Basilio Vargas - Guest Speaker

In 2005, an astonishing documentary about a Bolivian boy and his brother was released to the public. This award-winning film, The Devil’s Miner by Kief Davidson and Richard Ladkani, tells the story of Basilio Vargas, then 14 years old, and his younger brother Bernardino. Basilio and his brother are child miners, doing their best to earn money for his impoverished family living on the rocky slopes of El Cerro Rico in Potosí, Bolivia.  He and his brother must enter a dangerous mine when they are not in school, sometimes working shifts lasting more than 12 hours. 

Joseph Boyle, Adjunct Instructor of Spanish, contacted Basilio about 10 years ago through Facebook. They have become friends and Mr. Boyle has maintained a unique relationship with him, inviting him to speak about his documentary, his life, and culture via video in his classes. 

Thursday night, Basilio joined the Spanish 201 class remotely via Zoom, live from Bolivia. He had just left the mine, his shift having ended moments earlier.  With his cell phone in one hand and using the other to shield the bright light on his miner’s helmet, Basilio told his story and respectfully answered questions from our students in Spanish.  What a wonderful opportunity for our Saint Lawrence University students to take an adventure (virtually) and meet a new friend. Mr. Boyle felt thrilled and proud of our students as they interacted in the language with our guest and ask thoughtful questions. The conversation was concluded about 45 minutes later, saying, “Hasta la próxima,” instead of “adios.” (See you next time, this isn’t really goodbye.)