the time that Hailey almost got arrested in Bolivia

Yes. You heard me right hehe. 

So two nights ago, I was at a bar-type-thing with a bunch of friends (there were 5 of us), taking part in a k'oa (which is this ritual for the Pachamama, I think I wrote about it the first week I got here). We were just chillin, drinking some beers, when all the sudden we noticed that the national police had come in. They asked this group of men next to us if they could see their documents (while we secretly freaked out, b/c we didn't have ours w/ us, BAH). Then they asked us if we had our passports. Which is didn't (duh), but nor did we have our copies (VERY stupidly). So there were like, well you have to come with us for a minute then. Which, we did, but what we didn't realize was that they meant downtown to the national police station. We had to get in one of those  police trucks w/ an open back w/ seats & the massive metal-bar framework thing (do you know what I mean?), with like 10 other gringos & they drove us to the station. They told us nothing about what was happening.

Once we got to the station, we drove in & they told us all to stand against the wall (also take into account that these are men w/ massive guns, alot of them masked). Then they proceeded to say no more to us, while they continued to bring in more & more gringos (there were prob like 30 or so of us) & some VERY upset & confused Bolivians. To make a long story short- we called our academic directors & Patty, who works in the office, came to rescue us but they wouldn't let her in (they'd locked the doors) or talk to her. So she had to go to InterPol (the international police), & try to convince them to let us out.... to which the original response was that she had to have a lawyer for each of us. 

We were in there for more than an hr, probably like 2, with veeeery little idea of what was going on. It was simultaneous terrifying & hilarious (I mean, we knew we were going to get out, but like..... men with guns??? really??). Finally Patty was able to get in & verify who we were with our passports, which she just happened to have in her bag b/c she was taking them to immigration on Monday morning. She told us later that if she hadn't have had our passports, we would most likely still be in Bolivian prison.

While that WOULD be a story to tell the grandchildren, I'm pretty glad that it all worked out the way it did, & that I wasn't just a random traveller without anyone to bail me out.

Well, you know.... just another day in the Bolivian life :p.