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Peru | Cusco and the Sacred Valley

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

Peru is an incredibly diverse country with endless adventures and destinations for travel. After my travel study program, I was eager to explore the areas beyond Lima. My family decided to fly out to meet me after my program and together we spent two weeks exploring Cusco, The Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu. It was an unforgettable journey.

Cusco

The day after my program ended, I took an hour-long flight to Cusco where I met up with my family. Cusco has a whomping elevation of 11,152 feet so we wanted to make sure we were well acclimated before starting our adventures. We spent the first two days acclimating by exploring the many restaurants and museums in the historical capital of the Inca.

We visited several impressive colonial churches such as the Catedral de Cusco, Iglesia de San Blas, and the Compañia de Jesús. Entrance fees for these churches were about 10 soles for adults and 5 soles for students with a university ID. To learn more about the origins of the Incas we went to the Museo de Arte Precolombino. The “MAP” has several galleries of sculptures, textiles, metal-work, and artifacts from 3000 years of Andean art. My favorite destination in Cusco was Sacsayhuamán (spelled various ways). These are ruins located in the mountainous outskirts of the city. We explored the remarkable religious sites, enjoyed the open views of Cusco, and even played on the Inca slides made out of unique rock formations. Entrance to these ruins is around 70 soles and many companies offer transportation and tours in English. It is also only a two-kilometer hike to get to the ruins from Cusco.

We were overwhelmed by how incredible the food in Cusco is. For breakfast we loved Qura (a small coffee shop with the best avocado toast), Japeita Coffee Break (a locally owned coffee shop with great empanadas) and Monkey Café (the best coffee we had in Peru). For lunch and dinner, we went to Pachapapa (a cozy place for traditional Peruvian dishes), Limo (Japanese-Peruvian fusion with great cebiche), MAP Café (located in the Museo de Arte Precolombino, elegant but pricey food), and Chicha (Peruvian fusion with great drinks). While these were some of the nicest restaurants in Peru they were all pretty reasonably priced especially for the quality of food. We enjoyed every meal immensely and wish we had more time to visit many other great restaurants.

Sacred Valley

After exploring the city of Cusco we spent a couple of days visiting the Sacred Valley. There is an overwhelming amount of options when it comes to tour companies that you can use to visit Cusco and neighboring areas. We decided on the Sam Travel tour company because of their emphasis on fair-pay and using local guides. Our tour guide picked us up in a van and we spent the day driving to various locations around the Sacred Valley.

We visited the Santuario Animal de Ccochahuasi: an animal sanctuary where condors, spectacled bears, andean wild cats, andean geese, alpacas, and vicuñas find shelter and rehabilitation.Tours are given in both English and Spanish and visitors get a chance to have close interactions with the animals living there. This sanctuary also sells beautiful textiles made by local communities nearby.]

Next, we went to the Salinas de Maras. These are salt evaporated ponds where local families mine minerals from the streams flowing from the Andeas Mountains. It’s rather incredible how uniquely beautiful these mines are. The salt harvested from the Salinas de Maras is full of flavor and sold by the families for cooking and cosmetic uses.

Near the salt mines is the Moray Ruins. This fascinating archeological location is the site of agricultural experimentation conducted by the Inca. These concentric terraces of varying elevations created microclimates where farmers tested the ideal temperatures and elevations for different types of potatoes, corn, and other vegetables. Many researchers believe that the experiments conducted in these terraces led to the large varieties of Peruvian potatoes.

Our final destination in the Sacred Valley was the Ollantaytambo Ruins. These ruins were created by the Inca ruler Pachacuti as a ceremonial center for the surrounding town. Visitors can explore the terraces, temples, and storehouses built by the Inca in the mid-15th century. The town of Ollantaytambo also has a train station that many tourists use to transport to Machu Picchu. My family and I stayed in a hotel near the train station to prepare for our trip to the infamous Machu Picchu.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Revealing Disparities in the City of Pampas

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

A unique aspect of this abroad program is the opportunity to be in the field where healthcare systems are implemented. The field of global health encompasses a wide range of different focuses ranging from infectious diseases, to environmental impacts on health, to chronic non-infectious diseases, and many other issues that both directly and indirectly affect human health. One commonality amongst all of these global health focuses is the movement towards creating accessible and equal healthcare on a global scale. In order to make positive changes it’s necessary to go to the local area that is most impacted by the health issue of interest.

