Interested in Work Opportunities - Moving to Bolivia after June 1st

by Pea
(La Paz / US)

Hello. I've wanted to go to Bolivia for the past few years. A few months ago, I met a lovely Bolivian young lady and we became friends. Her dad is going to be staying here in the US for a while (possibly for up to 2 years) and his place in La Paz will be empty. He has offered to let me stay at his place in the meantime. This, in addition to the ending of the job I had, makes me feel like the time to move to Bolivia is now. He told me I can move in after June 1st.


I would like to secure work in La Paz, so I can obtain a Work Visa. I would prefer to teach or train others; write for someone; work in an office or at a desk - but I am very flexible, as well as highly skilled and a fast learner. I am a hard worker with strong computer skills. I am very organized and work well by myself or with others.

About me:
- Graduate of US University (degree in Anthropology)- Strong Spanish proficiency
- native English speaker
- US citizen
- 25
- female

I would greatly appreciate any and all suggestions.

¡Muchas gracias!

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Jul 10, 2016
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Things to know about working in Bolivia
by: Bella

A few things you might want to keep in mind about working in Bolivia:

a) Unless you work for one of the foreign schools or companies, wages are very, very low (on average, $300 a month for about 80% of the population).

b) If you speak Spanish, you have a much greater chance of getting a job somewhere outside of the "expat" sphere.

c) If you plan to live and work in Bolivia, you must enter on a Specific Purpose Visa, not a tourist visa, and you must apply for residency within your first 30 days in the country.

d) A good way to network before you arrive, is to join some of the online groups on Facebook, such as the BoliviaBella Facebook group.

e) You can also join up now at Internations.org to connect with people before arriving. Expats in La Paz and Santa Cruz have monthly social get-togethers so you'll want to be sure you get the Internations invites to those. They coordinate online and then they meet up in person, which is why you have to become an online member.

f) It's important to arrive knowing you will not live in Bolivia in the same ways you lived in your country and not expecting to have the same lifestyle, comforts or conveniences. People who don't arrive with a mindset of being open to change and exploration, usually end up feeling frustrated and not enjoying their time here.

You sound like an explorer :)

Bella

Jul 10, 2016
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Interested in work opportunities-moving to Bolivia
by: Marjorie Mindel

I live in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, so I can't help you with job possibilities in La Paz. I suggest you contact the American Consulate in La Paz to see if they know of anything. There's also an American School in La Paz. American Schools start in August and end in May/June. There are also universities and English-language institutes, as well as American-owned businesses. Hopefully, the Consulate might have some suggestions for you.

Jul 10, 2016
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Dear Bella
by: Pea

¡Hola! Perhaps you have some thoughts or tips I should keep in mind? Or maybe even some connections in La Paz?

Any and all feedback would be most appreciated.

Saludos
Pea

Jul 09, 2016
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Good to know
by: BoliviaBella

Thanks for the update. We noticed your message hadn't received any responses, so we posted it again.

=)
Bella

Jul 09, 2016
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**Update**
by: Pea

I decided to stop first in Costa Rica, but am still looking to move to Bolivia. I'd be open to move to Bolvia as soon as August!
¡Gracias!

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