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Casa Calvo
The front gate to my father's house.Hola a todos!
I am sitting in the house where my father, mother, brother, and eldest sister had previously lived before I was born, positioned adjacently to the former house of my Abuela (grandmother). The neighborhood of Calacoto is not the same, there are skyscrapers surrounding our property grounds. What used to be an oasis of friends, families, gardens, and outdoor gatherings is now consumed by the bustling metropolis of La Paz, a city nestled in a high-altitude valley within the Andean mountain range. Still, this place is as beautiful as ever, with lovely flowers and thriving vines encompassing the ornate gate entrance. I have taken photos of the house and grounds which I hope to share soon (though I am somewhat technically challenged and am still trying to figure out my new digital camera).
Yesterday, I found myself hurriedly preparing last minute odds and ends for my trip, including all of the necessary electronic equipment needed for my investigation. Last minute packing tends to be a trend in my family, and I consider us nomads by the amount of boxes and luggage packed and unpacked in our lives. After flustering the Walmart electronics associate with one hundred questions
First meal in Bolivia
Can't eat a lot in high altitude (harder to digest).. but I was able to make some sopa, ensalada, y pan con queso! at once, we gathered a camera, tapes, batteries, and voice recorder and hit the road. All of this equipment is absolutely necessary for the project I am about to embark on, as I will be holding extensive interviews with politicians, government officials, professors, organizational leaders, anthropologists, village officials, and other commoners.
After having lunch with my mother and brother at a burrito place in Boston, and hearing encouraging news about my brother Roberto's new career opportunities, I set off to the airport in good spirits.
The flight to La Paz was long and uncomfortable, but bearable. My first Spanish interactions began in Miami airport, reminding me that I must face my fears of making lingual mistakes, and take advantage of these next 3 months in order to gain fluency once and for all. Upon arriving in La Paz one hour late, my cousin Javier graciously escorted me to my house at 7 in the morning after he had been working late the previous night. After a few steps out of his SUV, the altitude hit me like a ton of bricks. My lungs felt constricted and my head light, so I headed straight to bed after greeting my
The contrast
This is what I meant by our grounds surrounded by tall buildings. family nanny/maid, Bernie. I woke up around 1:30 and went to the mercado to shop for the first time as a Bolivian resident. These next few days I will be taking it easy in order to allow my body to adjust to the altitude. I will be researching and reading about Bolivian politics and recent news developments regarding justicia comunitaria in preparation for my investigation.
I expect to have some interesting stories for all of you in the days to come, as I begin to reconnect with family and venture out into the streets of La Paz.
Until next time,
Nejla
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Laurice
non-member comment
following!
i love this and i can picture your mother sneaking up on you at the counter hahaha!