Social Life in Bolivia
Behavior
The Bolivians are conservative in most aspects of their lives and this is best seen in their behaviors, dress, and dining etiquette. They tend to dress and act conservatively, much of which is based on the tenants of the Catholic Church. However, there is also great variety in the way the Bolivians behave as the country is very diverse ethnically and geographically. Despite the conservative lifestyle of the Bolivians, politically the country is very liberal and their elected officials reflect this.
As a visitor to Bolivia try to follow the lead of the locals by dressing conservatively (see below for details), dining in the local etiquette (see our Bolivia Dining & Food Page), and avoid sensitive conversation topics, such as politics, finances, and business unless initiated by your local counterpart. Also try to avoid being loud, rude, showing off wealth, or getting noticeably drunk in public.
Dress
The traditional dress of the Bolivians is quite different from region to region depending on numerous factors, including ethnicity, culture, weather, income, lifestyle, and more. Additionally, the traditional dress and style has been forgotten in some regions due to Spanish presence and in other areas the Spanish altered it to a vast degree. Today there is a mix of indigenous dress which has been changed by the Spanish and the more European-styled dress found throughout the country, most commonly in the country's cities.