lgjuarez

[lgjuarez]

Hasta luego, Chiclayo.

Amigos,

As it always seems to happen with last days, my last day in Chiclayo went by all too quickly, with little sleep and a lot of thought.

Here we are, four months later. I've become so proud of my Latin American heritage and so appreciative of my life in Canada. The experiences I've had and the people I've met these past four months while working, learning and exploring around Chiclayo and Northern Peru's coffee growing communities are ones that have changed my perspectives and ones that will stay with me forever.

A couple of weeks into my experience, I wrote a journal entry while visiting Pimentel for the first time. I wrote, "I am very excited to see what happens in the next four months. Will I leave behind meaningful work for Isabel and the coffee producers? Will I make friends, gain confidence, and become more open to new experiences? Will I have more good days than bad days? Will I be sad to leave?" Well, now that the four months are up, I'm ready to answer these questions.

Will I leave behind meaningful work for Isabel and the coffee producers?

One of the greatest things that my supervisor Isabel has taught me, is that when you work with passion to achieve a goal, much good will arise. I'd like to think that this is what I was able to do during my time with PROASSA. My job with PROASSA was essentially my dream job. It allowed me to engage in my passions of planning and international development, which inspired me to want to work hard. The photo above isn't really good quality, but its one of my favourites. This is because at this moment, community leaders from Tallapampa excitedly gathered around the community's coffee cooperative president to scope out their new community development plan. It was a plan that I worked on throughout the term and I got to present it to them during this meeting. It's a moment in my career I don't think I'll ever forget.

Will I make friends, gain confidence, and become more open to new experiences?

Well, there's a reason they call it 'la cuidad de la amistad'. By the end of my time in Chiclayo I had made a great group of friends. Muchas gracias a mis patas de Advanced 7 who adopted me and looked after me. From the discoteca, to Pimentel, to the classic evenings spent at las palmeras - spending time with friends in Chiclayo was definitely one of the highlights of my trip. It allowed me to do and experience things like a local university student would in Chiclayo, which to me was a very special experience. I hope that one day I'll be their host in Canada. Mi casa es tu casa amigos. 

Will I have more good days than bad days?

I'd be lying if I said that every moment in Chiclayo was great. There were definitely some bad days where I may have felt lonely, sick, confused, or exhausted..especially near the beginning. But hey, you're bound to have a couple of bad days in four months, no matter where you are. And the bad days only make the good days that much better. The many many good days definitely outnumber the bad days though, and they're the ones that I'll remember.

Will I be sad to leave? Of course. I'll be sad to leave what has been such a meaningful learning opportunity for me, but more importantly glad for everything that it has taught me. Sad to leave my new friends behind, but glad I met them. I know I'll be back, which is why I say hasta luego to Chiclayo and not adios.

Well that's a wrap for now friends. Thanks for joining me on this adventure. I'm in Lima now, anxiously awaiting my brother Eduardo to join me on Tuesday so we can tour the country. To those in Chiclayo and surrounding neighbourhoods that made this experience what it was - gracias. To my support system at home that I can't wait to see in a few weeks - gracias. To Peru, a country whose people, geography, and culture will always be with me - le doy gracias a dios.

Saludos Cordiales, Luis Gabriel

#sju #beyondborders #cafefemenino #peru

[lgjuarez]

Ay vamos!

Que tal amigos, como vamos?

This week marked three months since I arrived in Chiclayo. In just one quick month, I'll be done my time here en la cuidad de la amistad. The last month was a little nostalgic missing the typical thanksgiving, halloween and birthday celebrations. None the less, I've had some great experiences in Chiclayo and surrounding rural communities like the one below, Penachí, where I spent my 21st birthday. 

In a month, I'll be en route to Lima where I'll spend some time solo before my brother Eduardo comes down to meet up with me. We've planned a pretty epic trip throughout Perú. Some of the places we're going to check out include Cusco, Machu Picchu, Puno (Lake Titikaka), Puerto Maldonado (Amazon rainforest), and Lima. After that, it's back to the great white north.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves though. Of course I'm excited for all that to happen, but I really do want to slow down time a bit. One month left, but lots of work to complete still.

