I arrived in La Paz on Saturday and have been in total sponge-mode since then, absorbing not only the sights and sounds and smells of this amazing city, but also spending many hours listening and learning about the social movements that brought Evo Morales and the MAS party to power in December, and about the challenges and struggles facing the new government and the country's various social movements now that a populist protest leader controls the state apparatus.
I'm fortunate that Jean - a great Wesleyan and SF friend - is so connected to so many brilliant and amazing peeople here. Everything in Bolivia is up in the air, from the new constitutional assembly process to the nationalization of gas and other natural resources to the decriminalization of coca cultivation to the legitimacy and longevity of the Evo administration itself. Already I've met and shared meals with some of the people both in government and outside of it who are helping to shape the future of this country, and it's been intense!
Tomorrow I'll begin attending (and volunteering for) an international conference on indigenous rights with participation from leaders across the hemisphere. Totally fortuituous that I happened to arrive this week, and also that I've been introduced to the coordinators of the conference, who desperately need logistical support, which I'm more than happy to provide!
Besides the listening and learning and asking questions, I'm also lucky to be joined here by another amazing activist friend from SF, Caitlin, who's here for the week laying the groundwork for an international gathering in October of women lawyers and environmental activists. We've had a great time breathlessly exploring the city together, including my favorite discovery so far: the witch's market where you can buy dried llama fetuses, which apparently are used for good luck ceremonies?!
So much more to write, explain, describe, but for now the most important thing is to DO.
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