Lima, Peru: Eating my way through South America by Jen Trujillo

On my way to Peru yesterday, I had a long day ahead of me. 

I woke up at 11 to start heading to the Amtrak to take to Bakersfield and another bus to Los Angeles, after that I still had to take a fly away shuttle to the airport. After all the bus rides I finally got the airport on time for my flight after 1 layover we had arrived to Costa Rica and still had to wait about 6 hours for our next flight to Lima, Perù. 

So, we all decided to go eat outside the airport while we had quiet some time here and the taxi driver was great people so we thought we should ask for a highly recommended place to eat nearby and we all ordered food we haven’t ate before like I had a got a Burrito Desayuno con platanos (Breakfast Burrito with Fried Bananas) and to be completely honest I have never liked stinky cheese because of the smell of the cheese but it turned out it was on my Burrito and it was very delicious!  I also tried horchata that tasted completely different than other ones I’ve tried! Then, after the great food we headed back to the airport to get to Perù.

Once we landed on the drive to the hostel we passed by the beach where it smelled so different than beaches back home -  so raw so natural.. The next morning we all went to eat at El pan del la chola which turned out to have some different kind of breads they used for their sandwiches and now that I had tried to play it safe to get a ham sandwich which didn’t end up being the best kind of sandwich but I tried this caprese sandwich that was really good and after that we went to the Cata Combas where they had real life human bones displayed from the 17th century! Also, this silver processional altar that weighted 2 tons!!! That 24 people volunteered to carry that during the processionals. 

After all the visits we got to do today we went to eat dinner at a Peruvian chinese food and I really dislike Chinese food but it was actually not bad! I had tried some shrimp with fried rice, a traditional noodle dish called Tallarina, and beef with vegetables. I definitely feel it has already been my first day here and I have been eating food I never would normally try and talked more Spanish then I do back home and already feel I’m getting my Spanish back! I did realize as well when I get back home I do want to pick up more on my Spanish.

Got Baggage? by Cheyenne Rogers

As former and current fosters I think it is safe to say that we are not a trusting group. Our foster parents, social workers, and the system as a whole, have let us down and betrayed our trust.

So how do you explain the fact that 5 former and current fosters left all of our luggage with a complete stranger?

Utter exhaustion.

Some background: our flight from LAX to San Salvador was 6 with a 2 hour layover in San Salvador. We hopped one a place from San Salvador to Costa Rica that lasted an hour. After that we had a 5 hour layover in Costa Rica before our flight to Lima. We did not want to stay in the airport, so we decided to venture out as we were all pretty antsy. We proceeded to go through customs (I got my first country stamp in my passport!) and off we went. We struggled getting an Uber and had to carry all of our baggage around as we figured out transportation, not to mention we had been carrying this luggage through the entire airport. We didn't have reception and had to remain close to the airport to still use their wifi. Only problem was Uber’s in Costa Rica can’t pull up like normal taxis do, so we went and waited at an agreed location. After waiting 20 minutes, our ride was cancelled (we only discovered this when one of our group members went back to connect to WiFi) We finally gave up on the Uber and went with an official taxi service. We had been hesitant because we didn’t want to be overcharged, but at this point it was getting late and we wouldn’t have much time. We met our driver Alonso and told him we had 2 hours to go grab some food and we wanted to eat local Costa Rican food. He took us about 15 minutes away from the airport to a small restaurant where he said had amazing caldo (too bad they only make it on Saturdays). As we were getting out of the taxi it dawned on us that we didn’t have a phone to call him. We asked that he return in one hour to a centro parke about a block away where we intended to visit. He agreed and asked if we would leave our bags with him. I don’t think we had even considered that an option, but when he said it there was no hesitation. We all agreed to leave our bags— everything. I hesitated, but felt that it would be rude of me to take my stuff while all my fellow travelers left theirs.

I think it was a combination of being super tired and hungry that led to our poor decision. I think it’s pretty much self explanatory to not leave your belongings with a stranger, especially if your stuff is worth more than the ride itself.

But we were hangry, exhausted, and to be honest took a chance and trusted someone and it felt right in our guts.

We sat down and didn’t think about our luggage after that. We ordered our food and started chatting. The food itself took longer than I was use to. I checked myself when I realized that I was feeling annoyed with the slow service. We weren’t in the US and this wasn’t a fast food joint. All of us ordered different dishes and fresh meals took time.

The wait was definitely worth it because our meal was amazing! We all ordered Aguas Frescas and different platos. I ordered pollo con salsa which was not what I had expected. I thought it would be a more spicy chicken, but had a sweet tangy sauce instead. Surprisingly, not bad at at all— actually really good!

