(Training pics are full size; some more recent pictures -- with a bluish outline -- can be clicked to enlarge)
Name
 David Dolson
Sacramento, CA & La Paz, Bolivia
Training Biography

DAVID P. DOLSON

Dave is attending the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he is majoring in history. He has worlked with the Sacramento Welfare Department teaching English to Spanish-speaking people. Dave is interested particularly in Portugal and Brazil. He would like to teach history and language at the high school level.

More Recent
Photos

click photo to enlarge

(1) (2) (3)
(1) Dave Dolson 2006
(2) (l to r) Woody Johnson is Best Man to Miriam Salazar and David Dolson, married in La Paz on June 6, 1970.
(3) Wedding Reception with PC Office staff at Dolson-Salazar wedding: (l to r) Gino Baumann's daughter, Evito Toro's sister, Norah Lopez, Evita Toro (standing), Maggie Carrasco (kneeling), Dave Dolson (rear), Teresa Anteza (front), Rita Blanco with small son, Jaime Mendoza, Teresa Silverstein, Wenceslaus Terceros, and Pat Harcourt.

Location
and Work

Molino Cucho near Carabuco,  Provincia Camacho (September 68 to February 69)
Community Development and Agriculture.

La Paz (March 69 to August 70)
PC liaison to Ministry of Agriculture and volunteer support
After
Service

I have had a career in education including classroom teacher, administrator and professor. I just completed 30 years as an advisor with the California Department of Education.

I live in Sacramento with my wife (Miriam Salazar, PC Office secretary) and we have two grown boys, David, an officer with the Sacramento Fire Department and Andres, a construction engineer in San Diego.

Over the years, I have worked on several education projects in Bolivia, most notably bilingual education in Cochabamba. Because of my wife's family, we visit Bolivia often, especially La Paz and believe it or not, we have an apartment in a high rise building at the corner of Avenida Arce-Esquina Pinilla that overlooks the old PC office

PC In Your Life

My PC experience has been with me every day of my life. It has motivated me to be pro-social, multicultural, and multilingual in my outlook. The people I met in PC, both Bolivian and gringos, are very special and have influenced me greatly. Bolivia did a lot for me; unfortunately I didn't do much for her.
Best/Worst PC Experience

Best:

  • Salteñas
  • andean music
  • Aymara
  • PC jeeps
  • chifas chinas
  • mail from home
  • going to the movies
  • the book locker
  • travel in the campo
  • hot water whenever possible
  • La Paz
  • just getting together with fellow volunteers and staff

Worst:

  • K’alla (freeze-dried okra)
  • our cranky landlady--Sra. Avaroa
  • the roads, especially the one to Caranavi
  • obligatory drinking at Bolivian fiestas

RPCV Groups

I belong to Amigos de Bolivia y Peru and did a multi-year stint as editor of the newsletter Yachaspa. Able to get a lot of material for articles from Gino Baumann and others.
In the Future
  • Take life as it comes.
  • Write a book about linguistic human rights (rational to end monolingual policies in schools).
  • Continue family genealogical study---found out that my family name Dolson comes from sephardic jews (marranos) forced out of Portugal during the inquisition, who then ended up in Dalfsen, Holland and subsequently to the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam (New York). Fascinating stuff!
  • Maybe someday visit Yad Vashem in Israel---the avenue of righteous.
Favorites to Share
Your Website: http://bolivianet.com where I have posted a Bolivia travel guide
Movies: Shindler's List, Monsoon Wedding, El Hijo de La Novia
Books: Does anyone still read?  O.K, Language Power and Pedagogy by Jim Cummins
Quote: Entre el dicho y el hecho, hay mucho trecho.
Websites: