So it's now officially a week I've been gone, not quite a week since I landed, and I figured it's time for an update! To translate my title, here in Bolivia there is a saying that sums up the way of life: everything is possible, nothing is for sure (or, depending on the translation, safe!). This has pretty much been the way my arrival has gone. Everything has gone smoothly, give or take some frustrations and a small explosion.
Let me explain...I think the most unsure/unsafe thing in Bolivia is the electricity, which of course is the basis of most of you daily routine: electric showerhead, plug in laptop to work, charge cell phone, etc. Unfortunately, the plugs here have some very strange behaviours, including but not limited to: not working at all, melting your plugs or sending out little sparks when you plug something in. My personal favourite of course was in my "five-star" hotel in La Paz, trying to be cautious, I plugged in a special powercord from Canada with the breaker to avoid this problem, with the special adapter to change the voltage (here it's 220V vs. the 110V in Canada). Of course as I plugged it in (no worries, I've learned to plug the charger first, then connect any appliance to avoid blowing up the actual appliance, just in case) it let off a bang, then smoke began to pour out the holes. Needless to say I chucked it there and then.
Otherwise, things are good. I've got my cell working, my internet working (expensive, but unlimited per month so expect to receive plenty of communication :) and I even found my apartment, tiny but with lots of character. I move in on monday, but tomorrow I'm off to the feria (the saturday huge market) to buy my fridge and stove, I need to set up a decent kitchen, since there are only about 6 decent restaurants in Oruro, and they all serve roughly the same things, so eating out gets old real quick! Plus, eating in a hotel room means cookies and yogurt, delicious but not quite nutritious.
Tonight, I decided to take a stroll through the mercado campero (the market along the main street that is open pretty much 24/7, minus sundays after 4pm. I decided to be fantastically feminine and buy a new ceramic straightener (35Bs./5$), a pretty sunset colored pashmina (25Bs./3.50$) and of course Sex and the City 2, since everyone saw it while I was away and I didn't want to rent it for 5$ since they said it was terrible, but for 5Bs./75 cents I figured I couldn't lose. So that will be my night, chocolate cremositas and a terrible chick flick :) Eventually I'll get back to my yoga and thai-boxing, but for now living at 3600m means by the time I get home I need to chill a little.
That's all the major news for now, I'll be writing more once I'm all settled, maybe posting some pictures once I get my apartment set up.
Hasta pronto!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
It's Only Charming at the Beginning
So I've finally arrived in Bolivia, all good on the trip down, and thankfully all my suitcases arrived on time and in tact :) Of course little surprises are common here, so when I booted up my cell for the first time since last year, I thought all I needed was a phone card (about 3$ for a week's worth of minutes) instead I was greeted with the message: SIM card not registered. What? Why? Now what do I do?
Here in Bolivia the legislative system is ironically efficient, presidential decrees come into effect virtually overnight. Thus, expats such as myself are forever trying to stay abreast of the newest rules we need to follow. Last year, they created a law that meant everyone in Bolivia had to register their cell phone to work, then apparently after my departure they realized that many tourists would buy cheap phones, set them up and then leave, meaning all those numbers were wasted. Thus, a new law was put in place that de-activates your phone after 6 months of inactivity.
No worries right, just go to the Entel office and re-register my phone. Unfortunately, since I got here on a Monday morning by the time I slept off my jet-lag and the altitude the office was closed by the time I hiked my way huffing and puffing to the office (only about 3 blocks uphill from the hotel, but you try it at 3400m!). Of course, everything shuts down on Sundays, so no phone till Monday, assuming they don't hassle me to reregister it. Hopefully all goes well and I get to keep my number!
Abrazote!
Here in Bolivia the legislative system is ironically efficient, presidential decrees come into effect virtually overnight. Thus, expats such as myself are forever trying to stay abreast of the newest rules we need to follow. Last year, they created a law that meant everyone in Bolivia had to register their cell phone to work, then apparently after my departure they realized that many tourists would buy cheap phones, set them up and then leave, meaning all those numbers were wasted. Thus, a new law was put in place that de-activates your phone after 6 months of inactivity.
No worries right, just go to the Entel office and re-register my phone. Unfortunately, since I got here on a Monday morning by the time I slept off my jet-lag and the altitude the office was closed by the time I hiked my way huffing and puffing to the office (only about 3 blocks uphill from the hotel, but you try it at 3400m!). Of course, everything shuts down on Sundays, so no phone till Monday, assuming they don't hassle me to reregister it. Hopefully all goes well and I get to keep my number!
Abrazote!
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