One of the main projects I'll will be working on this month is research for a community called Agua Azul. I haven't been yet, but I am told that this little community is the nicest of them all. I want to determine whether implementing a small-scale coffee-tourism industry focused on environmental and social coffee production practices can benefit Fair-trade and organic coffee producers in this community. The lengthy ethics application has been submitted to UW and I'm just waiting for clearance to get started.

Aside from work, I'm glad to say that my social life in Chiclayo too has picked up significantly. Last weekend I got to catch up with friends from the language centre over some beer and cebiche. Despite everything being so different than what I'm used to in Canada, some things are exactly the same, like the way friends always look after their friends.

As Cantinflas often said, 'Hay momentos en la vida que son verdaderamente momentáneos', and this experience is surely one of them.

See you in a month and a half, Lucho (nick name they give people who's name is Luis in Latin America)

#beyondborders #uwaterloo #sju #peru #coffee #chiclayo

[lgjuarez]

Topophilia

Those of you who know me well can attest to the fact that I suffer from topophilia no matter where I go. It means love of place. I love Oakville, Toronto, Waterloo, even Edmonton, and I can finally say that Chiclayo has made the list.

More than anything, it's the attitude I love here. People are open, friendly, relaxed. Starting a conversation with a stranger isn't that strange, and going to a place alone doesn't mean you leave alone.

I think I first realized this love for Chiclayo (and Latin America in general) while participating in the traditional Peruvian beer drinking ritual. This ritual consists of one person buying a jumbo beer, which is then passed around the group using a communal cup. You always leave a little bit of beer in the cup and pour it on the ground, offering it to mother nature before passing it on. This goes on at least until everyone in the group has purchased a beer for the group. It's a great way to build community and converse an evening away. I've exchanged a lot of stories and have learned a lot about the Peruvian culture, struggles, and aspirations participating in this ritual.

Talking with locals, I've learned that Peru has suffered from a lot of instability in its past, overcoming periods of inflation, a fractured economy, and terrorism. Today, government corruption continues to be all too frequent of an issue. For example, Chiclayo's outgoing mayor Betto Torres was arrested by national police this month for spending millions in public money for personal use. This was just a couple of days before election day, where he was hoping to be reelected with the 'Manos Limpias' or 'Clean Hands' campaign.

Despite all this, its evident that times are changing in Peru. The economy is growing and is accompanied by an emerging middle class, and furthermore there's a great sense of hope and pride for the country's future. It's a great time to be in Peru, and I consider myself very lucky to be here right now.

My love for Chiclayo didn't just happen. It was a result of a sense of belonging with its cultural identity. I eat what the locals eat, pay the local cab fare, and even learned to dance like the locals at the discoteca. More importantly, I've met some great amigos while doing so.

Saludos cordiales, Luis

#peru #chiclayo #sju #uwaterloo #beyondborders

[lgjuarez]

An Ode to Coffee

Today is International Coffee Day.

A day to celebrate the enjoyment of coffee, raise awareness about fair trade coffee, and acknowledge the hard workers behind your delicious cup of Joe. To celebrate, I wrote an ode to coffee (shout out to Aaron Clasky for the inspiration), a beverage I very much enjoy. One day, I'd love to own a coffee shop of my own, but for now, I'll enjoy a cup of Cafe Femenino here in Peru. Why don't you join me back at home?

An Ode to Coffee

She wakes up with the sun. Heads down to the field, works the morning away with her colleagues alike. Thank God for coffee she thinks, it brings us together.

He gets up but he’s not really awake. Walks to the metro, Blackberry in one hand, coffee in the other. Thank god for coffee he thinks, it keeps us going.

A simple cup of Joe. Energizing, comforting, deliciously bitter some might say. It brings us together, it keeps us going.

She picks the best coffee bean. You know that coffee roast with that aroma that fills your body with feelings of warmth and comfort? No one likes coffee like she does.

He drinks the best cup of coffee. You know that blend that helps you feel a little more alive and makes your heart beat a little faster with every black drop? No one likes coffee like he does.

It’s the end of the workday, he heads back home. Takes his wife out for coffee and they exchange the day’s stories. Thank god for coffee he thinks, it brings us together.

