life outside

i often allude to what it is like to live overseas, but i have never really sat down and fully explained how different life outside the comforts of the united states really is. yesterday i was walking behind a well to-do woman who was probably in her 30's and who was wearing bright pink pants (at least 2 sizes too small) with a pink and purple ribbed turtleneck. and at first it barely phased me. then i began to reflect on how this completely ridiculous and inappropriate outfit barely caused me to blink, which in turn led me to think about how different bolivia is, which in turn led me to think how different my life is. yes, it's amazing what can cause me to go into deep reflective mode!

if i tried to write every way in which life is different or in which i have changed from living overseas, this blog would soon turn into a book so today i will just focus on some of the more superficial and usually amusing differences. for example, to go back to the lady with the pink pants, bolivia is about 20 years behind in fashions. if you are a lover of the 80s, come do your shopping in bolivia. as i was walking behind this lady i realized i really have no idea what is in fashion in the states. when i am home, i might buy a few items here or there, but the majority of my wardrobe really hasn't changed too much in the last 3 years. now this is not to say that everyone here looks like they stepped out of a molly ringwald film. actually i'm also daily surrounded by aymaran women in traditional dress (full skirts, shawls, and the famous bowler hats). i must admit, though, that there is something freeing in not feeling the pressure to constantly be chasing trends.

another somewhat amusing (although at times annoying) thing i've come to learn about life in bolivia is that all foods have a season, not just fruits and vegetables. for example, pretzels are about to go out of season, black beans are just now coming back into season after a 6 month time off, and basil has disappeared from all but the biggest grocery stores. i've learned to make do with what you can get here, only packing the essentials like peanut butter and chocolate chips (although i can never pack enough to last through the entire year). there are times when the grocery stores get large shipments of imports from the states and one aisle is dedicated to things like cheerios, campbell's soup, betty crocker mixes, frosting, and chex mix. we gringos walk down this aisle longingly and often get quite excited about something like a can of cream of mushroom soup. it struck me the other day that people back home will never understand the excitement and joy one can of soup can bring and probably would think that we are crazy if they saw us walking down this aisle....unless they have ever lived overseas. however, as excited as we get over the box of cheerios or the heinz ketchup, most of these things will remain on the shelf as we cannot bring ourselves to pay $20 for a box of special K or $6 for a bag of chex mix. we might splurge on one special treat and then it's back to bolivian drinkable yogurt and maraqueta bread.

like i said, things like fashions and food are really superficial differences, however they can still teach us important lessons about how we really can survive without the latest material possession. i have learned to live on less and am starting to get to the point where american grocery stores and clothing stores overwhelm me when i first walk in. i know when i move back to the states, whenever that is, it will be hard to not fall right back into the trap of always chasing the latest fashions, and taking the many choices on the grocery store shelves for granted. however, i hope the lessons i am learning here will stick with me and i will always be reminded of this time that has been so full of joy even without all the stuff we so often think we need.