I realized that I haven´t really mentioned anything about classes yet- which actually is a little strange because the academic side of the program has been pretty consuming.  There are just six of us on this program and in the mornings we have class based on the theme of the program: Revolutionary movements and conflict resolution, and in the afternoon we generally have Spanish class.  The morning classes are always taught by a different lecturer.  We´ve had Bolivian historians and government officials, Cuban philosophers, Venezuelan diplomats…  yeah, it´s been intense to say the least.  But also, so so so interesting.  Everyone has their own take on history, what forces are influencing the present, and where the future is headed.  Our Spanish classes are a little less formal, and we often get to leave the classroom and explore market places or nearby towns.  One thing that´s been a bit frustrating is that our university is sort of in the boonies.  The commute takes about 40 minutes each way, making our days really long.  I usually leave my house around 9 and don´t get back until 7.  However, the director of the program totally understands our frustrations and we´re slowly making changes.  (This is the first year of this particular program in La Paz, so things are somewhat flexible.)  For example, one change we´ve made is that at least once a week we have class at our director´s house in downtown La Paz.  She has an amazing apartment, and with just six of us, we can have class around her dinning room table.  We often eat lunch at her house too, which is so so great because she is an amazing cook!