Fionna's Bolivian Expedition 2011

In July 2011, I shall be embarking upon a four-week adventure to Bolivia, one of the highest countries in the world and yet perhaps one of the more illusive and least touristy. During my trip, I'll have the opportunity of seeing some the most dramatic scenery and landscapes and amongst it all, I will be teaching local children at a community education centre. The purpose of my website is to give you information about my visit to Bolivia, and hope that you will support me in any way you can.

I shall be based in Potosi, the highest city in the world and home to the glacial waters of “Seven Cascades”. Together with a close friend, Kerry, I will be living with a local Tacana family in the rainforest and, as part of earning my board, I will take on daily household duties and, at the same time, learn about the exotic plants and their traditional ways of hunting. I will also be undertaking some conservation work with the community.  The whole trip has been organised thanks to Real Gap Experience, organisers of gap year adventures around the world. 

One of the main reasons I have decided to go to Bolivia this summer is because of my memorable experience of travelling to Borneo in 2009. During that visit to Asia, we climbed Mount Kinabalu, trekked through the rainforest and helped out with a local community. I raised the funds myself by getting a job waitressing in a local Aberdeen restaurant, which made the whole adventure more rewarding through the sense of my own achievement. Since returning I have become more independent and responsible as a result of managing the group’s finances, organising travel whilst there and finding suitable places to eat; all of which had to be done under a strict budget and through a language barrier. This expedition opened my eyes to Borneo’s diverse culture and from this I knew I needed to explore and understand the world further. 

I am fascinated by Latin American culture and Bolivia holds a real attraction to me, with its amazing landscapes, largest salt lake in the world, and highest city in the world. I shall be starting at University in October 2011, studying Geography, and believe that this experience can only enhance my knowledge about the relationship between physical landscapes and human cultures.