Wow, I can't believe that three months has already come and gone! I have really had a great experience here in Peru. This past week I have had a lot of time to reflect on the things that we've done and the experiences we have been through and I would have to say that it has been worth the trip. So to end off I would just like share a few of things that I think have made this an excellent internship and experience.
The Work
As a SEED Intern I was able to get a lot of exposure to creating business plans and financial projections for real people. It really brought to life a lot of the basic business principles that I had learned throughout school. Also it was neat to be able to go and visit already existing businesses and to see their successes and struggles and then try and find ways to help them overcome those struggles or become in more successful.
The Culture
I don't think there's a better way to get to know a foreign culture than actually visiting the country and surrounding yourself with it. Really throughout the three months that I have been here, the Latin-American culture has continued to grow on me. Everyone is so nice to visitors and you know that the family is one of the most important things to them. Also, even though the music is a little more reggae than I'm used to, I somehow still managed to kind of learn how to dance to it.
The People
I can't even express how great the people are down in Peru.There are the people I worked with, Elena Pajilla, Jacqueline Saavedra and Alejandro Falcón. Each one of these people have been nothing but nice to us and have gone out of their way to make sure that we are comfortable and have everything we need and not to mention that they've become our friends. Also Dallin and I have had the opportunity to make friends with a lot of other peruvians and it has definitely enriched and made our experience that much better.
I'm excited to come home, but the thing I'll miss the most are the people, the friends that I have made here in Peru. Thank goodness for Facebook!
And now I would like to end by saying the SEED Internship is definitely a most do for college students!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Penultimate Semana
As our title suggests, nearing the end of our experience here, we are getting really good at mixing languages. Some words are just better expressed in Spanish while others are better in English. It's nice having another bi-lingual friend to share so many wonderful experiences with.
Good News! This week we issued our first official loan during our stay. Santos, a long time loan client whom we trust very much, requested about a month ago a medium sized loan to prepare for the Peruvian Independence holiday. The holidays took place this past weekend on July 28th and 29th. Santos owns a mini-market in a town outside of Trujillo called Alto Moche. She has a great location right off the Plaza in the center. She requested her loan to increase her inventory expecting to have high sales during the weekend. As we have not yet been in contact with her since the holiday, we do not know how well it has gone for her, but we expect to find out sometime this week. Santos has been great to work with. She constantly is thinking of ideas on how to expand and grow.
As for us, we spent our weekend participating in LDS Young Single Adult activities. Starting on Friday, regional YSA activities have taken place in various locations and we were able to spend time with the great young adults of this area. Monday the 29th we traveled with hundreds of young adults to a recreational park and participated in various activities throughout the day including soccer, group games, a dance, and other competitions. We had a great time!
Good News! This week we issued our first official loan during our stay. Santos, a long time loan client whom we trust very much, requested about a month ago a medium sized loan to prepare for the Peruvian Independence holiday. The holidays took place this past weekend on July 28th and 29th. Santos owns a mini-market in a town outside of Trujillo called Alto Moche. She has a great location right off the Plaza in the center. She requested her loan to increase her inventory expecting to have high sales during the weekend. As we have not yet been in contact with her since the holiday, we do not know how well it has gone for her, but we expect to find out sometime this week. Santos has been great to work with. She constantly is thinking of ideas on how to expand and grow.
As for us, we spent our weekend participating in LDS Young Single Adult activities. Starting on Friday, regional YSA activities have taken place in various locations and we were able to spend time with the great young adults of this area. Monday the 29th we traveled with hundreds of young adults to a recreational park and participated in various activities throughout the day including soccer, group games, a dance, and other competitions. We had a great time!
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| Most of the group after the activities! |
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Life After Work
Today I wanted to talk a little bit about what Dallin and I do after we are done working. The regular workday here in Peru goes from about 9:30 in the morning until 7:30 at night. Somedays we are working the entire day, while other days we are able to get off earlier and spend the day doing some different things. So what do we do when we're not working?