As we were finishing our meal, who do we look up to see? Our driver Alonso! Without noticing our hour had flowne by and we were still at the restaurant. He told us he went to the parke and didn’t find us so he came back here. A sense of relief washed over us collectively since 1. He didn’t ditch us (which would have been understandable since we were not at the agreed upon spot) 2. He was back with our stuff! and 3. As fosters when you're put in a system you can't trust to hand over your baggage both physically and metaphorically and be respected and safe. It felt good to have given our trust during this experience and it not be violated. It makes me believe if we could trust, other fosters who travel (or life in general) can potentially too.

All in all it was definitely a learning moment. We took a leap of faith and it didn’t backfire. We got to try some amazing Costa Rican food and got back in time for our next flight. Thanks Alonso!

From Salinas to Lima

Starbucks in Lima Airport (They had empanadas)

I thought I was ready to go but I wasn't. I had to turn in some final paperwork for my job, send in final emails to set up some public speaking gigs, and I needed to go to the pharmacy. Did I mention that I missed the first Monterey Airbus (which would have gotten me there 3 hours early). Talk about about being stressed out.

So what happened next. I drove to the pharmacy, which I almost went off on the clerk but I kept my cool. I finalized all my paperwork and responded to all necessary parties. I called my uber and learned that Uber and Lyft drivers give out their contact in order to keep the money coming in. I made it on to the airbus that would have gotten me to the airport 2 hours early, however there was traffic (OMG) and I forget to send in two monthy report (OMG again).

I get to the airport with an hour and a half to spare and I make it on my plane. I couldn't access the laptop I had because I forgot the password. I don't like sleeping on plans, when I landed in Panama I felt like crashing out, which I did. I slet on the floor i front of my gate and set an alarm so I wouldn't miss my flight (i missed my flight back in september when I left New York because I over slept).

I landed in Peru at 12:40pm and the next person in our party didn't show up for 3 hours. So how did I spend that time, I finished my reports, sent in some other emails that needed to get attended to and finished all my tasks. Now I can begin my Peruvian adventure.

Bloopers: On the plane they asked me if I spoke Spanish and I had this mini dialogue stating "me no hablo espanol, mi espanol es muy mal. Yo se poquito palabras", the stewartess said "because you're in the emergency exit and I need to know you can understand the captain when he gives the instructions during an emergency". I proceed to say "si" many times, nodded and finally when she finished I said "trust, I will be the first one out of that emergency exit". We made it okay but I was so ready.

Getting My Passport: First Step of My Trip to Peru by Jennifer Trujillo

It's my first time traveling outside of the United States. I have taken a train and a bus and will jump on a shuttle to get from my home in the central valley to LAX - it's already been a journey to get to Peru and I haven't even gotten to the airport yet!  Truth is, that it was only a couple of days ago that I got my passport. I had everything ready for the trip but I didn't have my passport. I expected to get it earlier but I had some personal issues going on that got in the way.

A week ago I was pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to attend this trip. And after I let people know the truth about the passport, FYCE organizers jumped in and taught me that it is okay to ask for help. It took until the last minute for me to realize this for reals.

I had to make an appointment at the San Francisco Passport Agency and travel there from Fresno to get an emergency passport. I had to bring my ID and birth certificate and passport photo and money and cross my fingers that I would be one of the people allowed to get a last minute passport. It was a long day, a lot of work and I couldn't have done it all without the support of Kate, Zahra and Patterson. I appreciate everything they did to help make this trip possible for me. I'm looking forward to my first travel outside of the U.S. and to go hiking for my very first time (in Machu Picchu)!

Travel Anxiety and Confidence Building

Each and every #FYCE trip brings with it some anxiety for me.  I physically feel like I need to pee, my brain becomes unfocused and I feel afraid.  I told my partner this morning that I bet a lot of people don't travel at all because they can't withstand or endure these feelings.  I worry that I have missed packing something important, that I will lose my hiking poles, that my computer will be destroyed on the trip, that I will not be able to sleep, that I forgot to tell someone that I love them or that I didn't make a deadline, etc.

The evolved part of me sees this as normal.  The now experienced traveler in me recognizes these feelings as part of the process.  The perfectionist in me is disappointed and even mad that I am having these feelings which leads to a spiral of more bad feelings.

Traveling is not an easy thing for people who come from few resources.  I grew up in Gardena, California and to me San Francisco was a different planet.  Now I travel every year and do so with vigor and power...and I still experience anxiety.  The reason I started Foster Youth Cultural Exchange was to support foster youth to dream big and take a bite of the apples that are in front of them that they can't even see.