Starting in the 1980’s, Peru experienced internal terrorism sparked by the communist party in Peru called the “Sendero Luminoso” (the Shining Path). The Sendero Luminoso used guerilla warfare to create internal conflict, particularly in Andeas Highlands. Pampas is a community in the Lima region that was created due to mass migration of Peruvians in the highlands trying to escape the violence created by the conflict between Sendero Luminoso and the government of Peru. Although the internal conflict ended in the early 1990’s, the effects of violence and trauma are still prevalent in areas throughout Peru.

Visiting Pampas revealed the hindering of development created by internal conflict, structural violence, and poverty. After departing from our comfortable and safe hotel in Miraflores, seeing Pampas was a stark comparison and a humbling experience. This community was formed on land that had no infrastructure or public services such as water, electricity, or plumbing. In order to receive these basic necessities, the community had to come together, gather their funds, and advocate for their own needs. Shadows of past violence linger in the areas left un-built due to the concern that land mines may have been left over by the Sendero Luminoso.

Community members, non-governmental organizations, and healthcare centers, are all working towards providing sufficient and accessible healthcare for the community. Visiting health posts and health centers revealed the high demand for healthcare and the limited resources that are available. The healthcare centers are dedicated to providing care for all those in need regardless of whether or not they are able to afford it. However, long lines and limited hours serve as barriers to reach all of the individuals that seek healthcare.

Wealthier neighborhoods in Lima choose to go to private health centers where they receive optimal care and have the choice of when they go into the clinic. However, the majority of the population in Lima lives in similar neighborhoods as Pampas where poverty, a history of violence, environmental pollution, and limited healthcare create obstacles for the community’s quality of life.

Pampas is just one of many examples in which disparities are created by a cycle of structural violence and poverty. Walking through the streets of Pampas created a vivid and lastly effect on my understanding of global health. Reading about statistics and numbers may allow students to scrape the surface of understanding communities that experience disparities. Yet, the numbers do not capture the depth and complexities of these local contexts. This trip to Pampas puts my own privilege into perspective and gave me important insights into the challenges that public health and healthcare workers face.

The healthcare workers and community leaders in Pampas are passionate and driven to create change within their community, to empower their neighbors, and provide the healthcare that they deserve as a basic human right. I am thankful for the opportunity to have met some of these influential actors and to view the positive changes they are fighting for.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Peru’s Unique Cuisine

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

There is no denying that Peru has some of the most incredible food in the world. Every restaurant you pass by in Lima radiates incredible aromas of fresh cooked food. My friends and I made it our mission to try all of the best food in the area. As we began to explore the plethora of restaurants nearby, we noticed that the food in Peru is not only delicious but also incredibly diverse.

Ceviche

We decided to start out by trying some of the dishes that Peru is famous for. Ceviche (sometimes spelled “cebiche”) was first created in Peru and continues to be served on almost every corner in Lima. The traditional dish is usually made with whitefish, Peruvian yellow corn, ají peppers, thinly sliced onion, and lime juice. For our first taste of ceviche we decided to go to Punto Azul, a seafood restaurant located in Miraflores. I was amazed by how fresh the fish tasted and how well all of the strong flavors worked together. Some restaurants also make ceviche with various types of fish, peppers, and unique sauces. One of the “challenges” I faced in Lima was forcing myself to try other food because the ceviche is simply too good.

Menús

In Peru, most people choose to eat a large lunch and a much smaller dinner. For this reason many restaurants have special “menús” during lunchtime. These lunchtime bargains can be as cheap as 10 soles (about $3) and include an appetizer, a main course, and a drink. Many restaurants will serve ceviche as an option for your appetizer and this is certainly the best deal you can find in Peru for fresh and delicious fish.

