Friday, November 21, 2014

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!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.



Sunday, November 9, 2014

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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

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!