The people of the Nor Yungas, Bolivia are mainly of indigenous Aymara or Afro-Bolivian decent who until 1952 endured indentured servitude. Though most of the older people speak Aymara, Spanish is the common language of the young in schools. After working as an educator 12 years in the Nor Yungas, Sister Damon Nolan realized that a high school education was not adequate to give campesinos control over their own destiny. In 1992 she came to an agreement with the local Aymaran farmers' organization to build a college together. Some of the farmers signed the pact with a thumb print. The school was to be for poor rural you who cannot afford the cost of urban universities. The farmers stipulated that it was to be situated in the rural community and to address local problems - malnutrition, poor healthcare, and the difficulty of subsistence farming on tiny mountainous farm plots. Consequently the UAC offers degrees in nursing, agronomy, veterinary science, education, and now eco-tourism. The programs are accredited by the Catholic University of Bolivia.
Much of the physical building of the college was done with the donated labor of the local farmers. Students also spend four to eight hours a week working to maintain and build the school. The college receives no aid from the Bolivian government but is partially subsidized by donations to the Carmen Pampa Fund in the United States and by other grants. Enrollment has grown from 52 students in 1992 to almost 700 with an equal ratio of women to men.
Over the 15 years of its existence the UAC has succeeded in training professionals who have returned to their communities as leaders in politics and businesses. The nurse, raise animals, become involved in micro-loan projects or NGOs offering instruction or aid to compesinos. The UAC has published research and initiated outreach programs in nursing, pig raising, goat raising, family farms, coffee growing, medicinal plants, cheese and honey production. Many of these outreach programs offer seeds or young animals, instruction, and the promise to buy back what they produce at above market prices for processing and marketing in UAC facilities.
The volunteer program started in 1998 with the arrival of Charles and Loretta Murphy, lay missioners from the Franciscan Mission Service. Since then, many, many people have contributed as volunteers "on the ground," for whom we are all grateful.
Paz y Bien,
Leo Lechtenberg & Hugh Smeltekop
Contributors to this site:
Leo Lechtenberg
Diana O´Brien
Hugh Smeltekop
If you are still thinking about becoming a volunteer:
Here are some things to think about before reading more.
Hallmarks of effective volunteers
1. It helps to be outgoing and self-motivated. Volunteers who get out of the house to talk to community members and actively look for things to do when their "job" slows down find their experience here is more meaningful. They feel helpful here where one minute a translator is needed, and the next someone to swing a hammer, and then someone to re-boot a computer.
2. It is best to be fearless in speaking Spanish. None of us speak perfectly, some are very far from being fluent, but volunteers need to jump in without worry about their limitations and communicate using whatever words and non-verbal cues they can muster. Students and local people here are usually very tolerant and patient.
3. A sense of humor is invaluable. Things here move at a very different pace, with much more emphasis on relationships than on accomplishments. For an outsider the frustration level can be high. If the volunteer can chuckle and regroup to try new ways of getting things done it can make all the difference.
Spanish: Volunteers must be able to communicate to some extent in Spanish. Exceptions may be made depending on a volunteer’s skills. Excellent Spanish language programs of six weeks to five months are available in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Pay
Unfortunately, there is currently no funding for non-teaching volunteers – they would have to be self supported. Volunteers who teach (e.g. English) will receive a stipend of $100/month per course. A copy of a college diploma is required to teach English. Teaching one course provides enough income to live here. Each person living at the volunteer house contributes about $50/month for food, and house upkeep.
Length of Stay
How much time need a volunteer stay to make a difference? It is a genuine sacrifice for volunteers to interrupt their jobs and join us in Bolivia sometimes at considerable financial expense to themselves. Most volunteers desire to experience a fascinating culture and at the same time to help the poor. For both reasons it is advantageous to live here a year in order to acclimate to the language and culture and to discover where to make the best contribution. This amount of time is not always possible. Depending on what the volunteer wishes to accomplish, much can be accomplished in a shorter time period.
The two school year semesters are out of sync with those in the northern hemisphere. One semester begins on the first Tuesday in February, and the other on the last Tuesday in July. Volunteers who are teaching should arrive at least a week before school starts.
