November 21st

Well, it’s been a good two weeks since I’ve sat down at my computer and written about my time here in Bolivia. I guess there are many reasons for that. The most prominent being that this has been one of the most difficult experiences of my life, I have absolutely nothing similar in my life that I can compare this too. I think that it takes a somewhat emotionally disconnected person to live so far away for extended periods of time. This experience has taught me that I am much connected to my loved ones at this point in my life to travel alone, for long periods of time. I do believe there are friends to be made everywhere, but it has proven difficult in a country where very few can speak my language. Don’t get me wrong there have been aspects of this trip that have been incredible, and lesson I’ve learned that I will value for the rest of my life.  Though Canada is not exactly the model for a perfect country right now (Harper, Duffy, Ford....) I am so humbled and grateful that I was fortunate enough to be born and raised in a developed country, with opportunity and a chance to have a wonderful life. People do not choose to be poor and they do not choose to go hungry as I’ve learned living in a developing country. The circumstances they are born into are beyond their control.  I have also discovered that while I do have a desire to travel and see this world, living and working in a foreign country is an entirely different thing than backpacking, which is more so like one long holiday. I believe this experience has made me a much stronger person, and no one can take that away from me. When I first arrived in Cochabamba, I was miserable. I fought my parents everyday to let me come home, until eventually I realized that this was something I NEEDED to finish, not only because of the work I would be doing, but for myself. To prove to myself that I am capable of being removed from my comfort zone and thrown into a completely foreign country that has 37 official languages, none of which are English and I can adapt. As I mentioned before, absolutely no one can take that away from me and it is an experience that will stay with me until I die.

I’m constantly bombarded with the “make the best of it” and “you can do it” affirmations of encouragement, which while I do appreciate them, are sometimes unwarranted as no one can truly understand unless they have been here and lived this occurrence themselves. People experience things different and I feel I’ve done my best for the situation I was put in. I am making the best out of each day that I am here, but my heart really just can’t wait to be home, back in Canada, with all my family and friends. With a newfound appreciation towards being a Canadian citizen, I have also had the realization that I am so lucky to be blessed with the friends and family I have in my life. Without needing to name names, countless people in my life have given me nothing but support, including the friends who stayed on Skype with me into the wee hours of the morning listening to me vent, cry, yell and basically express every emotion that can exist within a person. Someone important to me once said that it’s the people in your life who make you who you are, and I have to say I have come to fully understand this statement. I’ll spare you the grotesque amount of sap going through my mind right now, and just sum it up by saying I would not be here today, finishing a 90 day internship in a developing country in just a few weeks without the amazing people who love and support me no matter what. Much love, you all know who you are! xo

November 1st-20th

The first week of November, our friend Juan took us to see a traditional cemetery in Cochabamba which was really interesting. It also happened to fall of “Dia De Los Muertos” which translates to Day of the Dead. We saw many families gathered by their late loved ones graves with blankets and tables covered in a variety of different foods, ranging from sweets and breads to full meals such as soups and meat dishes. Funerals in Bolivia traditionally consist of three day ceremonies which are still very common in the more rural areas. The funerals that take place in the more urban areas are usually condensed. Similar to North American customs, the mourners all wear black. The wealthier Bolivians are buried above ground in private garden cemeteries, which we saw a lot of during our visit. They varied from simple mausoleums to lavish glass houses surrounded with beautiful floral arrangements and ornaments.