Many former foster youth buy $500, $800, $1000 cell phones.  Some have designer purses or fancy ass tennis shoes that they re-purchase every year.  Once a youth insisted on taking me out to dinner and we went to Denny's and they ordered shrimp and their bill was $75 (at Denny's!)  While it is true that  many foster youth and former foster youth struggle to make ends meet, it is also true that many of us end up with money to spend on concerts, sports events, fancy jerseys, grills for our teeth, etc.  But we still don't think we can travel!  We don't know that the money spent on stuff could also be used for travel.

I was one of those young people.  I never believed I could travel because I didn't see myself like I saw travelers.  They seemed privileged.  Out of range.  And it wasn't until I started seeing friends take trips and asked how they managed the funds and watched them do it... it was then that I realized I could do it too!

Foster Youth Cultural Exchange partners with youth to dream big and we show them how it can be done.  We teach about purchasing tickets, researching deals, how to travel on a budget, how to share costs, etc.  And because we have now successfully done it 4 times other fosters believe it can be done.  They see their friends in photos from South Africa, or the Philippines or Guatemala and even in my new home country, New Zealand!

Off to Peru we go, one by one we will leave for airports, get buckled into seats, overcome any delays, find our meeting spots, check into hostels, jump on buses, trains, domestic flights, translate money and time zones and languages.  I'm proud to be part of something that helps build confidence in youth to do something they could never have dreamed of without us.  And when they return they are never the same.  They travel more.  They talk more.  They share more.  They have trinkets and clothing that launch stories of adventure and fearlessness.  Or maybe there was fear, but it was overcome.

Each time I travel I have to wade through anxiety, fear and uncertainty...then you get your sea legs.  Thank you to all the supporters of this awesome project that help all of us grow our power and strength in the world. #confidencerocks #buildconfidencethroughtravel

Dreaming of El Pan del la Chola... by Cheyenne Rogers

I’ve been thinking about Peru food a lot lately. It actually feels more like the idea of Peru and its food has been standing out to more and more as we get closer to our trip. I looked in my fridge earlier and an artichoke jar had “made in Peru” on the label which I found entertaining.

Also, last night at dinner I had some awesome bread from an Italian restaurant and it got me thinking where the best bread in the world is made (I intend for my future travels to be dictated by food more than sights or tourist attractions). One of the best bread places listed in an article I found was Lima, Peru. What a coinkidink as we are landing in Lima! The Bakery is called El Pan de la Chola which means the Bread of the Chola (chola can mean various things, but I have always known it be somewhat of a female gangster). The name alone is enough to peak my interest and make me want to visit. Putting this out there in hopes that our traveling group by happy chance runs across this bakery during our travels.

Anyways, food is something I look forward to more than anything on this trip because I have yet to try food from a Peruvian restaurant. I am a little worried that I will try authentic Peruvian food and be forever haunted by the delicious meal that no Peruvian restaurant in the states will be able to satisfy my cravings.

Just kidding. I am a lot worried by this.

A popular dish I must try is Aji de Gallina, which I think is a stew like chicken dish? From my understanding it is the spices and chilis that really make this dish what it is.

Next up is the Peruvian ceviche. As an avid eater and bit of a ceviche snob I am very nervous/excited for this dish. In my region of Mexico it is made with shrimp, limes, red onions, serrano chiles, and cucumber. The shrimp is cooked by the limes acid and salt is added after. Add a couple more serrano chilies and you get aguachilies. Anyways, everytime I try other variations of ceviche from other regions of mexico or other countries its really hit or miss for me. The simplicity of my ceviche is what I love and some ceviches are to overpowering with all their ingredients. From looking at Peruvian ceviche it reminds me a little like Poki. It uses fresh fish, red onions, and potatoes….WHAT! That in my opinion will not mesh, but we shall see!

Peruvian food I am coming for you!!!





#TravelingFoodie



UPDATE: We went to El Pan de La Chola!

Transportation

Peru is an interesting place to get around in, the main forms of transportation are taxi, buses and plane flights within the country. To give you an idea what that will look like:
Quito-Lima (bus): 25 hours
Lima-Cuzco (bus): 24 hours
Lima-Cuzco (plane): 1.5 hours

The locals use bus, taxi and their personal vehicles to get around the country. Taxis can also be motorcycles and that can be fun for tourist, though we won't be using this as a form of transportation. When it comes to grabbing a taxi in the country, the price is not fixed but negotiated with the taxi. The best advice as a tourist is to ask the hotel or hostel staff about what is a good/average fair price for the area so we don't get hustled out of our money.

