Culture Shock and First Impressions by Charlie Dubbe - BOLIVIA

7/2/2007 9:30:47 AM Culture Shock and First Impressions

Hello world! I am sitting in an internet cafe in cochabamba trying to organize my fluttering thoughts into a readable message.

The first couple of days have been a total blurr, it seems more like we have been here for 2 weeks than for 4 days mostly because of all the new things we have seen. The night before last while staying with a wonderful family we had the amazing experience of hearing all about the world by an indigenous man by the name of Llewar (which in quechua means blood fire). This was my first experience in Bolivia that really turned my world upside down.

Here is some reflection on the conversation we had with him:

All these are just questions and hypothetical conversations, and so please don't be offended or think I have fallen off the deep end. Pardon the poor spelling due to the lack of a good keyboard, the fact that we have been speaking almost all Spanish, and it is summer.

The conversation was fully indescribable, but the word that pops to mind is inspirational. It was deep and philosophical but had the feeling of a common dialogue around the fire (where we were).We were all chewing coca leaves and listening to this incredibly wise man laying out all of his views in front of us, like saying ¨This is who I am, this is what I believe.¨

It made me question the US and the fact that they call these people who have SO much poor. These lines that he said will forever be ingrained in my memory.

" No somos pobre, no somos el tercer mundo, somos de el solo mundo, no necicitamos su ayuda."

It basically translates to " We are not poor, we are not the third world, we are part of the only world, we do not need your help"

These lines resonated with me so much that I nearly cried.

We talked about mindless consumers bred by power hungry corporations in a neo liberal and capitalistic society.

He really made me question which way of living i think is better, which is impossible to do for most Americans when the western media reports in only one perspective and voice, The use the voice of "we need to help the third world become more like us" How arrogant can we be? Who are we to assert our views and methods of organizing society on a people who have been doing fine for thousands of years? It goes so far to even think about how we cant stand to say that we share a world with these people, since we call them the "third world" as Llewar said, there is only one world...our world.

Another question brought up is what is progress? I have recently discovered that EVERYTHING is relative. What we call happiness or quality of life is relative to our perspective and environment in and on the world. Is progress good? or is just subsistence enough? Why did I say "just" before subsistence? Isn't living enough?

There are about another three pages I could write on this but i will spare you. Anyway I have it all in my journal.

I will end with this quote which has been and will be my mantra for the rest of the trip.

"Live like you are going to die tomorrow,

Learn like you will live forever"

Gandhi

Mom and dad I am doing great and I love you guys. I will try to call when I have a chance. Love you

paz

Charlie Dubbe