It's On

At long last, Friday
night I hopped on an overnight bus and headed for the
border to enter my new home for the next few months.
Mid morning on Saturday we arrived at Copacabana,
Bolivia on Lake Titicaca (3300m). It is a touristy
border spot near the Isla de Sol (famous site of the
Incan creation legend). I also learned the root of
the name Titicaca so now I can't giggle to myself as
easily when I hear it.

After a short break in Copacabana, I got in another
bus for La Paz (the highest capital in the world
4000m). From Copacabana we crossed a bit of the Lake
in a Lancha (so did the entire bus) and crossed into
some of the most beautiful terrain (rolling green
hills and snow capped mountains) I have seen on my
trip (maybe I was a little sentimental since this is
my new home).

We crossed the western section of Bolivia for about 2
hours and saw not a single town. These tedious hours
were followed by a moment I will never forget. After
turning around another of the many bends while coming
up a mountain, the obstructions fell away and La Paz
was finally revealed to me. I had know idea what to
expect and it completely blew me away. It is a huge
city nestled in a valley encircled by enormous snow
capped mountains. I was shocked by what I saw. Words
do not do this moment justice. But I think I shared a
moment with the Peruvian guy next to me (Franco)...
please no comments.

Also, I started work on Monday. And I finally met my
boss in person. Previously we had traded a handful of
emails, a business plan, and two 5 minute phone
conversations. I had no idea what I would really be
doing day to day and no idea what to expect out of
him. And so here is a brief synopsis first of his
career (which will definitely leave pieces out) and
then the job.

Peter McFarren, my boss, is a writer, artist,
photographer, businessman, board member, publisher,
builder, philanthropist, entrepreneur. Some of the
things he has done include writing for the AP for 18
years, starting a newspaper, starting a publishing
company, writing books, publishing his photography,
exhibiting his ceramics in museums, he found a nazi
war criminal in Bolivia (who is now in jail in
Europe), was kicked out of the country in the 80s, had
his tv cooking show declared a threat to national
security and cancelled, opened two childrens museums,
built the 10 story office building I am sitting in
right now, started a cultural and educational
foundation called Quipus, started a Cisco training
academy and more.

Despite his many achievements, he rents his home in La
Paz, takes only a salary, owns his own automobile (not
a foundation car - which is unusual) and is still
connected with his activist roots. His wife is in the
office everyday, as is his sister-in-law. Also, he
has two children and his two sisters help run his
museums.

Now the job... there are many people in the office
working on various different projects. Peter and I
are the employees of a new company called DESATEL. We
are currently working on a proposal to win a
government subsidy to build 79 Telecenters across
Bolivia. A telecenter is a place people can use the
phone and internet. There is very little
infrastructure in rural Bolivia and this program is
intended to provide new educational, health, economic,
etc. opportunities to places that have no access to
such things right now.

In preparing the bid, we are choosing technologies and
lining up companies to provide the satellite and fiber
connectivity, communications hub and gateways, VSATs
(dishes to send and receive communications signals
there is no wireline infrastructure in these places),
computers, IP phones, etc. right now. Also, we are
lining up financing which will likely include a
European grant, funds from CARE Bolivia, Quipus and
University Nur, some micro finance funds and more. In
addition, I will be drafting the organization and
management structure, operating plan, budgets,
training and management procedures, reporting
procedures, and much more for the company assuming we
win the bid. There is a ton of work to do but it is
very interesting. And despite not even having the bid
yet... Peter is talking about building 300 more
Telecenters.

I have been to 2 or 3 meetings a day and met a handful
of CEOs, leaders of various NGOs, and other people
(everyone in this country knows Peter). I have been
to all the meetings in jeans and tennis shoes speaking
broken spanish, while surrounded by native spanish
speakers in suits. Also, I have been to lunch each
day with Peter, his wife, her sister (a very
flirtatious divorcee) and various other people
(including a nun).

What else... oh I found a place to live. The
apartment is furnished with some gnarly old furniture
but it will be fine. It is 8 blocks from work in a
cool neighborhood. It has a beautiful view and I will
have four housemates (all extranjeros). In addition
to the 5 bedrooms, it has cable, a kitchen/dining
room, two bathrooms, a living room, a hot water
heater, and gets cleaned every other week for $150 a
month. I havent met any of the roommates yet I will
report on this next week. I just got the place today.

Oh... and Peter felt sorry for me and found me $500
bucks a month for food and lodging. So I am now
making money again! A juicy 4 figure salary.