My Peruvian Winter

Finally, a little bit of settlement in my current home country of Peru. I have officially not taken an international flight in five weeks and it has been so wonderful to just focus on my project here in Peru and discover a little more about this country. The project has continued to fare well; it has been just Pedro and I for the past few weeks, which has made everything less stressful, more organized, and just easier! One of our coaches, Kelly, was here for a week, and we had one memorable meeting with the CEO of the second-biggest gold mining company in Peru. He invited us to his home for breakfast on a Monday morning, and awaiting us was a beautiful “hacienda” type walled-in mansion! His “muchacha” (house maid) served us coffee, fried eggs, and avocado on his porch as we listened to and watched his monkeys – yes, monkeys – play in the trees of his very own back yard! It was so wonderful and the man was extremely intelligent and kind. On top of the nice invitation, he sent us away with a $10,000 “donation” to our program and delivered all three of us “tourist bags” to our hotel, filled with Peruvian chocolates, coffee, coffee maker, a traditional blanket, and Peruvian olive oil (didn’t know they made that here). This anecdote shapes perfectly with the welcoming and heartfelt behavior of the Peruvians; even though it is an extremely slowwwwww culture, the people here mean the best and are always extremely inviting and warm.

Another highlight of the past couple weeks was interviewing the most famous chef of Peru, Gaston Ascurio, for our program. Every Peruvian is crazy about this man, as he is working extremely hard to put Peruvian cuisine on a more international level. He is opening one of his restaurants in Manhattan in Madison Square this summer, and is looking to expand all throughout the U.S. He told us he wants to make Peruvian food as common as Japanese – everyone loves sushi and it is extremely common all over the world, so why can’t Peruvian food do the same? The main issue is simply getting the word out that Peruvian food is DELICIOUS and unique, and also ensuring that the correct ingredients are available from this agricultural nation. The interview itself was awesome just because this guy is so famous here and I felt a little starstruck, but to be honest Gaston was a little bit of an ass! Definitely didn’t fit the depiction of typical Peruvians. Nonetheless, it was a fun experience, and here is an interesting TIME article on the foodie: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1924061,00.html.

The biggest, most influential event during the past month has been the presidential elections here in Peru. Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori are the names of the moment, and the entire nation has not stopped talking about the race between these candidates in some time. Humala is an extreme-leftist former army officer, who lost to Peru’s current president, Garcia, in 2006. He has a radical image to many, and mentioned cutting Free Trade Agreements and talks with some of the country’s greatest allies. Extremely socialist, he appeals to the country’s poorer population, which greatly outweighs the upper class. He was also supposedly endorsed by Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, which is enough reason in itself for the business class to remain worried and aware. His opposition, Keiko, is daugher of ex-president Fujimori, who is now serving a 25-year sentence for corruption. More right-wing and “safe” than Humala, Keiko was the obvious choice for the Lima region, but her family ties also led many citizens to distress in who to choose to run the country. Humala proved triumphant, 51.5% versus Keiko’s 48.5%, and the week following the outcome was the slowest for us business-wise that we have had yet. The business world had a literal “freak out” and reaching companies and scheduling meetings was nearly impossible for us. One reply email I received simply read: “Today is not a good day, as you know we have had elections this Sunday and things may change, nobody knows what’s going on.”

Every Minister and CEO we have met since the outcome is worried. The Ministers will be replaced on July 28^th, and everyone is wondering how the economy and development of Peru will change. Will investors keep looking at Peru in the future or turn to more politically-stable countries in Latin America? Pedro jokes the only good thing about Humala winning is how it will maybe benefit Colombia’s economy – more investment left to go there! However, we have an extremely biased view about the next President – we have only been hearing the opinions of the top CEO’s and politicians of Peru, whereas the lower class is extremely hopeful that the distribution of wealth will be more balanced, as a taxi driver was explaining to us the other day. The only thing I can concretely say is that the result honestly has slowed down business; we have seen it first hand working as an international company here in Peru.

On a lighter note, the past two weekends have been filled with (surprise!) traveling. Pedro and I took advantage of having a rental car and took a road trip to the small coastal town of Paracas, about three hours outside of Lima. We found a modest, perfect hotel right when we got there, located directly on the beach with an awesome balcony and view of the ocean. A majority of the time was spent relaxing in the sun with cervecitas; even if there wasn’t much to do, it was so nice to get out of the exhaust-filled metropolis of Lima. The Thing-to-See in this area are the Ballestas Islands; tourists take a powerboat to get close to these islands famous for their penguins and sea lions, and also the fact that they are painted completely white from bird poo called “guano”. I have never seen penguins or sea lions in their natural habitat so was super-duper excited. However, when we woke up on Sunday morning to catch the boat, we and many other early-risers were disappointed to learn there had been an earthquake in the ocean near the islands so all tours were closed for the whole day! Bummed, we instead took the car through the Paracas National Reserve, which is basically a vast stretch of sand next to the ocean. The crazy thing about Peru is the range of terrains and temperatures throughout the country. Here we were, driving through the desert, when earlier that morning we were meant to sport our winter coats while snapping pictures of real-life penguins. Not to mention the various mountain ranges, beaches, and jungle that make up the rest of the immense country.