The need for Volunteers
What might a volunteer do here? There are opportunities for tutoring, helping at the health post, working in the gardens, organizing weekend activities for the students, teaching in the English program, assisting in the library and computer labs, organizing and overseeing sports events, doing interviews and taking pictures for Carmen Pampa Fund publications, and teaching small classes in your area of interest, e.g. health, good parenting, computers, art, or music. Volunteers may wish to help with maintenance, repair, building, waste recycling, care of farm animals, or teaching students how to promote rural tourism. Carmen Pampa has a grade and boarding high school also in need of help – help teaching reading and English, children’s library and play programs. Think about your skills and interests and formulate an idea of what you’d like to attempt here. Be aware that sharing your ideas will only be one part of your contribution. Another part will be learning, working and sweating alongside Bolivians to discover solutions together.
Living arrangements
Most live in the Volunteer House. We have agreed to share household tasks, taking equal turns cooking, shopping, and cleaning. We are committed to supporting each other. Our life style is simple but healthy. Fruits and vegetables are plentiful in Bolivia and some meats are available. The house is a somewhat dilapidated but historic adobe hacienda which is fitted with indoor plumbing and screens. Each volunteer has his own small room with simple accommodations. Occasionally we have had to double up when visitors come, and may have to do so on a regular basis if we have more volunteers than bedrooms. All water must be boiled before drinking. We lack hot water except for electric shower heads. Water flow occasionally stops completely or becomes cloudy with clay and must be filtered. There are occasional power outages. We wash our laundry by hand and dry it in the sun. Transportation is slow and often stressful in crowded, tardy mini-vans. We have direct cable internet but it is frequently interrupted for weeks at a time.
The volunteer house welcomes married couples who are willing to put up with the lack of privacy. For couples and families it is possible to rent a tiny very primitive house near the campus or something more livable in Coroico. For a variety reasons, the volunteer house is not an optimal situation for a young couple exploring a temporary relationship. They too are invited to find living arrangements nearby.
Young volunteers who wish a more intense immersion into the Bolivian/Aymara culture and the Spanish language can opt to live with the students in the dormitories and eat in their dining halls. It is probably the best way for a young person to experience the culture in a short time and gain the esteem and friendship of Bolivian peers. It is a hard lifestyle with its barracks-style dormitories, common bathroom/showers, and limited Bolivian cuisine. However the welcome sign is always hanging at the hacienda should a volunteer need a respite or feel sick.
Please reflect on this and let us know about any questions or doubts.
Now, more about the nuts and bolts of our program.
Mission of the UAC-Carmen Pampa
• To make higher education available to young rural students who would not otherwise have that opportunity. The college is located in a rural area and encourages students to return to their rural communities as agents of change.
• To prepare young rural Bolivians to serve their community as professionals with a commitment to bettering the lot of the most poor.
• To develop extension programs which address the critical needs of the surrounding rural communities. To help teams of students move out into the community in instruction and apprenticeship programs.
• To strengthen progress and socio-economic liberation through academic research. To initiate research programs targeted to local needs and to integrate the successful research into the countryside.
Semester Schedule
Semestre I de 2008
Preinscripciones hasta 19 de enero
Solicitud de Cambio de Unidad hasta 30 de enero
Examen de Dispensación 20 de enero (previsto)
Publicación de Becados 4 de febrero
Inscripción (Primer Cuota de Estudio y Matrícula)
5, 6, 7 y 9 de febrero
Inicio de Clases 10 de febrero
Adición y Retiro de Materias 11 y 12 de febrero
Misa de Inauguración 17 de febrero
Feriado de Carnaval 24 de febrero
Colación Universitaria (todas carreras) 28 de febrero
Pago de 2da Cuota de Estudio hasta el 3 de marzo
Pago de 3ra Cuota de Estudio hasta el 7 de abril
Semana Santa 9 a 11 de abril
Inscripciones Examen de Idiomas 30 de marzo
Examen de Idiomas 6 de abril
Día del Trabajo 1 de mayo
Pago de 4ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 5 de mayo
Pago de 5ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 2 de junio
Corpus Christi 11 de junio
Jornadas Científicas 18, 19 y 20 de junio
Publicación de Habilitados hasta el 20 de junio
Último Día de Clases 20 de junio
Exámenes Finales 23 a 27 de junio
Segundo Turno de Exámenes 29 y 30 de junio
Semestre II de 2009
Solicitud de Cambio de Unidad hasta el 17 de julio
Publicación de Estudiantes Becados 22 de julio
Inscripción (Primer Cuota de Estudio y Matrícula)
23, 24, 25 y 27 de julio
Inicio de Clases 28 de julio
Adición y Retiro de Materias 29 y 30 de julio
Desfile Cívico Día del Campesino (CP) 2 de agosto
Misa de Inauguración 4 de agosto
Desfile Cívico Efemérides Patria (Cor.) 6 de agosto
Colación Universitaria (todas carreras) 15 de agosto
Pago de 2da Cuota de Estudio hasta el 25 de agosto
Inscripciones Examen de Idiomas a determinar (sept.)
