More than a month already in La Paz.................

It has been more than a month already in La Paz.

By now sometimes I feel that the honey-moon of living in Bolivia has evolved to culture shock. I started experiencing the routine daily life, where the noise of the cars horns all day long , the inconvenience of the weekly protests in downtown, lack of courtesy of some drivers to pedestrians, contaminated street foods, poor customer service in some places, to list some challenges people have to deal with every day. In addition to loneliness at times, as a result of being far from friends and family.

As my frustration comes, I thought about the local people, whom most probably have to deal with these issues most of their life, some of them with few opportunities for a change. Afterwards, I feel ungrateful for complaining, at the end of the day I am only a temporarily spectator and somehow privileged to have the chance to value some things I took for granted, and get out a bit of my comfort zone. Ultimately, dealing with new challenges, is part of the learning process of being in a new Country.

One of these last days while complaining to myself that I had to walk home under the rain (as it is almost impossible to catch any type of transportation while a protest is happening), I saw some young people laughing and enjoying walking under the rain, I was thinking that sometimes we assume that having the so called "developed infrastructure" and comfort result in happiness.

 Many people have not experienced the convenience of bus schedules, customer services departments in stores, preference for pedestrians ......... and still find their way to enjoy life.


I must work with my tolerance for my own sake. I hope that my cultural adaptation moves quickly to the recovery stage, as well as my capacity to keep things in perspective.

Stop by the Cemetery ..................

Last Sunday while going to the neighbor city of El Alto, I had to change busses at Buenos Aires Street, which happens to be in front of the city´s cemetery. To my surprise it was extremely crowded, there was a huge traffic jam at least two streets before the taxi could get there. At first¸ I thought there was a protest happening or that it was the month of November, as in some Latin countries during this month, people celebrate all saints or the day of the dead.

However, I asked the minibus driver and a street vendor, and both of them told me that Sundays all year round are like that. It is a tradition for people to visit the graves of their beloved who rest in the cemetery.



At the front of the main entrance, it is packed of street vendors selling from fruits and vegetables, to flowers and sprays for the graves. In addition, just crossing the street, there is a market exclusively for beautiful and colourful flowers that are sold for a decent price. The vendors insist asking people to come closer to their shop to see the flowers from close. Most people who entered the cemetery were with their families in order to transmit this tradition. I appreciate the unity of the families and the remembrance of their relatives who passed away. Beyond the superstition and religion traditions, the fact that people get together and keep bonded with their relatives is a great value that still distinguishes Latin cultures....