Bolivia

During my final year at the University of Miami, I was trying to visit as many South American countries as I could before graduating, and Bolivia was one of them. Before the trip, my international business professor put me in touch with a Bolivian businessman named Tomislav, who owned one of the country’s largest supermarket chains. He picked me up, showed me around Santa Cruz, and even took me behind the scenes at several of his supermarkets. It definitely wasn’t a typical tourist experience, but as someone interested in entrepreneurship, I found it fascinating.

I also connected with an Australian named Nick, who had fallen in love with a Bolivian woman and decided to build a life there. Together, we explored hidden waterfalls, towering sand dunes where the desert meets the rainforest, and places that almost no tourists ever visit. Santa Cruz isn’t one of Bolivia’s best-known destinations, but it far exceeded my expectations. I hope more people get the chance to discover what an incredible city it is.