It´s been a while since we have posted (2 weeks to be exact) and we are settling in comfortably into life in La Paz. We are living with a lovely family in Sopacachi, the swankiest part of town - our neighbours are embassies, language schools, western-style cinemas and galleries, although we´re only ever a few minutes away from poverty and pollution. San Pedro prison is about 10 minutes walk, almost close enough to hear the riots that have been happening there recently.
Our routine is to do classes during weekdays, studying at night and fitting in cultural stuff - concerts, films (en espagnole naturalamente) and museums. This weekend we are off to the carnaval in Oruro, the biggest cultural event/fiesta of the year for Bolivia. We´ve been quite lucky with our timing, as we also experienced Peru´s biggest festival last month purely by chance (Candeleria).
Our host family are a grandmother (Bertha), mother (Pamela - who runs the house) and daughter (Pamelita - "little Pamela") who are very chatty and welcoming. We have superb views of La Paz and the surrounding crater/mountains, and a good kitchen so we can recover from the inevitable problems we have with local food and water (not having built up resistance to bugs). We haven´t met many other gringos yet, but have our first house-party to go to soon, so we hope will be able to make a bit of a network of acquaintances.
Classes are going really well, and we are improving slowly but surely - especially being able to speak to the family when at home, and to people when out in the street. It´s a pleasant life and although we miss our friends and family, we feel quite at home here.
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