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Blog # 8

Blog 8

Reflection of reverse cultural shock was the standard of living of some Peruvians with the rest of the rich neighborhood area Peruvians. The picture of Peruvian selling orange juice in the streets and the image of poor native Peruvian who was selling handmade materials to tourists in the capital of Peru was also impressive because she was with her child holding on her back while she was selling her handmade materials. In Canada rare to find similar situation. 

  My travel experience as foreign temporary student in Peru teaches me so many things from which the main one is to leave my children away at this age and travel with other students to Peru. It was first separation from my three children and thanks to technology we were communicating every day from the Hotel and University by what’s up whenever there was internet but, I can imagine how hard would have been to travel abroad in a country where the internet technology is hard to cover either that be for cost reasons or non-availability or coverage in certain areas f that country.

Going back to college at this age over 35 as a mother of three children was a quiet big experience. Traveling to Peru specifically as the only first Latin American country and as the first country in South America for me was also unique experience. I never heard about Peru or even other south American countries like Ecuador which I located near Peru. Observing and watching map was also another unique experience for me and specifically traveling to a country which language was not English.

  Experiencing Latin American and specifically South American country was a unique one for me and I think would be for any other student who is not from Latin American country. I was the first in my all family who traveled to South America continent. Even to my husband who traveled all around the world, but he never traveled to Latin America.

  It was for me a huge learning process and completely new experience in exploring the number two country known by its culinary industry and restaurants in the world which I could not imagine Peru could have been. I always thought France and Italy are the two top of the list countries in culinary business and for me discovering and, knowing Peru to be the second country in the top list was a great and surprise. Once I went and experienced that in Peru then I knew why Peru is one the top of the list.

  My whole prospective of the world cuisine was changed and now I know why the Latin American country such as Peru become unique and top of the list in culinary industry worldwide. Even though I stayed in Lima and not able to travel other touristic places in Peru but I think walking in the capital different neighborhood and experiencing the interaction with local people even that be in rich neighborhood of flora or other poor neighborhood created in me the sad impression of class division which was very obvious and that is in Canada thank God I could not notice drastically despite the existence of expensively build houses and mansions and regular homes. In downtown of Toronto I can see some old buildings but still keeping their safety standards and some very expensive condo building towers where the people who live there are not that different in features as in the other part of Downtown Toronto. In Lima that difference you can notice and shame wall between rich and poor neighborhood is a clear factor of this discussion.

  In my future career in culinary business will be affected by my experience in Latin cuisine in general and by south American cuisine in particular where the native’s food flavors are mixed with the Spanish colonial food flavors. Working in food industry and not knowing or having experience in Latin foods is considered a major lack in anybody resume. Thank God I had this experience and will shape my future in viewing the world differently than before traveling to Peru. This travel motivated me to experience African cuisines and East European cuisine which I lack in knowledge. Therefore, traveling abroad and learning and experiencing each country cuisine is very important experience for any chef in the future.

  In the end I appreciate coming back home and to my Durham college which gave me unique opportunity to learn and experience new cuisines in this world culinary world.

[baizardkassabian-blog]

Blog # 8

Blog 8

Reflection of reverse cultural shock was the standard of living of some Peruvians with the rest of the rich neighborhood area Peruvians. The picture of Peruvian selling orange juice in the streets and the image of poor native Peruvian who was selling handmade materials to tourists in the capital of Peru was also impressive because she was with her child holding on her back while she was selling her handmade materials. In Canada rare to find similar situation. 

  My travel experience as foreign temporary student in Peru teaches me so many things from which the main one is to leave my children away at this age and travel with other students to Peru. It was first separation from my three children and thanks to technology we were communicating every day from the Hotel and University by what’s up whenever there was internet but, I can imagine how hard would have been to travel abroad in a country where the internet technology is hard to cover either that be for cost reasons or non-availability or coverage in certain areas f that country.

Going back to college at this age over 35 as a mother of three children was a quiet big experience. Traveling to Peru specifically as the only first Latin American country and as the first country in South America for me was also unique experience. I never heard about Peru or even other south American countries like Ecuador which I located near Peru. Observing and watching map was also another unique experience for me and specifically traveling to a country which language was not English.

  Experiencing Latin American and specifically South American country was a unique one for me and I think would be for any other student who is not from Latin American country. I was the first in my all family who traveled to South America continent. Even to my husband who traveled all around the world, but he never traveled to Latin America.

  It was for me a huge learning process and completely new experience in exploring the number two country known by its culinary industry and restaurants in the world which I could not imagine Peru could have been. I always thought France and Italy are the two top of the list countries in culinary business and for me discovering and, knowing Peru to be the second country in the top list was a great and surprise. Once I went and experienced that in Peru then I knew why Peru is one the top of the list.

