I wanted a change from my everyday life. I wanted an adventure and that´s exactly what I got. I got the kind of stories that I´ll be telling for years to come, the kind that act as markers in your life. Before Bolivia, after Bolivia. 
Program Volunteer Bolivia
Project: Volunteer with Media and Arts in Bolivia
All the people I work with are fantastic and completely willing to explain things twice or until I understand.
My flight arrived in Santa Cruz de la Sierra on time; my luggage did not. A big part of travel is learning to roll with the punches, a lesson I remembered before I got out of the airport. I hit the language barrier like a brick wall, pantomiming the size of my poor lost bag. But Kattia and Alvaro were there waiting for me with a volunteer sign, ready to show me around the city and buy some replacement supplies. My luggage turned up two days later.
I experienced a small slice of life here from some dusty roads to swanky art shows; I met people from all over the globe. I fly home with photos and memories, friendships and stories.
Santa Cruz is a big, windy city. It´s arranged in the shape of rings, with the main plaza, 24 de Septiembre, and Cathedral in the center. My apartment is just outside the first ring, about a 15 minute walk to the Cathedral. There´s a fair held in the plaza every Sunday, and shops selling Bolivian handicrafts line the streets - jewelry, leather wallets, embroideries, and all manner of Alpaca wool clothing. It´s a popular place to relax and snap a few photos.
My volunteer placement is a few more blocks away. I volunteer at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, where I work in an office helping to document the museum´s works of art. I also do some graphic design work, photography, scanning and troubleshooting. The good part about knowing my way around computers and software is that even in a foreign language it still makes sense. All the people I work with are fantastic and completely willing to explain things twice or until I understand. Silvia, the curator, even took me to the Zoo! It´s always a pleasure to show up there and contribute in any way that I can, but there are always things that come up that you can´t possibly plan for. During the course of the trip I got lost, locked out, locked in and overcharged. Awkward situations sometimes seem unavoidable. But the key here is to learn to laugh off the troubles that come your way. This is an adventure. Remember that.
I had the opportunity to go outside the city one weekend with Kattia and her family. We headed out to Samaipata, a sleepy town in the mountains near the site of some famous Incas ruins. The trip there took three hours, over a bumpy and occasionally unpaved road. The ruins, known as “El Fuerte,” are surrounded by a windy but walkable trail, and photo opportunities abound.
Many people have told me that one month wasn´t really enough to see all that Santa Cruz and the surrounding areas have to offer, but I experienced a small slice of life here from some dusty roads to swanky art shows; I met people from all over the globe. I fly home with photos and memories, friendships and stories. Many thanks to all the people who helped me along on this wonderful trip and went out of their way to make me feel at home.
Sarah Horton
