A Peruvian Birthday!

Another year older, another year wiser!

I'm so happy to be celebrating my 32nd birthday here in Peru! Gosh, who would have thought?

Those of you who have been following my blog, and most of my friends know that every year on my birthday, I aim to do "something I've never done before". Last year, I got my "pourquoi pas" tattoo - which I still love, by the way... And this year, well, when I realized I was going to be in Peru, I initially planned on being in Macchu Pichu to celebrate... but then the organization that I'm volunteering in, The Light and Leadership Initiative, needed me to help out sooner than the 25th of March, so... I thought it might be nice and fresh to count "Volunteering to teach English in Peru" as my "never done before" birthday act! To be giving back for a change! And I gotta say, it has been so wonderful so far.

Light And Leadership

Last week, I talked a little bit about the organization... Well, now that I've had more than a week of working experience here, I can now proudly and honestly say that they are an AMAZING group of people working towards a great cause, and I am SO HAPPY and LUCKY to be here!

I teach English (and PE and Art) to both kids and adults, and I gotta say I enjoy them all. I don't have a favorite... At first I wasn't too confident about teaching the little ones because my experience in teaching was mostly for adults... but after my first class, I realized that age doesn't really matter when I teach... I've almost forgotten how much fun I have in the classroom, and how good I am in reaching out to people of all ages and races. I play the ukulele and teach them songs in my class too - which is great, because LLI is flexible enough to give me that freedom. I'm back in my element, and I am having the time of my life with all these people! 

Oh - and did I tell you my Spanish teacher name? It's Miss Tierra. Tierra, in Spanish, means "Earth". No one could ever pronounce my name properly here so to make things easier for everyone, I am called "Tierra" in Spanish and Latin American countries. :)

A student, Cristina, gifted/dedicated her artwork to me <3
Tierra - that's me!!!

The Volunteers

I've said it before and I'll say it again... The group of volunteers in this house are quite possibly the best, kindest, most amazing people to ever come together under the same roof. Every single one of these people could rule the world with their skills and vibrant personalities, and they are here making a difference in Huaycan, right in the middle of nowhere Peru! I am floored and in awe everyday, working with these people. It just makes the experience that much more meaningful and rewarding... because I've only been with them for a week, and already we have become such good friends. I'm so lucky to always be surrounded by bright lights... SO LUCKY.

Double Birthday

I also happen to share my birthday with one of the fierce ladies here in LLI, Karen (she turned 23, I turned 32... PERFECTION)! And so we thought of doing a double birthday bash which involved cake, food, karaoke and some dancing! On the 25th, our actual birth date, the crew got us a Tres Leches Cake (delicious!) for a little candle blowing... We went out to dinner together, and did a little Karaoke (upon my urging).

The next day, we ventured out into Lima for an overnight trip... Lima just has more options in terms of a night life, so we hung out at the rooftop of the hostel they booked, had a really chill out pre-party over there, then headed out to a club for some dancing action...

Nose Piercing

The day after, I went and got my nose pierced. :)

It's weird... I feel like I'm regressing, sort of like Benjamin Button. Lately I've been inclined to do these random things - like get a tattoo, highlight my hair bright red, and get my nose pierced... you know, stuff that people usually do when they're younger. Mind you - these are things that I've ALWAYS wanted to do, but felt I couldn't, because the corporate world wouldn't allow me to. I was always too afraid of the consequences of looking a little radical, because it might dim my chances of being taken seriously, or getting a job. In corporate, and I suppose in a lot of other situations, perception is everything... and I didn't want to be perceived as a pierced, tattooed, and bright colored hippie.

Little by little though, as I've gone through this trip, my world has changed. I think what's really happening is that I'm finally allowing my physical body to reflect what's really inside of me... My true inner self - which is unique, creative, and colorful! :)

I love my new look! You can't really see much of the piercing because the stud that was used had to be tiny first... I'm due to change the little stud for something brighter and bigger in a couple weeks when it's fully healed. Right now it just looks like a silver blackhead... Like a silverhead, basically. But it's heart shaped and cute!

See that TINY dot on my nose? That's not a speck of dirt on your monitor.
That's actually my stud. 

