Archive for July, 2008

Settling in

Thursday, July 17th, 2008

So, Bolivia is actually pretty nice.  It reminds me in some ways of Skopje (in a valley, landlocked country, poor) but in other ways it’s different (much bigger, “first world influence” is from the US rather than Europe, and I sort speak the language here).

The altitude (anywhere between 11.5 and 14 thousand feet) hasn’t really bothered me or Jessie so much (though climbing stairs is clearly more challenging than at sea-level) but the dryness is serious.  I’ve never been a big chapstick user, but here I get chapped lips just from sleeping in our apartment.

Speaking of Jessie, she too has a blog (http://alpacatales.blogspot.com/) and I’ve listed it in my blogroll.  This is her first time really, really living overseas so she’s not as jaded as I am.  Also, she’s working at home so she has more time to write and post pics and whatnot.  That said, I’ll do my best to blog more regularly.

And for today’s weird observation:  I’m picking up someone’s baby monitor on my new work PC speaker.  In my office, in my place of work.  Which has been described as “fortress-like”.  Hmm.

Much like MacArthur

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

…I have returned.  That’s right, after a four year hiatus in the for the most part not-conflictful environs of Washington, DC, I have once again ventured forth into the world, this time to La Paz, Bolivia.  On this journey, however, I have brought along my wonderful bride and may be a bit more mature about the whole thing.  Vamos a ver (I also vaguely speak Spanish now).