My 2^nd week in November consisted of a look at the economy in Bolivia, and the different factors that negatively affect it.  The GDP per capita in Bolivia is 5000$, with the natural resources such as tin, natural gas, crude oil, silver, gold, and lead, and mining being their major industries. More than half of the labor force in Bolivia is in agriculture, with Coca being the largest cash crop, illegally of course, coca being the main component in the creation of cocaine. There have been efforts to reduce Coca trafficking, as the plant itself has many legitimate uses in Bolivian society, which include medicinal (altitude sickness, nausea etc.) and dietary. Coca is a large part of Bolivian culture and it really is a shame that drug traffickers exploit its production and uses; I have enjoyed many cups of coca tea since arriving in Bolivia! Bolivia is the poorest and least developed country in South America, and second poorest country in Latin America next to Haiti. The access to adequate health care, education and economic opportunities directly affects the lives of most Bolivians, especially those in the more rural areas. Approximately one third o the population lives in poverty, as mentioned before, surviving of less than 2$ USD a day. I study international development at Saint Mary’s and have always read and studied poverty, thinking I would be prepared for the experience of seeing it firsthand, and I must say it is a thoroughly different reality when it’s directly before your eyes as you walk to work each day.

Anyone interested in international development or who is studying it, at one point or another has likely heard of the “Cochabamba Water Wars”.  In 1998 Bolivia faced a political and economic crisis related to water. The government began construction of a pipeline, and started to consider the taxing of water to fund the $450 million project. In Cochabamba, which is Bolivia’s third largest city, the state owned water supply was sold to a private association of international companies. Construction of the pipeline was supposedly to aid Cochabamba in obtaining water from several rivers located in the city’s mountainous surroundings. In December, 2000, the government raised water prices by 35% which caused protests prompting the government to lower the prices. However, in April of 2000 the government again considered raising the prices of water, which sparked mass protests not only in Cochabamba but neighbouring cities as well. Demonstrations lasted 2 weeks in total, and ended in 8 deaths and 22 arrests. The army was heavily criticized for their tactics against protesters.

It has been interesting learning all the history that exists in Bolivia, and being a girl who has a keen interest in politics, the political history is particularly interesting.  If you are a lover of intense and captivating political history, I suggest taking some time to read about Bolivia’s history. The current President is Evo Morales, who was elected as a leftist and indigenous leader, part of the Aymara indigenous peoples, which was a first for Bolivia’s political history. Bolivia has one of the richest natural gas reserves in South America, though even still the majority of people still live in poverty. Morales was elected on the basis of a message that he would take back control of the country’s natural resources for the benefit of the people and not the corporations. This is what makes Morales a popular leader as he appeals to the 65% of indigenous people who currently reside in Bolivia.

October 23rd-31st

Hello!

It’s been about a week since I’ve had any energy in me to write, so here I finally am sitting at my computer. I wish I had more to blog about, but this experience hasn't been exactly what I expected. I'm sure I should have came into this with zero expectations, then I would have been fine. Oh well!  Where should I begin?  Well as per usual here in Bolivia, I have been on and off sick the past week, symptoms ranging from a fever, nausea and headaches, but the days I’ve been well I’ve been able to make some interesting observations. 

This post is going to focus on nutrition here in Bolivia. It’s a strange world here where in one meal you are served potatoes, rice, noodles, yucca and a small ounce of protein and rarely any sort of vegetables. In fact Lydia and I have actually brought our own vegetables to certain restaurants as they are not commonly served with meals here.  As one of the mass producers of the “Super Grain” Quinoa, you would think that it would be more of a staple in the Bolivian diet, however it is also rare. The decline in quinoa consumption is linked to the increasing global market for the grain. Seems unfair seeing as they produce it, yet are unable to afford to consume it. Through my adventure I have been two exactly ONE restaurant that has quinoa on the menu, and it was one of the more expensive, “tourist” restaurants.  The starches do vary by region, yucca is more so consumed in the lowlands, while corn is abundant in the valleys and potatoes are a staple all over Bolivia as they grow in most regions. Most of the food here is fried and locals often use a seasoning called Llajua which is a spicy salsa. The most common meat used is Chicken; however in Southern Bolivia they consume more beef as barbecues are common.

