Well the trip back from PSU was successful. I thought that I would answer a few questions posed by Penn State kids from my trip regarding my travels to Peru/Bolivia. I didn't answer them this way when asked, instead, I've thought a bit about each question and am going to answer them here and now for you.
Q: Wait so you live in Bolivia?
Me: Yep
Q: So, like, is everyone there poor?
Answer: No. Everyone is not poor. Just like every country, there are wealthy Bolivians as well. Santa Cruz was once the cocaine capital of the world in the 80's. Santa Cruz was one of the richest cities in South America and still has a very large wealthy population. There are Hummers and BMWs driving all over the place in the main part of the city. Now, Bolivia is the third poorest country in all of the Americas, so yes, there are extremely extremely poor sections, people poorer than you could possibly imagine, however, in my experience it is not as bleak as everyone in the US believes it to be where everyone is starving and dying of hunger.
Q: Wow Bolivia. What language is that?
Answer: Spanish. As a rule of thumb, Spanish is spoken everywhere, except Brazil, which is Portuguese, and highland areas of the Andes, where they speak Quecha, the native indigenous language. Of course there are native languages in uncontacted lowland tribes and English, which is everywhere, but generally think Spanish and you will be okay.
Q: So, there are those kidnappings and people who would just kill you for 50$ if they wanted to?
Answer: Well, this guy is probably thinking about Eastern Columbia, but no there are not very many kidnappings in Bolivia. There is serious political unrest at times, and in fact, a mayor of an area near Puno was lynched a few years ago, however, nothing really that serious happens too often. If you're thinking about "Proof of Life", that takes place in Columbia as well.
Ok, that's all I got - Plans are to work out of the room this upcoming week and travel plans to Charlottesville and Winston-Salem for next weekend and the week following are being created.
Saturday, October 30, 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Return
Well the return to the US was fairly uninteresting. I passed straight through customs without getting checked, the first time that has ever happened. None of the flights were late and everything worked out. I still got the usual freak-out at the airport when everyone was speaking in English and I could understand everything, but it wasn't nearly as bad as last year. I did feel the speed of the car this year however.
I'm back in the US, so perhaps my blog won't be as interesting as it was in Peru, but I'm going to continue to document everything anyway, particularly because there are some really good road-trips ahead, and also because I'm going to keep comparing the US and Peru/Bolivia, which is the point of this Blog.
Today, for example, at the bosox/yankees game, I noticed everyone freak out because the police came on the field. In the Cienciano games, when an opposing player left the field, the police covered him with shields, to deflect the bricks and stones thrown at his head. There were always riot police there...so a few fans threw baseballs back, big deal. They'll do anything to make things seem exceptional on TV, even eccentuate the barely interesting.
This week will consist of observing PA - I'll try to write all the thoughts down. I'll also have time to put up some more pictures and write in a new interview. Please keep continuing to read and share with your friends about the site, I'm excited to see all my friends who have been reading, it's a great way to keep everyone updated!
~ D
I'm back in the US, so perhaps my blog won't be as interesting as it was in Peru, but I'm going to continue to document everything anyway, particularly because there are some really good road-trips ahead, and also because I'm going to keep comparing the US and Peru/Bolivia, which is the point of this Blog.
Today, for example, at the bosox/yankees game, I noticed everyone freak out because the police came on the field. In the Cienciano games, when an opposing player left the field, the police covered him with shields, to deflect the bricks and stones thrown at his head. There were always riot police there...so a few fans threw baseballs back, big deal. They'll do anything to make things seem exceptional on TV, even eccentuate the barely interesting.
This week will consist of observing PA - I'll try to write all the thoughts down. I'll also have time to put up some more pictures and write in a new interview. Please keep continuing to read and share with your friends about the site, I'm excited to see all my friends who have been reading, it's a great way to keep everyone updated!
~ D
Saturday, October 16, 2004
A Good-bye
"But long before this scene concludes,
the end I'm seeking still eludes,
my every effort to apply,
your will to moments passing by.
But every time you say good-bye,
a pain I can't identify,
reveals to me that hidden door,
that leads to several moments more."
- "Meatstick"
Phish
Looks like it's about time to say good-bye to Cusco again. The past four months or so have been really wonderful, an amazing experience once again. Unforunately I have to leave before I really want to and won't get to say good-bye to Maritza. However, leaving this early and not going on the Heath trip will allow me to come back in mid-January.
Tonight I am going out with Evelyn and her friend Mary. Last night we went out to get some food and walk around the plaza, tonight we're going to hit up some clubs. Today was mostly taken up by a party for Chaska Wasi at the playground in Majisterio. Steve was in charge of cooking 500 pieces of terribly tough meat - he did a pretty good job.
