On Monday I am going to Bolivia for 5 months. Today I am in a glass case of emotion.I'm excited, anxious and disoriented and I feel like I should be having more profound thoughts than the ones I'm having. It's that strange mix of emotion you get before any momentous occasion. Like the way you used to feel before the first day of school, the way you feel before a big date, or the unbearable anticipation you endure while waiting for the release of High School Musical XIVIVIIIII. The suspense!
I’m going to Bolivia to work as in intern with a microfinance organization on a financial literacy project. Bolivia is a completely landlocked country in the middle of South America. Microfinance is the idea of providing low-income individuals with access to financial services. Financial literacy promotes the importance of understanding your ca$h money in order to empower yourself in the economic system.
An intern is…. (please see #105 of stuffwhitepeoplelike.com)
The capital city of Bolivia is La Paz, or Sucre… depending on who you ask. Sucre was the official capital back in the good old days of colonialism, but after independence, and as the mining industry around Sucre dwindled, the seat of the government moved to La Paz. Sucre is still the constitutional capital, but La Paz is where the magic happens. There is an ongoing debate over which city should be the official capital and this contributes to Bolivia's polarized political climate. I will be based in Sucre, but for the first week or so I will be in La Paz.
La Paz sits at an elevation of 3,640m and is the highest capital city in the world. Toronto is 76m above sea level and the CN tower is 550m tall. Therefore, according to my calculations, La Paz is pretty much in outer space.
Upon arrival I will provide you with more Bolivia trivia. And if you stick around for the long haul, I promise to take you on a blogtacular Bolivian blogventure.
Thank you for making it this far.
