Over the last 9 months one thing has remained consistent in La Paz... the fact that I am too big for this country. Whenever I leave the apartment whether it is to go out to dinner, to the grocery store, or simply on a walk I am always running into things. Now this could mean I am just clumsy, but the fact is I am always hitting things with the top of my head. It could be an innocent tree planted conveniently in the middle of the sidewalk (who does that). A sign in the grocery store that is hanging just a bit to low for this five foot ten American girl, and sometimes even the celling feels a bit to close for comfort. Now I can't blame the Bolivians because most of their population just hits under 5'5 it seems, but it is always an adventure seeing what I might unexpectedly get into a fight with next.
Now just as you are starting to feel bad for me it gets better. Not only is my head to high up off the ground, it is also to big. My mother has always given me a hard time about how large my head was as a child, but I never felt it quite as much until I moved here. A friend of mine who is also a teacher and fellow large headed US citizen faces this problem too. We have been on a wild goose chase looking for a hat to guard out pale faces from the crazy sun, and I finally had to give in and find some over the Christmas break. Now we are able to sit in the sun at recess enjoying the warmth it gives without sacrificing the skin on our scalp, or are faces :) Finally a solution, until Bolivia day comes around. We have a day once a year that celebrates Bolivia and it's culture. The students and staff get to wear fun traditional costumes, perform dances, and eat! But this year the teachers get to wear a hat. And of course that hat does not fit our obscenely large heads (slight exaggeration)! Not to mention the costume lady came to take measurements and didn't even have to measure my body, she simply said large (with a slightly discusted tone in her voice). I tried the hat on yesterday with my class and they laughed and then proceeded to tell me that is how it is supposed to be. I am not so sure about that, considering it fits the other girls here. But I will accept it for one day.
Never-the-less the solution to my "unproportionalness"( I know, I know what kind of teacher are you?) is to embrace it. I will fight with inanimate objects, be the crazy gringa in the grocery store being attacked by the signs advertising the sales on juice and apples, and attempt to do a traditional dance without loosing my hat.
I have however learned that some things are not really taken into serious consideration when moving to a new country. Next time I will move to a land of tall-bred folks :)
I hope your day is filled with appreciation for the tall things around you!
Love,
Sara
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