Post-Birthday Thoughts

I was thinking about how - my birthday last year and getting a tattoo was a pretty good marker of when my round the world trip adventure started, because I quit my job a few days after that. And looking back at what I've seen and what I've done and who I've met since then blows my mind. I think you guys are witness to the fact that my year has been pretty incredible.

I keep thinking... Is it really possible for someone to be THIS lucky?

Then I think maybe it's not all luck. I think your world really is just a reflection of how you feel, how you think, and what you give out. My world this year has been amazing and exciting, because EVERYDAY, I feel amazing and exciting! I've always looked forward to where I was going next, what I was going to do, and who I was going to meet. Because I'm traveling, and doing what I feel like I'm meant to do, my heart is constantly just full... and it makes me happy. Plainly happy!

Another thing I noticed about myself is that lately, being grateful has become more of a habit now than something I have to remind myself to do or be. Like - it's sort of automatic for me to whisper "thank you" for anything good that happens everyday... Anytime I arrive safely in one place... or anytime I witness a beautiful sunset... or meet a new person I really connect with... or when I eat a good breakfast... or even when I hear a good song on the radio... Automatically, my mind "smiles" and says "thank you".

Being grateful has given me a better sense of being. It gives me the feeling of congruence... Like I'm exactly where I'm meant to be at this point. In all the choices that I've made lately, from choosing next destinations to hostels I've booked, or even in choosing restaurants to eat in... I feel like I'm being guided. I've learned to trust my instincts more, and it hasn't led me astray.

So I dunno... maybe good luck is only what we call beautiful things falling into place when you decide to start living the life you were meant to live. Maybe we're all meant to be lucky in this world, if we were only brave enough to pursue our own happiness. :)

For my birthday, there is really nothing else I could wish for, because I HAVE everything I need... I am the youngest 32 year old in the world, and I have never been happier than I am this past year. I am content and complete <3

So instead, I am going to use my wish on you guys... My dear friends, on my birthday, I wish for you... The courage to pursue your right to happiness... May your thoughts be clear and hearts be full, and may you all be brave enough to live your true destinies... to "get lucky" in life, as I have been fortunate enough to be.

Cheers to another INCREDIBLE year! Salud! :)

Greetings From Peru!

Photo by Robert Mooney

Hola a todos! Estoy en Peru!!!

Oh. My. God. After almost a year of traveling, I have arrived at the LAST country on my agenda. I almost can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. I don't want it to end :(

OK no. No drama. Not time for that yet.

PERU! 

Let's talk about Peru!

My main purpose for visiting this country was Machu Picchu. It's one of those things I felt like I HAD to visit. I mean, wouldn't you want to?
So... having both Machu Picchu and Carnival in mind as I was planning my South American leg, I tried to figure out what I could do and where I could stay in Peru, Brazil, and all the other countries in between.

With my godmother, Amy :)

It's lucky that my high school chemistry teacher (who also happens to be my godmother), lives in Lima. I contacted her, asked if I could crash with her while I was in Peru, and all was set!

May I just say that with what I've seen so far in the week I've been here --- I feel like I'm back in The Philippines. EVERYTHING here reminds me of my country. I even LOOK Peruvian. South America in general reminds me so much of home, but Peru out of all the countries I've visited is the most similar to The Philippines. It's great!!! I fit right in!

Oh... and one more thing.

The food is AMAAAAAZING!!! Totally underrated. Sooo good. SOOO good.

Dunno what this is called but it was SOOO good!

THE LIGHT AND LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE

While I was traveling through Greece, I had a chance encounter with this great girl, Sophie, who upon learning that I had a teaching background and that I volunteer a lot while I travel, suggested that I apply for this organization called The Light and Leadership Initiative (LLI) in Peru. She volunteered there herself, swears by it, and said I would have the best, most rewarding experience over there. I was intrigued, so I checked it out!

LLI is a non profit organization whose mission is to improve the quality of education in Huaycan, Peru, for the benefit of the women and children who reside there.

"Through workshops and classes, women are empowered to better care for themselves and their families by improving both their physical and emotional well being, as well as advancing their skills in the workforce. Children are offered similar opportunities and learn the value of education and respect for one's community."
The organization hires interns and accepts volunteers all year round, and the main task, really, is to teach the children English after school. They do tutoring as well, teach art, as well as physical education.