I am scared to come back to the US. So much happens there, life is so fast, I just don't know how I am going to cope with it...I've forgotten what it's like to drive a car, what its like to eat a cheesesteak, a lot of things. I'm truly going to miss everyone who has helped me adapt here for the 3 months that I'm back in the states doing research on the Heath Project. Hopefully I'll get to see everyone before I leave Monday afternoon.
~ D
the end I'm seeking still eludes,
my every effort to apply,
your will to moments passing by.
But every time you say good-bye,
a pain I can't identify,
reveals to me that hidden door,
that leads to several moments more."
- "Meatstick"
Phish
Looks like it's about time to say good-bye to Cusco again. The past four months or so have been really wonderful, an amazing experience once again. Unforunately I have to leave before I really want to and won't get to say good-bye to Maritza. However, leaving this early and not going on the Heath trip will allow me to come back in mid-January.
Tonight I am going out with Evelyn and her friend Mary. Last night we went out to get some food and walk around the plaza, tonight we're going to hit up some clubs. Today was mostly taken up by a party for Chaska Wasi at the playground in Majisterio. Steve was in charge of cooking 500 pieces of terribly tough meat - he did a pretty good job.
I am scared to come back to the US. So much happens there, life is so fast, I just don't know how I am going to cope with it...I've forgotten what it's like to drive a car, what its like to eat a cheesesteak, a lot of things. I'm truly going to miss everyone who has helped me adapt here for the 3 months that I'm back in the states doing research on the Heath Project. Hopefully I'll get to see everyone before I leave Monday afternoon.
~ D
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
October 13th Wednesday
It has been a little since I wrote. Santa Cruz has been great, the weather here is absolutely beautiful. It is the windy as well as the dry and hot season here. There are tremendous fire throughout the lowlands here in Bolivia, partially because of the heat and the wind, but also because it is the time to slash and burn for farmers in the countryside. This leads to a large amount of haze every few days. The wind helps though, in the afternoon temperatures reach around 100F which in my opinion is pretty hot for October.
I've spent most of my time here in the Museum, working on planning ahead on a project that will measure inundation periods and fire history of the Pampas del Heath using remote sensing. There are several experts here with whom I have learned all sorts of new things, like unsupervised classification with ERDAS. I've also done other things with them though. On Sunday, Belen and I and a couple of her friends went to a park on the outskirts of the city where there are huge gigantic sand dunes. I have no idea where these came from, but suddenly, across the flat horizon, 10 story high sand dunes appeared. Wish I had taken a picture...
I am so excited about the idea of living here next year. Bolivians are much friendlier, at least in my experience, than Peruvians. In fact, to Bolivians, Peruvian is a synonym for "thief". Perhaps the ill feelings are due to the war which denied Bolivia access to the sea, but I agree with them. In Santa Cruz I've encountered less pickpockets, scams, or begging than in Cusco, and Bolivia has one of the poorer economies of the entire Western Hemisphere. Everyone seems to be very happy here. It might be the first place I've been to, when asking about where you would like to live, everyone I've asked has said they would stay here. Not a single person desired to go to the US, and very few wanted to go to Europe. Most people are completely happy here, in the beautiful weather in a friendly atmosphere.
My bus leaves today at 7PM. The bus trip will last about 16 hours and gets into La Paz sometime tomorrow morning. I'll be in La Paz for a few hours and then take another buscama to Cusco. I expect to get there sometime on Friday, after about 30+ hours on a bus. This will be a true test to the battery power of my Ipod, and my ability to be content looking out a window. I'll probably get through my book, The Poisonwood Bible.
On Tuesday I will arrive back into Dulles. It’s hard to imagine that these 4 months have gone by so fast. I will continue the blog throughout all of my travels in the US and especially when I come back here and finish out the year.
It has been a little since I wrote. Santa Cruz has been great, the weather here is absolutely beautiful. It is the windy as well as the dry and hot season here. There are tremendous fire throughout the lowlands here in Bolivia, partially because of the heat and the wind, but also because it is the time to slash and burn for farmers in the countryside. This leads to a large amount of haze every few days. The wind helps though, in the afternoon temperatures reach around 100F which in my opinion is pretty hot for October.
I've spent most of my time here in the Museum, working on planning ahead on a project that will measure inundation periods and fire history of the Pampas del Heath using remote sensing. There are several experts here with whom I have learned all sorts of new things, like unsupervised classification with ERDAS. I've also done other things with them though. On Sunday, Belen and I and a couple of her friends went to a park on the outskirts of the city where there are huge gigantic sand dunes. I have no idea where these came from, but suddenly, across the flat horizon, 10 story high sand dunes appeared. Wish I had taken a picture...