Chifa

Chifa restaurants are extremely common and popular all around Lima. This unique cuisine combines the flavors of Chinese and Peruvian food. Common menu items include Arroz Chaufa (Cantonese-Peruvian style fried rice), Pollo Enrollado (chicken rolled in fried crust), Tallarin Saltado (Cantonese-Peruvian style Chow Mein), and Chicharron de Gallin (simmered lemon chicken). In order to try the best Chifa in Lima, my friends and I journeyed to Chifa Union in Barranco. Twelve of us from the program hopped on the metro to Barranco with excitement and empty stomachs. After asking our waiter what he suggested, we ordered six different large dishes and shared the food family style so we could all try as much as possible. My personal favorite was the Tallarin Saltado and the Pollo Enrollado. Both of these dishes had rich flavors, tender meat, and crisp vegetables. The portions here were huge and we left the restaurant with several to-go bags that we happily ate the next day for lunch.

Tripe

I have always been an adventurous eater and love to try new foods as much as possible. Often when my friends and I go to a new restaurant we will order whatever the waiter suggests. While exploring the restaurants in Lima, this often meant that we had little idea what we were eating until we later looked up the ingredients from the dish. After class one day, my friend and I found a place that had a Menú so we decided to try it out. Like most meals, we asked the waiter what her favorite dish was and she suggested the “Cau Cau”. Neither my friend nor I knew what was in this dish but we decided to try it out. When we got our meal, the dish appeared to be some sort of meat with potatoes and grilled vegetables. The meat however was an extremely unique texture resembling something like raw octopus only more jelly-like. After enjoying our meal, we later looked up the dish and found out that the meat was actually the lining of a cow stomach. Knowing this may have changed our perspective of the dish but also made us very excited to try other unique food in Peru.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Iquitos: Overcoming Health Barriers in River Communities

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Through my program, I had the very unique opportunity of traveling to Iquitos: a large city near the Amazon River that is completely inaccessible by car. This trip was designed to give us insight into the healthcare systems of unique communities where location, cultural differences, and environmental factors create disparities to healthcare access

When I got off of the plane at the Iquitos airport, I immediately felt a wave of heat and humidity spread across my face. We were in a completely different environment than Lima and I was very eager to learn more about the communities lining the Amazon River. Walking through the streets on the way to our hotel, we passed through bustling streets of vendors selling delicious fruits and frozen treats to ward off the hot, summer day. Motor taxis and motorcycles filled the streets and endless rows of fresh fish lined the side-walk, ready to be bought after the morning catch.

Researching Traditional Healing Methods

For our first excursion into Iquitos, we visited an EsSalud Research Center for traditional medicine to learn how plant and herb healing are being used for medical and scientific advancements. We walked through the botanical gardens of this center and learned about dozens of unique plants and the lengthy list of positive effects each plant has for health and healing.

Many of these plants and herbs we had seen being sold in the markets in Iquitos where these plants are used regularly by local Peruvians. An agricultural engineer from the center let us smell and taste many of these plants that most of us had never even heard of. He let us taste mint that can be used as a sweetener for diabetics, and a spicy flower that made your lips tingle and is used as a numbing cream for both internal and external uses. We smelled all sorts of different spices that can have medical effects on cardiovascular diseases, diarrhea, and even cancer. Throughout the tour the agro-engineer also explained how many of these plants are researched, tested, and produced in commercial packaging to be sold in pharmacies.

This unique experience revealed the collaboration of traditional practices and modern research as a form of creating new and accessible treatments and preventative medicines. Before we left the center, the agro-engineer emphasized that every modern medical advancement, once originated from research done on plants. I was amazed to see how nature is full of miraculous surprises and there’s no denying that there are still many possible treatments and cures to be discovered.