In my opinion, the malnutrition Bolivia faces is due to a lack of awareness and knowledge in terms of proper nutrition. This is something that should be of focus in schools as well as advertised through the government as many of the older generations are unaware as well. Lydia went to a market where one lady actually asked her what she should be eating, because she was worried about her weight. They simply don’t know how to eat properly here, and the abundance of cheap, fried, carbohydrate heavy foods do not make it any easier. The food people consume here does not offer enough of the necessary vitamins and minerals needed for proper health and nutrition. The Andean grains, fruits and vegetables are all available at the markets for cheap prices; however it seems people gravitate towards the cheaper starches and even miss out on proteins more often than not. I was speaking with a local yesterday about the issue of malnutrition amongst children, and he told me that during the time babies breast feed they are normally in good health and receiving the vitamins and minerals needed to sustain proper health, it’s after the breast feeding when they are switched to solid foods when the lower weight and vitamin deficiencies begin. Awareness is vital to change, as it is impossible for one to change what they do not know they are doing wrong.

October 18th-23rd

Hello!

Finally able to think of something to write about today, considering I was YET AGAIN, sick! Thankfully I went to a doctor and was able to find out what’s been going on with me. I will spare you the details however, just need to be a little more cautious about what I am eating and drinking. During my time spent being ill, I was able to do some reading about Bolivia and actually learned something’s that I didn’t know despite all my initial research into this country.

 The population of Bolivia is about 10, 461, 953 people, with an urban population of about 67%. An interesting fact about Bolivia is that about 55% of the total population is of indigenous ancestry. The largest groups being the Quechua, Aymara and Guarani; Quechua Indians are prevalent throughout the country but are especially concentrated near Sucre and right here in Cochabamba! This makes for a diverse selection of official languages, 37 to be exact! The most common are Spanish, Quechua and Aymara. In terms of religion, approximately 95% of the people here in Bolivia are Roman Catholic. I didn’t expect the number to be that high, but i assumed it was fairly high as just about everyone I meet asks me what my religion is. I usually dislike discussing my personal beliefs, but to avoid being considered rude I just smile and say “Christian”.

 

Another topic that fascinates me here is the Holidays, in North America we LOVE our Holidays, so I thought it would interesting to dig a little bit into what the customs are here. Most holidays in Bolivia have fixed dates. The 3 most important holidays are Independence Day, Carnaval, and the Holy Week before Easter. Independence Day is held on August 6^th and is the anniversary of the establishment of the Republic in 1825. They usually have a parade, with a fair or festival at the end. Carnaval begins forty days before Easter, on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday. The month starts with a parade in which groups of people dress up, dance and sing while following the parade for miles. On the last day which falls on a Tuesday people all over Bolivia perform the “Ch’alla” ritual, which consists of sprinkling a sacred liquid to bless things and making offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth).  After Carnaval, comes The Holy Week in which the people of Bolivia repent all of the wrong doings committed during Carnaval. Catholics refrain from eating meat, only fish is permitted.

As you can see I’ve learned a few very interesting things about this incredible country while being sick, so it’s not all bad! It is so interesting to learn the different practices of another culture, that without this opportunity I would have never been exposed to. Not every single day here is as pleasant as I would hope, but when I look back to life in Halifax, I have bad days as well. Feeling better now, back to work and hoping to have a great week! Only 17 more days until I get to see another country in Latin America....Chile! Nick arrives on the 9th of November and I could not be more excited!

October 15th-17th

Ola Bloggers!

Cómo va la semana de todos? (How is everyone's week going?) Haha, I am finally starting to learn some Spanish. Not much of it, and I still get flustered when it comes time to actually try to converse with people, but I did manage to buy a pineapple on my own, and even asked for a larger one than he initially gave me. Progress people, progress!