  My whole prospective of the world cuisine was changed and now I know why the Latin American country such as Peru become unique and top of the list in culinary industry worldwide. Even though I stayed in Lima and not able to travel other touristic places in Peru but I think walking in the capital different neighborhood and experiencing the interaction with local people even that be in rich neighborhood of flora or other poor neighborhood created in me the sad impression of class division which was very obvious and that is in Canada thank God I could not notice drastically despite the existence of expensively build houses and mansions and regular homes. In downtown of Toronto I can see some old buildings but still keeping their safety standards and some very expensive condo building towers where the people who live there are not that different in features as in the other part of Downtown Toronto. In Lima that difference you can notice and shame wall between rich and poor neighborhood is a clear factor of this discussion.

  In my future career in culinary business will be affected by my experience in Latin cuisine in general and by south American cuisine in particular where the native’s food flavors are mixed with the Spanish colonial food flavors. Working in food industry and not knowing or having experience in Latin foods is considered a major lack in anybody resume. Thank God I had this experience and will shape my future in viewing the world differently than before traveling to Peru. This travel motivated me to experience African cuisines and East European cuisine which I lack in knowledge. Therefore, traveling abroad and learning and experiencing each country cuisine is very important experience for any chef in the future.

  In the end I appreciate coming back home and to my Durham college which gave me unique opportunity to learn and experience new cuisines in this world culinary world.

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Globalization Blog # 7

Globalization supposed to raise the standard of living of Peruvian people and create open political liberation environment in Peru. Corruption is an obstacle of any good ideas or system, which meant to create a healthy business competition and provide worldwide inexpensive products to Peru and to any developing country. Access of international technologies with reasonable price to Peruvian low-income consumer would have helped increase standard living of Peruvian people but when there are uncontrollable and non-accountable corruption ruins everything. According to one of my Peruvian friends the four past presidents of Peru were accused of corruption charges and went to jail. The problem is the corruption, which ruins the benefit of globalization. So, the Peruvian society are experiencing non-prosperous economy comparing some other western economies like Germany or Canada.

The issue in Peru is the social economic class difference between super rich and super poor class. People in the power are obviously from business sector of the society. Those business sector élite are in the power and they are there to protect their own personal interest, which in many circumstances contradict with Globalization effort to penetrate Peru. Even though the globalization made several advance steps in Peru since 1970 s, but still Peru is not considered fully globalized country and the human standard index still showing less than western countries.

  The local business owners who produce textile, for example would not like that cheaper worldwide textile product to have an access easily in Peru and compete with them. In Nationalist point of view is all right, since you do not want the national Peruvian economy being hurt by world competition and specially the Textile business, which is highly well developed in Peru but, in general globalization includes every other thing or sector of economy than textile, so the law is open. Peru cannot practice nationalist economic tools and mean time also practice globalized economy. This is a major issue these days not only for Peru but for USA with Trump administration. USA companies and government used to be promoter of globalization and now under Trump they are pursuing Nationalist economic policies like changing the term of NAFTA but, meantime many USA products are being sold worldwide.

  Globalization supposed to assist to drop the poverty rate in any country but, what about in Peru where still there is poverty after implementing globalization. The Globalization supposed to bring women liberty and equity but, what about the Peruvian women did they experience liberty and equality. There are many questions but in particular to this question I would say still the influence the catholic church influence in Peruvian society dictates the society standard of the Peruvian society despite globalization penetration in Peru.

  In conclusion the Peruvian local economy is far distance in reaching the western or northern America economy and the Peruvian people living standard still low compared the western economies and, this is due to corruption and historical political and, economic progress which are accumulated on top of each other and obstacle of free and smooth globalization process in Peru.

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Blog #6

Naturally Peru is considered a country where individualism is not very acceptable as like many other Latin American countries in South America continent. Collectivism and socialism with minor capitalism is the picture I saw in Peru. In certain areas of Lima where the ruling elite lives it is noticeable the individualism and in the major part of Peru the collectivism ideas are supported. The catholic church influence heavily on Peruvian culture in general and the church influence is noticeable on regular Peruvians specially in the rural poor areas.

The major idea comes to my mind is how these two ideas and philosophies affect the modernization and economic improvement of any population and in this case in Peru. Also, how these two opposite ideologies reflected on daily life style of Peruvians. The family dynamics and gender issue to be discussed from these two opposite  ideologies of Individualism verse collectivism.