The desert of Peru!

The following weekend was spent in the second-largest town of Peru, called Arequipa. We flew down for some meetings on that Friday and Monday, so of course stayed the weekend to explore. Since being in Peru I had heard many great things about the city – that it was a neat, organized, colonial-type town with a constant clear view of the Andes Mountains. It was again nice to be outside of gloomy Lima (winter in Lima = no sun EVER, not exaggerating), and the air was extremely dry and fresh in the high altitude of the city. The meetings were really interesting – one with the oldest chocolate company of the region, another with the largest exporter of Alpaca fiber. Alpacas are members of the “camelid” family, very similar to llamas, and only found in the Andes region of South America. After this meeting we received a tour of the grounds, met some of the Alpacas (so cute, except for the spitting pregnant one and the one that jumped on top of Pedro), and learned how their fur is processed and made into knitted items. Extremely expensive and rare, Alpaca fur coats can cost up to $1000!

Typical business meeting playing with animals

That Sunday, we woke up early to catch a private mountain-biking expedition next to the famous Misti volcano outside of Arequipa. A driver took us to the top of the mountain range paralleling the volcano, and when we began our decent on bikes we were around 15,000 feet above sea level. I couldn’t walk without becoming extremely out of breath, and biking on any level but downhill was one of the most excruciating activities I have done! At many points it was pretty intense mountain biking through rocks and sand, and I could understand why our guide made us suit up head-to-toe in padding. The four-hour bike ride was exhausting but beautiful; the whole time we had a view of the snow-capped volcano sitting right next to us on one side, and an overhead view of Arequipa on the other. I wasn’t able to move that night or the next day, and luckily we were headed back to sea-level Lima for a little bit of a breather.

Mountain-biking in Southern Peru!

I’m writing all of this from Café Havanna, an Argentinean café situated on the coastline of Lima, so I’m looking out on the ocean and have seen about 10 paragliders flying past me in the past hour. It’s a lazy Sunday afternoon, and I am trying to chill as much as possible because I caught an unforgiveable virus last week and have been out-of-commission for the past five days. I haven’t been so sick since I can remember, and the doctor told me it was most likely from something I ate in Arequipa. I can’t remember because I was so hallucinatory, but I think he said something like 9/10 tourists get a virus from the food or water here in Peru; I guess it was just my time. So I am taking it easy and trying to enjoy my last three weeks here in Peru. Pedro and I found out this week that this is our deadline, and we are continuing the Latin thang with our next placement: Uruguay! I am beyond excited because I wanted to stay in Latin America, and yet Uruguay is a different vibe completely from Peru or Colombia. More influenced by Argentina and Europe, it will be a nice, fresh change, where I can learn about a whole new culture yet continue practicing Spanish. Definitely more to come on that subject – until next time/country!

Don't Cry for me Argentina

Ok, so I know my blog titles are getting a little cliché and corny, but one of the things I was most excited about when headed to Argentina was seeing “La Casa Rosada”, where Eva Peron aka Evita sang from in Madonna’s biographical movie about the famous first lady of Argentina. Also on my list of things to do was to visit Evita’s grave in El Cemeterio de la Recoleta. Growing up listening to the Evita sound track on the way to soccer games in my mom’s minivan may have something to do with my slight obsession of the charismatic Argentine. But this was not the only reason I decided to take a few days off from work to fly to the city of Buenos Aires…

My good friend from home, Ashley Craddock, is living in Mar del Playa, Argentina for a few months and so we decided to meet up in Buenos Aires for a few days of exploring in the European-influenced capital. For some reason, I have always been fascinated by Buenos Aires, and it has been on the top of my “must-visit” list for a while now. Working in South America gave me the chance to finally see what it is all about, and five days of sightseeing proved to be the perfect amount of time. Ashley and I stayed in a typical backpacker hostel in the neighborhood of Palermo, one of the trendy areas with a plethora of shops, restaurants, hotels, and apartments.

When I first arrived, I felt a definitely similarity between Buenos Aires and Madrid, Spain. There is significant influence from Europe in Argentina, and the architecture of the buildings along with the personalities of the people made me feel as if I was back in Europe. Also surprising in a Latin country was the attitude of the citizens of Buenos Aires. Most people I met definitely had a sense of superiority and when they asked me where I lived and I answered Peru, they would give me a weird look and shockingly ask, “But, WHY?!” as if it was the least-developed, unpleasant country in the world. I had heard that the Argentines were somewhat like this (the royalty of South America), but it was interesting to experience it first-hand.

