I lived in La Paz, Bolivia for a year in 2012-2013 and moved back in May 2014. This website documents my personal experiences and observations of Bolivian society.
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
Source: gringoinbolivia
A GRINGO IN BOLIVIA 
So what is a gringo exactly? A derogatory term for a white guy?
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It just means foreigner. It can be derogatory or not depending on the context and tone or voice.
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nice work Hazza
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Gringo originated as (white) Americans came to Bolivia. It first referred to to them in a non-derogatory fashion but then extended to mean any foreigner that is not clearly of a different ethnicity (Asian for example). As pointed out, current use can or not be derogatory.
On a side note, I quiet like the blog and having lived for some time abroad also find amusing many things in our culture (or sometimes the lack of it).
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Thanks Gabriel. Things sure are different over here to how they are in the west.
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why u dont mention ur bride anywhere? :)
lost of love from her….
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ur bride is pride for ur awesome work my love, the best writer for me next to my bed from the sunrise to the sundown…
10 years together, and more … :)
can’t wait!! tkm
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The origin of the term ‘gringo’. When the fruit companies came South from the USA, they only wanted the green fruit, like bananas, mangoes, etc. So they said, “Only the green go. Only the green go.” So, it follows, green-go—shortened to gringo.
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There’s a variation of that story in which US soldiers were fighting against Mexicans. The Americans wore green army gear so the Mexicans shouted Green-go at them…
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The story i know is the one gringoinbolivia is telling. I actually first heard it when i was attending school in the USA and was told to us by a history teacher as we were on the subject of the wars with Mexico. The saying was “green go home” urging Americans to go back to their country or go back to “their side of the river”… a bit ironic now don’t you think?
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About the subject at hand (I left a response here before but for some reason it seems as it did not submit) the story I know of where the term first came to use is the one told by gringoinbolivia, I learned of it when I was doing middle school at the USA and we were going over American history, specifically the conflicts with Mexico, it was told to us by the history teacher (because someone had mentioned the term in class) and she advised that it came from the Americans wearing a green uniform and Mexicans wearing Blue. Mexicans would shout “Green Go Home” advising them to go back to the US or… “stay on their side of the river”… Rather ironic now don’t you think?
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Haha, yes. That is very ironic!
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I’ve never considered where the term gringo comes from. Interesting discussion! I love language. I’m off to Google now.
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Gabriel Alejandro Vera Pinto is 100% right!
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Thanks for sharing this info on a less-traveled country.
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Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your adventures in La Paz. My husband and I are currently living and volunteering as engineers based in La Paz, and have obtained specific purpose visas, good for 180 days. The question we have at this point is if we can possibly renew these specific purpose visas one time, if we decide to stay for an additional 180 days. It looks like the only other option is to apply for residency, which we are hoping isn’t necessary for temporary volunteers. Can you please advise?
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Hey Steve. Sorry for the slow response. I don’t check this much these days.
I don’t believe you can renew OD visas, but I could be wrong. Check with the good folk down on calle Camacho. I’ve heard whispers of a volunteer visa which is easier to obtain than the work one. Another possibility is you might be able to leave Bolivia and come back on a tourist visa (OD visa shouldn’t count towards your 90 days in the country). Again, confirm at least three times with migration as they give you different answers each time :) Finally, you could always overstay. Nobody cares if you do but you gotta pay $4 per day.
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