Bolivia is diverse. Even in terms of the climate, the landlocked state has a great deal to offer from deserts to jungle and the Andes. The locals, with over 30 official languages, sometimes still surprise you and communications can become difficult at times.
The problems are just as varied as the land and culture in general.
Unemployment, poverty, a lack of education, malnutrition and increasing obesity in the population are affecting every corner of the country. Bolivia seems a fitting place for a dietician to end up, at least where the last two points are concerned.
Proyecto Horizonte is an NGO in Cochabamba which seemed to me to be the right place for my internship abroad. Since 2004, the project has been committed to addressing the concerns of inhabitants in Mineros San Juan, Ushpa-Ushpa, offering a range of programmes. Schools and kindergartens have been opened, sports and music lessons offered and a health centre set up with doctors, nurses, a dentist, biochemist, ‘nutricionistas’ (i.e. dieticians).
It is here that I found my position as a prospective dietician, working with locals to develop the complex field of nutrition. Easier said than done. The differences in culture, language and mentality gave rise to some fun, challenging and connecting moments, always centred around the friendly attitude of the Bolivians. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and child nutrition were some of the topics favoured by the visitors to the health centre, though this was hard to believe when we would see the mothers feeding their children Coca Cola, chocolate and waffles at just 3 months old.
Part of my internship also involved compiling information materials to be used in schools and kindergartens. I had the opportunity to inform young people about Proyecto Horizonte at a football event, based on a poster about sports nutrition, to participate in talks on social development and to explore the key aspects of nutrition with young people in a workshop.
The greatest challenge was probably training all of the Proyecto Horizonte employees. People from Bolivia as well as Russia, Canada, Peru and Switzerland wanted to gain access in Spanish to information on healthy nutrition as well as nutrition in pregnancy, breastfeeding, gastritis and sports nutrition. The different countries of origin of those involved made this a very exciting session in addition to the different concerns, vocational groups and experiences involved. The result was lots of questions, lots of laughter and a workshop which expanded my horizons.
It was a very special experience for me to explore the issue of nutrition from a new perspective and submerse myself in a different culture and way of living.