Our days were filled with metro-ing to different districts of the city:

La Boca: Where “El Caminito” is located – a funky, bohemian district of the city filled with different-colored houses and buildings reminding me of a Dr. Suess book. Tango is a popular event here as well, and outside of many restaurants and cafes were various Tango performances. Ashley and I walked around and shopped at one of the trillion jewelry and art stands, and also sat to have a café con leche and alfajores at the famous Havanna café. An alfajor is a layered cookie dominantly sold in the South of Latin America (Chile, Argentina, Uruguay – and you can even find some in Peru) and I can safely say it is my favorite foreign desert I have ever had. They come in all flavors, sizes, and brands, and 1/5 of every single corner store and food stand is rows of the different kinds. We also walked past the famous Boca Juniors stadium (Boca Juniors and River Plate are the two most well-known futbol teams in Buenos Aires, causing a huge divide and rivalry between the two teams’ fans).

El Caminito!

Puerto Madero: A newer district of Buenos Aires, where the famous “Puente de la Mujer” bridge is located. Supposedly the bridge is supposed to represent a couple dancing Tango, and in a modernistic, suggestive way I guess it does? See for yourself below…

We walked around the beautiful and modern harbor of Puerto Madero, where there are also many famous Argentine beef restaurants. We parked at one located right on the water, and enjoyed buffet-style the various meats and other foods of Argentina. I tried all different kinds of beef and even chinchulines (guts of veal). When in Rome…

Plaza de Mayo: This Plaza is where the famous Casa Rosada is located, the political building of the President’s offices (and where Evita sang from). “Plaza de Mayo” gets its name from Argentina’s revolution in May 1810 which led to the country’s independence. It is also the site of the “Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo”, or the mothers of the desaparecidos. During Peron’s governance, those suspected to be part of anti-government activities were taken by the government, tortured, and killed. The mothers of the “disappeared” Argentineans use Plaza del Mayo as a congregation spot to show pictures of their murdered children to exhibit how corrupt the military regime of that time was.

La Casa Rosada

San Telmo Market: A huge outdoor market that only operates on Sundays, the San Telmo is the perfect place to find handmade jewelry, art, food stuff, furniture, and other Argentinean souvenirs. Although it was rainy when we went, we still enjoyed walking around and bargaining for everything from bracelets and Mate cups. “Mate” is a special type of tea typically consumed in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, and Paraguay. Our friends whom Ashley knew from teaching invited us over for Mate and “facturas” (pastries) after San Telmo. Basically you fill the Mate cup with dried leaves of yerba mate and add hot water yourself to the leaves every time you pass around the cup. After slurping up the soaking water, you pass the cup to the next person for them to do the same. It’s also bad luck to say “gracias” while passing the cup, and it took me about three passes to remember to not instinctively express my thanks. A truly hospitable tradition, Mate and facturas on a rainy Sunday afternoon served as the perfect way to experience another Argentinean tradition.

Cementario de la Recoleta: An ironically beautiful and peaceful cemetery located in the middle of Buenos Aires, La Recoleta houses the graves of most famous and historic citizens of Argentina. Eva Perron rests here, and flowers and notes still cover her grave from the hundreds of visitors that come daily.

Ashley and I also managed to have some fun nights out in one of the liveliest cities on earth. One night we went to a Tango show at a tucked-away bar called “Bar Sur”. Only us two and a group of Brazilians were there to watch the dancers, singers, and musicians, and the dancers invited us to the dance floor to learn some Tango moves. Sensual and passionate, Tango originated in Buenos Aires at the end of the 19^th century and since then has been an iconic past time in the city. We also attended the “Bomba de Tiempo”, a loco drum show that occurs every Monday night in downtown Buenos Aires. Somewhat like a rave concert, the drummers of the group perform a huge show as young partiers dance to the beat and drink huge plastic cups of Quilmes beer. Four nights of going out in Buenos Aires left us just a little exhausted.

Tango!

Moral of the Argentinean story is that I wish I could have been in the country longer – there are so many more cities and regions to visit there. Good thing I was forced to buy a 10-year visa upon arrival….

100 Years of Machu Picchu

Hard to believe, but the famous Inca site that has truly put Peru on the touristic map was only discovered 100 years ago. Actually, the 100 year anniversary of this unearthing is on JULY 7 of this year – a pretty special day if I do say so myself!

Three weeks ago (pardon the delay, but I really need to catch everyone up on my recent travels) Pedro, Nicky, and I decided last minute to make the venture to Peru’s most magical attraction, Machu Picchu. It is by some considered one of the wonders of the world, and has brought substantial revenue to the Peruvian economy. We soon realized exactly why it is such a fascination here, but not until we took a taxi, plane, bus, taxi, train, bus to get there! Situated in the Urubama Valley near the ancient town on Cusco, Machu Pichu is extremely difficult to get to – visitors either take our fast route or the four-day hike along the Inca Trail to reach the site. We did not have enough time to partake in the latter, but saw just enough of both Cusco and Machu Picchu. Arriving to Cusco airport we could immediately feel the altitude as we were short of breath – the city is 3,400 meters high, and our hotel driver immediately had us sipping on coca tea, which is meant to help adjust to the high altitude.