Teaching English to kids really appealed to me... I guess because I missed being in the classroom. I worked as a trainer for 10 years and I always enjoyed the classroom aspect of it. Plus I really believed in the organization's cause, and admired the founders for their passion for helping Huaycan. I applied for the volunteer position... and after a couple months of figuring out the schedule, it was decided that I was going to help teach English for a month, from March 17 to April 17. AND HERE I AM NOW!!!

(*Photos were taken from the LLI webpage)

I start leading a class tomorrow, so there's really not much to report about it yet... But after having been here for a few days, I can already tell I'm going to enjoy it! I am sharing a house with about 8 other volunteers and interns, and they are honestly the nicest and kindest do-gooders you'll ever meet in your life. I suppose this kind of work attracts a certain kind of people... and I'm grateful for them, because I'm staying here for a month... and it would be amazing to just be surrounded by positivity and good vibes the whole time :) I'll have more to report on this next week.

The LLI Crew :)

AYAHUASCA

One other thing that I plan to do here in Peru is the Ayahuasca Retreat.

Aya-whatta?

Ayahuasca.

It's basically a psychedelic brew of the Amazon region, known for its hallucinogenic properties. People go on Ayahuasca Retreats (Shamanism) to drink the brew in the hopes of curing their drug addiction, alcoholism or depression. People like me who do not fall under any of those categories, go for a more Spiritual purpose. It has been said that when you take the Ayahuasca brew, you undergo some sort of mind-altering/spiritual experience. Some call it "seeing God", some encounter the divinity within themselves, and some say they just see things clearly... like everything just makes sense.

I don't know exactly what I want to achieve from this... but I just feel like ever since I got to South America, I kept encountering people who bring it up in conversation... and I've NEVER heard of this before I got here. They say Peru is where it is mostly done --- and it just so happens that my last stop on this trip is Peru... So I feel like maybe the Universe is trying to give me signs. I don't believe in coincidences anymore... so this HAS to mean something, right?
I'm definitely intrigued, and I'm doing a ton of research on it. I am in the process of finding a Shaman who can perform this ritual for me --- and if you guys know anyone, please let me know! I will talk more about this in detail on a separate post. :)

Teaching English to Kids, Machu Picchu, Ayahuasca. This is definitely going to be an interesting month. ;)

Observations On Brazil

Carnival in Rio may not be the best way to formulate one’s opinion on the country of Brazil… well… because I suppose alcohol, drugs, and samba does really weird things to people. It would be unfair of me to judge the country solely on my Carnival experience alone... so for this blog post, I’m taking it out of the equation.

RIO, SALTO, SAO PAULO

These are the three cities that I’ve had the pleasure to visit here in Brazil. All of them are so different. Rio is the most popular of the three for good reason… It’s the most touristic – with beaches like Ipanema and Copacabana, and the iconic landmark, Christ The Redeemer.  

Obligatory Christ The Redeemer Shot

Ipanema is beautiful… The water is clean and has a pretty good temperature, the sand is fine and ecru, and you can witness pretty spectacular sunsets from the beach too. 

Girls from Ipanema

Ipanema Sunset

I got invited to stay with a friend of mine in Salto, which is a city around 2 hours away from Sao Paulo. They call it “the countryside”. It’s lush and green and very laid back. It was exactly what I needed right after Carnival. Downtime with a proper Brazilian family with authentic Brazilian food cooked fresh for me every day. HEAVEN!

With new friends from Salto

My Brazilian mom!

Then off to Sao Paulo I went, just to see the city for a couple days. I stayed at this great hostel called, Hostel Brasil Boutique (an amazing hostel, totally recommended), where my good friend, Eduardo, works. 

You guys remember Eduardo whom I met in Italy, right? 

Dinner at Hostel Brasil Boutique with fellow travelers

Sao Paulo reminds me a little bit of New York City, in the sense that it’s quite congested and compact. It isn’t much of a touristy place, but I think Sao Paulo’s strength lies in the lifestyle.  I only had a very short time to visit, but I liked the vibe better than Rio.

