Special post by Brandon!!

Asuka wanted me to write about my experiences and thoughts of Bolivia to show to get a second perspective for her blog. So here are my thoughts and experiences of my 2 week adventure to see Asuka in Bolivia.

The decision to go to Bolivia was made fairly late. Originally I wasn’t planning on going, but after seeing that it was a great opportunity to not only see Asuka, but to also see a different part of the world, I felt it was well worth the time and money to travel to Bolivia.

So in late November, I booked my trip there. Well since I booked it fairly late, it meant that if I didn’t want to pay an exorbitant fee, I would have to endure numerous transfers to get there. So that’s what I did, I left on December 20 at 7:00 and flew from Vancouver-Las Vegas- Miami- Caracas- Lima- La Paz, landing on the 21st in the morning. The trip there was tedious but wasn’t too bad. I think I’ve mastered the art of sitting on a plane for long period of time now.

The one problem you might face when you arrive in Bolivia is the altitude. La Paz is the highest airport in the world, and when I flew into La Paz and walked around, I definitely felt a bit of altitude sickness. I suffered from few headaches and was sometimes short on breath while walking up the hilly streets of La Paz. However, your body gets used to it quite fast and the altitude can be eased by altitude sickness pills, which Asuka had ready for me and coca tea- which I drank frequently.

Going to Bolivia, I didn’t really know what to expect, seeing that it is a third world country, but I went in with an open mind. I was taken aback by how modern many things there are, most modern amenities are present and many restaurants and western products are available. As Asuka has mentioned, you get sort of spoiled and accustomed to how cheap things are there. Even buying western products is below cost compared to North America, and what is expensive there is still very cheap. You really get used to converting Bolivianos to Canadian dollars, and being shocked at how cheap things are down there. Even though some things are very modern, you also notice how many people and parts of Bolivia are very rural and rundown.

The few things that were really “interesting” was the cleanliness and the people, you get kind of accustomed to western ways, so they lack clean washrooms and running water at times. But Asuka always had sanitizer and tissue, so you get use to it quite fast. The people there were generally quite friendly once you know them. However, on the street two Asians walking around must have been a funny site to the locals. Most of the time there was a lot of staring and occasionally a scream out of a window of chino. Sometimes I felt a bit like a circus attraction, but you get used to it. Luckily being Asian, most people watch a lot of kung fu movies, so they figure I’m an excellent martial artist, so no one really messes with you.

The thing I really enjoyed doing in Bolivia was going to the markets and seeing the products for sale, a lot of the local artistry and clothing was quite beautiful and it was fun looking for gifts and shopping with Asuka, who bought a nice llama parka/sweater which as some of you who know her shopping habits, took the whole trip to find. You can also buy lots of cheap western clothes, though I didn’t really have luck on that front because all the clothes were too small for me- despite the pleas of the shop keepers that it looked good- both Asuka and I decided I looked more “Gay” in it. However, the experience of going to the market and just looking at the stuff for sale was definitely a fun and memorable one.



One of the highlights of the trip was traveling and exploring the cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre and Potosi. I enjoyed each city differently as each one had its own charm and character. La Paz was quite busy and the markets there are the liveliest, as every section of the city had things you can purchase and eat. Sucre was gorgeous as it had beautiful colonial buildings and a rich history that was fun to learn about and visit. In Asuka’s home city of Cochabamba, I found it was a lot quieter, less touristy and generally had more of a homey feel to it. I really enjoyed going to the orphanage with her and taking care of the babies, which you grow attach to quickly and also playing with the little older “rascals,” who are intense and challenging at times, but also fun. I felt quite fortunate to have volunteered there, but also sad as you get a sense of their plight. As for Potosi, I found learning and actually experiencing the mines first hand and its sordid history to be very interesting.

Overall, it was definitely an experience I’ll never forget. It was very interesting to see and learn about another culture, you get a sense of how people are different from you, yet in many ways they are similar and do the same things. Traveling with Asuka was a blast, as we were able to see and experience a good part of Bolivia. I was fortunate that Asuka had grown quite proficient in her use of travel guides, as she has a great sense of direction in finding hostels, dinning and touristy places and I ended up learning a lot about the history of the different cities. Spending the winter holidays over there was definitely different, as it was often sunny and quite hot. However, I am really glad I was able to see a different part of the world and experience a different culture like Bolivia.