At the office today, enjoying a nice cup of lemon green tea...that could potentially have some aunt residue as Lydia found a few ants in her tea....Yum... It's been a good week so far, I managed to finish a presentation due November 5th that discusses the legal framework and politics of seeds. All I can say is wow...I never imagined to be so interested in the topic, in fact when I first discovered that was what we would be researching, I wasn't too excited. Now that I have done quite a bit of research, I find myself reading articles about the subject on my own time, and talking about it with my peers (even when they don't want to listen to me!). Seeds are essential to this earth, they are the reason that humans have food in their bellies, and because of some bio-tech giants, they are also the reason many people do not. Developing countries all over the world rely on farming to ensure their livelihoods and feed their families, and these companies are coming in and creating GMO (genetically modified organisms) seeds, along with toxic herbicides and pesticides.  Previously, farmers just replanted their own seeds and exchanged them among themselves, this is now an illegal practice in many parts of the world, and is causing devastating effects. These companies sue farmers who are not using their patent seeds, or who are "seed saving"  thus sending small-scale farmers into a horrible world of mass debt and inability to provide for their families. These "government regulated" seeds are completely eliminating entire indigenous varieties of seeds. You know all those interesting looking heirloom vegetables you find once in awhile?  A lot of heirloom varieties are by definition not identical. That is what makes them so valuable for the resilience of our agricultural systems – they have genetic changeability that can adapt to small environmental changes. These are steadily becoming extinct, and will soon be impossible to find leaving us all with the same cookie-cutter, genetically modified, pesticide riddled produce. Not only is this bad news for vegetables, but it's bad news for our health. Numerous studies have shown that GMO'S have negative long term health effects. In the United State's alone 90% of the wild bee population has been wiped out due to the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides. This is stuff humans are ingesting...keep that in mind.

Don't let these beautiful tomatoes disappear!

Awareness is crucial if a change is to be made. I know that not everyone can completely modify their diet to organic foods, believe me, I know how hard it is! Especially because in North America it is a challenge to really be sure that what you buy IS in fact organic. In Halifax we have an incredible market called the "Seaport Market" which gives buyers access to farm fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs etc. and the chance to at least change some aspects of your diet. Find a local market and talk to them, ask them where the produce comes from, I'm sure they will be happy to tell you. Previous to my trip here, I made small attempts to buy organic produce from my grocery store but due to higher costs and other excuses, I was not always consistent. However, now that I have been able to see firsthand some of these heartbreaking struggles farmers and families are going through in developing worlds, I will be extremely conscious of the food I am buying, and I hope my family will be as well!


This weekend is going to be a good one I think! My new friend Gustavo told us about a Wine Festival happening here in Cochabamba, that has over 80 different selections of wine for us to try, along with some really great cheese ( I LOVE cheese).  I'll be sure to fill you all in :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, it's thanksgiving! First Holiday I've spent abroad without people I love. It's not so bad I guess. I still have so much to be thankful, starting with those people I love. I have the most amazing family a girl could ask for, sure they push me a bit sometimes when I'm a little lost, but only with the intention of ensuring I become the best possible version of myself! Sometimes it's easy to feel a bit useless here because again I DO NOT SPEAK SPANISH and the littlest things can be overwhelming and complicated (trying to express that as much as I can so everyone gets it), but instead of dwelling on that, I realize it's given me the chance to create a strong research question and find a good amount of Academic journals and interesting articles relating to my research.

I'm also very thankful for my friends today, it's great to have such an amazing support system and so many strong relationships that remain strong even halfway across the world. Waking up to an inbox full of support and love from the people who really know me and love me is really a fantastic thing and I'm lucky to have these friends! My thanksgiving meal was Sushi last night from a very upscale restaurant here in Cochabamba called "Goss". It's close to our apartment and absolutely delicious. They have Ipads as their menus! How cool is that? I had a passion fruit daiquiri that was so good, along with some quinoa salad and a few sushi rolls. Amazing dinner! It was sort of surreal eating at a such a fancy place in a developing country, knowing that over 2 million people in Bolivia live off less than 2$ US per day. I keep this in mind every time I eat a meal here, and am truly thankful that I am able to afford meals, clothing, a roof over my head etc, as I know this privilege is not one that every one in this world is fortunate enough to have. A valuable lesson I have learned here in Cochabamba is that you really do need to be grateful for every single thing. Even when everything feels as though it's going terribly and you feel incredibly alone, there's light in everything. I find light in my family and friends, along with the incredible things I am learning through living in a developing country. The ability to go to university and study in a field I am passionate about is grounding, as proper education is something many people around the world do not have access to. In fact in some areas of the world, women need to fight for their right to education, as it's being taken away from them due to terrorists and people who fear a well educated woman, like Malala Yousafzai for example. If you have not heard of this incredible woman, I really suggest you look into her story. It's heartbreaking, yet incredibly inspiring that such a young woman continues to fight so bravely for her rights, and the rights of women all over this world to pursue a proper education, even after an assassination attempt on her life.  This clip nearly leaves Jon Stewart speechless, which anyone fans of Stewart out there, know what a rarity this is.

