Pictured: view from the window of our classroom
This first week in La Paz has been extremely interesting but also quite overwhelming. This being my first time in Latin America, I was in a bit of a culture shock. The shock came from the very moment I left the airport in La Paz. The airport is located in an adjacent city named El Alto. As we were driving through El Alto to get to my homestay in La Paz, I noticed a few differences. Firstly, the quality and state of the roads and homes in El Alto was much lower than those of La Paz. Secondly, I noticed far more stray dogs in El Alto, and I later found out that many of these dogs are aggressive, unvaccinated and often carry diseases with them. Lastly, I noticed many graffiti messages all saying the same phrase, “Evo Si”. I immediately realized that this was political propaganda, regarding the results of the referendum held by President Evo Morales in November of 2016. President Morales has been in office for 12 years now, and even though constitutionally he is not permitted to run in any more elections, he held a referendum to see if the public will allow him another term. The results of the referendum said No, but he says he will be running in 2020 regardless. And from walking through different neighborhoods and talking to people, it seems that public opinion is very split. Those who live in El Alto, an area with a greater indigenous demographic, seem to support him. Whereas in more urban areas and in La Paz, opinion seems to be against him, as “Evo No” is a very common graffiti phrase seen on the streets. This taxi ride showed me such blatant inequality in only a span of 10 minutes, and it was even more shocking to find deeper disparities in ideologies later on.
The second day we began with classes and a tour of the area, conducted by the NGO on-site coordinator, Gonzalo. Gonzalo has been a real pleasure to work with, and he really cares for the safety of the undergraduates. The medical classes have been extremely helpful and have been exposing us to case studies and new spanish medical terminology. We’ve also learned the correct language to use when speaking to patients. In addition, with every case study, we practice dialogues and do role-plays amongst ourselves, mimicking the conversations we would have if we were doing the consultation. Lastly, we listened to a lecture from local physician about mental health and the overall healthcare system in Bolivia. I was happy to hear that a large portion of the population in La Paz receives free healthcare coverage. Through SUMI (Seguro Universal Materno-Infantil), neonates, children, pregnant women, those with disabilities, and the elderly all have full access to care. Through all the classes and speaking with my host mother, I can tell my spanish is still a bit rusty, but with time I find that I am expressing myself with more ease.
Lastly, I can’t help but notice that the city of La Paz is very similar to my hometown San Francisco, California. I think this for many different reasons. Firstly, the geography of the cities are very similar. They are both covered with streets with inclines and declines, the roads are very narrow, and I also see a resemblance in the architecture. Furthermore, the aggressive driving techniques shared by the Paceños is something I am used to in San Francisco. Though it makes for interesting walks around the city, I sometimes fear for my safety when crossing streets. Lastly, the strong political climate in La Paz is something I am used to in northern California. Bolivia is a country filled with activists, and there has already been a small protest and a blockade right outside my apartment. Everyone seems to be very strongly opinionated and take an acive role in politics, something that San Franciscans also take great pride in.
Pictured: view of La Paz
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