Examen de Idiomas a determinar (sept.)
Pago de 3ra Cuota de Estudio hasta el 22 de sept.
Aniversario UAC-CP (Fiesta universitaria) 2 a 5 de octubre
Aniversario de Coroico 20 a 21 a octubre
Pago de 4ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 22 de octubre
Día de los difuntos 2 de noviembre
Pago de 5ta Cuota de Estudio hasta el 17 de noviembre
Jornadas Científicas 3, 4 y 5 de diciembre
Publicación Estudiantes Habilitados hasta el 5 de diciembre
Último día de clases 5 de diciembre
Exámenes Finales 8 a 12 de diciembre
Segundo Turno de Exámenes Finales 14 y 15 de diciembre
Campus Layout
The UAC has 2 campuses, a campus on the mountain above the community of Carmen Pampa called Campus Leahy after the UAC's co-founder Dick Leahy; and a lower campus in the community of Carmen Pampa called Campus Manning after the late bishop of Coroico who encouraged education at all levels as a tool for peace, justice, and sustainable development.
Administration/Key Positions
The phone number at the UAC from the U.S. is 011-591-2213-7293. This phone is staffed from 8-12 noon and 2-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday during the school year (mid February to end of June; August through mid-December), and 8-12 noon and 2-5 p.m. Monday through Friday during vacations. The receptionist only speaks Spanish, so be patient and she will find someone who speaks English. E-mail is the best way to contact us outside of those hours. Mail a few people (like Lee Lechtenberg and Hugh Smeltekop) to be sure someone gets the message quickly.
UAC Administrators
Rev. Padre Freddy del Villar Zúñiga
Director
fredelviz(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 9:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Dr. Hugh Smeltekop
Vice Director
boliviahugh(at)gmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes, jueves, sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
miércoles, viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Lic. Manuela Urbina
Secretaria Academica
delur342(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
lunes a viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-7:00pm
Lic. Pascual Quispe
Encargado de Dpto Contabilidad
pascpn(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
lunes a viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-8:00pm
Lic. Silvia Aquino
Encargada de Dpto de Contabilidad
jheny_aquino(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
lunes a viernes 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-8:00pm
Ing. Diego Miranda
Encargado Computacion
diego_amch(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la Sala de Computacion, Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Sra. Ayda
Recepcionista
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Asuntos legales
Dra. Sarah Álvarez
Abogada
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Volunteer Coordinators
Leo Lechtenberg
lechtel(at)gmail(dot)com
Hugh Smeltekop
boliviahugh(at)gmail(dot)com
Departments
Agronomy - Campus Leahy
Ing. José Luis Beltran
Director, Carrera de Ingeniería Agronómica
josebeltran69(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Education - Campus Leahy
Lic. Andrés Pardo
Director, Carrera de Pedagogía
pardo-educa(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science - Campus Manning
Dr. Martín Morales
Director, Carrera de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootécnia
jjmafitarvz(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Nursing - Campus Manning
Lic. Lidia Cuevas
Directora, Carrera de Enfermería
lienma_11(at)hotmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Ecotourism - Campus Manning
José Luis Pinto
Jefe, Carrera de Tourism Rural
joseluispintogarcia(at)gmail(dot)com
Horario en la direccion en Campus Manning
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Pre-university - Campus Leahy
Dra. Sarah Álvarez
Jefa, Pre-Universitaria
Horario en la direccion en Campus Leahy
martes a sabado 8:00am-12:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Library
Campus Leahy
Lic. Olga Jemio
Directora, Bibliotecas de la UAC
Responsable, Biblioteca Leahy
olgairae9(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hours for photo copies and borrowing books:
8:00 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Campus Manning
Hours for photocopies and borrowing books:
8:00 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Computer Lab
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Costs
1-15 min. 1 Bs
30 min. 2 Bs
60 min. 3 Bs
copies cost 0.50 Bs---bring your own paper
Church
Mass schedule
Sundays in church in Carmen Pampa: 4:30 p.m.
