Kelly and I normally reside in Athens, Georgia, where we are both doctoral candidates at the University of Georgia. Kelly studies financial aid policy at the Institute of Higher Education. I am in the department of anthropology, and my research on dietary water consumption and health is taking us to the Bolivian Amazon for the next year. I work with an indigenous population, the Tsimane', who live in Lowland Bolivia. The Tsimane' are one of the largest indigenous populations in Bolivia, numbering roughly 15,000 individuals in 100 different villages in the Beni region.
We'll spend much of the next year living in two villages on the Maniqui River. From the nearest small town of San Borja, we'll get to the communities by motorized canoes. Once there, we will live in a little hut with a palm thatch roof. One of the primary drinks that Tsimane' drink is chicha, which is a home-made fermented beer made with yuca, plantains, or maize.
In this blog, we'll provide updates for family, friends, and colleagues. We'll try to provide you with new stories and photos each month.