With that being said, we will be landing in Lima and checking into a hostel. Later, we will be taking taxis to Urubamba (spending the night in a hostel), Ollantaytambo (spending the night in a hostel) and then Aguascalien (hostel again), all with the hope of meeting some local activist groups who are doing social justice work and doing systems change work for foster youth/orphans. This will all take place between July 31st to August 4th.

We should arrive at Machu Picchu on August 5th, and explore one of the wonders of the world. We all need to remember to bring our hiking shoes and smartphones for pictures (Peru has Llamas). On August 6th we will travel back to Cusco then Lima and fly out of Peru August 8th.

We have a couple members in our group who speak Spanish and this will be helpful navigating our way around in the country. We will be using a guide at Machu Picchu and potential the assistance of a peruvian friend (of one of the travels).

I'm super excited for this trip, and we will be blogging while we are in the country. I know everyone reading this would love to be there will us in the physical. Even though you will be at home reading this from a computer screen or from your phone, you can give to the cause by sending positive vibes through comments, tips about the country if you have been or being a philanthropist by clicking this, I am a Philanthropist.

Please consider financially supporting our experience! PAYPAL LINK HERE!

Our trip is around the corner, and I can almost taste the roasted guinea pigs! 😁

I sincerely hope the readers have been enjoying the blog posts as we get closer and closer to our trip!

We are a group of 15 former and current foster youth who are using our own funds to buy our way to Peru and are raising money via any sized donation to help subsidize our learning experience. Along with things like hostel accommodations, food, and transport within the country, we are raising money for donations to organizations that we are meeting with out there.

Please consider shooting us any sized donation to help us on our mission. A $1 contribution could help us with a bottle of water for one of our travelers, and a $10 donation could help us with a night at a hostel.

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=eTASeq577TYW1ZYopyTlXbS8cf_WHuVUKinWdWKmXguuPlnAls5FEM3hyP5X90zK0E0vpm&country.x=US&locale.x=US

Stay tuned for more blog posts! We leave on July 29th! 😆

check out my taino2k17 blog!

Hey everyone!

Last summer, I made a solo trek throughout the Caribbean Islands. Starting in Puerto Rico, making a stop in the Dominican Republic, and ending with a 3 & 1/2 week backpacking journey through Cuba. Throughout the month long trip, I learned more about my family heritage, ran into fellow Californians, and almost ran out of money towards the end of the trip! 😮

If you like this blog, you might like what I wrote about my adventue! Please comment and engage other viewers in conversation (=

https://taino2k17.blogspot.com/

We made it out the group home!

Hey all! Thanks for your continued support with Foster Youth Cultural Exchange!

As we get closer and closer to the trip, it's finally starting to hit me that I'm going to a whole new country with people that I care very deeply about. Traveling with your foster brothers and sisters is a particularly amazing experience because we all share similar experiences of being institutionalized in a government system. Because of our similar life situations, this trip presents a unique opportunity for personal growth.

When I was 15 living in a high level group home, traveling out of the country was something that just didn't seem attainable. They keep you on a pretty tight leash at places like that. I couldn't go anywhere or do anything without the approval of an adult in my life.
When I got the opportunity to go to New Zealand with FYCE a couple years ago, some of my favorite moments I shared with my brothers and sisters were when we exchanged group home stories. Every exchange ended with a warm reminder that we had "made it out the group home". It will be exciting to see first timers' reaction as they step into the airport in Lima!

Hoo-ray for making moves and breaking barriers! Let's do this, fam!

Peru's Sacred Valley...

I have just learned of Peru's Sacred Valley from another traveler on the trip. I have learned that the Sacred Valley is in the neighborhood of Machu Picchu. This area includes the Andean mountains and the valley surrounding the Urabamba river. The scenery is supposed to be beautiful and there is hiking and guided tours that one could take. This place has a low altitude of 9,514 ft. compared to Cusco at 11,152 above sea level. This place has some of the most popular Inca Ruins in the world according to an article I read. There are many agricultural terrence and lots of steep mountains. This is a site that is a must see. Something that our group might get a chance to see after our Machu Picchu adventure.

Did you know of the different ways you can get sick in Peru from just the altitude?

Peru is a country in South America, situated on the western side of that continent, facing the South Pacific Ocean and straddling part of the Andes mountain range that runs the length of South America. Peru sits at a high elevation of over 3,000m (9842.52ft).  It is common for tourist to collapse when in Peru due to the lower amounts of oxygen available at the high altitudes. Your body can respond in a variety of ways; such as hyperventilation, increased urination, periodic breathing (the body forgetting to breathe for up to 15 seconds before breathing hard/rapidly), dehydration, fatigue, dizziness, loss of appetite, vomiting/nausea, confusion, difficulty walking, feeling ill, failing mental function, and/or decompression sickness.