I am so excited about the idea of living here next year. Bolivians are much friendlier, at least in my experience, than Peruvians. In fact, to Bolivians, Peruvian is a synonym for "thief". Perhaps the ill feelings are due to the war which denied Bolivia access to the sea, but I agree with them. In Santa Cruz I've encountered less pickpockets, scams, or begging than in Cusco, and Bolivia has one of the poorer economies of the entire Western Hemisphere. Everyone seems to be very happy here. It might be the first place I've been to, when asking about where you would like to live, everyone I've asked has said they would stay here. Not a single person desired to go to the US, and very few wanted to go to Europe. Most people are completely happy here, in the beautiful weather in a friendly atmosphere.
My bus leaves today at 7PM. The bus trip will last about 16 hours and gets into La Paz sometime tomorrow morning. I'll be in La Paz for a few hours and then take another buscama to Cusco. I expect to get there sometime on Friday, after about 30+ hours on a bus. This will be a true test to the battery power of my Ipod, and my ability to be content looking out a window. I'll probably get through my book, The Poisonwood Bible
On Tuesday I will arrive back into Dulles. It’s hard to imagine that these 4 months have gone by so fast. I will continue the blog throughout all of my travels in the US and especially when I come back here and finish out the year.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Thursday, October 07, 2004
October 7th
It is Thursday and I'm here in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The 10 hour bus ride from Cusco to La Paz was fairly uneventful. We arrived to Puno at about 5AM while the sun was just barely rising. Puno is a pretty desolete place, almost like living up on top of a plateau. We crossed the border at Copacabana, where I had to pay 60$ (480 Bolivianos) in excess for being in the country 60 days longer than my visa allowed. The official at the immigration office took my passport for photocopies and ran one way into town, the bus crossed the border and started to leave, and I was stuck at the immigration office with nothing, only 7 soles. Luckily, the guy did come back and the bus hadn't quite left yet. I walked over Lake Titicaca to Bolivia, jumped on the bus, and we continued to La Paz.
La Paz, seen in this picture is very much like Rio or San Francisco. It's a beautiful place, by far the nicest city I've seen yet in South America and the people are extremely pleasant. I think Bolivians, in nature, are less cold than Peruvians, with whom I've tended to notice a lot of hostility. I spent 2 days in La Paz, going to the military base and coercing officials to buy satellite information from the 1970's for use in Northern Bolivia. I finally got started in a relationship with an official and decided to get headed to Santa Cruz, to learn more about our GIS concerns.
I took a 17 hour bus to Santa Cruz where I am now. The women here are the most beautiful girls I have ever seen, and the people are extremely friendly. This lowland city of about 1 million is a wonderful place to be, and I'm enjoying it working and then going out at night-time. I will be here until next Wednesday, where upon I'll take two consecutive busses all the way back to cold and dreary Cusco.
Find of the day : there is a cosmic bowling center here in Santa Cruz, just in case you thought you would miss it being away from the US
La Paz, seen in this picture is very much like Rio or San Francisco. It's a beautiful place, by far the nicest city I've seen yet in South America and the people are extremely pleasant. I think Bolivians, in nature, are less cold than Peruvians, with whom I've tended to notice a lot of hostility. I spent 2 days in La Paz, going to the military base and coercing officials to buy satellite information from the 1970's for use in Northern Bolivia. I finally got started in a relationship with an official and decided to get headed to Santa Cruz, to learn more about our GIS concerns.
I took a 17 hour bus to Santa Cruz where I am now. The women here are the most beautiful girls I have ever seen, and the people are extremely friendly. This lowland city of about 1 million is a wonderful place to be, and I'm enjoying it working and then going out at night-time. I will be here until next Wednesday, where upon I'll take two consecutive busses all the way back to cold and dreary Cusco.
Find of the day : there is a cosmic bowling center here in Santa Cruz, just in case you thought you would miss it being away from the US
Saturday, October 02, 2004
Preparing for the trip
Today I am hitching a bus to La Paz at 10pm. The trip is 12 hours and I will get there by 12 tomorrow. Last night I met up with Patty´s sister and we were out dancing until 5:30 in the morning. I didn´t get to sleep until 8.
plans for the next week
Sunday : arrive in La Paz
Monday-Wednesday : Find the military office and order the aerial photos of the rio heath area
Thursday : 15 hour bus ride to Santa Cruz
Friday - Wednesday : Work at the CI office with Tim and try to georectify the aerial images
Thursday - Friday : A combined 27 straight hours on a bus to get back to Cusco...
I´ll keep it updated the best I can. The current exchange rate for Bolivianos is 8 to the dollar.
plans for the next week
Sunday : arrive in La Paz
Monday-Wednesday : Find the military office and order the aerial photos of the rio heath area
Thursday : 15 hour bus ride to Santa Cruz
Friday - Wednesday : Work at the CI office with Tim and try to georectify the aerial images
Thursday - Friday : A combined 27 straight hours on a bus to get back to Cusco...
I´ll keep it updated the best I can. The current exchange rate for Bolivianos is 8 to the dollar.
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