8 Things I Forgot.

I just got back to Bolivia yesterday for the 8th time.  Yes, that’s right.  And it turns out that the combination of my lack of observance and selective memories have meant lots of good, funny, and embarrassing experiences already!

Here’s a 8 of the things that I have forgotten.

1. That Cochabamba Bolivia does actually get cold!  I always would say that Cochabamba is about 70 degrees every day, the winter just means it’s a little cooler at night.  Well, it’s a lot cooler at night.  When I landed in La Paz to 40 degree weather I remembered at one point when I lived in Cochabamba when I had EIGHT blankets on my bed-and used all of them at once!
2. How friendly people are here.  I knew it was cultural to greet friends and acquaintances, but I forgot that it was cultural to greet complete strangers too! Walking down the street, getting into a trufi (public transportation mini-van), in places of business, etc.
3. You need your passport for all visa application meetings.  (*that was the embarrassing one).
4. I need a pillow and vest/jacket with a hood to sleep on planes.  (Hence the one hour of sleep). All of a sudden I’ve become some sort of rookie traveller!  
5. How pretty Bolivian Spanish is!
6. How much we walk!  I thought that not running=no exercise.  Boy was I wrong!  Not having a car means you must walk to catch the bus or trufi that happens to go where you need to go.   
7. That plans will change at least 10X in one day.  Flexibility is so necessary to live as a sane person.  You decide to laugh or cry. 
8. That I don’t look like everyone else here!  (Sometimes I forget and think that I really look hispanic, or sound bolivian...but I quickly am reminded by my accent or a mirror, or others’ responses that I don’t).  But I still pretend...

I'm sure there will be many more in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.  And I know I have so many new things to learn and I can't wait!