Follow-up interviews in Bolivia (or, that's my story and I'm sticking to it)

Dearest Friends:

Okay. So, I'm set to leave this coming Thurs; scheduled to arrive in Cochabamba same day (let's hope there's no surprise night-over at Viru Viru in Santa Cruz). Plan is to spend a week or so in cbba; see how things go. Visit TWGT and the other old people, find a bench in the main plaza to people watch, have the occasional cappuccino, and do a few interviews if they happen to come my way. If I have the energy and the funds, I may make a quick trip back to Sucre to get additional interviews at the Constitutional Tribunal and to give Don Raul his bottlecaps. At this point, quite honestly, I'm inclined to simply send the bottlecaps by mail and do phone interviews from the US -- though this would probably be like pulling teeth.

Oddly enough, despite cultural and scheduling difficulties, I do have to say that the Bolivians on the whole have been much, much more forthcoming and responsible with interviews than the Argentines. In Bolivia, once you make contact, for the most part, it's simply a matter of when the meeting will take place (though this is no easy thing). In Argentina, it's incredibly hard to get people to even acknowledge you -- and this is WITH contacts to contact the contacts. So, for example, you can send an email along the lines of:

Dear X:

Your friends So and So (President of the Nation), and So and So (Very Important Constitutionalist) and So and So (your old drinking buddy and former mistress) gave me your name and suggested we set up a meeting, at your convenience. Please let me know if and when you have the time, as it would be a pleasure to meet you, etc., etc..

Very best regards,
BTJDLLM

In Argentina (where email is used for these things, unlike Bolivia), it's highly probable an email like this will get you absolutely NO response. None. Zero. Null. Not even a courtesy thanks but no thanks, I'm out of the country forever. It's surprising, really, and especially tiresome from the academics. I suppose I hold them to a higher standard.

On a more positive note, the lead NGO here want me to help out/give talks to the public interest law clinic they run for advanced law students at the UBA. Naturally, this email comes the week I travel, so it'll have to wait until I return. It's nice they thought to ask and it's an excellent opportunity, though I'm not sure I'm in a position to tell these students anything they don't already know. Frankly, they probably know a hell of a lot more about public interest litigation in the region than I do.

Beautiful Saturday here. Bright sun. Just what I needed. Despite a long night, was up at 8 am and consider this a good sign. Hope everyone is well.

Abrazo,
B.