one wild and precious life

I'll be honest: one of the main reasons I decided to apply to study abroad in Cochabamba, Bolivia, was because I knew that few U.S. students go there. I wanted an experience that would challenge me every day and allow me to completely immerse myself in a new country, culture, language, and way of life.

 

I also chose Bolivia because of its unique character. My Lonely Planet book describes the country as "simply superlative...the hemisphere's highest, most isolated, and most rugged nation...one of earth's coldest, warmest, windiest and steamist places." It is also the South American country with the highest percentage of population with indigenous heritage (62%), comprising 36 recognized groups. These superlatives, along with my long-standing interest in the social movements, human rights issues, politics, and literature of Latin America, made Bolivia irresistable.

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I'm immensely thankful for all of the opportunities that I have been given in my life thus far to meet and learn from people who are different from me, both in my local community and across the globe. It's these experiences of encountering "the other" and entering into spaces of mutual vulnerability and sharing that have shaped me as a person. I'm thrilled to be continuing this journey in Bolivia for the next four months. I'll do my very best to document it with my reflections and photos.

 

Thank you for joining me in this adventure!

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With infinite love and gratitude,

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 Theresa S. Edwards