Just this past weekend I had a reunion with the students with whom I traveled to Bolivia last summer, and it was a great time to reminisce, get together, and think about where we were and what we did. Even though the busy-ness of being back at work and on campus got the best of me, I realized that I wanted to go back and finish writing about our experiences there. Over the past few weeks, I've attended conferences and presented on the topic of how international service influences college students, and thought about how it's also changed my life for good.
In looking back at our experience, our time in Tiraque was not without its challenges. From being in a new environment, in a school that had never had this type of volunteer program before, to navigating a scenario where our volunteers were inadvertently put into a position of perpetuating a paternalistic educational paradigm, to language barriers, the group weathered a lot of difficult situations. But what I learned is that it is true that what defines a person is not the situations that they encounter in life, but how we choose to respond to them. I think each person did the best they could in the moment, and there were also a lot of great experiences we all look back on fondly.
As we left Tiraque, the last day we participated in a march, which was actually pretty fun. The night before we helped students make posters and signs, then we marched around the town chanting, "Tiraque Limio" and "No Botar Basura" - and Martin the director mentioned that this was a true piece of Bolivian culture, to protest. As we said goodbye, there were lots of hugs, and well wishes, and wondering of what would come next for each of us on our respective paths. The connections that were made would leave a lasting impression on each of us, and continue to be part of our own experiences as we reflect back.
Before we left Bolivia, we stopped in Cochabamba one more time to do last minute shopping for souvenirs at La Cancha, and watch the World Cup finals... which was pretty cool. It was neat to see Spain win the World Cup at a Brazilian Cafe in Bolivia :). Then we got to take a trip to Copacabana, right on Lake Titicaca, which was a phenomenal little town. It was a great break and treat to get to spend our last night in Bolivia in a great hotel right near the water. It gave us the chance to see more of this country that we only scratched the surface of getting to know in the month that we were there.
We also stopped over in La Paz for 1/2 a day, and did a quick walking tour of the city, walking through the witches market, different plazas and districts, and getting a glimpse at the capital city.
Overall, words cannot describe this trip... from unforgettable freezing cold showers, to touching moments with the students at the talent show, to great group bonding and journaling marathons. There are a million little moments that just thinking about them brings a smile to my face. I'm thankful for the experience to participate in this trip, and also thankful for the memories and friendships that I was able to make along the way.