Tele-Medicina at the Ministry of Health

The ministry of health provides care for approximately 70% of the Peruvian population. In Iquitos, a ministry of health hospital is the designated treatment center for the entire Loreto Region which has a population of almost a million people. This single healthcare center provides care for around 2,500 people a day. Beyond what the numbers say, during my trip to Iquitos, it became very apparent to me that healthcare access and treatment are very limited. Our program had the opportunity to visit the Ministry of Health Hospital in Iquitos and we learned about many ways that these healthcare providers are working tirelessly to provide quality healthcare to as many people as possible.

When we arrived at the hospital we were introduced to the Director of Public Relations. However, this job title certainly does not encompass the many tasks that this man takes one to try to constantly help the people of Iquitos. He began with a tour that showed us all of the various units within the hospital offering a wide range of care options from neonatal care, to burn treatment, to dialysis, and psychiatric treatment. Along the way we began to see the improvements and reconstruction that this hospital was taking on. New sections of the building had recently been renovated to allow for more advanced care for a larger population of patients.

We visited the Tele-Medicina office were the hospital has implemented video and telephone technology as a means to diagnose, consult, and treat patients in remote areas. Additionally, doctors from Lima and around the world can also communicate with health posts and hospitals surrounding the Amazon river. Many families must journey up to 5 days to reach this hospital. Because of the expenses and length of these journeys, sickness has often progressed very severely by the time individuals will make the journey to the hospital. For this reason, the Tele-Medicina intervention is used to try to diagnose patients earlier and lessen the need for traveling such far distances.

Unfortunately, however, many patients will not be able to receive all of their care in Iquitos and so for further treatment they have to fly out to Lima. The Director of Public Relations explained to us the many difficult decisions that families must make when faced with the cost of travel and having to separate families to receive care. The director that we spoke to was one of the many hidden advocates for patients that are unable to receive care for reasons beyond their control. Limited funding and poverty lead patients stranded as they have no way of paying for the treatment that they need. The director that we met works constantly with social workers, NGO’s, community members, or individual donors to try to pull together the funds to help patients in his hospital.

This hospital served as the only form of healthcare for a far larger population than the resources could provide for. Furthermore, patients must face difficult travels and expensive care while battling illness and disease. With persistent efforts to innovate this hospital and advocate for patients, I was inspired to see the ways that these healthcare workers dedicated their energy towards looking out for their patients in Iquitos.

Isolated Health Posts in the Amazon Rainforest

Iquitos is surrounded by dozens of small, isolated communities that utilize the resources from the river and rainforest in their daily lives. These communities are often very remote and use small health posts as their only access to healthcare. For our final visit in Iquitos, our program journeyed to one of these health posts in the rainforest.

All of the students from my program huddled into long wooden boats as we weaved along the Amazon River passing fisherman as they dove into the water with large nets and local families as they washed their clothes and cooked by the river. We arrived at a community where rice, plantains, and pineapples farms surrounded the outskirts of the town. Immediately we were greeted by one of a nurses from the health post. This nurse, a midwife, and a medical technician were the only staff that served this community and 14 other villages in nearby areas. It was a very eye-opening experience to hear about the countless barriers this facility has to overcome to provide the best possible care they can manage under their given circumstances.

Limited supplies, delayed governmental funding, complicated local customs, and difficulties in reaching isolated communities were merely some of the many different aspects that these workers had to take into account. Many of the community members never see a doctor throughout their lives and immunization levels for children are a constant concern. Through home visits and education this health post has worked on increasing immunization rates however there are far more isolated communities that are unreached by the limited resources of health posts such as the one we visited.

This community faces issues of malnutrition, stunting, maternal morbidity, tuberculosis, diarrheal diseases, and adolescent pregnancy. I was genuinely impressed to find that despite this long list of health concerns and barriers the healthcare workers at this post were extremely dedicated and driven to continue to improve the health of the community they served. Not only were they helping their patients with medical treatment, but they also worked to create a pleasant environment where community members could seek help and care.

