Christmas in Peru

Usually on Christmas Eve we work and prepare for the following day, Christmas. Some families may open one present, others may save all of the presents for Christmas Day. On Christmas Day we gather as a family and have dinner, open the remaining presents, and maybe watch a movie together. This is the type of Christmas I'm used to.

Christmas in Peru is different. Quite different. 

The previous day, I was told that Christmas dinner is usually eaten on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve I woke up late (12pm-ish) expecting to save my hunger for Christmas dinner with my friend Bravo and his family. I called him asking what time dinner would start. His response, "late." I decided to wait, remembering that Thanksgiving dinner with his family was big and started around 8-9pm. 

I gamed a bit, took a shower, and prepared myself for dinner. A few hours pass and I again call Bravo asking what time I should come for dinner because I'm getting hungry. His response, "you may want to get something to eat now." Out I go onto the streets and stop by the nearest restaurant to get some food. It's Peruvian-Chinese food (Chifa). 

A few more hours pass as I'm gaming and waiting for a phone call to tell me that I can start working my way over.

Nothing. 

It's about 7:45pm when I contact Bravo again. "So....what time should I come over?" He says, "Yea, well we don't eat until 12, so maybe right before then." 

"Wait, what?" - me.

(Damn you Bravo! Why didn't you just say so in the beginning?!)

Yup, that's right. Apparently in Peru they wait until 12am midnight on Christmas Eve to have dinner with the family and bring in Christmas Day. Slightly before 12am fireworks started going off EVERYWHERE. At, 12am the sky was completely lit up as fireworks covered the sky in every direction. The fireworks kept going strong for about a half hour. After that, they died down (but were never complete gone). 

Although I have no clue how there could be more fireworks than what I saw on Christmas, I'm told that on New Years Eve it's the same, but more and for longer.

All in all, I had a great Christmas and hope you all did too. :)

Funding your Travels

Well hello there!

This isn't really an update. I just wanted to share a blog I stumbled upon that is about funding your travels. I'm actually funding my travels pretty similarly to how she is.

Definitely worth a read:
Travel with K8

Also, the official Enlightize Facebook page is up and running! You can check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Enlightize/642960475827012?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

A few changes and more posts are coming shortly.

Ciao!

The Brick Wall

There you are! I was expecting you, and now you've finally shown yourself! Brick wall.

It comes when we're least expecting it.

After moving forward with such momentum (planning my next steps, moving back to Peru, finding who I need to speak with, etc.) I've officially hit a brick wall. Things aren't moving as quickly as they once were. Where there was once open road, there are now various roadblocks.

I've had to move out of my friend's house due to their landlady, and now I'm living with one of their friend's who owns a hostel (luckily it's just a block or two away from my friends though :) ).

I don't have internet. After searching for 2 days (because my laptop for some reason wouldn't connect to the free internet that Miraflores offers and that all of the restaurants use), I've found free wifi -- with the purchase of a small item at the Starbucks in Barranco. Not too bad, I guess.

Starting a business in the United States would be simple for me. But no, I chose to go to another country to do it. hmph! While I feel comfortable in understanding Spanish, the technical words and industry specific terms are starting to take a toll. To top it off, I'm trying to figure this thing out all by myself. The owner of the hostel has been super helpful in providing me with contacts to more information, but again, as things are running on Peruvian time, I'm losing encouragement as the process is going much slower and I still have yet to speak with or check out producers.

I feel...

Loneliness.
The hostel I'm at is empty. It's just me due to personal reasons with the landlord and his mother that lives upstairs. He only takes people upon recommendation. This said, it's hard finding people to talk to and meet. I know this and my wifi trouble could all be solved if I moved to the sister hostel of the one I stayed at in Mancora. But then, would I be able to concentrate? Also, the owner of the hostel, while he's not always physically there, when he is and we talk, he has been very helpful by driving me to meet people and giving me connections. I don't think I'd be able to get that if I stayed at some party hostel -- although it's awesome.

Frustration.
I want everything to be done now! Am I going about it the right way? I need at least SOME sort of sign that things are happening. I feel like nothing is. Are things really coming together? I don't know. Why is it taking so long? Will this business even be profitable? I want to help people, and I need to make money for a living. Will this be doing enough to help those who need it, including myself? What if I'm slacking? Am I slacking?! What else could I, or should I, be doing?!

Assurance.
Through all of these emotions, somehow, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I will succeed. That's the scary thing. This is definitely not hope. "Hope" still allows for a margin of error...but inside, I have the confidence and assurance that everything WILL come together. hahahaha. It's a weird feeling actually, considering the other feelings as well.


Hello. My name is Jasmine. I am an entrepreneur. I am a traveler. I help people all around the world. I speak multiple languages. I am free from all personal and financial debt. I know what success means to me and I am living it. The world is mine. I mold it to how I want and have fun with it.

Walls were meant to be broken down. Sit back and watch as I tear this one down as well.

Follow your dreams!

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I decided to switch things up and go on a bus tour. Hahaha. Super touristy?! I know!