Wednesdays in Campus Leahy Chapel: 7:00 p.m.
Morning prayer schedule
Tuesday - Saturday at convent: 7:00 a.m.
Holidays/Special events
(incomplete)
Campus Store
There is a small store to sell clothes and other items received as donations on each campus.
Transportation
All transportation between campuses is on public transportation.
Travel to Coroico
Apart from the UAC vehicle, there are community vans that travel every day (though irregularly) to and from Coroico. They cost 3 Bs to get from Coroico to Campus Leahy (and vice versa), and 3.50 to get from Coroico to Carmen Pampa (and vice versa).
UAC/Coroico pickup locations
UAC, Manning Campus
Outside volunteer house.
UAC, Leahy Campus
Across from organic gardens
Coroico
There is a bus stop ("parada") on the road out of Coroico to Carmen Pampa, just above the restaurant Apimania. The vehicle may be a van or truck. One should ask if the vehicle is going all the way to Carmen Pampa as some go only to San Pedro.
Travel to La Paz
Many companies travel from Coroico to La Paz and back. Minibuses and larger cost 15 bolivianos, and leave from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. The company that the university generally travels with is called Turbus Totaí. The office in La Paz makes reservations 011 - 591 - 2 - 221 - 6592. Reservations should be made in person from Coroico to travel to La Paz. There is a 1 boliviano terminal use charge in Coroico.
During the school year, Totaí offers buses that leave La Paz and go straight to Carmen Pampa only on Mondays. These buses leave at 4:30 p.m. and arrive in Carmen Pampa about 8:30 p.m. Reservations should be made in advance at the La Paz office.
To get to the Turbus Totaí office in La Paz, take any public transportation to Villa Fátima and ask to get out at the ex-surtidor. Taxi's should also be instructed to take you to the ex-surtidor de Villa Fátima.
VIII. Volunteer House
Maintenance
There are two maintenance supervisors, one for each campus. They are in charge of all campus maintenance, including assigning students to tasks for the 80 hours of community service (“trabajo comunitario”) that they do each semester. These tasks include cleaning of the classrooms, upkeep of the grounds, small construction and maintenance jobs, and picking coffee and working in the vegetable production fields. They are the most knowledgeable people in the areas of electricity, potable water and wastewater systems, and plumbing.
Leahy Campus: Don Jorge Taboada, lives with wife Doña Teresa in apartment across from the futsal/basketball court. Teresa also serves coffee, cake, gelatin and soda in her apartment livingroom, and makes cakes to order.
Manning Campus: Profesor Donato Monroy, lives with wife Doña Goya, son Julio, Julio’s wife Maritza and their son Daniel in a house across from the convent’s garden. Goya also sells laundry soap, cookies and other goodies from her store.
The university covers the costs of maintenance and improvements of the volunteer house. To have things done, type them out and get a “visto bueno” from Father Freddy, then present the sheet to Profesor Donato. Donato will probably send a student and/or the maintenance worker Don José Tintaya to work in the house. If he doesn’t send someone within a week, remind him.
Student-help Guidelines
Often, volunteers will hire students to do work around the house to help the students pay for school. The daily wage is called a “jornal” and it is currently 30 bolivianos. Profesor Donato often knows who the hardest working and most needy students are. The convent has a student clean/do house laundry on Mondays; the volunteer house often has a similar arrangement. Volunteers may also want to have a student wash their clothes, and although the price is negotiable, it is suggested that the student be paid a price similar to the 30 boliviano/day wage to avoid pay scale conflicts with other students.
Community - Our Vision
The UAC is a Catholic school founded by the Missionary Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. Volunteers share a variety of faith traditions and beliefs but a common love of Bolivian farm families. The volunteer program is meant for sincere people of all spiritual affiliations – religious, areligious, agnostic, atheist. We respect our differences and are enriched by them. At the same time we try to live and support each other as a community in the spirit of St. Francis. This means we try to share the simple lives of those around us and imitate their respect for the environment. We are committed to assisting everyone but especially the poorest. There are opportunities for prayer with the Franciscan Sisters. Weekly meetings of the volunteer community include discussion of practical house matters for everyone followed by an optional session to share and to reflect on our experience here. These times of reflection and sharing are simple and are generally prepared by the volunteers according to their particular taste and preferences.
