Bolivia Expedition

This year the students of Year 8 at BCB travelled to the giddy heights and extreme conditions of one of the highest areas of the continent: the spectacular salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni in southern Bolivia. Spending a week at well over 3000 meters above sea level and leaving the creature comforts of city living in Sao Paulo far behind the trip was both immensely challenging and uniquely rewarding.

At 10,582 square kilometers, Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat and was formed as a result of transformations between several prehistoric lakes that dried up some 14,000 years ago. One of the driest places in the world, the Salar is almost devoid of wildlife and vegetation - giant cacti grows at a rate of around 1cm per year. 

Amid this spectacular and challenging setting, BCB students were given a number of tasks to improve communication and team work. The students rose to the challenge and evidenced both their independence and their ability to work as supportive members of a team. It is the opinion of all of the staff involved in the trip that the students experienced an enriching and formative journey that they will not soon forget.