Cusco is a charming little city; we stayed directly in the center, and enjoyed browsing around and snapping photos our first day there. You can immediately sense how much less developed of a city it is than Lima; short women walking around with goats, lambs, and children wrapped to them in their traditional clothing gave me the feeling I was definitely outside of Lima and closer to the true society of Peru. Markets, churches, and large squares dominate the town, and while it is un poquito touristic, Cusco emanates a sense of inimitability that serves as the perfect gateway to Machu Picchu.

next morning we set out to the UNESCO World Heritage Site pretty early, and we FINALLY found ourselves on the bus ride, which takes you on a curvy, steep, narrow path to Machu Picchu. Rounding the final corner was almost suspenseful, as we saw the enormous, breathtaking site come into view. Everyone who has visited Machu Picchu agrees; there exists some kind of inexplicable vibe at the ancient historical sanctuary – perusing through the perfectly-placed stone walkways and structures was definitely an experience! Exploring took the entire day, and after many hours walking under the close sun we wrapped up our picture-taking and set back to Cusco.

Like this blog post, our visit was definitely a short one, but I have truly captivating memories from this trip. Capturing the essence of Machu Picchu in words is somewhat difficult, and I will just have to recommend that you find out for yourself what all the fuss is about…

“The best part of waking up, is Colombian coffee in your cup”

Not only is Colombia known for narcotics trafficking and the wonderful belly-dancing Shakira, but also for CAFÉ! As coffee is one of my obsessions/addictions/necessities in life, I always hoped I would be able to tour the coffee plantations of Colombia while here. The perfect opportunity arose when Pedro accidentally booked our plane tickets to the Caribbean coast for May, not April during our Easter holiday. Instead of hitting him upside the head I decided to be more practical and figure out another way to enjoy our holiday. After suggesting a visit to the “Zona Cafetera”, around a 5-hour drive from Bogota, Pedro hastily rented a car and found a hotel for the next few days.

The drive to the southern town of Armenia was long but eye-opening. Living in Bogota gives one a skewed perception of the true development of Colombia; almost every other town in the country is under-developed and over-populated. I saw a lot of shackled buildings, livestock wandering the destitute roads, and true poverty among the Colombian people. Contrasting this perception was the landscape of the country, which is undeniably the most beautiful I have ever seen. Lush, green, jungle-enveloped mountains pleased our eyes the entire way, and as we got closer to the coffee region we saw hills and plains full of mango plants, plantain trees, coffee bushes, and other tropical fruits growing that are not found anywhere else in the world. One of the aspects I love most about Latin America is the culture of its exquisite nature; unlike Europe and its grandiose attractions such as the Eiffel Tower and the Roman Coliseum, Latin countries boast an unparalleled charm in their tropical landscape.

La Zona Cafetera

Our first and only full day of our trip was spent at the “Parque Nacional del Café”, a man-made park within the largest coffee fields of Zona Cafetera. To be honest, I was excited but not expecting much as I thought it might be somewhat of a cliché tourist trap, filled to the brim with picture-taking locals and travelers. (Especially when we fell victim to one of the many street vendors and purchased two typical “coffee farmer hats” to wear while in the park!) I could not have been more wrong. I could not have been more intrigued as I browsed through the coffee museum and learned how coffee is processed and exported; I could not have taken more pictures as I walked through bridges and paths that ran along the flourishing coffee fields. We walked through a traditional “Finca” – the houses that coffee farmers stay in and where they prepare the coffee for distributing during harvesting season. We took huge gondola rides overlooking some of the coffee and plantain fields. Basically, I was engrossed in every part of the park and can truly say it was one of the most unique, interesting, and fun experiences of my life!