In my opinion the Peruvian culture is strongly affected by the church collectivist ideology and we can figure out easily how that influence effect the present and the past political activities of Peruvian people and their political stand internationally on many social international matters.

Individualism and the Catholic church are a very important subject not only in Peru but in all around the world. This conflict between these two extreme ideologies in many times and in many places confronted each other and in certain geographic areas where the catholic church and socialism are dominants bring the victory of collectivism and in other geographic areas where Protestantism and capitalism are strong the individualism prevails. If you noticed I added socialism and capitalism beside the catholic and protestant church factors in my analysis. the influence of socio-economic ideologies are important factors too. In Peru in the last four decades we witnessed the leftist guerilla movement fighting against the ruling capitalist elite.  For the last five centuries when the Spaniards occupied that geographic areas in south America continent brought with them the catholic church and in that time the spread of Catholicism in Peru served the ruling elite. The defeated and week indigenous people in Peru were forced to adopt the catholic church ideologies and the collectivism ideology infiltrated in the minds and hearts of the people of Peru. Even though it will be a very important analysis if we could find out the persistence of collectivism ideology in the natives prior the arrival of Spaniards and the catholic church. Peru after the second world war, when the world was divided between the two giant countries of western world mostly represented with USA and its ideology of Individualism and collectivism ideology in the communist Soviet Union, encountered a fierce resistance from its rural and poor population. The major part of Peru was not developed, and the ideology of collectivism transferred from church supervised to socialist inspired movement which quickly transferred to political struggle between the Peruvian people.

The gender issue within socio political aspect in Peruvian society was raised up and with socialist guerrilla movement we could see the liberation of social gender norms and the present of female fighters were noticeable. Overall despite all up and downs in politics and social movement still the female gender is not totally liberated and does not enjoy the liberty and equality of females in the western world. Peruvian female in general and specially in the rural areas where the church and socialist ideologies are dominant, we can see females are living similarly of many females in the eastern part of the word. In the conclusion I would think that the capitalism still has many rounds of development in Peru and therefore the individualism in the present time Peru is not in its high stage. Collectivist ideology is dominant in general in Peru at present time compare individualism.

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Blog 5 Cross Cultural Conflict

Blog 5 Cross cultural conflict

The unknown causes me stress.  Not knowing that cross cultural conflict could be arise, while I am visiting in Peru that bothers me and stress me. Reading about Peruvian culture before visiting that country and attending the trainings about cultural knowledge and sensitivity of Peruvian people helps me lower my stress, in such way I overcome my fear of unknown.

Before visiting any foreign country, when I read and understand that particular country culture I can avoid unnecessary conflict in foreign country.  Imagine I encounter unavoidable conflict with local people in foreign country and I do not know how to speak their language, and I end up in big trouble because I could not communicate properly with them and at least defended myself or expressed myself to them.

Since I am peaceful and non-aggressive person, sensitive, and cautious to not hurt the feeling of the person I am dealing with, therefore I become more cautious to carefully behave, talk and deal with foreign people in their country specifically. There could be so many scenarios and situation which might create cross cultural conflict such as lack of awareness of cultural factors about certain humanistic, religious, economic and political issues. Culturally biased assumptions issue comes up mixed with political and economic factors.  For example in that particular foreign country they might have perception that all blond hair white  people are capitalist and they are from that class of  rulers who exploit the poor dark skin farmers or blue colour job workers.. Therefore class struggle and ethnic factor plays a major role in viewing all foreign white skin tourist as oppressors and rubbing them considered positive behavior etc. Dressing code in certain cultures means different thing than in Canada. Let us assume that I wear very short pens as a white lady due to high temperature in that particular country. They might perceive me as a lady who is selling herself and grabbing and attracting customers, therefore they might treat me differently than in Canada. I think media in the last five decades played a major role in forming certain perception, that perception influenced on the cultures, and therefore they start to look for certain looks as different from the main intent of that person perceived.

Miscommunication and misinterpretation is also another cross cultural conflict which could end up in major stress and issue for the visitor. Unless the local government train their tourist police in proper way to solve such issues. Hand gestures during talking in some cultures are acceptable and, in some cultures, its offensive act. Especially Italians when visit England and try to talk English by using both hands.

In some cultures women are more respected public ally. Let us assume I am a man and I went to such country in the Middle east and I had to wait for a line in airport to check my passport and surprisingly a lady who came after me jumps to the front of line by the approval all men who are waiting on  queue. This factor might bother some tourists and might create an issue.  In western cultures women has equal rights, and therefore has to stay in queue like a man until her turn comes. Discrimination by gender is a stressful issue to me.