Dine Out
Well usually the first thing we do is we go out and eat. We don't have our own kitchen, so we have
spent the last few months finding our favorite places to dine out. These include american food places like Papa Johns, Chili's and Gringo Loco (a hamburger joint owned by a texan, great burgers!). It also includes a few peruvian restaurants where we can get some of our favorite dishes like aji de gallina, lomo saltado, sandwiches and pollo a la brasa.
Go Exploring
When we first got to Trujillo we spent a lot of our free time exploring. We went out to see some of the big markets where we could by inexpensive souvenirs or just walk through downtown trujillo checking out the old buildings and parks that are scattered around.
Movies
In Trujillo there are three different movie theaters and Dallin and I have seen a movie each of them. We watched Star Trek and Man of Steel in Spanish and then just last week we watched Now You See Me in English with Spanish subtitles. The movies were great but I definitely get lost sometimes while watching a movie in Spanish.
Hang Out with Friends
Dallin and I have been able to make a lot of new friends by attending a local church here in Trujillo. Everyone we have met have been super kind to us and we have always been invited to attend different activities and many other things. So far we have gone to two birthday parties, a game night, played soccer and volleyball, made american pancakes, and gone to a bonfire. Spending time with our friends here in Peru has been a great way to get to know and see peruvian culture at its finest!
Netflix and Monopoly
Also since its winter here and it gets dark around 6:30 to 7 p.m. there are a quite a few nights where we don't really feel like exploring or getting out to much. So instead we have become good friends Netflix. In Peru Netflix even has a different variety of shows and movies to watch and one of our most recent series that we have gotten into is Community. Also, if we don't feel like watching Netflix, we have borrowed Monopoly from some friends.
Oh P.S. Jacque had her baby!!
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| Chili's Friday Special! |
Well usually the first thing we do is we go out and eat. We don't have our own kitchen, so we have
spent the last few months finding our favorite places to dine out. These include american food places like Papa Johns, Chili's and Gringo Loco (a hamburger joint owned by a texan, great burgers!). It also includes a few peruvian restaurants where we can get some of our favorite dishes like aji de gallina, lomo saltado, sandwiches and pollo a la brasa.
Go Exploring
When we first got to Trujillo we spent a lot of our free time exploring. We went out to see some of the big markets where we could by inexpensive souvenirs or just walk through downtown trujillo checking out the old buildings and parks that are scattered around.
Movies
In Trujillo there are three different movie theaters and Dallin and I have seen a movie each of them. We watched Star Trek and Man of Steel in Spanish and then just last week we watched Now You See Me in English with Spanish subtitles. The movies were great but I definitely get lost sometimes while watching a movie in Spanish.
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| Adriano's 7th Birthday Party! |
Hang Out with Friends
Dallin and I have been able to make a lot of new friends by attending a local church here in Trujillo. Everyone we have met have been super kind to us and we have always been invited to attend different activities and many other things. So far we have gone to two birthday parties, a game night, played soccer and volleyball, made american pancakes, and gone to a bonfire. Spending time with our friends here in Peru has been a great way to get to know and see peruvian culture at its finest!
Also since its winter here and it gets dark around 6:30 to 7 p.m. there are a quite a few nights where we don't really feel like exploring or getting out to much. So instead we have become good friends Netflix. In Peru Netflix even has a different variety of shows and movies to watch and one of our most recent series that we have gotten into is Community. Also, if we don't feel like watching Netflix, we have borrowed Monopoly from some friends.
Oh P.S. Jacque had her baby!!
Monday, July 15, 2013
A Typical Business Visit
Last Wednesday, we had a long and productive visit with Jeanette who raises cattle to sell the milk. This gave us the idea to give all you readers a better idea of what we do when we visit the current projects. I will describe a typical business visit.
Preparation: Before we make any visit, we take a few minutes in the office to determine what our goals are for the visit. After we have defined our goals, we ensure we have everything we need to take with us. This could include blank reports, a computer, or materials from a previous visit.
Evaluation: After greeting the person, one of the first things we do is talk about their past performance related to reports or other documents they have given us. Usually the people don't really have a good idea of how they are doing financially so we take their documented numbers and organize them to help them see how their money is being used (or made). We deliver this report during the visit.
