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After moving to Alaska, moving to Bolivia didn't seem so crazy. Although getting there was something. Bolivia is both close and far from the rest of the World. It's a country a bit off grid as it is one of the poorest of South America. La Paz (where I am living) is 3,800m high in the Andes and is very busy and noisy. At the beginning it was a big adjustement but I very quickly found my ways and now I am thriving. Here is a page dedicated to my new life in Bolivia and working for the Observatorio San Calixto.
Network manager/ Researcher
Network manager/ Researcher
Base: La Paz, Bolivia
Living in altitude: Everyone react differently to the altitude. I had a hard my first week with headaches, low appetite, no breath. You need to take your time to adjust. Listen to your body as it will very quickly get tired. One thing to pay a lot of attention to is also the Sun! We are in altitude, it is much stronger than in other places. Take sunscreen and sunglasses.
Living in La Paz
Living in La Paz
Living in Bolivia is a bit of a culture shock for many reasons like, access to what seems normal in the Western World. You need the right connections to get to the right place and get the right price. Here are a few tips for any trips or living situation.
PS: speaking spanish is a plus!
Buying from the street
Buying from the street
You will mostly be able to buy from the local "caser@". Don't be scared to haggle because they will make the price higher as you are a tourist (or looking like one). If you buy food in the street be mindful of where and how you're buying it. There's a lot of intoxication.
Always up and down
Always up and down
La Paz being a city in altitude, it is build off the face of the mountains. As a result, the street go up and down all the time and it can tirering. Look out for smaller inclination streets if you go up. Stairs are a good options but it might be 200 of them.
Close to nature
Close to nature
As you live in the mountains, it is really easy to escape into nature. I found it easy to get a cab or a "mini" to the outscurt of the city. You will need to like climbing, hiking, alpinism and other mountain activities. The only one that doesn't exist is skiing. Other places in Bolivia have different activities depending on the altitude and nature around.
One thing I love about La Paz: La Paz is a really big city with a lot of people but it has a "small town" feeling to it. The activities you do and the places you go will soon be a habbit, a lot of people share those and you'll end up meeting them always. It is a hard city to understand or get around but once you get it, you will be able to feel very familiar with a lot of places.
How to get around
How to get around
In Bolivia, the getting around is peculiar. You will find: taxis, minis, micros, truffis. They have small signs on their windshield showing the direction, the street or the place they are driving toward. If you want to go around, you need to know the name of the neighborhood and places you go to.
My only very useful tip: if you are walking you are NEVER the most important on the road. People will run into you and pin it on you.
The culture is very colorful and vibrant, it is a beautiful mix of native culture. You won't ever be bored and you will always encounter amazing things.
Like everywhere there are down sides (trash, polution...) but take the best out of it, you'll find plenty.
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