Sao Paulo, View from the top - Reminds me of Manhattan

FOOD

Now to the important stuff. Dude. I LOVE Brazilian food.  I don’t know what it is… I mean I never really liked beans that much before, but I’ve started craving for them every meal since I got here! Everything is just so savory… I love how the restaurants over here are almost all “buffet style” and they encourage you to just pile everything on to your plate and eat them all together. That’s definitely how I roll… I have no patience to start with appetizers, then entrées, then main dishes, etc… I’d rather have them all together – and that’s how they do it over here!

And don’t even get me started on the Acai. Aaaahhhhh acaiiiii!!! Acai with granola and banana! I literally had them every day in Rio. They sell it on the beach! I guess since they have an abundance of this fruit from the Amazon, they just make them everywhere! This is, hands down, my favorite bit of Brazil. Healthy, fruity, and DELICIOUS. Mmmmmm…

PEOPLE

OK… taking away the Carnival from the equation… I’ve noticed that in general, the people here in Brazil are very kind. Very hospitable --- very much like the people of The Philippines. They love visitors, love foreigners, and would do anything to be of help to them. There were several instances when my friend and I were conversing in English in the Metro or a restaurant, figuring out where to go or what to eat, when a random Brazilian would pop up to say, “Do you need some help?” – picking up on the fact that we were having a difficult time with the language.

One time, we were on the bus trying to find this one Favela, and two ladies volunteered their services to us as a Favela tour guide because they lived there! It was amazing!

Two of my Brazilian friends took me in as their house guests in Rio and Salto, and I was shown the most incredible hospitality... I felt like I was in a Filipino household... Food was being shoved at me all the time, and I was constantly being reminded that their casa is my casa. I love these people. :)

The only thing that makes it a little challenging is that hardly anyone speaks English. Really. I was very surprised… especially since The World Cup is coming up… and The Olympics in 2 years too! I got by with the little Spanish I knew when I was by myself... but most of the time I was with friends who spoke Portuguese. It will be interesting to see how Brazil does when all the tourists arrive this June.

On the physical aspect... I'd have to agree with the rest of the world in saying, Brazilians are HOT ---- BUT - they're not necessarily my type. Only because for most of them, there is no subtlety. Everything is sort of in your face with the hotness. The men are half naked with perfectly sculpted Jesus abs, and the women always in thongs, with their JLO bums and perfect boobs, all of them with the most beautiful tan --- and they know it too! 

Most of them are confident (borderline arrogant sometimes) and they like to flaunt what they've got. You see them doing pull-ups on the beach or anywhere they can, actually... This may work for some, but not for me. Call me old fashioned, but I have this annoying habit of looking past appearances. It sucks, I know.

Obviously, this is but a generalization. Not everyone is as I have described above... In fact, my first (and favorite) Brazilian friend, Eduardo, is completely anti-Brazilian, in the sense that he doesn't have an arrogant bone in his body, a little shy, beautiful but doesn't know it, and a total hippie. He says he may have been adopted, and may possibly not actually be Brazilian. That would make more sense if it were true. :) (Hi Eddie!)

A "BRAZILIAN"

For all intents and purposes, I *had* to do a Brazilian wax in Brazil. I had to. Just to see. I mean – you go to Japan to eat Sushi and Ramen… You go to Italy to eat Pizza and Pasta…. And you go to Brazil to get a Brazilian Wax. That’s just the way it is. And so I did it. 
The verdict? 
It’s just like any other waxing place I’ve been to everywhere in the world.  Hurts like hell. 

And that concludes my time in Brazil! A Brazilian wax for the win! Woohoo!
It's a shame I never had enough time to explore the other areas of Brazil... I hear great things about the beaches of the north... I'll go back one day for sure.

If you guys are going for the World Cup - just be prepared for a whole lotta crazy... Try to learn a little Portuguese, and eat lots of Acai. :)

My 2014 Rio Carnival Experience

I looked up several different adjectives for the word, “crazy”, and these are some of the results:

Wild
Mad
Extreme
Mental
Nuts
Erratic
Psycho
Bonkers
Mad As A Hatter
Bats In The Belfry (my personal favorite)

OK. How does one describe the Rio De Janeiro Carnival? Easy.
Choose all of the above.