It is very difficult to explain the disparities and barriers that these river communities face in accessing healthcare. With such unique environmental factors, economic restraints, and limited resources, I could feel the great need for better healthcare accessibility. The healthcare workers left a genuine impact on me as I saw the relentless efforts that they put forth to improve the quality of life in these communities. Every healthcare center that we visited in Iquitos was working towards broadening their scope of care, no matter how difficult that may be.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Floating City of Belén

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

During our time visiting the Amazon Region of Peru we had many very memorable excursions that were unlike anything else in Peru. Iquitos is a city full of life, culture, unique gastronomy, and bountiful wildlife. Every day we had a new and exciting outing with our professors giving us the opportunity to explore the many unbelievable sights.

The Floating City

The floating city of Belén is one of the most extraordinary places in Peru. When we first arrived in Belén, it appeared to be just like every other neighborhood in Iquitos. Our guide, however, explained to us that during the rainy season in Iquitos this entire neighborhood is submerged in water. During this time, water levels raise up to the second story of every house. To accommodate for these extreme weather changes, families then move their belongings from the first floor to the second floor of their houses. Families who live closer to the river however have accommodated in a different way by building houses that actually float on the water. Our group had the chance to tour this community on wooden boats with local guides who told us about their experiences growing up next to the Amazon River. Daily life in this community is intertwined with the many resources that the river has to offer. Fishing provides the main source of food and jobs, boats serve as school buses for children and taxis for parents on their way to work, and families wash their clothes just outside of their floating houses. This beautiful city was full of life and energy surrounding the powerful Amazon River and our group was lucky enough to learn about such a unique location.

Belén Market

Only a couple blocks away from the river edge lies the bustling Belén Market. This market is a cluster of dozens of streets lined with stands stacked high with a vast assortment of meats, drinks, fruits, medicine, herbs, clothing, and many goods our group had never heard of. Our local guides walked us through the tight and busy streets as we passed giant paiche fish caught that morning, buckets of edible jungle grubs, amazon fruits like camu camu, aguaje, maracuya, and a rows and rows of traditional medicines that are made for every sort of ailment imaginable. The people who work in this market wake up as early as 3:00am to begin setting up their stands. Shoppers arrive soon after to buy fresh meats and ingredients for the day. The Belén Market is buzzing with people from all around Iquitos who travel to this area just to buy the many goods provided along these streets. The sights, smells, and tastes of Belén are rich with the culture and life of the Amazon River.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Amazon Rainforest Excursion

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

I never imagined that a college field trip would include a hike through the Amazon Rainforest or a visit to a manatee sanctuary. To my utter surprise these excursions were included in my program abroad in Peru. The Amazon rainforest is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Our class began our “field trip” by boarding a speed boat that took us beyond the bustling city of Iquitos and out into the vast area of winding river, tall trees blossoming with life, and a forest humming with biodiversity. Our local guide talked to us about the many indigenous communities along the water that practice the traditions that their ancestors have passed along from generation to generation. Understanding the cultures and lives of the people living in the Amazon gave us important context for our visits to local health centers. The more we heard about the local perspectives, the more we were able to understand what the healthcare system’s role in Iquitos is. Not only were our field trips exciting and interesting, but they also enriched our understanding of Peru and the intersection between culture and health.

As the sun reached the middle of the big open sky, our boat pulled off to a small dock under the shade of large almond tree. We unloaded and walked up to a jungle lodge where the smell of grilled fish and fried plantains filled the air. Two beautiful red macaws swooped above our heads as we were greeted by friendly guides who told us more about the plants and animals of the area. As our lunch was cooking, we were taken on a hike through the rainforest. Fitted in rubber boots provided by the lodge, we walked past wild orchids, giant cypress trees, birds of paradise flowers, and many plants that I had never seen before. Just as we were about to head back to the lodge, our guide leaned down and looked under a rock only to find two poison dart frogs. The tiny red frogs sat perfectly for all of us to admire before we started our hike back for lunch.