This place was awesome! I saw skeletons and bones and stuff, in the catacombs (hahaha I sound silly. I know). Unfortunately we're not allowed to take pics there.

Yummy, yummy arroz con mariscos.

*********************************************************************************

*Ayahuasca: Take 2
I find it interesting that the second time I took the Ayahuasca, I asked for fearlessness in pursuing my goals. While I will not and can not connect the Ayahuasca to this feeling, I will say, I do feel more conscious when fear tries to make itself present in my life and hold me back. This is when I take it as a challenge and purposely go against my fear.  I won't say I'm fearless yet, but I will say I am more fear conscious, and have been taking on all of my fears. :)

I decided to write this here, at the end, because I can only cite having this sense of fear consciousness since taking the medicine. I wonder how I would have faired if I wasn't so conscious of how to tackle fears of success and failure before returning to Peru...

Just thought it was interesting to note.

I'm back in Peru?!

Well, I'm back in Lima, Peru staying with some friends before the week starts; when I will be hustling to get this business off the ground.

As soon as I got to my friend's house (at 5.30am in the morning) I crashed. Waking up at 2pm, back in Peru, was the weirdest feeling ever. I had mixed emotions: happy, scared, confused, excited.

Happy because, I again feel like I'm moving forward in my life.

Scared because, I am again in another country where everything I have to do is a challenge; from speaking and being understood to STARTING A BUSINESS. Also, I have way less money than I had before.

Confused because, "Jasmine, you actually left?! When did you buy the plane ticket to come back? When did you get on the plane to come here? Did you ever leave Peru before or was that just a dream?"

Excited because, I can quite literally do whatever I want (while money persists).  I have a great opportunity right now to achieve a major dream of mine and the only thing that could stop me is myself. It makes me a little terrified when I think that this experience may just very well show me my limits, something I never really wanted to know. Will I be able to achieve something that has been my dream since I was in elementary school or will I fail? I guess we'll find out.

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When I woke up today I was reminded of Santiago from Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist,  and how Santiago left everything to pursue his "personal legend". Well, I can only hope that, like him, I will achieve mine as well. I can't stress how the dream of being an entrepreneur and helping those less fortunate through my entrepreneurship has, quite literally, always been my dream since first learning what the word "entrepreneur" meant.

By the way, my flight with Air Canada took me from Baltimore, Maryland (where I was) to Toronto, Canada before coming to Lima, Peru. While in Toronto I was able to visit my friend Charlie who I met my first time in Peru. I think it's worth mentioning that Charlie, his friend Gerard who I also met, and a few of their other friends (all Australian) are known for renting a bus and traveling throughout the United States. They also became quite famous, especially on Reddit. Meeting both Gerard and Charlie did play a part in inspiring me to drop everything and travel as they did. Thanks guys.

You can read about their story here, amongst many other sites:
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoomba-boys-take-magic-school-bus-ride-across-t/2309302/

or Reddit here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/28ejfx/six_australians_no_experience_no_tools_bought_a/


Day in Toronto with Charlie

We didn't eat here. It's just awesome that poutine is everywhere here!!

 We ate here! It was amazing. So sorry I forgot the name. I'd love to advertise for them though. :/

Cheeseburger poutine. This was actually a dream of mine, to eat poutine in Canada. IT. WAS. AMAZING!

 Charlie got some chicken with chili poutine...or something like it.

I also got to ride a streetcar for the first time! :D

Trains!

Buildings! :D

Follow your dreams!

My journey continues...

I am built for success. I know what I want. I know I will get it. I can't deny this fire in my belly, a hunger, that won't allow me to sit still and work a typical 9-5. But still...

I'm terrified!

Again, I am leaving the United States for Peru (next Saturday). This time, however, I'm leaving with less money than before. With only the passion and hope that the next time I see my family and friends, it will be when I pay for them to visit me abroad with the money I have earned by accomplishing my lifelong dream. 

Next week I will be returning to Peru to accomplish my lifelong goal of helping people in developing countries through entrepreneurship. After my first visit to Peru, particularly in Cusco, I became interested in waste management and wanted to tackle the issue in Cusco. Returning to the States, I have researched the internet and interviewed -- and am continuing to interview-- various specialists on waste management. I have come up with a solution to help the poor, clean the environment, and still make money on the side. As I'm not "yet" a specialist in waste management, I can only hope that all of the information that I have received thus far and continue to receive will be sufficient enough for this business to work.

As for Sagna LLC, with the help of a few people in Maryland (and I'm still looking for people that would like to help sell products from Peru, if anyone is interested), while in Peru, I will be networking with small entrepreneurs to send their items back to the States for higher profits.  A full website will be up shortly with more information.

For an "unemployed" person I've been more than busy lately in my pursuit to helping those less fortunate. Wish me luck.

Follow your dreams!

Update: I'm back?

It's been a while. I promise to update you all on the specifics of my farewell to Cusco; taking Ayahuasca a second time; my trip to Arequipa to see the condors; the wonderful people, beaches, and parties that is Mancora; and the busy life of Lima, in later posts. I also have a lot of footage for videos that I will be working on editing to post to my YouTube channel.