I mean, I was warned. I’m supposed to have known what I was getting myself into, having spoken to several different traveler’s who’ve done it before. “It’s craaaaazy, man….” Is usually the first thing they say. I was excited! It has always been something I’ve wanted to experience… and BOY OH BOY, an experience it definitely was!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I had just disembarked from a grueling 26 hour bus journey from Iguazu Falls, Argentina, when I walked up to the apartment of my Couchsurfing host, right smack in the middle of downtown Rio. I was basically the walking dead when I mustered up all of my remaining energy to knock on the door. 

Well, when it opened, I was greeted by blaring samba music, overwhelmingly loud screaming, and an attack hug by a half-naked girl with cat make up. My senses were seized and I must have looked like a petrified goat because it took a while for me to register what was going on – I couldn’t react! Before I could even move, boys dressed in drag were removing my backpacks from my body and a caipirinha was being shoved in my hand. “Just go with it,” the half-naked (and apparently, English) girl yelled. 

“Sweet Jesus, save me,” I thought, as I looked around the tiny living room with at least 12 people inebriated beyond words, at 3 in the afternoon.

That scene… that exact moment… was going to be the most “tranquilo” my carnival experience was going to get.

BRAZIL

Can I just say that I think it’s amazing how the entire country is SO into Carnival! They just get into it so much, you see it everywhere… The ENERGY of Rio is over the top! Bumper to bumper traffic, crowds marching in the streets, people in costumes EVERYWHERE, samba dancing EVERYWHERE, and singing EVERYWHERE! It’s incredible, and for all 5 days of Carnival, it doesn’t stop! The Metro runs 24/7 during this time, you can bring and drink alcohol here, there, and everywhere, nobody works because everyone is either partying out in the streets or participating in the parade! 

It’s like the whole country is celebrating Halloween for 5 days… Halloween, combined with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses, New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, and… and… Gay Pride Parade. All of that together, multiply the energy times 10. I’m not kidding. It is that crazed and insane, that the only way I could keep up was a constant injection of Red Bull and Caffeine Tablets. I am not much of a “party animal” and I’m not as young and limber as I used to be, so I needed some help.

BLOCOS

Basically, a “Bloco” is a street band in a moving float that goes around a block (hence the name). There are tons of different Blocos that people follow in different times of the day… The idea is, you find a Bloco that play the music that you like (which is Samba… always Samba) and you follow them as they move down the streets… making it a street party! THIS is what the locals do everyday… they follow Bloco’s! 

BLOCO! From Carnivalbookers.com

THIS is what I’ve had to do with my Couchsurfing crowd of friends… Drink, eat, and dance, while following Bloco’s! It gets really mental because hundreds – no, thousands of people follow these street bands, and there were scary times when we’ve gotten ourselves stuck, suffocating in the middle of a Bloco crowd. Totally bonkers, I swear!

This is a CROWD following a BLOCO. Nuts.

THE SAMBADROME

This year is the 30^th anniversary of the Sambadrome (Carnival Parade). Before I headed out to Rio, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go and pay for the parade because I heard you could see the floats on the streets anyway… Besides, it was so expensive, I didn’t even know if I had enough cash to shell out.

People who have bought tickets in advance had to pay around 300 Reals (130 USD) for it.
Well, apparently (and this is a good tip for you too, if you ever plan to go), you can just buy tickets from scalpers on the street on the day you want to see the parade. It’s really easy too, because the scalpers seek YOU out. My friends and I were just walking down the street near Ciudade Nova where all the floats were parked, taking pictures, when a man approached us offering tickets. All these tickets are legit, by the way… And we got ours for 50 Reals (21 USD) each! Score! It was on a Sunday too, apparently, the best day to watch the parade (they hold one every night, featuring different Samba Schools). 

A warning: The parade goes on from around 9 or 10pm till 5 or 6 in the morning. It is Looooooo---oooong… And YES I had to stay all the way till the end because my friend’s favorite Samba School was last to come out.
I think I died a little bit that night.
But I got some pretty good pictures out of it!