Emigrating from Middle East to Canada, where in these two worlds the value of individualism is different and in the beginning years, I experienced several cultural shocks, therefore now for me it is understandable and easier to cope with cultural conflict. Reading and peaceful communication are part of solutions suggested by me for people who are having cross cultural conflict.

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Blog #4 Cross Cultural Communication

I will start with my experience in buying pizza in Lima. It was so difficult communicate with the local pizza seller who could not understand my hand gesture in describing to her that I want medium size pizza without pepperoni. After all the effort to explain, at the end I have got large pepperoni pizza. How difficult is to communicate with only English language, and with hand gesture with local shop employees in the middles of Lima. The only good English speakers were in rich high-class neighborhood and in University. I had to learn Spanish to communicate in Peru. It is so difficult for non-Spanish speaking tourist to communicate with locals. Therefore, what are the alternative solutions for overcoming language barriers.

Be with the people and spend more time with Peruvian local people. Attending Peruvian cultural events, watching Peruvian movies, creating friendship with local people will help overcome the language barrier and enhance cultural communication. Eating the local foods and appreciating their cultural values and eve their political preferences by showing solidarity to their causes. Poverty and economic developments are their daily concerned issues. Being with them in their happiness when the Peruvian soccer team wins the soccer match and feel their sadness when they lose.

Cross cultural communication could be through watching videos and reading about that particular culture and attending their cultural events. Through presence in such activity I think the communication between cultures can be improved. The readiness to pursue cultural discovery and focused attention toward Peruvian culture in particular and in South American Spanish influenced Latin culture in general creates the proper atmosphere of intercultural relation.

Through my visit to Peru I noticed the Peruvian culture art product beside food culture interrelation, and in my return home I brought with me the Peruvian artifacts and Pisco drink which will remain as unforgettable memory. Therefore, I believe the artifacts such as blanket, jacket, artistic picture and even the national drink of Peru are tools of communication between cultures and promote the communication between cultures.

This strategy in keeping the Peruvian artifacts and national clothes and drink and continue attending Peruvian cultural events in Canada, will enhance my communication with Peruvian culture in general and strengthen and improve intercultural relation. For me this attachment with Peruvian art became a cornerstone for Latin American cultural communication and will open the horizons for my future career in culinary industry. 

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Blog 3 Global citizenship and volunteering at Peru

Through volunteerism in Peru, I feel that I am doing my part in securing change that what is expected from us as a global citizen. I take my responsibilities with honor toward my community and toward world communities. This educational trip to Peru will provide us opportunity to prove to ourselves first that being Global citizen is not enough but needs to be practiced on the ground. This short trip volunteerism in Peru enhance our skills and expands our experience with non-Canadian food industry and brings us close to Global food industry. Our ethical responsibility is to approach global cultures with high respect and being Canadian from Armenian descent, I can tell and feel what my people would think when foreigners come to my country of origin and explore our traditional food and volunteer in villages.

 Through this trip I am becoming more concerned about the whole world and specifically toward the countries and cultures of south America. I can see the connection between North American cultures and south American cultures and thinking as a Global citizen will make my responsibilities more toward third world countries and their people.  Being one of the selected few students who will travel to Peru I feel privileged. The Global Citizen education expanding my sphere of thinking and I start to think on Global scale rather narrow thinking. Many issues now grab my attention. This trip to Peru increases my knowledge about the Global citizenship. Through colleges the Global citizens education expands our thought, but voluntarily visiting Peru now gives me the opportunity to explore that knowledge and it is the same for many students who have this opportunity. Volunteering as a student to serve our free time in developing country such as Peru in the southern continent will expand our knowledge and strengthen the tie between Canadian and Peruvian people. We will start to not only think like a global citizen but live as a Global Citizen

Understanding Peruvian life and helping the Peruvian people through volunteerism develops in me the ethical responsibilities toward Global citizens. Volunteerism can take many shapes, one that will be through my culinary skills. That is what I know to give and donate. I wish I can donate and volunteer in other sphere too, but my strength relies on my culinary skill which I am more than happy to offer to people who are in need in this world.  Working together to change the world is a great idea which makes me more responsible person.  I wish my next trip would be to Peruvian villages where I can meet and interact with the indigenous Peruvian people and offer my culinary skills to them. I would like to prepare foods for them and spend more time to teach them how to prepare other countries food which I am familiar.

