Can Obama boost cause for Afro-Latinos?

Reporters on the Job: Traveling in Bolivia is not for the faint of heart. You often hear about buses driving off cliffs in a country where the vast majority of roads are unpaved. So when I needed to get to the small town of Tocaña in the Yungas Valley for a story on the Afro-Bolivian civil rights movement, getting there gave me some pause. I was assured by a journalist friend that the $2 minibuses were the way to go. So, I hopped on board.

At first, it felt relatively safe. But then more passengers crowded on – at one point, limbs were hanging out windows – as we drove along the paved version of what is considered “the most dangerous road in the world.” I tried to focus on the scenery – high plains with llamas grazing, leading to snowcapped mountains.

But on the way back, a rainstorm caused a massive landslide, forcing the minibus to veer off a mud slick that looked more like the edge of the cliff. It was a wild ride, indeed, but next time I think I’ll pay the extra money for a cab.