Hey guys! So I finally got a chance to really sit down and type up a blog post about coming into Bolivia but because everyone else actually took the time to really go into detail their journeys and experiences, I´m going to sum up what happened to me in a few (long-winded) bullet points. Upon which afterwards I´ll go ahead and just sum up how I´m feeling and random things that just stuck out.
- I arrived in La Paz last Sunday at around 5:55 AM to a rather dark, though somewhat sunrise-y, winter morning. As the shuttle from the Hostal Republica took me to the hostel closer into town, my jaw dropped as I noted the clouds literally sitting right on top of the red hued buildings. That was possibly the best first impression of Bolivia one could have, I think.
- My Spanish is pretty abysmal, that much I can already tell you (and you already probably could tell from my previous post). But combine that with the fact that this was my first time in South America and that I was the first person to make it to the hostel, I was a nervous wreck. That most definitely put me on my toes and I couldn´t actually take the time to lay down and relax until I heard a parade of fanfare and drums going right past the hostel entrance. I ended up landing (along with Danielle, Jessi, and Sabina) on the 203rd anniversary of the independence of La Paz. I did eventually venture out through the streets by myself but it took a lot of pushing by some other people at the hostel as well as a lot of shuffling.
- More and more people arrived and we all ventured the next day out to La Paz and to pick up some gear/experience some fine Bolivian cuisine. I ended up buying one thing but currently cannot find it...
- The Choro Trail. I can not tell you how much that entire trek still haunts the depths of my dreams. That´s a definitely a bit of an exaggeration, but I definitely know that I was the least prepared out of the entire group to do the trek. But I did it! Along with the behest of the rest of the group, at that. I don´t think I would´ve actually made it across that 40 mile spit of trail if it wasn´t for my classmates -- I definitely owe everybody a lot after that. I don´t quite want to go into detail about the beauty and awe that literally filled our entire group because that´s been covered already through some of my classmates´posts but I can tell you this: I would´ve definitely been admiring the masonry and the actual placement of the stones if it wasn´t for the fact that I was going, "damn Incans" half the time. And I honestly say that in the most loving way possible.
Now, we are in La Paz and everything´s starting to develop a pattern here. We have a morning meeting, class, some free time, and then often times an excursion that happens. The hotel here (Esmerelda) sits right above the actual town of Coroico and essentially shows off the best views the entire valley has to offer. I´m sure people will start showing off and posting pictures as soon as we all come back but for now, imagination is definitely prime.
I´ve been feeling pretty good. A little bit sick, congested, homesick, but otherwise enjoying everything that´s been thrown at me (or otherwise dealing with everything in a haphazard, "I GOT EET" kind of way). I have to meet up with my group in a bit so I have to go. Hopefully, you´ll be hearing more from us soon though!
- Alina
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