11 Amazing Humans, 1 Amazing Country

This Bolivia trip was without a doubt one of the most enriching and beautiful experiences of my life. I traveled with a group of 7 other students and 3 instructors, staying in home stays for two weeks, camping for a couple nights, and staying in hostels and hotels the rest of the time.

I often feel out of place within a dominant American society that doesn't want to challenge the status quo. I traveled to Bolivia in part because I wanted to learn about the country's social movements and different political/cultural traditions and systems. I learned a lot about different ways of being and knowing on this trip, and we learned about social movements and protests such as the Water Wars in Cochabamba. I found the culture of Where There Be Dragons to be perfectly fitted to the critical lens I like to look at the world through-- during mid-course and orientation, we got to reflect and frame our trip and discuss what we'd experienced so far in the context of the wider world and our home countries. These discussions were some of the most powerful I've ever been part of.

I am beyond grateful for the group I traveled with. The 7 other students are some of the most interesting, passionate, and engaged people I've ever met. Through the intense travel and long van rides, we all bonded so much and it was so beautiful to be part of such a tight-knit community. Our instructors were super amazing too, and really knowledgable about Bolivian culture and customs-- they helped us out but also gave us more and more independence as the trip went on, which is intentional because that independence culminates in students planning a few days of the trip during X-phase. They also facilitated discussions and reflections on the trip that helped us all think more deeply about the implications of the land we were on.

I always felt very safe in Bolivia; our instructors and our host families and our fellow students were always there for us, but traveling and learning travel skills also gave me the confidence to feel capable and safe in many new kinds of situations.

I never thought I was capable enough to do an adventurous trip like this. But this program looked so amazing, I decided to give it a try-- and I am so so grateful I did. If you are considering this program, I will say: what matters most is that you are INTO IT and fully engaged, ready to think critically, and give your all for this precious month. If you are worried about other challenges you anticipate having on the trip, but feel super excited about the idea of going, reach out to the Dragons staff-- they are really helpful and reassuring. For example, I'm a vegetarian, and had a conversation with a Dragons person before even applying for this trip about Bolivian food and if I can bring food (you can; I had a giant ziplock of protein bars but rarely had to use them because Bolivian food is delicious and homestay families are really good at cooking.)

Overall, the feeling I take away most from this trip is this amazing feeling of unconditional love: for my group, my Bolivian families, the mountains that held us and the forests that let us wander through, the activists and artists and permaculture specialists we learned from, and for myself-- because I decided to push through my fears by going on this trip, and found the most wonderful experience of my life on the other side.