Coffee hats and Coffee plantations

We decided to head back to Bogota the next day as we heard the mudslides on the huge mountain we had to cross were getting worse and worse; we didn’t want to wait until Sunday to take the chance of getting stuck. However, just as we began to drive up we were stopped by a never-ending, stalled line of cars also trying to cross the mountain. We heard rumors from others that the wait was as much as four hours, so we again tried to remain positive and played cards outside the car until it began to pour for almost two hours! Stuck in the car with nothing to eat and nowhere to use the bathroom, I began to get a little anxious, especially as more rain = more landslides, a natural disaster which Colombia is especially known for. FINALLY the traffic started moving once the rain stopped, but we slowly made our way up and down the mountain as there were many other cars and trucks doing the same. Starving and already tired, we tried to find the nearest town to stop and re-energize. However, we did not realize how far away from civilization we were, and Pedro started to feel pretty bad (no eating, all driving, gastritis = not a good situation). We finally made it to the poor town of Ibague and rushed to the nearest restaurant. However, Pedro stomach was hurting him so badly that he could barely walk, and he instructed me to take the car and drive it urgently to the nearest hospital. You should have seen my face – we laugh about it now but the sick/worried/scared feeling I had in the core of my gut was incomparable; for some reason I felt so hopeless and incompetent but tried to remain as sensible as possible! I headed to a random lingerie store and begged in Spanish for the women to tell me wear the nearest, best clinic in the town was. They directed us to a hospital that was conveniently right next door, and I literally dragged Pedro there. Once there we begged for a doctor immediately and were instructed that “if we saw a door open and a doctor inside, to go in as fast as possible before anyone else” – what a great, organized system. Blood was spewed on the floor, people were wandering aimlessly to find any help possible, and dim lighting gave just such a welcoming ambience. Fast forward a few hours and we were finally back in the car to Bogota, as Pedro had been seen, treated, and injected after being diagnosed with a temporary stomach ulcer. Talk about one of the most action-packed days of your life…

De Colombia a Peru

And now I am in Peru! I have always fantasized about coming to this country – everyone who visits cannot express how much they enjoy the warm, welcoming country located in the center of South America. I am based in Lima, the capital, which is the only South American capital on the coast. The flight from Bogota to Lima was utterly beautiful – the mountains of South America were visible almost the entire time – but the shakiest I have ever experienced (aka I was holding on to dear life the entire 3 hours – not fun!) I arrived here about two weeks ago to be with Pedro for some high potential meetings. The first week here was just he and I and we made three great deals at the very start of the project! The business environment here is wonderful – people are very enthusiastic and love the combination of a Colombian guy and American girl working for a promotional TV program on Peru. Pedro knows the Latin business culture so well so really makes the CEO’s feel comfortable, and I am able to bring in a sense of intrigue being from another continent, so the mixture truly works. Also, because it is the beginning of the project, we have been meeting with the government and agencies as well as commercial companies. The other night I had the opportunity to interview the Peruvian Minister of Economy in front of cameras for our program! On Friday we also met with the Prime Minister, a wonderful, intelligent woman whom everyone in Peru really loves. This is by far the best part of the job, and until now I have not been able to truly participate in a country opening –I love it! Makes me want to be the next Diane Sawyer; interviewing influential people truly leaves you inspired and more conscious of the passion that leaders must portray about their own countries and citizens. However, one of the challenges I have faced is the constant switching of markets. In meetings I still want to say “our readers” instead of “our viewers” as I am used to print rather than TV. I sometimes say “Bulgaria” or “Colombia” instead of Peru, and forget name-drops of different government members so easily. There is also a lot more Spanish used in meetings here; nearly no one speaks English to me on the phone. Looking at the big picture this is wonderful, but day-to-day I can’t help but sometimes get frustrated when people cannot understand my gringa accent.

Meeting the Prime Minister of Peru!

Lima as a city is much more relaxed than Bogota. Peruvians are used to the slow, coastal way-of-living, and we try our best not to get frustrated every time it takes a waiter 20 minutes just to bring you the menu. However, Peruvians are extremely nice people who love to talk – all of our meetings are extra long as the CEO’s and Ministers passionately and eternally attempt to express the love they have for their country. Every meeting has centered around the theme of corporate social responsibility; it is sincerely amazing that almost every CEO here feels the need to do something to help the farmers and fishermen and children of Peru. Our program is created to promote ideas like this to the international world, and therefore the main theme of it will definitely touch upon the corporate social responsibility that almost every Peruvian company feels it should carry out. The Peruvian climate is hot and humid and foggy – an odd combination but because Lima is on the coast there is often fog coming from the sea. It gets a little colder during our normal summer months, so the normal temperature right now is around 70 degrees F. Many days it has been sunny and wonderful, which I am still absolutely loving! I can also usually smell the sea and the beach when I walk outside – which again gives a calming feel to the city. The hotel we are staying in also contributes to my ease here. It is one of the nicest chains in Peru and the staff is SO welcoming and friendly. The hotel is in the center of district Miraflores and boasts wonderful fresh fruit and omelette breakfasts, a waterfall pool, sauna, fitness center, etc. (Although I here more American English here than Spanish due to all the tourists!) Miraflores is a central district of Lima with nice parks, some of the best outdoor restaurants and bars, hostels, a nice walking zone called Parque de Kennedy, the discoteque street called “Calle de las Pizzas”, and much more. It is by far the best place to be located in Lima and I love walking around the area.