Mentoring: When we deliver our reports, we give our interpretation of how we think their business is doing. At this time we also give them suggestions on how we think they could improve or better use their resources. We also love listening to them and learning more about their business and why they think some ideas would work and others would not. We learn just as much or more from each project as they do from us.
Improvement: After we take the time to hash things out, we usually end up with some great ideas to implement in the future. Sometimes the clients will make suggestions on how we can improve the format of our reports (like in the case of Jeanette) or we come up with new ideas for their reports or operations. We then set up a return appointment to check up on the new ideas.
Time has flown by for us here in Peru. We only have three weeks left, and we can't believe how much we have done and how much there is left. We've tried to stay busy with current projects and second time loan prospects as we continue to wait for the final decision on first time loan applicants this year.
Preparation: Before we make any visit, we take a few minutes in the office to determine what our goals are for the visit. After we have defined our goals, we ensure we have everything we need to take with us. This could include blank reports, a computer, or materials from a previous visit.
Evaluation: After greeting the person, one of the first things we do is talk about their past performance related to reports or other documents they have given us. Usually the people don't really have a good idea of how they are doing financially so we take their documented numbers and organize them to help them see how their money is being used (or made). We deliver this report during the visit.
Mentoring: When we deliver our reports, we give our interpretation of how we think their business is doing. At this time we also give them suggestions on how we think they could improve or better use their resources. We also love listening to them and learning more about their business and why they think some ideas would work and others would not. We learn just as much or more from each project as they do from us.
Improvement: After we take the time to hash things out, we usually end up with some great ideas to implement in the future. Sometimes the clients will make suggestions on how we can improve the format of our reports (like in the case of Jeanette) or we come up with new ideas for their reports or operations. We then set up a return appointment to check up on the new ideas.
Time has flown by for us here in Peru. We only have three weeks left, and we can't believe how much we have done and how much there is left. We've tried to stay busy with current projects and second time loan prospects as we continue to wait for the final decision on first time loan applicants this year.
Monday, July 8, 2013
There and Back Again
This past week Dallin and I spent a total of 62 hours on buses and 12 hours in layovers in order to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu. You may be asking yourself, "Why didn't you just take a plane?" Well the bus was significantly cheaper and we wanted to save money for souvenirs. You may also be asking yourself, "Was it worth it?" Absolutely!! I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
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| Cusco - Outside of the Chocolate Museum |
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| Machu Picchu |
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| Dallin's Armrest |
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Yeah I get air...
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Monday, July 1, 2013
Funny Moments While Waiting
After our busy week with students and faculty, we now await the decisions to be made on which plans will be funded. During this time, we have been helping Elena and Jacqueline on whatever projects they are currently working on. Because of this, I have decided to write a couple funny experiences we've had.
1. One morning this past week, we needed to make a trip to the Mall to do some due diligence. The trip was relatively unproductive, but we were able to get some information. On our way out of the mall, we decided to hail a taxi to take us home. This is always a chore outside the mall, because due to the amount of foot traffic, there is high volume of taxis on the road - each hoping to score their next customer. So one has to walk among the various autos negotiating until finding the right fit. Well, our second try gave us a decent price. The driver was a young man of mid-twenties driving a silver mid-sized Sudan. On the way back to our office, he was driving somewhat erratically, trying to accelerate very quickly and pass cars with very little space. Repeatedly, he would accelerate quickly, only to brake just as fast when he realized he wouldn't make the tiny gaps. It wasn't until near the end of the ride that I was leaning on the left rear door, that I noticed something near the steering wheel. Could is possibly be...? Yes, in fact, it was an opened beer can! I chuckled in disbelief and hoped we would make it back ok. I should mention here that I never saw the guy actually take any drinks, and it is possible the can could have been empty from before, or acting as a coin jar... who knows? Luckily, we arrived safely where I mentioned the item to Douglas and Elena. Good thing we can just laugh about it.
