Basics - The Rough Guide to Bolivia - page 70

of the large number of NGOs operating in Bolivia. Paid work is more difficult to come by,
and getting formal permission to work even more so, but opportunities do exist, particularly
for those with valuable skills to offer.

BOLIVIAN EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES
Australia Suite 602, 90 Pitt St, Sydney, NSW 2000 029247 4235, 029086 8199.
Canada Suite 416, 130 Albert St, Ottawa, Ontario KIP SG4

613236-5730,

6132368237.
UK 106 Eaton Square, London SW1W 9AD 0207235 4248, 0207235 1286.
US Embassy 3014 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008 202483-4410.

Studying Spanish
Bolivia is a good place to study Spanish . Bolivian pronunciation is slow and clear, making
the language easier to pick up, and tuition costs are lower than in neighbouring countries.
Spending one or several weeks on an intensive course is a good way of immersing yourself in
Bolivian culture and getting to know a particular city in more detail, and can provide a good
reason for living in Bolivia for a while without being a tourist.
La Paz, Sucre and Cochabamba are the most popular places for studying Spanish - lan-
guage schools are detailed in the listings section for each of these cities in the guide. You'll
also find individual Spanish language teachers offering their services on a one-to-one basis in
these cities and in smaller towns around Bolivia. These can be very good, though it's worth
trying a lesson or two before you commit to a long course with a particular teacher. More
adventurous linguists can also study Quechua (in Cochabamba) or Aymara (in La Paz).
Volunteering
There are ever-increasing opportunities for volunteering in Bolivia, though most require you
to pay for your own food and accommodation and to stay for at least a month. Unless you're
willing to pay the (often high) fees charged by agencies that match volunteers with charities,
the best way to find volunteering work is by word of mouth . Ask around in cities like La
Paz, Sucre and Cochabamba and you're likely to find something worthwhile to do if you're
prepared to work for free, especially if you have useful skills to offer. Also try contacting
local NGOs - and international ones working in Bolivia - directly. You'll need a reasonable
level of Spanish if you want to do any kind of volunteer work with local communities. A
useful website with information on free and low-cost volunteering opportunities throughout
South America is volunteersouthamerica.net .
One place that does take volunteers on a regular basis is the Parque Machía Inti Wara
Yassi animal refuge in Villa Tunari in the Chapare region, east of Cochabamba. Volunteers
do everything from maintaining trails and looking after rescued animals to cleaning toilets