Miraflores, the Central District of Lima

A whole paragraph is undoubtedly needed to explain just how delicious the Peruvian food is. Peru boasts the best cuisine of any country I have ever visited! Being directly on the coast, Lima restaurants offer fresh seafood year-round, and Peru is known as one of the top fishmeal exporters in the entire world. Ceviche is the country’s signature dish; I have downed the acidic masterpiece about three times a week since I have been here. Other fish concoctions I can’t put names to have filled me to the brim at every charming restaurant we visit; Pedro and I even went to La Rosa Nautica (a famous restaurant in a circular building at the end of the Costa Verde pier – you can hear, sea, and smell the waves from every table!). Fruit is another specialty and served with many dishes (aka fried bananas) and made into many juices (aka jugo de papaya y granadilla). Corn and potatoes are so prevalent they are also compliments of most meals – the corn is HUGE and the potatoes varied (yuca and sweet potatoes being my favorites). Lomo Saltado is a tasteful sirloin marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, and spices, and Argentinean beef has a large influence here as well. The drinks here are also one-of-a-kind, only-find-in-Peru kind of stuff. The legendary Pisco Sour is the signature cocktail – made of pisco, lime juice, egg whites, and cinnamon. The non-alcoholic specialty is termed chicha, and most Peruvians drink it with every meal. It is made with purple corn and to me tastes like sangria without the alcohol! Inca Kola is the legendary soft drink that is known as the only soda brand in the world which Coca-cola company could not take over (Pedro loves it, but to me it tastes like the gum you get from a blow-pop ew!) Needless to say, every restaurant we go to is wonderful and a new experience. We already have some favorites and have made friends with the waitors/waitresses there. Our new trainee, Nicky from Amsterdam, is getting used to everything, and I already like to pretend I am an expert in the food category and love recommending what to try! Last weekend Pedro, Nicky, and our Colombian friend Vanessa road-tripped to Pachacamac Inca ruins, around an hour outside of Lima. Pyramids, burial sites, and housing from the ancient Inca times dominated the grounds which we both drove and hiked through. Peruvians are extremely proud of their ancient heritage and there are numerous sites throughout the country that give tourists a peek into the lives of the Inca tribes that inhabited the country around 1200AD. After a cultural afternoon we headed to Asia Beach which is as well outside of Lima, and where many politicians and businessmen have summer homes. We found a deserted spot and watched the sunset and dolphins over and in the Pacific.

Sunset at Asia Beach

This work week was of course long and busy, as our coach from Chicago flew in to check up on the team. Therefore the following week of Semana Santa will be a much-needed break. Rarely anyone in Latin America works during the whole week, so our office is giving us off next Thursday and Friday. Pedro and I are flying to Colombia Sunday, will work there for a few days, and then head to the Caribbean coastal town of Santa Marta for a long weekend! Vamos a la playa!

Colombia: “El Riesgo es que te Quieres Quedar”

Colombia: "The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay"

The amount of times I have been called a “Gringa” (an American visiting/living in Latin America) is downright funny – they love this term here, which dates back to the Mexican-American war when Mexicans would shout “Green-Go-Home” to the Americans dressed in green uniforms. Therefore the description “Green-go” was given to foreigners coming into Latin American territory (this I believe is an urban legend, although my Mexican colleague swears by it). I am the only Gringita of my group as I am now stationed with Adela from Czech Republic and Karla from Mexico.

Anyways, the reason it has taken me so long to post an update about my new life is because things are SO different and I have been adjusting every second of every day during the past two weeks. I therefore want to depict everything about this wonderful country to the best of my ability; I want to paint the perfect Colombian portrait splashed with exciting details of the country’s colorful culture, food, people, and language.

My first few hours in Bogota were packed with new sensations. The second I got off my 11-hour plane ride from Madrid I could feel the elevation. Bogota is the fourth highest city in the whole world, and as I was standing in the customs line I found it hard to catch my breath. The open-air Bogota airport blew in warm, tropic-like air – such an amazing change from the harsh Eastern European winter I had been experiencing for the past four months. Pedro was waiting for me to take me to my hotel, and it was so great/crazy to see my old partner from Croatia! I definitely never thought I would be meeting him at the Bogota airport and to eventually work with him again!

Bogota is SO much greener/nicer/more developed than my old home in Sofia, Bulgaria. The entire city is surrounded by large, jungle-engulfed mountains, and the streets are lined with flowers, tropical trees, and grassy medians. (Side note: Colombia is the second-largest exporter of flowers to the U.S.) The streets do get PACKED, however, and many days include up to two hours of sitting in traffic coming from and going to meetings. Cars don’t care about red lights, and there are hundreds of small, dirty, colorful buses that stop for you when you put your hand out, just like a cab.

The first weekend in Bogota was so amazing that I didn’t feel any culture shock at all. I dropped my trillion-kilogram suitcases off at the hotel, and Pedro, Adam, and I immediately went out for drinks at “Zona T” – a T-shaped street full of open-air bars and restaurants pumping Salsa, Rock, and Reggaton. After a couple lulo martinis (lulo is one of the weird/delicious fruits common in Colombia), Pedro and I headed to a rooftop club and ordered a bottle of aguardiente – the liquor of Colombia that tastes of licorice and is chased with water. I found it hard to dance what with the altitude, and had been awake for 26 hours, but it was still the best welcoming night I could have asked for!