Monthly food/communal contribution
The volunteers typically put 350 bolivianos into a common food fund and use that to pay for common food, natural gas canisters used for cooking, kitchen goods like dish soap, laundry soap, the electric bill, and students who clean the house or wash house laundry.
Store location and names of owners in Coroico
• Doña Albina: Vegetables, dry goods, dairy products and cleaning supplies.
• Doña Juanita: Vegetables, dry goods, dairy products and cleaning supplies.
• Everything store: non-food items.
• Laura’s liquor store: wine, yogurt, candy and other fun items.
• Buena Carne: meat.
(See Coroico map) (incomplete)
Food/Cooking schedule
Volunteers generally have breakfast and lunch on their own, and have dinner together. Once class schedules are determined, each volunteer chooses a night to cook dinner and a night to do dinner dishes.
Is it common that university faculty, staff, and sometimes students are invited to dinner at the volunteer house. Please discuss dinner invitations with other volunteers before extending the invitation.
Volunteers may choose to eat lunch in the student-run subsidized cafeterias called “cooperativas de alimentación.” The cooperativa coordinator Maria Uchida can help volunteers arrange to eat with the students in the cooperativas, two of which are located on the Leahy campus, and one on the Manning campus.
A note on alcohol use and smoking
The Internal Rules of the UAC forbid the consumption of alcoholic beverages or being inebriated on university property. The volunteer house, however, is allowed to have alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages are for our own consumption and are permitted. If a student is over for dinner, a glass of wine or single drink is allowed. Consume in moderation and never to excess. Be a role model for students and others by maintaining control at all times and showing you know when to stop. If a student is seen intoxicated on campus, it is our duty to report the instance in writing to Father Freddy. Consumption of illicit drugs is prohibited. If any student is seen with or known to be using any type of illicit drug, it is our duty to report the instance in writing to Sister Damon.
No smoking is allowed in the Volunteer House. Volunteers who smoke often use the laundry room to smoke.
Laundry
The house has a laundry washing area with a cement sink, some wash basins, and lines to dry laundry in the sun. Close the laundry room doors when not in the laundry area to prevent small animals from entering the house.
Computer/laptops
The volunteer house has a dedicated internet line. The house has a wireless router that volunteers use the access Internet from the living room, kitchen and two of the seven bedrooms (currently not functioning). Otherwise, there are computers with Internet in the libraries of both campuses, and Hugh's office computer is sometimes used when the libraries are closed.
Health
To deal with the mountainous terrain and living conditions, volunteers should enjoy good physical/psychological health and have normal energy levels. Age is not a constraint. Special dietary needs might present a problem. For the health needs of volunteers there is an on-campus clinic and pharmacy open during school hours. There is also a government health center near the volunteer’s house where a doctor or nurse is available year round. Currently an English-speaking nurse is resident at the volunteer house and a Bolivian nurse and doctor live very nearby for night-time emergencies. If necessary, transportation will be arranged to the hospital in Coroico seven miles away. The hospital has departments of trauma care, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, surgery and internal medicine. They also offer basic dental care. For more serious medical attention the volunteer will be accompanied to one of the modern hospitals in La Paz which has some English-speaking staff. This is a three and a half hour drive. Health care and medications are not expensive here but volunteers should consider medical insurance which covers serious problems. Some medical insurance may also cover emergency evacuation to the U.S.
Bimonthly community meeting
The volunteers have weekly meetings on Wednesdays after lunch (about 12:30 p.m.).
Security Guidelines
The front door to the house is often left open during the day if volunteers are around campus, but locked when volunteers are away, and at night before the last volunteer has gone to bed. Although rare, items could be stolen, and it is recommended that very valuable items like passports and large amounts of money be given to the sisters to be kept in the convent. Volunteers have never had problems with harassment or assaults on campus.
Guests Guidelines
Sometimes UAC visitors will stay in the volunteer house. These visitors typically pay $25 a day, and after such a visitor leaves, someone will fill out a “solicitud de fondos” so that the house can get reimbursed for costs incurred during the visit. Some UAC visitors are not expected to pay but may leave a donation that can be used at the discretion of the volunteers It is the responsibility of all UAC volunteers to assist in any way necessary to make the guests feel welcome and comfortable. This includes, but isn’t limited to: picking up visitors in La Paz, cleaning, shopping, translating, cooking, and being present and attentive during their stay. As stewards of our house of hospitality, we want to provide a warm and comfortable atmosphere when guests are here.