She’s done for the day, she heads to the market. Sells her coffee for food and has some cash left over for her child’s tuition. Thank god for coffee she thinks, it keeps us going.

See that cup of Joe isn’t really that simple. Everyday a new bean to bring us together. Everyday a new cup to help us keep going. 

#internationalcoffeeday #CafeFemenino #PROASSA #fairtrade #organic #coffee

[lgjuarez]

High

There’s this really unique feeling I get each time I get back from visiting the Andean coffee-growing communities. It’s hard to describe this feeling, but I can tell you it’s one of joy and appreciation. I think that the Tragically Hip say it best when they say ‘We get to feel small, From high up above, And after a glimpse, Over the top, The rest of the world, Becomes a gift shop’. Something about witnessing a different reality reminds me how small I am, how vast the world we live in is, and how lucky I am to have been dealt the cards I was dealt with in life.

Friday evening I returned from a five-day trip to two different Andean communities – Tallapampa and Murojaga. These coffee-growing communities are about a 4-hour car ride away from Chiclayo. This was the first time I went to a community without my supervisor, Isabel, and as expected, this made the visit a little more difficult but at the same time more satisfying. I was however accompanied by a nurse from Chiclayo who was contracted by PROASSA to do some work in the same communities I was visiting.

In the first community, Tallapampa, I am responsible for creating a community development plan. To get started on this project, I held a reunion with several community members to describe the work I was going to complete and gain a better understanding of the community. I should note that Planning is not a profession in Peru. It often takes a while to describe the differences between Planning and other professions such as civil engineering or architecture, and the benefits that it may bring to a community. Once I describe the field of work however, people tend to become very receptive to the idea of planning. Community members in Tallapampa were very helpful in describing how they would like to see their community develop. After an initial meeting, community leaders gave me a tour of the area where we analyzed areas of potential growth. After the tour, we then sat down to create a rough map of the community, as one did not previously exist.

In the second community, Murojaga, I consulted the community about what projects they thought would benefit their community the most. Unlike Tallapampa, this community had electricity and more access to potable water. What they all seemed to desire most was a communal gathering space, such as a park. They wanted a space where they could meet and share ideas in a casual setting. I’m going to talk to my supervisor to see what can be done here to meet this need.

During our time in the first community, the nurse and I slept in the local health post, which services several communities in the area. Contrary to the times I visited with my supervisor, we were not given meals (which I was not expecting). Luckily there was a small general store in the community where the nurse and I stocked up on crackers, fruit, and canned tuna. In the second community, we stayed in the local kindergarten classroom. The nurse was responsible for measuring and weighing the community’s kindergarten kids and for running a workshop for parents on how to cook healthy meals using local ingredients.

I got to meet some great people during this visit. Not having my supervisor there forced me to engage in the culture and interact with locals a little more than usual. A question I always like asking locals is “What do you think about Canada?” The responses vary, but often times they are similar. Most respond by saying that Canada is very similar to the USA but colder. In fact, most of the times I’m just introduced as being North American rather than Canadian. Now before you start naming all the ways in which we are different from our American neighbours, think of how easily we categorize African and Latin American countries together in Canada.

A few people responded a little negatively when I asked them, connecting Canada to the mining companies that are exploiting impoverished Peruvian communities for natural resources. Others responded very positively however, having previously had meaningful interactions with Canadian students from the SJU in Peru and SJU Beyond Borders Programs. I hope that like the previous Canadian students, I can leave a positive perception of Canada.

Hope all is well back at home.

Saludos, Luis

#cafefemenino #sju #uwaterloo #peru #fairtrade #organic #beyond borders #proassa

[lgjuarez]

The Daily Grind

Greetings amigos, I hope all are well. Tonight at 11pm, I depart to the Peruvian district of 'Las Amazonas' for four days to visit several coffee growing communities. I'm sure I'll have a pretty interesting blog for that experience, but before then I want to update you on my life so far in Chiclayo.

