Little. Yellow. Different.

So, Nattybear is fighting a nasty cold this week, so I'm inside a lot. Therefore, I decided to wander around the house while she was napping to capture a few, everyday things we live with that are different from the US. Not better or worse- just different.


There's no such thing as central heating and air in the homes or buildings of La Paz. 12,000 ft. can mean warm, if you are outside in the intense sun, or cold, if you are inside- at almost any part of the year. Now that it is coming on winter here, it is COLD inside. We cart this puppy around- a gas heater with wheels that warms up a room in no time. It's a must for heating up the kitchen for breakfast, Natty's bathtime, and sometimes even the bathroom when you don't want to come out of a warm shower into a frigid bathroom.

Bolivian builders are less than creative when it comes to light. The majority don't figure into the equation how lighting will affect a room and most rooms sport the classic lightbulb-hanging-from-a-wire look. Thankfully, our landlord has an artistic side and most of our other fixtures have nice iron work of some kind.

Hot and cold water coming from the tap is extremely uncommon (which, paired with the chilly temps of the city, makes for constantly icy fingers). But, if you have a magic box like we do, you can get hot water from the tap AND the shower. The other alternative is what is affectionately called the "widow maker"- an electric device that is wired to the spout where the water comes out in your shower. DON'T TOUCH. This is an electric water heater and I love it.

Dish washers are pretty much unheard of. I don't mind hand-washing, especially since we have the electric water heater.

There are no electric stoves/ovens, that I'm aware of. Gas is nice and heats up quickly.

They do exist, but we don't have gas lines that come from a gas source directly into the house. Most people don't. So, we (meaning Scotty) lugs a very heavy gas tank to and fro the shop down the street or from gas trucks that drive by to replace your empty containers. I'm afraid to change the tank on the stove because I'm convinced I will do something wrong and blow up the house. It's not out of the realm of possibility.

Drinking tap water is a "no-no". Here is our beautiful water filter that actually says "Stefi" on the side. I guess that's her name.


We drink milk from liter bags. No milk jugs here. Sometimes they spring leaks on the way home from the grocery store and you don't realize it until you start unpacking milky food products.

Fruit and veggies must be soaked in disinfectant for a few mins before eaten. It's even advisable to soak your eggs cause they come in the nice, little egg cartons with bits of poop still stuck to them. Don't want to crack that into your frying pan!

Yogurt is sold in liter bottles and labeled "Ready to Drink". That's right- we don't want any rich, creamy yogurt with big fruit chunks...right? This stuff is drunk (drunken?) from a glass.

220, not 110. Too bad we've blown stereo equipment, coffee grinder, telephone, Vonage system, and various other things forgetting that fact.

Hence- there are many converters littered around the house. This one is very important- for our imported coffee grinder and crock pot.

Bath tubs aren't so common- standing showers are. I haven't taken a bath in at least a year (but lots of showers, don't worry).

Plumbing is not up to the standard necessary to flush your toilet paper. So, you put it in the trash can...I know, a little yucky. It also messes with your mind when travelling to and from the US.