Author archive
July 7, 2016
From the moment we stepped into Beijing, I could sense we were up for an adventure of a place completely unfamiliar to us. The only Chinese cultural references we have been exposed to have been the chinatowns in Vancouver and other North American cities we have visited, movies, and friends of Chinese background. I was aware […]
March 30, 2016
Throughout our trip, something has become more apparent. We all have the same needs: to eat, to be cared for, to love, and to belong to a community. These are universal despite our economic situation and/or the culture we live in. Somewhere I read that your current situation does not define who you are as a […]
February 23, 2016
I would describe myself as a non fussy eater. I grew up eating tripe, black sausage, intestines and other animal parts in Colombia that are not offered in Canadian restaurants. Pig skin used to be one of my favourite things to eat with black beans, rice and fried plantains (bandeja paisa). My mom is an […]
February 5, 2016
Augusto told us that the best food in Cajamarca was to be found in the market and that we should venture there on our first day in the city. He was right. The Cajamarca market covers a few city blocks and spills out into the busy streets. You can find almost anything, from traditional Cajamarca […]
January 27, 2016
Growing up poor in a hard working family with strong work ethic values taught me to be very thankful of all the non-material (relationships, health, and emotional well-being) and the material things I have had. I was raised to be appreciative for the water we use, the air we breath, the bed we sleep in, the food we eat […]
January 16, 2016
I grew up in a time of violence in Colombia where traveling was extremely dangerous. There were towns that the guerrillas would take over and either kill all its inhabitants and make them work for them while they were committing atrocities. Dead bodies on the road in Colombia while growing up was nothing out of […]