For our last weekend in Bolivia, students could choose their activities. Some hung out with their host families (including attending a host sister’s wedding!). On Saturday, some choose a four hour trail ride on horses on the outskirts of town.
For our last weekend in Bolivia, students could choose their activities. Some hung out with their host families (including attending a host sister’s wedding!). On Saturday, some choose a four hour trail ride on horses on the outskirts of town.
Mia was kind enough to walk with me (the slow pace!) on our first hike — here we are looking overjoyed that we have made it!
A view of the canyon during the hike on Sunday, photo by Greg Morano.
Students at the scenic lookout, photo by Greg Morano.
Beatrice, Kacey and Julia relaxing by the river at the bottom of the canyon on Sunday, photo by Emily Sapoch.
Today was our first day without a guest speaker. We continued discussing fieldwork projects, and started thinking about final projects that students will present next Friday, before our departure!
We discussed international trade agreements and their impact on Bolivian politics, governance and daily life. Jorge Campanini came to visit from CEDIB, a leading Bolivian think tank to discuss extractivism — economies based on extracting monetary value from natural resources — and its impact in Bolivia.
On Wednesday, we discussed students’ ongoing ethnographic projects, ranging from observing markets, street vendors, and supermarkets, to visiting Vida y Esperanza and helping out with the horses. We then headed over to the departmental headquarters of the governing MAS party, where after a brief wait we were able to talk to the president of the Cochabamba parliament (comparable to a state assembly in the U.S.), Ademar Valda.
(picture from Bolivian newspaper La Voz)
Diputado Valda explained the advances made by the MAS administration, in both the economy and important areas including maternal and child health and public education. Despite concerns that he might be hostile given the ongoing tensions between the US and Bolivia, he assured us that he differentiated between the US government and the American people. Finally, he described the upcoming February referendum that would allow president Evo Morales to run again for president as an opportunity to deepen democracy by consulting the will of the people.
Today we began with a discussion of life with host families. Then, we heard from Democracy Center Executive Director Jim Shultz. He told of his personal history of activism, the evolution of the work of the Democracy Center, and his analysis of climate change issues facing the globe.
Today, we began thinking about doing ethnographic fieldwork. This week, students will be conducting their own observations and interviews in the afternoons, so we discussed ethics and methods. Then we heard from Maria Eugenia Flores Castor, who is a long time activist now working with a collective of women farmers producing organic crops. Among other insights, she explained the historic differences between being campesino and indigena.
On day 5, we heard from Dan Moriarty, a lay Maryknoll who has spent more than 20 years in Bolivia. He discussed race and racism in Bolivia, including the escalation of racist attacks during the Morales administration. Unfortunately I didn’t get any pictures!
In the afternoon, we departed for Torotoro National Park, which involved many amazing adventures. Getting there was a 6 hour bus ride to cover 85 miles of intense switchbacks and some of the most amazing scenery I have ever seen.
The at-best cobble stone road was often a sheer drop, but our expert driver got us there in one piece.
There were hikes, up and down boulders, in caverns formed by millennia of wind and water, overlooking amazing vistas.
Followed by a two hour caving expedition.
The next day we did an “easy” hike down into a gigantic canyon, and enjoyed some cool river water.
But the highlight for me was having students teach me to play bullsh*t after dinner.
Thanks to Miriam Kopp for the wonderful photos!
Today we heard from Jaime Zambrano, who discussed indigenous identity and buen vivir, ideas of the good life that emerge from distinct indigenous cosmovisions. He also brought his musical group and shared music.
After lunch, students took a walking tour of murals in the city. Unfortunately, I missed today’s discussion, speaker and walk because I was sick, but everyone rose to the occasion and stayed focused in my absence.
Today we began with a discussion of the power of protests, as we compared the Water and Gas “Wars,” as the protests of 2000 and 2003 became known. Then, we had an amazing and inspiring discussion of the long history and frustrating present of social movements in Bolivia from Oscar Olivera, one of the country’s best known activists.
We learned how his personal history beginning work at 14 shaped his union organizing, the history of such efforts in Bolivia, and his sharp criticism of Evo Morales’ administration. He ended with an invitation to continue building espacios de encuentro where we can develop the values of direct democracy.
In the afternoon, we visited Vida y Esperanza, a project using equine therapy with children who have been living on the street and consuming drugs. We heard about the challenges and joys of working with these children, and how the work requires long term commitment.
Students heard from project director Jose Luis Torres, and see some of the horses too.