After touring the beautiful Amazon Rainforest, we took our speed boat to a manatee sanctuary just outside of Iquitos. The friendly staff of this sanctuary told us about the many growing efforts to conserve and protect the incredible wildlife in Iquitos through education, rehabilitation, and forest protection. We then took a tour throughout the sanctuary and saw dozens of different animals all receiving the care that they needed in order to be released back into the wild. Enclosures were made for monkeys, sloths, otters, ocelots, civets, caiman, turtles, tortoises, and of course, manatees. We learned about the dangers that these animals face and the ways that this sanctuary works with government and private funds to help these animals. The Amazon is a place that has endless surprises and incredible opportunities for adventure and learning. I was thankful to have experienced the excursions through my program that gave me a glimpse at the many different extraordinary secrets hidden within the Amazon Rainforest.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Must-See Museums in Lima

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

During my time abroad, I was very interested in learning more about the history and culture of Peru. I found that Lima has many incredible museums that gave me valuable insight into the past and present culture of Peru. Here’s a description of some of my favorite museums in Lima.

Church and Covent of San Francisco; Central Lima

The Iglesia y Convento de San Francisco, is located in central Lima near many other historical and religious sights. Incredible colonial architecture and religious art line the interior of this impressive monument. Under this church are also expansive catacombs which date back to the 1600’s and are open to the public. Guided tours in both Spanish and English are offered for a small price and are very informative.

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Cathedral of Lima; Central Lima

The Catedral de Lima is another very impressive monument located in central Lima. Guided tours are offered in Spanish and English and also include a tour of the connected art museum that displays religious paintings and sculptures.

The Place of Memory, Tolerance and Social Inclusion; Miraflores

 This beautifully designed museum was made to address the recent internal violence and terrorism experienced in Peru during the 1980’s to 1990’s. Located in Miraflores this museum was created to tell the history of these events and to remember the victims impacted by this violent time. It is important to mention that the descriptions for this museum are all in Spanish with no English translation.

MATE Mario Testino Photography Museum; Barranco

Mario Testino is a very successful and influential Peruvian photographer that has photographed surplus of celebrities such as Princess Diana, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and countless others. This museum includes many of his most famous photos along with an exhibit of his photographs in Cusco which highlight the traditional clothing and culture of the indigenous Andeas communities. Be sure to bring a University ID for the student discount.

Website

Museo Pedro de Osma; Barranco

This museum is located in a large historic mansion near the center of the Barranco neighborhood. The halls of this beautiful house are full of historic paintings, sculptures, and silverwork from post-colonial Peru. This center also emphasizes restoration and education about historical pieces.

Website

Museo Larco; Pueblo Libre

This incredible museum includes pre-Colombian art from all across Peru. The rooms are filled with ancient pottery, sculptures, textiles, and jewelry that predates the Incas. Guided tours are offered in Spanish and English and give important historical and religious background for this collection. The Museum also has a restaurant which has pricey but delicious food. This museum was also included in the excursions for my program although I later returned on my own because I loved it so much.

Website

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Food Suggestions in Lima

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

My friends and I had an amazing time exploring the surplus of delicious restaurants in Lima. I may say it over and over again but there is no denying that the food in Peru is delicious. Here’s a list of some of my favorite restaurants that we visited.

Punto Azul: Miraflores

Type of Food: Delicious seafood restaurant with an assortment of Peruvian dishes. This was my favorite place for cebiche in Peru and I would highly recommend the Criolla Cebiche. Other delicious dishes that my friends and I tried were the squid ink fettuccine with fresh shrimp and scallops and the chaufa-style fried rice with shrimp and fish. Every dish was fresh and rich with flavor.

Ambiance: Casual, modern, upbeat with enough charm to make you feel comfortable while enjoying a top of the notch meal

Price: $$ Entrees range from around 30-40 soles

Website

Panchita: Miraflores

Type of Food: Large portions of home-style traditional Peruvian dishes. This restaurant has all of the classic dishes of Peru all cooked with bold flavors, tender meats, and rich textures. Panchita is the best place in Lima to experience the Peruvian style home made food. My favorite meal was the Adobo Don Pancho, a pork dish with some of the most tender and flavorful meat I’ve ever tasted. Other great dishes Tacu Saltado, Chaufa don Pancho, and the Lomo Saltado.