Crazy to believe this is already my third week in Peru. Some days it feels like I've been here for months, and other times I feel like it was just yesterday that I was 'having a good time' at Chainsaw. The culture shock has toned down, and I have grown more comfortable with my surroundings, appreciating the Peruvian culture a little more each day.

The hardest thing so far has been being alone. If you know me, you know that I'm a pretty social guy who likes to keep a busy schedule. Keeping busy has proven to be hard here though, as I don't know many people yet. I'm sure in due time I will make a few friends and find some new activities to partake in. In the meantime though, I have learned to appreciate having some alone time. For example, I'm reading a book called "El estilo Starbucks: Cómo crear un hogar fuera del hogar", which in English translates to "The Starbucks style: How to create a home away from home". Not only is it teaching me about placemaking and the coffee industry, but it's also nice to be able to read in Spanish, something that I don't really do back at home. I've also picked up the habit of reserving 10 minutes a day for reflective, concentrated thinking. I guess you could call it meditation.

Last Sunday, it was my brother Eduardo's birthday. Family birthday's are always great celebrations back home, so I decided to celebrate remotely by traveling to Pimentel, a small beach town about 15 minutes from Chiclayo. I walked the pier and the shore, ate some delicious seafood, read, journaled, had a couple drinks and watched the sunset. On the way back to the City I faced my fear of riding a 'combie'. A combie is the closest thing to a city bus here in Chiclayo - it's essentially a gutted-out van stuffed with as many people as possible. Anyways, this relaxing day was much needed, and I learned that one can have a lot of fun on their own.

For about two weeks now, I've been working at the PROASSA office here in the City. It's a pleasant, 20 minute walk to the office from where I live. To give you a little bit of an understanding of my typical day, I've posted my usual weekday schedule below.

Early-morning I wake up and quickly prep for work. Most days I grab an empanada and a coffee from a local coffee shop called 'Iphi'. I learned about this place by reading my friend Wil's blog about his time in Chiclayo. This habit is a little pricey though, so now I'm starting to eat toast and instant coffee at home before I head out (I only have a microwave at home or else I would definitely be cooking up a feast)! One day I tried making eggs in the microwave, and well, lets just say I won't be doing that again.

Morning I'm at the office from around 9am until around 1pm. I say around, because in Peru the work culture is very different. Punctuality is not nearly as valued as it is back home, which I've finally gotten used to and now appreciate. If you're late for work, no big deal and no need to rush. They trust that you'll get the job done. The work I do in the office is up to me. I don't have any strict structure, so I've spent most of my days brainstorming and illustrating ideas for the designs of the locales. I also created a detailed job description for myself and detailed project descriptions for each task that I've been asked to work on. Doing this has helped me stay on track, and helps me ensure that my deliverables are in-line with what PROASSA is looking for.

Afternoon 1pm until 4pm is what I like to call siesta time. During this time I leave my laptop at work, grab lunch (which is the main meal here), watch some TV, have a siesta, and head back to work for the second part of my shift.

Evening From 4pm to 7pm I work back at the office. I then walk back home, where I never fail to stop by the bakery to pick up a churro. I should probably replace this habit with stopping by the fruit stand...

The rest of my evening usually consists of finding a place to eat dinner, catching up on social media, and watching some TV.

I've already had quite the experience in Peru, and I'm looking forward for the many more adventures to come. Although frustrating at times, more than anything it's been fun getting used to such a different culture.

Cheers for now, 

Lu

#uwaterloo #sju #beyond borders #cafefemenino #peru #chiclayo

[lgjuarez]

Jumping in: Community consultation in the Andes

On Wednesday, I left the City for my first venture into the Andes with my supervisor Isabel and two other PROASSA employees. We visited several communities where members of the Cafe Femenino coffee cooperatives live.

Community consultation in these communities is very different than anything we learned in PLAN 346! Each meeting was on average 3.5 hours long, where each community member formally greeted everyone in the room, introduced themselves, and gave an update. Although I initially found these meetings to be exhausting (especially with my attention span), I eventually came around to really appreciating them.

