Measuring a country

by Raquel Rero (Spain)

I didn't expect to find Bolivia

Southern Bolivia is a constant challenge in sight. An austere immensity of kilometers of diverse and beautiful landscapes, from the driest desert to the greenest areas with quinoa plantations and full of herds of llamas grazing. A cactus island is born in the middle of the largest salt flat in the world, like a small living and perennial resistance: "Here I am, I am not leaving, I endure your days, I repel the battles of time". I read that it is a country in an almost natural state. It is less famous than other neighboring regions and retains much cultural and historical richness: strong indigenous communities, ancient languages, traditions and beliefs dating back to the Incas. When we arrive at towns or cities, the land, the small houses, the hanging cables, the street stalls and the looks of dust predominate. Nana asks me if it is a poor country and I answer her "yes, well..." without knowing exactly what to say, because there are figures and numbers, but it has improved a lot even though now the future hangs by a very thin thread. Then I think that: What do I know from the figures? When will we be able to get out of the system's measurements and will we be able to start measuring by the other side? And meanwhile, they are empty lands and plots of land, only occupied by some small towns or isolated houses, equipped with the basics. We asked Marcial, our guide, if anyone is exploiting the natural resources. He answered these territories belong to the community and without his approval no company can act. And so it seems in the face of the voracious world in which we live - and in the face of its yardsticks - the earth is a little freer and those of us who come from outside a little more humble.