentrate on quiet listening, not an easy practice for me. But I’m glad we had our conversation

I have had people tell me there was great hope when Morales was elected despite the opposition of the “power elites”.  I think the same was likely true in many other Latin American countries with similar leaders.  But as generally happens in politics the gap between the perceived hope and the fact of reality  can grow exponentially as time proceeds and difficult issues remain unresolved.

This next week I have to focus on finding a volunteer opportunity. I met with the people at the National Democratic Institute who very clearly informed me they are not a part of the US Democratic party. Their board and funders are Democrats but there is no direct policy ties to the party. I understand there is an equivalent on the Republican side as well. The NDI had no need of a volunteer but gave me two names of people in La Paz who may be able to help me. That was my first interview in Spanish and it felt like a horrible flop even though they were very encouraging. Now I have to call on the phone, introduce myself and ask for an interview.  This will be a true test.

Settling into La Paz

I have settled into my apartment in La Paz and life is taking on a routine. I started my language classes yesterday and will be taking four hours a day in the morning. The afternoon is basically studying and going to the gym. I’m trying to cook for myself instead of going to restaurants. It is amazing how much time can be consumed shopping for and preparing meals.

Last week I took care of getting myself situated in the neighborhood, went to the US embassy and got more pages for my passport and made myself at home in my apartment. Through contacts from Darius I met a woman who works with Human Rights Watch and accompanied her to a few appointments. I also accompanied her to a conference on masculinity.

She works on LGBT issues for Human Rights Watch so I followed her to a meeting with the largest and oldest LGBT service organization in La Paz and also to a coffee meeting with a transgendered man who is involved in that community in La Paz. The conference had lots of local NGOs and was very interesting except I didn’t really understand much of the actual presentations. I was able to understand far more when the presentations included powerpoint. What I really did get out of the whole experience was that my Spanish is not quite at the place where I can work, even as a volunteer. So that’s why I’m back at the language school.

The best news last week was that I was accepted into the program for which I applied. The Institute on Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution is from June 14th through July 12th. It is a collaboration between the Alliance for Conflict Transformation in the US and Nur University in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. I’m really excited for the class. I expect I will be the oldest in the class as I expect it is mostly university students. I learned of the course from the University of Puget Sound Politics and Government blog site.

My current plan is to stay in La Paz until the course starts in June.  I likely won’t be blogging a whole lot as my life becomes more routine, however, I’ll be posting any interesting developments and pictures.