The Internal Welcome

When we arrived in Bolivia it was as though we had come home. Though we had no friends or family here (yet) we felt the welcome and the acceptance of home. Well, actually no we didn't, but boy did we imagine it to be this way! At the border there was a sign. I wanted to take a picture, but hadn't the courage with the 10 immigration officers standing in front of it. This sign listed the countries that do and don't need a visa to enter Bolivia. Obviously, most of the western world and Latin America and Asia didn't need visas. Those who did need a visa were countries such as Libya, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Somalia, and oh yeah, The United States of America.

We did not feel discouraged at this. We've done our share of damage to Bolivia, and when most of NATO (at our behest) was distancing themselves from Bolivia their relationship with Venezuela was strengthened. And then of course the Bush administration had a problem with the indigenous population of Bolivia chewing raw coca leaves and so we kicked out Bolivia's ambassador and Bolivia returned the favor. Then they enacted on our citizens the same process we require of theirs, when entering the country. Proof of exit, proof of economic solvency, 4cm x 4cm passport photos, travel itinerary, proof of vaccinations for near-extinct diseases, passport valid for at least 6 months and 135 extremely crisp U. S. Dollars per person.

Of course Tara and I being diligent and well-meaning travelers acquired all of these things - including fake itineraries printed off Orbitz - only to learn at the border that they were only interested in the cash. But hey, now we've got a 5 year visa for Bolivia. Yup. Tight.

Once across the border, the air was staler and more polluted. The streets more crowded. The people were wearing a ridiculous amount of clothes for the temperature. And most notably, we were the most interesting thing on the street. The gawking we received made us feel truly out of place. Truly away from the western world. It had been something that was missing in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. For some reason it felt really good to be inconspicuous. Not being able to blend into the background, losing one of the easiest, least realized securities, had really given us the feeling of being very far from home. Yes, rather than feeling welcome like at home, we were welcoming this feeling of being far from home and projected an air of feeling welcome.

This paradoxical feeling was highlighted when we were in Potosi. There are some natural hot springs about 30 minutes out of town. We took the local bus and paid the entrance fee of $0.20 to the poor guy who keeps the springs tip-top. The pools were filled with indigenous laborers and their families. Not shy with staring, they watched almost gap-mouthed as we walked in, changed our clothes and entered the pools. They didn't know what to make of us. They come here to bathe and relax and it was obvious we weren't achieving either. But, they (or we?) were quickly won over when a middle-aged woman, who had obviously just learned how to swim, splashed up and challenged Tara to a race. 

Tara, and her 5 years of lifeguarding experience, crushed her. It was awesome. And though the woman could barely swim, it's still braggable considering Potosi is at 13,500 feet and the water was 100 degrees. Our gringo lungs would barely allow us to walk to the kitchen let alone compete in pick-up swim meets in the local bath tub. However, our gloating and chest-bumping was short lived when the woman's 9-year old son rolled up, issued a challenge and retook the indigenous crown. But this kid was a freak. Crazy fast. Perfect form. Miguel Phelps.

After we'd been put in our place it was nothing but pleasantries; which is very similar to being welcomed. Toothless old ladies came by with equally toothless babies. Little kids splashing up to take a closer look. The men-folk, too relaxed to move, nodding approvingly from their perch. These pleasantries faded and naturally shifted into mutual disinterest in anything other than trying not to pass out from the vasodilation, dehydration, and lack of oxygen.