Any other guests (family or friends) should be cleared with people in the house. It is also expected that volunteers inform the Sisters’ community of guests. When a volunteer has a visitor, it is suggested that s/he contribute an extra 10 bolivianos per person per day to cover the costs of the extra visitors.
Friendship
There are inevitable periods of loneliness and depression on entering any foreign culture. Volunteers must be psychologically prepared to endure an adjustment period. There are ample opportunities for supportive friendship and fun with other volunteers and with Bolivians. Young volunteers will meet other young people with whom they can safely have a good time.
We encourage volunteers to socialize in a group setting. The volunteer is here for a brief time to perform a service. A foreign boyfriend or girlfriend can appear to be an alluring solution to loneliness but experience has shown us that entering into an exclusive romantic relationship distracts the volunteer from her/his primary goal here, is detrimental to community life, and may be unfair to the Bolivian partner. The volunteer should decide he or she is willing to postpone dating relationships while volunteering in Carmen Pampa.
IX. La Paz Information
Franciscan offices
The office is located on the 3rd floor of the same building where the San Francisco Basilica (Plaza San Francisco) is located. Maria Eugenia is in the office and will most likely be the individual you will meet and speak with when you go there to cash your checks or have other questions. German Camacho also works in the Franciscan office and he is the individual who has assisted past volunteers with visa questions and long-term stays in Bolivia. His email address is germancamachom(at)yahoo(dot)es.
Hours: 8-12pm, 2-6pm Monday-Friday, 8-12pm Saturday
Phones: 2-334342 (office)
2-286683 (German – home)
715-56859 (German – cell phone)
Check cashing procedure
You need to know your passport number, which needs to be written along
with your signature on the back of your UAC paycheck.
You can also cash U.S. checks at the Franciscan office.
You have an option of receiving your cash in bolivianos or American dollars.
Where to stay
Historically there are 2 locations that volunteers have stayed at while in La Paz.
Hostal Naira
Sagarnaga Calle no. 161 – Mery and Oscar are frequently the personnel at the front desk.
Located right across from the San Francisco Basilica.
Phone: 591 – 2 – 235 – 56 – 45
Fax: 591 – 2 – 231 – 12 – 14
hostalnaira(at)entelnet(dot)bo
They have 22 rooms, offering various accomodations.
Single Room: $25.00
Double Room: $32.00
Triple Room: $42.00
Couples Room (single double bed): $32.00
Most rooms have private baths, offering 24 hour hot showers.
UAC patrons receive a discount—be sure and say if you are from the UAC.
Complementary breakfast is served from 7-10am at the Banaís Cafe located on teh first floor within the Naira.
Cable TV, Telephone service, laundry, and heaters (estufas), are available.
An Internet Cafe is located below the cafe.
The other lodging of choice is the Hostal Ángelo Colonial.
It is located on Av. Mariscal Santa Cruz Nº 1058, half a block up from the post office, across from the obelisco, and one and half blocks down from the Plaza San Francisco. Rooms are basic, bathrooms are shared but very clean, but there is a kitchen. Singles are Bs. 45, doubles Bs. 85 and triples are Bs. 130. Very central, very convenient. Ask for a towel. There is usually toilet paper, but not always. There is an Internet cafe and phone center across from the reception, and there is an Alexander's Coffee Shop across the street and 2 blocks up. You should call for reservations (591 - 2 - 221 - 5067), but there are usually rooms free without reserving. The people who work there are very friendly and helpful.
C. Transportation—buses/vans/taxis—cost/safety
D. Villa Fatima—how to get there
(incomplete)
E. VISA requirement
Starting on December 1st, 2007, a visa is required for U.S. citizens to visit Bolivia. Volunteers staying less than three months without the intention of extending their stay are encouraged to get a tourist visa (instructions below). For volunteers staying for up to 6 months, a tourist visa may also be the best option: one can leave the country (a trip to Puno, Perú, for example) and return twice for a 30 day extension. After that (or instead of that), the volunteer will pay a fee of about $2 per day for overstaying the visa.