The rest of the weekend consisted of sightseeing with Pedro and Adam; we went to the top of Monserat at night, which is a gondola ride to the top of the highest point overlooking Bogota. The city looked huge (around 7.5 million inhabitants) and beautiful, and was another perfect activity for my first weekend there! The next day we walked around La Candelaria, the historical district, and snapped pictures of the Archbishopric Cathedral of Bogota, Simon Bolivar Plaza, and other Spanish-influenced architecture. The street food is also fun to try; carts of hundreds of fruits, fried banana chips, juices, smoothies, empanadas (fried dough balls filled with meat), and arepas (delicious, thick corn tortillas with cheese) are just a few examples. The weather was wonderful, and almost every day of the year the temperature ranges from 65-70 degrees as there are no seasons in Colombia. I even got a little sun burnt (easy to do as you are closer to the sun with the high altitude!)

The cuisine and drinks here are fun and different; there are so many entrees, desserts, fruits, and drinks to try. The girls introduced me to their favorite beverage: micheladas – which include Aguila light (one of the national beers), lime juice, and Tabasco sauce in a salt-rimmed glass. “Tinto” refers to the rich Colombian coffee served in all cafes (Juan Valdez is the national, brilliant brand here). “Aromatica” is a hot and delicious fruit drink that is extremely healthy and resembles a fresh cup of fruit tea coming in any flavor. The fruits here are amazing and probably one of my favorite things about Colombia! Every morning at breakfast there are at least three new fruits and/or juices out, and every street corner holds a stand filled to the brim with odd-shaped and colored fruits. I have tried many kinds but honestly cannot even name some of them! One of my favorites is Granadilla, or “mocos de bruja” (witch’s boogers!! Jaja).

I honestly think that one of the main reasons why I am so engrossed in this culture is because of the stark disparity between it and the Eastern Europe mentality. Coming from a cold and closed culture to a warm and affable would lift anyone’s spirits. The “gente” here are some of the nicest I have ever been around; the customer service is compiled of smiling, enthusiastic Colombians eager to make you happy in any way possible. In scheduling business meetings on the phone and in conducting interviews with various companies I have noticed just how forthcoming the Colombians are. Frequent phrases such as “A la orden”, “Con mucho gusto”, “MuchISIMAS gracias”, “Que tenga buen dia, senorita Kenny” are the norm, and everyone claims them with huge smiles on their faces. Alternatively, I have realized just how little Spanish I know! There is SO much more for me to learn, but I am absorbing tons of words and phrases every day. I am attempting to tackle the common greetings, departures, slang, and business vocabulary, and work 24/7 with my colleagues to become more fluid and confident. In just two weeks however I have learned more than I thought possible, and can now make appointments in Spanish and do part of the interviews during meetings as well. I have been putting my heart and soul into learning the language; I have been downloading Spanish music, watching Spanish TV, ordering in Spanish, and reading Adela’s “Spanish for Gringos” book whenever I have free time.

After a transition week in work (which is definitely challenging to say the least), Adela, Karla, and I took a road trip about four hours outside of Bogota to the small pastoral village of Villa de Leyva. A quaint, historic town, Villa de Leyva boasts a landscape of rich green mountains surrounding a cobble-stoned, white-walled Villa. Packed with traditional cafes, restaurants, shops, and churches, Villa de Leyva is a favorite for tourists and leaves one feeling as if they are transported back into the time of colonial Latin America. The actual drive to and from the town was picturesque and eye-opening. Armed forces with huge machine guns lined much of the roads, and our driver would wave at each and every one, giving them the thumbs up. Colombians LOVE their army because they are doing an amazing job with the increased security throughout the main regions of Colombia. Pedro and my friend Juan here would also do the same within Bogota, and the guards are always smiling and telling us good day – a pretty comforting aspect of the country. While I do love the new safety measures that President Uribe and now President Santos is enacting, going to meetings in office buildings requires us to leave around 20 minutes earlier than normal as finger prints, pictures, and registration is required in every business building.

Entonces, I think I have written enough to feel satisfied in explaining the beginning of my time in this new hemisphere. Honestly, I have so much more to share, but that will be for another day. Now I am off to Peru to help Pedro with the project there, and I feel so fortunate to be visiting different countries in the continent I have wanted to always visit the most over all others.