Ambiance: Comfort food served in a high-end restaurant. A great place for a nice dinner (be sure to make reservations ahead of time to avoid the long lines during peak season).

Price: $$ Entrees range from around 50-70 soles

Website: http://www.panchita.pe/en

Chifa Chung Yion/Chifa Union: Barranco

Type of Food: This hole in the wall restaurant is a great place to try out the Peruvian style Chinese food called Chifa. The portions here are gigantic and the menu has a huge assortment of different types of noodles, rice, meat entrees, and soups. My favorite dish was the pollo naranja (orange chicken) however this orange chicken is nothing like you’ll find in the United States but is made with fresh orange flavors and tempura fried chicken.

Ambiance: Casual, family-friendly, a local restaurant for big parties and hungry customers.

Price: $ Entrees range from 20-30 soles but can be shared between 2-4 people

Website

Burrito Bar: Barranco

Type of Food: I craved these amazing burritos constantly during my time in Lima. With your choice of steak, chicken, pork, or veggie burritos, tacos, and salads, this small restaurant has freshly made food for lunch and dinner. The tortillas here are to die for and all of the meats are flavorful and delicious.

Ambience: Trendy, casual, but simple. This small restaurant is a popular place for the local surfers around Barranco

Price: $

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Burrito-Bar-Lima-158923947518259/

La Lucha: Miraflores and Lima Airport

Type of food: The best fast food sandwiches you’ll ever try. This Peruvian style sandwich and juice place makes incredible food with crispy fresh-made bread, tender meats, and tons of flavorful sauces. My favorite meal was the Pollo con Piña (chicken and pineapple) with an order of the classic fries and a chicha morada for the drink.

Ambiance: Casual, fast-food with extremely friendly staff

Price: $

Coffee Shops

Ágora café y Arte: Conveniently located in Kennedy Park, this cafe is a great place to sit and work on a computer while enjoying an empanada and a cappuccino

Puku Puku: Really great coffee with limited seating but very friendly staff. A great place to grab coffee before starting your day

El Pan De La Chola: A trendy cafe with incredible sandwiches and pastries. Great place to do some work early in the morning or late after dinner.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | Excursions in Lima

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

Lima is an incredible city full of art, history, and culture. During our four weeks living there, my friends and I had a hard time deciding what to do because there were simply too many exciting things to try out. Here’s a list of the things that you shouldn’t miss while in Lima.

Go to the beach…

I visited Lima during the Winter so going to the beach was not anything like my experiences in LA, however, the ocean views, and rocky shores were my favorite place to read and hang out. It’s also very popular to take surf lessons. You can walk down to the beach closest to Miraflores where local surf instructors have gear for you to rent out for a low price. Another popular spot by the ocean is the Pier 242 in Miraflores which has very nice restaurants and boutiques for souvenirs. The Larcomar Shopping Center is a very nice outdoor mall that overlooks the ocean and beach. This is a good place to find restaurants and clothing shops although the prices are definitely higher than the rest of Lima.

Get coffee at the cat park…

Parque Kennedy is a popular outdoor park which is also a haven for cats. The cats here are very friendly and well taken care of by locals who feed and look after the stray cats. Surrounding the flower gardens are many restaurants and coffee shops that attract tourists. Street vendors also sell delicious desserts such as arroz con leche (sweet rice pudding) and picarón (fried pumpkin and sweet potatoes in the shape of donuts). Artists can also be found selling their paintings along the streets.

