With each new country that we visit, Josh and I continue to believe in the power of travel to serve as an unparalleled learning and growth experience. Each foreign country undoubtedly presents its own set of challenges. Over time, we have come to view these challenges as unique opportunities for us to learn about, value and work through our cultural differences, until we can make it to a place of shared understanding and commonality.
In Bolivia, some of our biggest challenges were the Spanish language barrier, learning to navigate the public transportation systems and, ultimately, the political and civil turmoil. As we worked our way through each of these challenges, we learned that the language being used by teachers in places like Mallasa and Jupapina was incredibly gentle and loving. We learned that the minibuses and the Mi Teleférico system were actually benefiting and connecting diverse groups of people all across La Paz—Aymara and Quechua people living in places like El Alto, foreigners like Josh and I living in Jupapina, as well as non-indigenous Bolivians living in the city center and San Miguel. When the unrest spread following the elections and the resignation of Evo Morales, we learned that people on both sides were hurting.
