Round two here we go..
Minibuses rule the streets of La Paz. They're like big mini-vans that can fit 15 people; 5 rows with 3 people in each row. I would guess they account for 70% of the traffic, while regular taxis and personal vehicles make up the rest. Mini-buses are super convenient because they will pick you up and drop you off anywhere along their route. And you can get almost anywhere in the city for 3 bolivianos ($0.50) or less.
On Tuesday I was riding a minibus to the school I'm working at in El Alto. In order to make it to school by 8am I have to leave my neighborhood in La Paz (Obrajes) no later than 6:30am. In many of the minibuses there is a man or women who rides along and shouts out the destinations and cost. They also collect payment so the driver can focus on driving. When the minibus is completely full the person collecting money/attracting business stands and hunches over next to the sliding door and onto the lap of whatever poor soul is the last one to get on. On Tuesday I was that poor soul. And I couldn't keep my eyes open to save my life.
When I got off the mini-bus to make my first transfer I felt the cargo pocket of my pants and my cellphone was gone. I quick ran back to the mini-bus that was already filling up with people for it's next stop. I frantically looked on the floor under the seats but found nothing. I walked away from the mini-bus in blind anger. I knew exactly what had happened.. the woman collecting the money and hunching over me snatched it out of my pocket while I was dozing off. I am a very fair-minded person and this wasn't fair. She had stolen something that was mine.
When I arrived back at Casa Alianza (place where I'm living) I had a Facebook message from my good Bolivian friend Sarita telling me she knew I had lost my phone and a man named Jorge found it called her and wanted to meet somewhere to return it. Wow, it was my fault after all. I had lost the phone. I immediately felt ashamed of my assumption that my cellphone had been stolen. There are good people out there doing good things. And we need to let them do good and not assume the worst. So through a couple exchanging of hands between Jorge and Sarita's friends living in La Paz my cell phone was returned. With a full battery.
Blessings,
Mark
