7 – 9 September: Arrival in La Paz, transfer to domestic terminal for our flight to Cochabamba! We will spend our first few days together at the Casa de la Crianza, a beautiful, inspiring, peaceful place about a half an hour outside of the city itself. We will dive into workshops on group dynamics, Andean Cosmo vision, social movements and advocacy and some basic language lessons!
10 – 19 September: Cochabamba is a unique and vibrant city, in the heart of the central valleys. The city is a meeting point for people from all over the country, and is a hotspot for social movements and revolutions. We will embark upon our first round of home stays and language study here in “Cocha”. We will have time to explore the city and surrounding areas in the afternoons and evenings, while we hone our language skills in small, interactive classes in the mornings. We may even have an opportunity to summit Tunari, the highest peak in the Cochabamba region!
20 – 24 September: We will travel up from the central valleys into the highlands of the La Paz department, catching our first real glimpses of the frenetic cities of La Paz and El Alto before moving on to the tranquil shores of Lake Titicaca. We will spend a few days in Santiago de Okola, on the shores of this majestic lake, learning about agro-biodiversity and the realities of life in rural Bolivia.
25 September – 2 October: Continuing north from Lake Titicaca, we arrive in the majestic Apolobamba Range. Our first big trek will take us through high mountain passes and through Quechua villages from Pelechuco to Charazani. We will stop for three days in the village of Kaata to participate in home stays and observe agricultural practices in this beautiful community—also one of the most productive agricultural regions of the country.
3 – 24 October: After a busy month of rugged travel, we will settle into our extended home stays in the idyllic mountain town of Sorata. Nestled into a beautiful, fertile valley in the shadow of the magnificent Mt. Illampu, we will have ample time to continue language study, dive in to our Independent Study Projects, further explore and discuss themes of social movements and change in the Andes, and try our hands at keeping up the gardens and working in the fields with our host families.
25 - 30 October: We will set out on the next leg of our adventure from our very own backyard at the Program House! Following an old Inca highway, we will descend through various ecological tiers and past gold mining operations on the “Camino de Oro”. This legendary path connected the Andean highlands to the lowland gold mines. Much of the gold extricated from this region traveled all the way to Cuzco to adorn the temples of the Incas!
31 October – 10 November: Continuing further down in elevation, only this time, by boat, we move on to the gateway to the Amazon region in Bolivia: Rurrenabaque. Our time in “Rurre”, as it is locally known, will be defined by meaningful service projects with a focus on rural community health, lectures on local ecology and opportunities to work alongside locals in their daily routines.
11 – 14 November: After saying farewell to Rurrenabaque, we will move on to the Yungas region of the La Paz department. The Yungas, situated on the eastern slope of the Andes, is a vibrant transition zone. It is an ideal area for the cultivation of many crops, including the infamous and controversial coca leaf. We will spend a few days in the Afro-Bolivian community of Tocaña, working alongside local families in their fields, and learning more about agriculture in the Andes.
15 – 21 November: After another long, yet fulfilling journey, we will return “home” to Sorata for a final week of home stays, language study and independent study projects. We may also have the opportunity to spend a few days exploring La Paz and El Alto as we gear up for the next phase. We will take advantage of this rejuvenating time to plan for our final expedition: Peru!
22 November – 3 December: Peru! It’s time for students to take the reigns of the course. Working with the instructors, students will have the opportunity to direct their experience in Peru. From the vibrant Amazonian region, to the storied Incan cities of Cuzco and Machu Picchu, Southern Peru offers many rewards to the intrepid adventurer. Details to be determined!
4 – 8 December: After successfully navigating the Peruvian/Bolivian border crossing, we will return to La Paz for our final few days together. Our time will be divided between ISP presentations, meetings with local NGOs, workshops on reverse culture shock and returning home, and even some time to do a little souvenir shopping
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