Currently, I have returned to the States and am working on a few things before....well, I have a little surprise. (keep reading to find out what it is :) )

1. Last days in Cusco/Mancora/Lima
Cusco
Saying goodbye to Cusco was tough. The spiritual city that served as my home for 2 1/2 months will always be in my heart. My bosses, colleagues, and friends made a notebook for me where everyone wrote me a message. Unfortunately when reading all of the messages something landed in my eye and made them water. ;)

My bosses and colleagues had a farewell/good luck dinner for both me and my colleague Angela who was about to give birth. A few friends from Amauta joined as well. :)

In the plane about to leave Cusco. :(

Mancora
Mancora, Mancora, Mancora! Before I arrived to Mancora I was warned that it was the party scene of Peru, and rightfully it is! Everyday was spent at the beach learning how to surf, and the nights were full of good drinks and music (I highly recommend the Kokopelli hostel in Mancora). While the food in Cusco was pretty good -- although it mostly consisted of potatoes, rice, and chicken everyday-- the food in Mancora was incomparable as it consisted of everything seafood! Aside from learning how to surf I also saw and learned a whole lot of other things as well. For instance, I am officially the darkest I have ever been in my life. Also, I can sunburn; it hurts!

Lima
People told me that Lima wasn't a beautiful city. They were right. I stayed with a few friends in Miraflores. At least the park/square in Miraflores was pretty and full of cats. Apparently you can go there to feed the stray cats and/or adopt them. The city was like any other typical city really; something I now try to avoid seeing when traveling. Lima did however have EXQUISITE food that is  primarily based around seafood because of its proximity to the ocean. I found an amazing sandwich shop too. I feel like my words will only mock the deliciousness of the sandwich if I try to describe how good it was.

Best sandwich EVA!!!! In Miraflores.

 (I took the following sandwich pics for you dad)

This guy, although he creepily followed me from the sandwich place, started off being ok. I kept my guard up the whole time I was around him (he insisted on "keeping me company" when I told him I didn't need it). In the end, this weirdo grabbed me and tried to kiss me on the mouth 3 times. This pic was obviously before he tried to do that. Thanks Grace for the pepper spray!

In Barranco, Lima...

This hippie guy was super sweet. He was the second person to propose to me this day. In the end, he made me a necklace that had the Ayahuasca vine.

2. Being Back Home
I hate it here! I miss the consistent challenge of first communicating effectively in another language and second, learning how to survive in a foreign culture. Yes, seeing my family and friends is awesome; I did miss them. However, I feel stagnant and like I regressed 10 paces in my life journey by being back home. I have even had panic attacks when I wake up and see where I'm at. And so, I made another meeting with my therapist (who after our meeting went on vacation hahahaha).

3. Dreams and Goals
I have always known what I wanted in life; I just let excuses hamper me from going where I wanted to be, or never prioritized what I will do first. This is why I originally started this blog when I decided that I had an opportunity to pursue my goals and dropped everything to leave to Peru and pursue them. Anyone that personally knows me knows that I have always wanted to live abroad and own my business (in truth, a few businesses and organizations), specifically an international entity that helps those in developing countries with various situations. While I am back, I have written out my goals and have begun to prioritize them and what needs to be done to accomplish them.

4. Where I'm headed
After speaking with my therapist before I left to Peru, with her help I had taught myself a new mentality. As mentioned before, I currently feel frustrated and stagnant being back in the States - primarily living with my parents. Also, knowing myself, I like to see results immediately. After writing down my goals, I have taken to the habit of writing out a list of things that need to be done to accomplish my goals and what I would need to do everyday to feel that I am one step closer to actualizing my goal. While previously, if I was to write out my goals and accomplish certain steps, I still wouldn't feel closer to them because I didn't feel like the steps I took were big enough; now everyday I feel like I have something to show for my work. For instance, since I came back I have been making prototypes and asking people to taste and critique chocolates I had made using ingredients I had brought back from Peru to sell. Friday, I had made and packaged the chocolates to sell for a flea market that I had heard about (I think it's interesting to note that before I came back from Peru, it was part of my list of goals to sell these chocolates at a flea or farmers market by last weekend. I didn't have a clue which one but upon my arrival the opportunity just presented itself). Saturday, I sold the chocolates with the help of my family. Today I successfully paid for and registered a business as an LLC with the State of Maryland. :D

My mentality is to be more action oriented, and so far it has been working!

While I have already bought a ticket to return to Peru on November 8th (haha surprise!). Now that I have successfully registered this business entity I am debating whether to return and continue to help my previous bosses with the operations of their business and help them grow a few of their ideas which align with my goals, or to stay in the States, grow this current business and stick to my original plan of going to Japan in January. The second option is starting to become more likely; I'll just need to cancel my plane ticket first.

Follow your dreams.



Selling at the Flea Market :) (here's a link to our Facebook page if you're interested: Sagna's Maca)