Volunteers staying for more than three months have other options. The most usual is a objeto determinado visa. This visa is given by the Bolivian embassy (or a regional consulate) in the United States, and allows a volunteer to get a longer-term visa once arriving in Bolivia within 30 days. This process is costly -- about $300 -- but the best way to assure residency.
There is also a courtesy visa which is given at no charge, for a specific amount of time. Volunteers have had mixed success getting courtesy visas, including none in recent history. But it is worth calling the embassy and asking.
According to the Bolivian embassy website,
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, in conformance with the Presidential Decree No 28997 of January 1 st , 2007 and the Article 5º, last paragraph, of the Bi-Ministerial Resolution no. 01/2007 of August 31st 2007 , sets down the procedures for the visa for all USA citizens who want to visit Bolivia as tourists.
GENERAL REMARKS
* Beginning December 1 st 2007 , immigration authorities of the Republic of Bolivia will require that citizens of United States of America traveling as tourists to Bolivia have a Visa.
* The Visa will be valid for five (5) years since the date of issue and will permit entrance to Bolivia for a total of ninety (90) days each year.
* A visa holder will be able to use it for three (3) times in one (1) year for a total of ninety (90) days. Only in very special cases will the Bolivian immigration authorities extend the period of permanency over ninety (90) days.
* The visa application can be done by mail or in-person at any Bolivian Consulate.
* To apply by mail, the user must send the Consular Office all required documents and a pre-paid envelope with return address in order to receive their passport once the visa has been issued.
* Visas will be issued in twenty four (24) hours, after reception, fee payment (U$S 100.00) and verfication of the pertinent documentation. Delivery and return transportation time, according to the contracted service by user.
* If the applicant will be traveling with Bolivian friends or relatives who live in United States , they may write the letter of invitation specifying the host address in Bolivia.
* Any person older than twelve (12) month travelling to Bolivia, must bear the International Yellow Fever Vacination Certificate. If a pediatrician or primary physician decides that for health reasons a person cannot receive a Yellow Fever vaccine, they may issue corresponding certification. This certification must be translated into spanish and the passenger must hold a copy of both Certificate and tranlation, to be submitted before Bolivian Immigration Authorities.
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR VISA
1. Complete the sworn statement for visa application* . ( You must also paste a full color passport size picture; 80% of the image must be of the face, no glasses. Further information in the WEB page of the Ministry www.rree.gov.bo ; link "Servicios Consulares".)
2. Current American passport. (Please note that it must be valid for at least 6 more months as per the Instructive 02/2007 of the Ministry.)
3. Copy of the hotel reservation or invitation letter from Bolivian friends or relatives indicating the host address. (Letter where applicable. For more information please refer to the WEB site of Ministry of Foreign Affaires and Worships www.rree.gov.bo ; link "Servicios Consulares", or within the website of the Vice-Ministry of Tourism.)
4. Round trip ticket or copy of travel itinerary.
5. Bank statement or equivalent that shows economic solvency. (A copy of Credit Card - front side- will also be accepted. Please note that the validity of the document should be for at least the travel period). Parent's or Legal Guardian's Economic Solvency documents are accepted for underage applicants.
6. Copy of yellow fever vaccination certificate. Any person older than twelve (12) month travelling to Bolivia, must bear the International Yellow Fever Vacination Certificate. If a pediatrician or primary physician decides that for health reasons a person cannot receive a Yellow Fever vaccine, they may issue corresponding certification. This certification must be translated into spanish and the passenger must hold a copy of both Certificate and tranlation, to be submitted before Bolivian Immigration Authorities. [A wavier may be signed to enter the country without this vaccination; there have been no cases of yellow fever in Carmen Pampa (the mosquitoes that transmit it do not live at this altitude), but there is yellow fever at lower altitudes, so if a volunteer is planning to travel, it os probably worthwhile.]
7. Visa fee: U$S 100.- One hundred dollars.
- Cash, direct deposit, or money order.
- This amount is not reimbursable.
Please see the visa information on the Bolivian embassy website for the forms and more information. Please ask Lee or Hugh to send you a letter of invitation as your document of invitation and host address. Include your full name as it appears on your passport with your request.
PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH LEE AND HUGH TO BE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE MOST CURRENT VISA INFORMATION YOU NEED TO GET INTO THE COUNTRY.
Shopping—groceries/materials for classes
The majority of shopping is done in Coroico. Monday is typically a day of rest for the town and most stores, merchants, and even restaurants are closed. It is difficult to find community transportation to Carmen Pampa on Monday.
