So I've got a confession. About 24 hours into La Paz, I was ready to leave. It's not as if I had any bad experiences (aside from that little customs incident), but more like I couldn't see myself becoming all that comfortable with the city, or the country for that matter. It was a combination of being in a city different from any that I have known or visited, and being alone.
You're probably laughing and thinking, "Duh Chas, you should have thought about that before you made your plans."
Fair enough.
No, I'm not looking for sympathy points, just telling it like it is. As nice as it was spending my first days out of the country staying with Brittney in Bogota, it prevented me from understanding that I would be spending most of the next 9 months alone. It's a bit of a strange thing to get used to, especially since when you think about it, most of the time we surround ourselves with family and friends.
With that said, I believe it fortuitous that I am not able leave Bolivia (I have already purchased my plane tickets and as a result, my country itinerary is fixed) because it has forced me to get beyond my discomfort and moments of loneliness and get to know La Paz. Sure I don't fit in, but it has made me realize that sometimes you aren't going to fit and you're going to have to make the most of it. And sometimes, it pays not to fit in. It is the fact that you are different that makes you interesting to others.
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3 comments:
Your frailty (humanness) and spirituality are are always travelling together. If you think about it, you are never alone.
M
Your frailty (humanness) and spirituality are always travelling together. If you think about it, you are never alone.
M
Chas' experiences are learning’s about where you are and who you are.
S
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