Ally Abroad

It’s our last day in Bolivia and I’m super sad to go. The second I stopped being homesick and started enjoying it and speaking better Spanis...

Today we visited Tiahuanaco (or Tiwanaku), an archaeological site about an hour outside of La Paz. Tiahuanaco is, in many ways, the cradle o...

Today we hired a boat and guide to take us on a tour of the Islas del Sol and de la Luna. Stately ruins and pretty little sedate farming vil...

Yesterday we traveled from Lago Poopó to Lago Titcaca. Awesome, I know. I've been waiting all trip to say that. But all silliness aside,...

On the final leg of the southwest circuit we crossed the Salars Chiguana, Uyuni and Coipasa. The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat on ...

We left Tupiza and headed southwest towards the Chilean and Argentinean borders and the Reserva de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa, into some of...

Last night we travelled to Tupiza, a tiny, dusty, somewhat deserted mining town. While the minerals have all but been exhausted, the lower a...

In the late 15th century Potosi was one of the largest cities on earth, larger than New York, Paris or London. Today, it’s a city of crumbli...

Today we visited Tarabuco, a small village Southeast of Sucre for the town festival, Phujllay, which means play in Quechua. Phujllay has its...

Yesterday was my last day in Cochabamba. While I was sad to go, we left in a chartered six-seater Cesna, flying over the lush green countrys...

My work in Cochabamba is quickly drawing to a close. I had a funny experience a few days ago that made me feel like my time here has come fu...

In the last year I’ve lost a lot of wonderful people way too early. Recently, malaria meds have been forcing me to face these deaths, turnin...

My apologies for the paucity of posts. I have been absolutely swamped at work. One of our communities is having a leadership conflict , whi...

Despite its chronic instability, the Chapare is an absolutely amazing place. Villa Tunari has a lazy, laid back feel, with abundant cold ce...

I decided to take a weekend during the week, since we work on Saturdays and Sundays, and venture out to Villa Tunari, in the Chapare region...

Bolivians don't do Valentines Day, but in honor of the occasion, I though give a little anthropological account of another courtship rit...

Missing Super Tuesday and the Washington State Caucuses made me a little sad. Instead, I've been participating in Bolivian politics, whi...

I finally put up some photos up on Picasa . I just couldn't do Carnaval justice describing it. There are just a few favorites because my...

I had an amazing experience today. A moment where my time here in Bolivia, if not on earth, made complete sense. I was sitting in a cafe, wo...

I didn’t think holidays could get any cooler than Alasitas , and then along came Carnaval. A UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible H...

I hear Seattle is having snow! Here, it oscillates between seventy degree wether and severe rainstorms. Sometimes I sun myself on the roof i...

I was shopping in the Cancha today when something spectacular caught my eye. This pirated DVD cost me all of 3bs (50¢) and may be my new pri...

Yesterday I took the day off of work and spent seven hours, each way, on a bus La Paz to experience Alasitas. And it was well worth it. Alas...

Juicy, spicy, sweet. Oh savory salteña. Fill my mouth with mmm. Piping hot, pica. A perfect little pastry. Meat and veggies, POW. Only three...

La Cancha, the market here in Cochabamba, is the biggest market in Bolivia. It makes going shopping simultaneously one of the most fantastic...

I’ve finally started work, settled into some semblance of a routine and have a shaky understanding of what we’re doing. My team consists of ...

Carnival is quickly approaching. Here in Cochabamba, that means only one thing: A gigantic, all-out, no-holds-barred, city-wide waterfight. ...

Today, as in 2000, Cochabamba has chronic water shortages. Where I live we can go days without running water. In the outlying and rural area...