See the largest fountain show in the world…

For less than a dollar you can see the Magic Water Circuit (Circuito Mágico del Agua). This 19 acre park has 13 impressive fountains illuminated by colorful lights. My friends and I came here one night and had such a fun time viewing the light shows. Be sure to look up when the light shows are before going so you don’t miss the impressive laser lights.Website

[video src="https://ieo.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/DSCN3354.m4v" /]

Buy alpaca sweaters, silver jewelry, textiles, and other souvenirs…

There are tons of places to buy souvenirs for really great prices. The Inca Market and the Indian Market are both located in Miraflores right next to Parque Kennedy and have rows and rows of shops filled with souvenirs of all kinds. These markets have generally the best deals but be aware that they aren’t the best quality. The Feria Barranco is much less touristy and has cool bohemian shops with local art, clothing, and music. This fair is only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Here is the link for the fair’s Facebook page including the address and information.

Visit ancient ruins….

The Huaca Pucllana Ruins in Miraflores are an exceptional piece of history that are currently being excavated. Tours for these pre-incan ruins are available in Spanish and English. There is also an incredible restaurant located next to the ruins. I was lucky enough to visit these ruins and dine at this restaurant through my abroad program.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/

Peru | An Unexpectedly Valuable Group Project

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BY MIKA NAGAMOTO

I must admit, I am usually not a very big fan of group projects. It somehow always seems as though the work is unevenly distributed or our group decides on a topic that I have trouble finding interesting. However, the group project that I completed for my course abroad was far different than any I have done in past classes.

Our assignment was to choose a public health topic that we found important. We were then instructed to investigate this health issue on a global scale and within Peru. The purpose of this project was to connect research with what we saw firsthand during our travels throughout Peru. After 4 weeks of visiting health centers, research centers, and NGOs, I was brimming with excitement to learn more about the health issues we saw throughout Peru.

For our project, my group decided on researching acute respiratory infections. I never thought that I would be so eager to research the burden of disease for the common cold but seeing the effects of pollution and limited access to healthcare in Peru gave me a strong fascination about this seemingly mundane issue. The more we researched acute respiratory infections, the more I learned about how the environmental factors in Peru play into this health issue. For example, when we visited Iquitos, I noticed that the main form of cooking was with wood-burning stoves. I discovered through research that in just one year, 2.1 million deaths due to acute respiratory infections in children were associated with using a wood-burning stove. I began to see how the facts and numbers came to life in the people and issues surrounding us. I now had my own observations and experiences to reference and inspire my research.

This class was specifically designed to acknowledge the ways in which diversities and disparities between populations can have unequal impacts on which populations experience health issues. An example of a diversity and disparity associated with negative health impacts can be seen through the effects of wood-burning stoves. For the local people in Iquitos, using a wood-burning stove is the cheapest option and has been the traditional form of cooking for generations. However, those who can only afford a wood-burning stove are unequally affected by acute respiratory infections. Furthermore, women and children are also the populations that are the most exposed to wood burning stoves in Iquitos. So even more specifically, women and children in families that can only afford wood-burning stoves experience the highest rates of acute respiratory infections. Suddenly, the term “acute respiratory infections” was no longer simply a scientific-sounding phrase but a term for an important health issue that I now understood the meaning and impact of. I thought of the women and children we met and how there was no simple solution for protecting them against acute respiratory diseases. I found that this project gave me the opportunity to make connections and tie together everything I had learned in the classroom with my experiences throughout Peru.

Global health initiatives are designed to address the disparities that unequally effect vulnerable populations. Having these examples from my time abroad has given me a new respect for the field and an understanding of why it is so important to work on health issues such as acute respiratory infections.

This group project also gave me an opportunity to get to know the students in my class and see their strengths and creative problem-solving skills. We all spent many hours researching together in our favorite study spots throughout Lima. We found countless cozy cafes with excellent coffee and delicious pastries. We stayed up helping each other find documents or translate Peruvian sources written in Spanish. It gave us all an opportunity to share our interests and perspectives from varying majors. The nursing major in our group explained to us all of the medical terms we needed to know while the sociology major in our class shared articles with us that explained the societal factors that effect disease. It was a truly collaborative project that brought together all of our strengths and varying fields of study.

Mika Nagamoto studied abroad in Lima and Iquitos, Peru, in summer 2018: https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/GlobalHealth-Lima/