There are a couple of tiendas that are frequented by volunteers. Dona Juana’s tienda is located on Doña Albina’s tiendas is on the side of the Coroico Church.
Stores are often closed from 12-2pm each day.
When volunteers go into La Paz they often shop at Mercado Rodriguez for items that are not available in Coroico. The produce seems to be better in La Paz than in Coroico (and best from the UAC gardens), but keeping it in good shape during the transport back to Carmen Pampa can be a challenge. Nuts, raisins, are easier to find and purchase in La Paz.
Materials for class
Gisbert y Cia. S.A.
Tel: 591 – 2 – 220 – 26 – 26
Fax: 591 – 2 – 220 – 29 - 11
This “Liberia, Papeleria Y Editorial” has become a favorite for purchasing dictionaries for students, notebooks, and other materials for class. It is located on Calle Comercio at 1270 From Sagarnaga you need to head down to El Prado, cross it and then head up the road to Calle Comercio, which isn’t far from the Plaza Murillo, where the government buildings are located. Take a “Right” on Calle Comercio and it’s on the right side of the road. Make sure you don’t show up there Saturday afternoons. They close shop at noon and don’t reopen until Monday.
Some other book stores:
LIBRERÍA YACHAYWASI. Av. Villazón Pasaje Bernardo Trigo nº 447. Telf 2441042
LIBRERÍA TERCER MILENIO. Plaza del Estudiante nº 1923. Telf 2441417
LIBRERÍA EL PASILLO. Av. Montenegro nº 1378. San Miguel. Telf 2798933
LIBRERÍA MULTILIBRO. Calle Loayza nº 233. Telf 2202005
LIBRERÍA AMIGOS DEL LIBRO. Calle Mercado nº 1315. Telf 2204321
LIBRERÍA MARTINEZ ACHINI. Av. Arce nº 2132 Edif. Illampu. Telf 2441112 (This is Hugh's favorite)
LIBRERÍA LA UNIVERSAL. Calle Ingavi esq. Pichincha
ESCAPARATE CULTURAL. Telf 2711982
BIBLIOTECA CIPCA. Telf 2416058
LENI BALLON. Telf 2280174
Money exchange
The Naira front desk has the ability to change dollars to bolivianos. There are also money changers located on Sagarnaga Calle. ATM machines can be found in various locations around Sagarnaga Calle and other adjoining calles. It is advised that persons go together, one to watch and help shield the screen from view of others who may be watching.
H. Getting to/from the airport
It is advisable to only use “Radio” taxis while traveling anywhere in La Paz. These taxis have numbers on top of them and there will be a company radio in the taxi for driver/dispatcher communication.
The fare from the airport to the Hostal Naira is 70 bolivianos.
I. Points of Interest
San Francisco Church has a great museum and walking tour.
Valle de la Luna is another tourist attraction within La Paz....
Valle de animas is another tourist attraction in La Paz....
Taxis can be hired for a day to travel to these locations.
Medical Info
The obstetric gynecologist who was referred to me (by a current patient) is (a woman):
Dra. Lucinda Nota Virhuez
Tel Consultorio: (2)243-0015
Tel Domicilio: (2)243-0025
B.P.: (2)222-0303
Address:
Avenida 6 de agosto, No. 2577
Edificio Las Dos Torres (few blocks from the Plaza Avaroa, south on 6
de agosto, and a prominent building)
1 er. Piso - Oficina 2
La Paz
Teaching English (EFL)
A. Administrative Responsibilities
1. “Cuaderno de asistencia”
2. Student roster
3. Grading
4. Exams
J. “Carta Descriptivas”
K. Lesson Plans—Binder
L. Making copies for class
M. Bimonthly volunteer meetings
N. Incorporating Language Lab into Lesson Plans
O. Interaction with department head and teachers within department
P. Testing/Assessment
Q. TOEFEL Preparation
(incomplete)
XI. Volunteer Run Projects --HANNAH/MARIA--
A. CEDI
B. High School English
D. Coroico Viejo
E. Campus Stores
F. Cooperatives
G. Sunday Community Read to children
(incomplete)
XII. Carmen Pampa Products
A. Coffee--contact
B. Honey--contact
C. Organic garden--contact
D. Pork Products--contact
E. Sister Helena--chicken
(incomplete)
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