Our group will need to stay hydrated and carry extra fluids with us on the trip. This could definitely impact the trip if one or more people get sick. If this sounds like something you would like to help us mitigate, please give. The money can be used for us to use local remedies thank you.

Give/Help: Click Here Right Now

Thriving Asian community in Peru

I think it’s a trip that there is such a strong Asian presence in Peru. I saw maybe a few Asians in my travels to Latin America up until now, but I feel like Peru is going to stick out from everywhere else. Peruvians had a Japanese president for several years before stepping down due to a corruption scandal. His daughter ended up running for President as well.

In the early 19^th century, big numbers of Japanese emigrated to Peru because of deteriorating economic conditions in Japan after the first Sino-Japanese war with China. When they got to Peru, they struggled as a minority and experience discrimination and racism, but now live alongside fellow Peruvians as business owners and contributors to Peruvian society. Below I've linked some information about this amazing minority of humans whose work ethic has reached across oceans. 

http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2007/5/24/japanese-person-in-peru/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Peruvians/ 

One of my favorite parts about trips like this is the research going into the trip. I'm learning so much about Peru. My political science class from last fall, "Political Systems of Latin America", has provided me with enough background knowledge of Latin American history so that navigating through research and contextualizing what I'm reading has been a little easier.  Woot Woot for learning!

Voy a Peru!

Peru is going to be an adventure for the books. After spending a month and a half of last summer traveling the Caribbean and 2 breaks from school in Puerto Rico with my family just this year, I am more than ready to jump back into Spanish-speaking Latin America and indulge in my Latino heritage for a third time this year. 

I have invested a lot of time and mental space into Latin American politics this past year. Since I began my studies at Cal State East Bay, I have really dived into this political science thing, often finding 25+ tabs of Wikipedia articles open on my internet browser at a time about Latin American history and their political issues. Peruvian politics and their unique demographics are so interesting. I can’t wait to share some of this information that I’ve gathered through my studies and research with the rest of the group. I’m sure a lot of them have already been doing their own research as well! I shared a working powerpoint with everyone with some basic info and youtube videos about Peru's recent politics and the history of Maccu Piccu. 

I am seriously considering going to live in Latin America sometime after graduation. Hopefully this trip inspires me to finally make the jump!

Meet our last #18FYCE Organizer - Marcy Valenzuela!

Hey ya’ll! My name is Marcy Valenzuela.  I'm from Los Angeles and this is my 3rd trip with Foster Youth Cultural Exchange. I’m a former foster youth, social justice advocate and world traveler! I started traveling in the states at 18 and internationally at 24. I absolutely love exploring, tasting new foods and getting immersed in different cultures. I am so honored  to be one of the community organizers this year! I am so stoked to visit the beautiful country Peru! This has always been a dream destination !! I am so lucky to be able to celebrate my 30th birthday with amazing people and community in Cusco this year. 

International Travel... What to pack?

I recently made a big move in my life and the packing of 51 years of life has done me in.  The photo below is the last bit that accompanied me a week ago when I flew off to NZ.  Now I am faced with packing all over again for Peru!  My backpack that I used in NZ (FYCE 4) and Guatemala (FYCE 3) is waiting to load a shipping container in California, so one of the bags below is gonna have to do.  How many pairs of underwear?  How many socks?  Will I need a raincoat?  How will I fit in my hiking poles? 

I know from experience that if I am doing a lot of walking I will need more than one pair of shoes... I could wear my hiking boots on the plane and that will help, but then I should bring two pairs of tennis shoes so that I can change up and that helps my feet.  I have a couple pairs of that wicking and easy to wash underwear... I remember washing those in hostels and hanging on the sides of beds, but how many more should I bring so that I can always have a fresh pair of undies regardless of my time to hand wash?  These are traveler questions...oh, and from past experience, I need to bring an extra bag or come with a bag that is not quite smashed full so that I can bring back a few treasures.  I just sampled some Peruvian chocolate that was quite interesting... might need to bring home a few bars of this to share!  One of the many great things about FYCE is that we learn together how to travel.  Young people who have never been out of the country learn how to dream, plan, pack and travel!  Our next call will surely include a suggested packing list.  We are about three weeks from departure and it's getting exciting! #fostertravel #fosteradventure #fosterconfidence #fostermoreforyouth