GCP Bolivia: Getting out of the comfort zone

(posted on behalf of Jennie Ferraro)

Before coming to Bolivia, I was unsure of what to expect. I had read it was the poorest country in South America. It went on to explain how little of the country has electricity, let alone shopping malls, big restaurants, or toilet paper in the bathrooms. As an American, reading this can be quite unnerving. How do you prepare for 10 days in a country totally different than that to which you are accustomed? What do you pack? I did my best to pack a variety of clothing and (as my group will tell you) supplies for just about any potential bad situation I could imagine.

Mental habits can be a problem for all of us. Once we create a comfort zone we rarely step outside that comfort zone. The problem with this is that once you are exposed to the same thing over and over again, you are no longer affected by it. Your brain literally renders that stimuli invisible. In America (well Virginia), there are stores and restaurants on every corner. Yes, there are nature trails and hiking opportunities but even those have been rearranged by man to allow the journey to be easier. There is plant life and greenery around, but in day to day life we do not allow ourselves the opportunity to give it proper attention. We as adults have become jaded. It's a sort of laziness where we jump to the conclusion and don't allow ourselves the proper time or energy to think about the here and how.

Bolivia is different. Bolivia has green everywhere you look. Yes there are shops around but they are mostly family owned and surrounded by nature. There are wild horses, wild cows, dogs, birds, ducks, emus, cats, and other creatures simply wondering aimlessly around town peacefully coexisting with the natives. The nature here is absolutely breathtaking. It is so refreshing to be able to drive around and see fields of forests and animal life without running into a CVS or MdDonalds.

We had the opportunity to go deeper into nature yesterday and the views were indescribable. You literally had to reconfigure your mind to accept the fact you were staring at something so beautiful. This is what it means to be inspired, to fully take it in. These are the places that have led to visions that change the world, and I am beyond grateful got the opportunity to experience them.

This place is amazing. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the week in Bolivia has to offer.