One important theme presented at the meetings was the fact that although fair-trade coffee may not always pay producers the highest wage possible, its community efforts make up for it. Several members of the cooperative have been selling their coffee to free market buyers for a few nuevo soles (Peruvian currency) more than what PROASSA offers them. It is important to note that although producers may instantly receive a little more cash by selling their coffee in the free market, it also means they are investing less in the community efforts (such as water irrigation projects, road paving, and nutrition programs) that PROASSA provides year-round. PROASSA is involved in all aspects of these communities, and will ensure that its coffee producers receive a minimum fair wage even when coffee prices are low, unlike free-market buyers. Each meeting ended with a motivational speech by Isabel, who highlighted the importance of working together to continue to grow the successful fair-trade coffee brand that they created.

I also got to participate at these meetings by introducing myself and informing members of the cooperative about the Beyond Borders program and the work I plan on doing with PROASSA. Isabel explained to the communities that during my time here, I will be consulting with cooperative members to complete 2 major projects. The first is to create a standard design layout for a rural home that is practical and safe. This way residents will have a plan readily available when building a new home that addresses their needs and ensures their well-being. The second is to create a plan for two different 'locales' (community centres) that will be used by the coffee co-operatives to host meetings, events, and guests. To be quite honest, I think I'm a little under qualified for these projects, but with as much community consultation as possible, I will try my best to complete the tasks at hand. A picture of one of the local sites is below.

 My time in the Andes was truly humbling. The coffee producers shared all that they had with us and expressed how much they valued PROASSA's work. It was also an exhilarating experience that I will not soon forget. We hiked some pretty rough terrain from community to community by foot, with limited food. Sugar cane, moonshine, and coca leaves all contributed to me surviving the hikes. One evening, we hiked for about 3 hours through the jungle in the night without much light. This was probably the scariest part of the trip so far, but looking back I'm glad I was able to partake in that experience. 

I returned to Chiclayo on Friday night, but not before a transport truck cut in front of the pickup truck we were in. The truck broke off the side-view mirror of our pickup, nearly causing a much larger accident. Both drivers pulled over and the transport truck driver gave our driver cash for the damages to settle the dispute. This would have been a much larger scene in Canada.

Anyways, rest assured I am back in Chiclayo, happy to be sleeping on a bed once again. I am excited to checkout the City and explore some of its attractions in the coming week. Tomorrow I start work at the office, so I'll be sure to update you soon on how that goes.

Ciao amigos,

Luis

[lgjuarez]

Arriving

Hola Amigos,

Saludos desde Chiclayo, Peru. It's been an exciting and adventurous week, and I already have lots to share. I am looking forward to keeping everyone updated through this blog and through other social media updates.

I departed from Toronto Monday afternoon, leaving behind my very supportive family. I really do want to thank all of my family and friends in Oakville and Waterloo for a great last week before my trip. I had a great time soaking in the last bit of my Canadian summer with everyone, and I sure am going to miss the good company.

After an over night layover in Lima, I flew into Chiclayo, 'la capital de la amistad' which in english means 'the friendship capital'. I can already tell why they call it this, as people here are very friendly and open with each other. I will be based out of this northern Peruvian City for most of my placement with PROASSA, but will also be staying overnight in rural Andean communities with coffee producers quite often.

I met my supervisor Isabel and her husband Victor at the airport, who took me out for breakfast and then dropped me off at my apartment. The apartment is quite small, similar to a dorm room, but well kept and comfortable. My favourite feature - my entire back wall is a window which opens up to act like a balcony. It's great for taking in the exciting sounds and sights of my vibrant neighbourhood.

For those of you unaware, I am in Peru for my Beyond Borders placement with St. Jerome's University. During this placement, I will be working with PROASSA for the next four months fulfilling my co-op term. While I'm in Peru, I will also be conducting original research for PLAN 490, my senior honours essay (undergrad thesis) course at the University of Waterloo. My topic is 'Analyzing grassroots development projects in Northern Peru's Andean coffee-producing communities'

Please do contact me during my time here! I will be active on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Skype: luisjuarez5 (click on the links for my profiles). I will also be using BBM (2AC0D1B7). I can't wait to get this adventure going, and am looking forward to everything I am going to learn and experience in the next four months. By the way, thanks for joining me on this adventure by reading this blog!

Ciao for now,

Luis