   Volunteerism will broaden my horizons and will give me self-satisfaction. Helping lower income class people in their daily life and cook their foods and teach them how the Peruvian foods are prepared makes me prouder of myself and also makes me feel better as a Global Citizen who cares about the global citizens. I want to be a good example to my three children and I want them to remember that living their lives helping the people who are in need is an ethical and moral task and responsibility as a global citizen.  In the end I love to live my life by being example to others. The new generation need to see the older generation what done and copy their example.

This trip pushed my thinking to totally new direction of practicing what I learned about the global citizenship. Visiting less developing country and interacting with their people and specially being involved in their traditional food preparation process will make me more interested to plan my next trip with my husband and my children. Learning about Peru culture and history made me more interested to explore this country and their food industry and to become a real Global citizen.

  The challenging part will be to implement my new skills in Canada food industry. Before this trip I never heard about Peru and about their food. Doing research about Peru make me more interested to meet and volunteer. The major challenge is to speak Spanish and find market in Canada for Peruvian food. I want to know how Peru become number two in world cuisine and what are the secret of Peruvian food delicious and success.

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Blog 2 As a foreigner I will be perceived as white colour skin westerner, which is not different from Peruvian upper class citizens. Definitely I will be treated better than any other local due to my appearance, and as a tourist who has money and came to spend in Peru. The main bias of local Peruvians about the white colored western looked tourist coming from Canada will be economic bias and more socially acceptable bias comparing t majority indigenous people, who are not higher social status as white skin majority of political and business class. My stereotype about the local culture , that people there might full me and might rip me off due to my look and lack of knowledge about their commonly speaking Spanish language. Knowing and reading about Peru history, culture and about their economy, I would say now, I can differentiate and analyze each Peruvian person who I will be encounter. To make it more simple I would say that, if I am dealing with indigenous people in Lima market I would understand what might theyb think about me, and if I am in a situation where the Peruvian white person living in ri h neighborhood of Lima. Therefore now I have clear cut pre conceived notion about the Peruvian culture, which is not one type of culture, but rather a mix of Spanish culture and Indigenous culture.   I happened to know that Peru has %40 to %45 are indigenous and the rest are mix of Spaniards origin  and other ethnic groups. Plus I also have a preconceived notion about Peru as a poor country, because according to some economic sources between %20 to %25 Peruvian population lives below the poverty line, therefore I expect economic discrimination and biases notion that people in Peru might rip me off, but I think if I take my precautiousness, and learn the numbers in Spanish language, and few words, it might be helpful for me to avoid such rip off situation.  I read on internet that they charge the Western foreigner more than the locals. Since the appeared difference between rich and poor in Peruvian society is very obvious, so they think that Canadian tourist have a lot of money to purchase their items, with the price that they might not able to sell to the locals. Another think that I read, that there is a belief in Peru that USA is directly responsible for their economic situation, an as we Canadians coming from north America we might get confused by locals as being Americans, who are rich and being target of such attempts to be sold goods which are overpriced. We as a Norther Americans also have a stereotype, that if we go to Southern American countries we will be ripped off, and that people are there to follow you to rip you off. The economic disparity creates biases toward the Western who visit Peru and assumed they are always rich, and they will be fooled by the over prices of goods. Solution to this stereotype we need to negotiate and bargain the price in Peru, so we do nit approve that stereotype that every Peruvian will rip you off.

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blog#1

Three things that I hope to gain from this course are as follows:

First of all I would like to explore different cultures, and specifically their food. In this particular course I am going to be exposed to Latin American culture and their food. Second the educational exchange trip being in Peru makes my experience richer, because they have very unique cuisine, and I would love to explore that. Finally I hope to gain real experience in Latin American food preparation' and explore their Hispanic and native combined food industry.

My own Armenian culture is influenced by its own surrounding cultures in the Middle East such as Arabic, Iranian, Turkish and south Caucasian cultures. This variety of cultures influenced and put their mark on my  food culture.in our food you find these cultures affects and flavors. I am very adaptable to new cultures due of being a traveler in my whole life, but Hispanic and Latin American food cultures are not familiar to me except Tacos. I think the language barrier will be a challenge for me to immerse my self in Peruvian culture. Since my lack of knowledge and exposure to Peruvian culture, I hope this student exchange program will add to my future work experience a valuable resource which I will utilize it in my future work in Canadian food industry. I also want to learn how the Hispanic European food influenced the Native Peruvian food and how the Peruvian food reflects Native and Hispanic food culture. It is absolutely a new world for me to discover the Latin American and in particular Peruvian food. My new knowledge will enrich me academic and professional life. My experience in Peru will open for me the whole Latin American food industry knowledge and I will definitely utilize that experience in future when I open my own restaurant, and why not Latin American and middle eastern fusion restaurant.