Michael and Samantha Parker, wanted to get away from the rat race and swap the precious hours they were spending inside their car stuck in LA traffic for a life away from LA, doing volunteer work somewhere new and exciting. Michael, is a musician who composes jazz, electronic and electro-dance music, but who was rarely able to indulge this passion with his demanding full time job, while Samantha is a foodie who loves challenging her culinary expertise by discovering and learning to cook with new ingredients.The couple spent a year planning their adventure, visiting Argentina, Chile and Peru in April of 2011, before settling on the capital of Tarija, Bolivia. Built during the Spanish colonial period, Tarija's customs and pace of life seem to have been frozen in time, with leisure time for family, friends and fun considered a priority rather than a luxury.