1. One morning this past week, we needed to make a trip to the Mall to do some due diligence. The trip was relatively unproductive, but we were able to get some information. On our way out of the mall, we decided to hail a taxi to take us home. This is always a chore outside the mall, because due to the amount of foot traffic, there is high volume of taxis on the road - each hoping to score their next customer. So one has to walk among the various autos negotiating until finding the right fit. Well, our second try gave us a decent price. The driver was a young man of mid-twenties driving a silver mid-sized Sudan. On the way back to our office, he was driving somewhat erratically, trying to accelerate very quickly and pass cars with very little space. Repeatedly, he would accelerate quickly, only to brake just as fast when he realized he wouldn't make the tiny gaps. It wasn't until near the end of the ride that I was leaning on the left rear door, that I noticed something near the steering wheel. Could is possibly be...? Yes, in fact, it was an opened beer can! I chuckled in disbelief and hoped we would make it back ok. I should mention here that I never saw the guy actually take any drinks, and it is possible the can could have been empty from before, or acting as a coin jar... who knows? Luckily, we arrived safely where I mentioned the item to Douglas and Elena. Good thing we can just laugh about it.
2. Kitty corner to our house is a three story building that houses a popular restaurant. Many times as we are walking by in the evening, I notice how many cars are parked on the street, and the number of people eating inside. I often asked myself, "What is this restaurant? The food has got to be so good to constantly be packed like this. We should come here to try it out." Well, finally on Thursday, we made the decision to walk the twenty yards and enter the popular establishment. As per usual, the place was so crowded, there weren't any open tables on the second or first floor (we tried upstairs first). So we approached the counter and asked the woman working there if there were any open tables and if we could see the menu. She responded by saying that they only served one thing -- Platters of Mollejitas. I was shocked. I didn't know what to say, so we said thank you and walked out. When we were out of earshot, I let loose to Douglas my disbelief. Not three weeks earlier, I had ordered my first plate of Mollejitas out of curiosity, not knowing what it was. One bite ensured me never wanting to eat it again. Yet we still didn't know what it was. A quick search on the internet informed us that Mollejita refers to a popular Peruvian dish of chopped chicken gizzard, "an organ found in the digestive track of [chickens]...constructed of thick, muscular walls is used for grinding up food; often rocks are instrumental in this process." How was it possible this upscale restaurant near our house served only one dish of chicken gizzard and consistently attracted numerous clients? It's just one of those cultural differences.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Come and Gone
It seems like the Go Global students, professors and directors from Wasatch Social Ventures only got here yesterday, but now they are gone. It has been a really great experience getting to know everyone and work alongside with them on the due diligence of each potential loan applicant. Here are some of the things that happened this week.
Monday
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| Lidia's Cement Mixer |
- All of the professors and directors along with Elena, Alejandro and the interns went and visited eight of the existing businesses. It was a great experience for everyone to see a lot of the success that this program is having, along with a few of the struggles.
- The students continued working on their due diligence projects, a few made visits and everyone was working hard to get their presentations and reports ready for Wednesday.
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| Meeting with Rosario |
Tuesday
- The professors, directors, Elena, Alejandro and the interns had the opportunity to meet with Rosario, the CEO of DanPer. This was a really neat experience. Rosario is an incredible woman who really wants to make a difference in Peru. She is very pleased with how this program is turning out and hopes that is will continue to succeed.
- Dallin went with Mike Glauser, Dave Herrmann and Cliff Skousen to the famous Panaderia in Huancaquito Bajo. This was a first time visit and must see for Professors Glauser and Skousen.
- The students took some time in the morning to visit Huanchaco and then used the afternoon to put the finishing touches on their presentations.
Wednesday
- The students gave some fantastic presentations, sharing with everyone their research and backing up their recommendations for the current loan applicants.
- Everyone went to lunch together celebrating a job well done and giving the interns, Elena, Jaqueline and Alejandro one last chance to say goodbye before the students, the professors and directors left on their journey back home that afternoon.
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We really did have a great time with everyone and hope that they all enjoyed their visit here to Peru. Now we are just anxiously waiting to find out the outcomes for these potential loan applicants. Hoping for the best!
Oh and I did get the chance to try and learn some break dance moves from a Peruvian!
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