1. My problems aren't so bad. But seriously.
There are loads of people who have way tougher problems than I do. My problems mostly consist of being too full for that tasty empanada or not having time to watch TV and do homework. Even when I feel overwhelmed, I know where my next meal is coming from, and that I have a safe place to go home to every night.
2. Being different can be a pain in the neck.
After getting cat-called, whistled at, etc. (because of being white and the stereotypes that go with that) all semester long, I can only imagine what it would be like to face actual racism or discrimination that debilitates my life. I get annoyed by attention from random strangers who think I'm loose because I'm white and female. But has that actually impacted my life? No. Yet I'm also really sensitive to it--I always feel like people are watching ME, and did that car just honk at ME? and why did he say hi to ME? Being clear--NOTHING like actual racism that inhibits your life. But I can understand where the sensitivity comes from.
3. Being different can be really awesome.
In the US, people are not too open to "foreigners." People can be really jerks to "foreigners," even if they have lived there for years. But in Bolivia, people are mostly curious. They're curious about me and where I come from and what it's like there. That kind of curiosity is healthy, I think. But tons of people I've talked to are more than happy to just chat about our cultures, which I think is awesome.
4. Phone calls really aren't that big of a deal.
In the US, I've never liked making phone calls. With my friends it's slightly better, but still not my fave. With strangers, forget it. (Insert hours of practicing what I'm going to say, pacing around before/during/after the call, etc.) In Bolivia I've had to call many a stranger, in Spanish, to explain who I am and ask them for help on my ISP. And I procrastinated, yeah, but I did it. Multiple times. And everyone was absurdly nice and helpful.
5. Talking to strangers isn't that big of a deal.
I've never been the type to start up random conversations with waiters, people on the bus, etc. In Bolivia, I've not only had plenty of interviews with former strangers, but we also had "classwork" once where we had to go talk to a street vendor. (Read about it here). And none of it was a big deal. I had interviews today with two moms whose kids go to the guardería where I volunteer. I've seen them drop off their kids, but never talked to either of them more than just a hello. And they were incredibly nice and I think all of us enjoyed our conversations.
6. Don't assume you're right.
There's lots of stuff that's just different here. One day the kids in the guardería got to "read" books. They all went off with their books, but one of the kids stayed with me. I tried to actually read the words to her, but this child really wasn't interested--she wanted to tell me what happened based on the pictures (to varying degrees of accuracy based on what the words said). I was shocked. "These kids are 4 years old and they don't know how to listen to a story! How are they going to succeed in school/life???" Later, I started thinking about it/talking with friends, and I realized reading for fun really isn't a big thing here. And THAT'S OKAY. Who says that reading is the way to prepare a kid for success? The kids in the guardería are AMAZING at doing puzzles. Kids who are only 2 know how to rotate the pieces and try them different places, and the 4-year-olds can do puzzles with 20 pieces. Isn't that another way of exercising the brain? Who knows which one works better in the long run? But just because things are one way in the US doesn't mean that that's the right way. (Also, kids in the US are being prepared to be adults in the US, and same with Bolivia. So what's important is also based on that.)
That's all I got for now (that I can compile into something coherent and snazzy.) Getting down there, friends! Only TEN DAYS left in Bolivia...
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