 I am already finding out some extremely useful and interesting information through my research paper and I am really excited to share it all with you once it's complete. It's easy to feel useless here sometimes because I don't speak the language fluently, but instead of letting anyone or anything make me feel that way, I just do my work! That's all I can do so that is my focus now. My attitude hasn't always been spot on here, it's been more so up and down, not that I need to explain myself, but it's a very difficult experience. BUT I know I am so blessed in my life and that's something I need to focus on, along with the amazing opportunity I was given to live in another country and study something that has always been of interest to me. To find out why Bolivia's food situation is the way it is, has been and will continue to be so fascinating and I am truly looking forward to my final results and final research paper.


Thanks for reading, and happy thanksgiving to all of my fellow Canadians! Enjoy that turkey :)

October 11th 2013

Hey everyone! I promised I would write a legitimate post soon enough, so here it is.


This week has been MUCH better. I don't know how to describe the last few weeks without sounding like a miserable oaf. I feel like my spirit had been really broken the last couple weeks, I got wrapped up in being homesick and obsessing over the way things are in Halifax, instead of adjusting to the way things are here in Cochabamba. I remember reading about culture shock when I first found out that I would be going to Bolivia, but I just shrugged it off and figured that I would be fine. Boy was I wrong! Culture shock is most certainly real, and I definitely suffered from it my first few weeks. It came in cycles of frustration with locals, isolation, helplessness and then just awfully dark sadness. It's different from the regular blues I've had from the comfort of a developed country. It's much more intense and leaves you with a very empty feeling because I really can only actually socialize with minimal people here, which I'm not used too being an extremely social person where I live in Canada.  The only contact you have with people you love is via a computer screen, and though I'm grateful for that it does get really frustrating being here sometimes.  Not knowing the language is extremely frustrating, and as someone who enjoys my independence I especially dislike having to be dependant on other people to help me with normal day to day things. It's easy for people to say things like "oh it gets better!" and "oh you just have to TRY" ... alright, well I AM trying, why don't you come live in another country for 3 months where you don't speak the language, and you let me know how that goes for ya! It's much easier said than done .Enough with the sad though, luckily I have been able to pull myself out of it, and I think living in a great area close to downtown has really helped as well. Before I was so hesitant about going out alone because it meant taking a bus, remembering where to get off, trying to tell the bus driver where to stop with the little Spanish I do know, and then finding my way back. In the area we are now I can roam around, go have a nice coffee at a cute little café, do some shopping and still find my way back to our apartment without any issues.

Here is a picture of the turtle who lives in our building! I can't think of a good name so I've been calling him Ricky Martin. I don't think he knows we are friends yet cause every time I go visit him he retreats into his shell.....but that's okay, soon enough my friends, soon enough.

 

 

Lydia and I have completed our first presentation at CENDA ! It went well, minus me having to read my sections in Spanish....I gave it a shot at least, though I pronounced everything with a French accent, that's the New Brunswick-er in me coming out. I am grateful I am bilingual and can speak french, as it's helping me recognize a variety of different words in the Spanish vocabulary. I had two Spanish lessons this week as well, which went fantastically. My teachers name is "Franz" and he is confident that within a few weeks I should be able to carry out at least a basic conversation!

 

 

It's already October 11th ( Happy birthday Gisele!!!!)....that's so crazy! Before I know it it'll be December 17th, and I will be making my way back to Halifax. This isn't the BEST time I've had in my life, but it's a learning experience and I'm grateful for it either way.