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.

The Swan by Mary Oliver

Did you see it, drifting, all night, on the black river?

Did you see it in the morning, rising into the silvery air-

An armful of white blossoms,

A perfect commotion of silk and linen as it leaned

into the bondage of its wings; a snowbank, a bank of lilies,

Biting the air with its black beak?

Did you hear it, fluting and whistling

A shrill dark music- like the rain pelting the trees- like a waterfall

Knifing down the black ledges?

And did you see it, finally, just under the clouds-

A white cross Streaming across the sky, its feet

And did you feel it, in your heart, how it pertained to everything?

And have you too finally figured out what beauty is for?

And have you changed your life?

los salares de uyuni

Howdy! Here are pictures of our trip to the salt flats of Bolivia, slash the other realllllly cool stuff that's in that region. We travelled in SUVs for 3 days to these completely isolated natural wonders. It was really incredible, & also incredibly exhausting :P!

Salt Flats!

Salt Hotel. Everything was literally made of salt (we didn't stay there, but I wish we had!).

This is how a lot of of families in the salt flats make their living- by harvesting salt to sell in for consumption (mmmm :P).

This cactus was almost a thousand years old.

Yay!!

Our "jeeps."

Friends. Although Sarah's face looks really weird, hehe :P.

This is the pilot plant for lithium extraction. VERY big modern issue in Bolivia.

I love train tracks, it takes me back in time :). 

A tiny pueblo, & an old Incan gravesite- those stone structures are the graves.

An Incan. yeeeeeeek..

Will, being.... Will.

Note the smoke. It's a volcano!

"what what??? am I really in a field of llamas????"

"Will, show me how you feel about being in a sweltering hot jeep for 4 hours today?" (the sentiment was shared, bah!)

The rules @ "stinky lake" (I kid you not).

fussyyyyyyyyyyyy

 

the "stone tree."

I had not idea that this was what I was taking a picture of, but PLEASE observe the hilarity of this hahahaha.

Llamas llamas llamas llamas llamas. I really wanted one to spit one me, but that dream is yet to be realized :P.

YEEEEE!!!!!! at the "pink lake."

We visited/were kind of on an active volcano, which was eerily reminescent of the Land Before Time :P. 

La laguna "verde," con amigos. Please observe my hair :P.

Me, in this part of Bolivia that looks soooo much like Zion National Park.

I love Bolivia, I really really do <3.

Miss & love you!!

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy a depression a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out 

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

-by Rumi

A moment from the salt flats :)

Bolivia!!!!!!!!!!!

Things to Do Other Than E-mailing Natan

[which is what I really want to do, but know that I cannot]

1. read Isabel Allende [in Spanish!]

2. eat a delicious avocado that I bought from a street market

3. play with Andres & Andrea

4. watch "Under the Tuscan Sun," curled up in my bed

5. write postcards!

6. snuggle with my green stuffed frog [ahhmm... yes. it's true :P.]

7. write in my blog (I have so many beautiful pictures of the salares de uyuni to share!)

8. go to artisan market in la Cancha

9. chat with my host mama :)

10. make Spanish flashcards (GOD I need to)

11. go to the movies with a boy whose face I can't remember because I'd had so much beer when we met (oops :P!)

12. dream of the future (oh fall, I'm so excited for you!)

13. buy flowers for my room, preferably something that reminds me of sunshine :) 

14. remember all of the other people I love dearly this world <3

15. say my new mantra to myself (that I made up on the bus back from the salares, hehe :P): "I don't know what's going to happen, but I deserve big, deep beautiful love and I can live a big, deep beautiful life with or without him (and I already am!)." 

16. wear a necklace made of seeds

17. figure out my independent study project (eeeeeeek!!!)

18. listen to Rilo Kiley sing "Portions for Foxes"

19. remember that it will be fine, no matter what (sometimes it's hard to remember this)

20. remember that I am in BOLIVIA, where he is not. 

21. plan for the summer

22. go out to La Muela with friends (our favorite bar), or out dancing at La Pimienta

23. listen to my iPod while riding the bus into town, looking out over Cochabamba

24. go to Café Vivaldi and drink un café con hielo y azucar

25. read Sark or Sabrina Ward Harrison

26. smile 

27. buy mandarins on the street, and enjoy the contrast between the outside green & the inside orange :)

28. talk to Haley on skype

29. realize how much I've learned here, & how much I've grown

30. take a naaaaap!

31. love, and then love more & more & more (but in a MUCH bigger way than just him)

32. eat pasteries with creamy vanilla filling on the street (mmmm)

33. walk down the street with confidence, b/c I can navigate the city with confidence (yay!)

34. go to Casa Blanca and drink wine or eat a delicious pizza

35. show patience and kindness towards myself, even when I'm not doing the "right" thing or can't just "get over it." 

36. try to see my own beauty and light

37. take my vitamins daily (yes)

38. buy really cool things for my new apartment in the fall

39. call Eric

40. read about Bolivia, & learn about recent land reform

41. live with my eyes wide open, and my heart full of love and appreciation for all around me, every single moment of every single day <3. 

Hmm.... guess I kind of have a lot of options. Who knew :P.