From Bolivia with Love (and Employment)

OK, so I know I've been super absent from the friend blog since, well, its inception but all that's about to change. Now, after months of fruitless albeit enthusiastic networking, I gots myself a J-O-B. That's right, I'm finally going to have an active lifestyle which is certain to be filled with hilarious, blog-worthy stories! I mean really, why else would one seek employment?

I found out late last week that I got a job with the Spitting Llama Bookstore and Outfitter in La Paz, Bolivia. If anyone remembers Dave Holman from Carleton (maybe involving an incident in which he baby-birded a Reese's peanut butter cup on stage? Anyone?) he and his wife (also, wife?! And you're under 30?) own three travel bookstores in Bolivia and I've been taken on to manage and work in the one in La Paz. I only spent a few days in La Paz when I was there last time so I'm excited to get to know it better and have more time to get mugged and knifed to death. Hopefully that sentence doesn't come back to mug and knife me to death...

What's most exciting about this job is that for many reasons, Dave really wants his stores to have a positive social impact in the their communities (not least of which being that it keeps Bolivians from burning them down during their biweekly protests. FUN!). Because the store in La Paz is newer than the others in Copacabana and Cochabamba, the community outreach component hasn't really been conceptualized or implemented yet. That means it's my job to get out into the community, get to know NGOs working in the area, and basically ask everyone, "Hi, what kind of sustainable project might you be interested in?" Hopefully there will be lots of interested parties to make that job component a bit easier.

I have to be in Bolivia in the first week of January so I thought, "why not tack on a trip to New York since I'll be on the move over New Years anyway?" So I'm going to be in New York for New Years to see everyone who's able to make it!! I'm getting in on the night of the 30th and flying out on January 4th. Get ready to rage. Those who can't make it, get ready for hourly (drunk?) updates via most available media.

That's my update, I'm ssooSOsoso glad I finally have something to report. The last few months have been sort of grim, but I think this is going to be a pretty sweet opportunity. I'll be there for at least a year, anyone interested in visiting? I'll have an apartment...and one of the cheapest living costs in the Western Hemisphere. Eh? Eh?