This adorable child greeted bus passengers stopping at a rest area just past the Chile-Bolivia border. She talked non-stop while chasing her cat, and was all smiles when she finally captured him. The only words I understood were “meow meow” and “uh-uh.”

It’s most appropriate that the face of Bolivia be a child. I’ve been amazed at how Bolivian children are so integrated into their parent’s workplace. Every day seems to be bring your child to work day. In the small town of Uyuni, children always seemed to be by their parents’ side. The bus terminal had 25-30 vendors, each with their own small office. Virtually every office had a resident child, under the watchful eye of an adult. (Including this little girl who crashed my video call.) Napping in a pram, playing in the hallway with their big wheels, squealing with other children. It seemed to be an acceptable form of childcare; perhaps it’s out of necessity in one of the poorest countries in South America.