SAFETY

Well, because my purse was already stolen in Buenos Aires, I wasn’t about to let that happen again… so I don’t bring anything with me when I go out. My cash is stuffed in my bra. It’s really a shame because there were so many moments when I wished I had my camera with me --- but I just couldn’t risk bringing it! It really is as dangerous as everyone makes it out to be, so you can never be too careful. A couple people in my Couchsurfing house got robbed during the time I was there, so the odds really weren’t in my favor. I had to rely on other people taking pictures and tagging me on Facebook. The only times I dared to bring my camera was in Ipanema for beach and relaxation time, and the Sambodromo.  The parade had a lot of cops hanging around so it was safer, apparently. Although, my friend’s pair of shorts were stolen in Ipanema while we were taking a nap. HER SHORTS. Crazy, right??

We hang out by the cop cars to be extra safe.

As much as possible, all of us stick together when we go out. Most of the time, we are in the company of one of our Couchsurfing hosts so that makes us feel a little more protected… But definitely, here is where I’ve felt the most alert and keen because it is necessary.  The one time I had to walk home at night by myself because I had no choice, I was running. Literally running for my life, even if I was the only one in the street. Even if it was only a block, I felt like I was being chased by zombies. I couldn’t help but feel paranoid…
Thankfully, all is well though. Hopefully it stays that way…

THE PEOPLE

All the Couchsurfers in my hosts house! Nuts!!!

A lot of the Brazilians I met in my travels told me that they leave Brazil during Carnival. I remember thinking to myself – “Why would you do that?”
Well, now I understand. If I lived here and had to deal with this kind of madness every year, I would run, Forrest, run , too.

The people go nuts. As a tourist, if I had to base my judgment of Brazilians on my experience during Carnival alone, I would say – “Brazilians are fucking mental.”
OK, first of all, everyone is just drunk. As in out of their mind, drunk… high on life… high on crack… inebriated beyond help. And over here… SEX is just all around you. Everywhere you look, there are people making out… and it’s the hot and heavy kind, too. I swear, I’ve never been faced with so much tongue in public. In my Couchsurfing house… they have a “hook-up room”. NOT KIDDING!

Photo from ctpost.com

As a woman, it’s a little challenging to walk down the street without being semi-harassed. The men just GRAB you… as in LITERALLY grab you…  by the hand, by the stomach… some grab your face and try to kiss you. It’s gotten so bad, there was a point when I started walking with my hands on guard in front of me, Karate-chop-style. NOT KIDDING!

It’s a shame, really… because about 80% of the Brazilian men over here are half naked with perfect bodies that put Abercrombie and Fitch models to shame. It’s difficult for me to appreciate the beauty if I’m constantly protecting my womanhood though.

Compared to all the other Brazilians on the street, these boys probably are the ones who only go
to the gym once a week. These guys are lazy.

However… there IS a good side to all this craziness. The thing is, these Brazilians who stay in Rio to celebrate Carnival… They’re all just SO HAPPY. They LOVE the festivities… They LOVE Carnival… They LOVE each other… and They LOVE Brazil! You can just see it in the way strangers interact with one another… Nothing but pure, drunk, love. They burst into song all the time… Any chance they get, they dance the fucking Samba! 

We got stuck in a semi-stampede in the Metro once, where there were THOUSANDS of people trying to get in and out… People were stuck, couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe… But all of a sudden, they burst into song! The whole underground was singing this Portuguese song "Cachaca Nao E Agua" - which is a song about this Brazilian drink... Men with drums actually sat down and gave the people a beat, drumming along to the melody, which made the people sing even louder. It was incredible! The energy….The love… What should have been a very scary moment turned into something really fun and entertaining! I loved it!

This is not what it actually looked like, but just to give you an idea... It was like this - but with
waaay more people, in a bigger Metro.

ME

I’m alive. I survived Carnival. It’s a miracle. Really.
It is, hands down, one of the most insane and outrageous things I’ve ever experienced --- not just on this trip, but in my LIFE.
It’s one of those things that you really have to experience for yourself at least once.

In my case --- JUST ONCE is enough. My body can't handle another Carnival in Rio. I’m getting too old for this shit.

Maybe the Venice Carnival next year? :)