The slogan of my title comes from the tourism campaign below – gives me the chills every time!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxHQO1kXFng&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Czeching out of Europe

Lot’s to do. Lot’s to tell. Lot’s to be sad/ excited/ nervous/ happy/ reminiscent/ anxious about. I’ll start by attempting to replicate my amazing past weekend in Prague, Czech Republic! One of my best friends, Phil Kiselick, is studying there at Charles University for four months, and I have wanted to go to Prague since I started working in Europe; a straight-shot flight from Sofia to Prague was therefore the perfect opportunity to Czech out the desirable destination that many travelers are now putting on the top of their list. Prague is “the new Amsterdam”, the “gem of Central Europe”, where young and eager students can explore an unfamiliar post-communist country, take in the breath-taking sites that cover literally every square inch of the city, and party until dawn at beer halls and five-story clubs. In the two short days that I was in Prague, Phil and I managed to see and do it all! Friday and Saturday nights consisted of dinners with new friends, Pilsner beers at various bars throughout old town, clubbing and dancing the night away, trying infamous absinthe shots, czeching out “street meat” (my favorite of which was a fried cheese sandwich called Smazny), and having a ridiculous time that made me really miss my party-oriented study abroad days! Saturday was utterly beautiful – clear blue skies and relatively warm temperatures allowed us to explore the enchanting city for hours. We walked through Old Town, and looking up and around me sometimes gave me chills as pretty much every building had an exquisite exterior detail. Walking on Charles bridge and listening to street performers work their magic left me smiling ear to ear. We made our way to the side of Prague castle, stopping to Let it Be at the Lennon Wall, a graffiti-enveloped partition that is covered in Beatle’s lyrics and drawings. Snapping pictures the whole way, Phil and I trudged up to Prague Castle and went inside the St. Vitus cathedral, admiring the gothic décor that eerily resonates throughout the entire city. A Pilsner at a café overlooking all of Prague was the perfect way to reward ourselves for all the walking we had done! To finish off the sight-seeing day we climbed the astronomical clock in Old Town city center that provided (if possible) an even more stunning view of the city! Everything I was able to see and do in Prague left me so incredibly happy to have the opportunity to visit Phil, who shares my zeal for the unfamiliar. Needless to say, Prague lived up to its standards as (what I can imagine) is one of the most majestic places on the planet!

View of Prague Castle from Charles Bridge

Old Town Square from the Astronomical Clock

Phil and I at the Lennon Wall

A short couple of days in Sofia following my weekend trip led up to big news for the Bulgaria team. Wednesday we got word that I would be traveling to Moldova again for some meetings, and Abbie would be moving on to another project in Kosovo the next day. The news was unexpected and shocking, and we had no time to even process it. I hugged Abs goodbye thinking I would see her in a few days, when in reality we have realized it might be a little longer than that…

I spent the entire day Wednesday traveling (Chisinau, Moldova is extremely difficult to get to!) but was lucky enough to have landed first class again! I spent seven hours in the business lounge of the Bucharest, Romania airport; let me tell you, the free snacks, coffee, alcohol, desserts made the wait actually quite delightful. That evening, I had the shocking/amazing call from my coach, who explained that I would be moving to COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA the following week! I will be joining the pre-existing project with Karla, a colleague whom I really love. Adam explained I will be finishing the project there and then possibly moving on to Peru, where my ex-partner Pedro is currently opening another project. The emotions I felt and still feel are indescribable; not until now do I realize just how much I have wanted to get to South America. I cannot stop smiling, dancing, thinking of how to say certain things in Spanish, and imagining my new life in a completely new world.

With this ecstatic joy also comes sadness, at the realization of leaving Europe and all of the friends and memories I have made here. It has been my home for the past nine months and I haven’t had time to truly understand I am leaving the European culture and lifestyle in a matter of days.

I am currently in a café in Chisinau, Moldova, and the past four days in this city have been so eventful that I am taking this Sunday to rest, write, practice some espanol, and prep for my last few meetings in Bulgaria. There are five of us here, so we have had a good time at the meetings, eating Moldavian fare, and going out together. Yesterday we took advantage of the cheap luxury that Eastern Europe has to offer and had a spa day – I got a quite interesting one-hour full body massage for 15 euro (I didn’t expect amazingness but come on, did the masseuse really have to answer her phone during my foot massage?!) We are staying at a hotel named the “Maxim Pasha”, the only five-star hotel in Moldova, and it is also quite interesting. They put me in a room the first night complete with a red-sequined bread spread, an enormous chandelier, complimentary champagne…only to knock on my door five minutes later apologizing that they had accidentally put me in the “sexual room” and that I needed to move. At breakfast Michael and I ordered muesli (granola), and the waiter brought us noodles in a milky cheese sauce - gross! I also had to go to the eye doctor here, which was a whole other adventure; the doctor prescribed me about seven medicines that I didn’t need, which I luckily figured out before making it to the pharmacy. Moral of the anecdotes: Moldova is a small, bizarre little country, but amusing nonetheless, and I will always remember my time here!

Tomorrow I fly out for Bulgaria for my final couple of days with Slavy, and then leave early Wednesday morning for Belgium. I will probably spend one or two days in the office, get vaccinated and organized for COLOMBIA, then fly over to the part of the world I am meant to take on next! Ciao Europa, Hola Sudamérica!