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Guam | Public Forum and Visiting Litekyan

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By Tecpatl Kuauhtzin

Community organizations came together in Hagåtña at the legislature for a public hearing on financial support. Guam officials have cut funding to all community organizations, including the organizations that we are aiding as students. Our class nominated Kat and I to speak with and on behalf of the Håya Foundation, who are a community organization of traditional Chamoru healers. They are mostly elderly women who have taken it upon themselves to support their community, and they do it with no pay. As a non-profit organization, they need support from the government to remain open.

I spoke about the importance of healing and traditional medicine from my perspective. I shared about how much of my culture has been lost because of colonization and how dire it is for our youth to be surrounded by these healing practices. Intergenerational trauma and suicide rates of youth in both the Native American community and the Chamoru community are at an all time high, and I posed the fact that traditional medicine is counteracting this reality. I asked for the Speaker and chairman to support HĂĄya and the other community organizations with their requests.

Because today is Wednesday, it was field trip day! We visited the nature center in Litekyan today, and took a tour around the area. Our guides reminded us that this is where the Marines want to build their firing range, and that if they succeeded it would shut down access to the entire area. Furthermore, it would be such a large environmental impact, and the land there is sacred. In the nature center, our guides explained the importance of respect while we visit the sites in the area. They also shared that there are multiple caves with ancient pictographs and artifacts. We prepared ourselves for the hike by learning about the history of the area.

The first cave we visited, we made sure to ask for permission to enter. Our guides pointed out multiple pictographs and shared their current theories as to what they represent or what story they tell. They shared that they are not 100 percent sure about the representations. I appreciated how involved our guides were with the community. Too often in the United States, natural tours are conducted by non-Indigenous Peoples and there is a large disconnect they have with the land and its history. It is just science. For this reason, I was happy to be learning from people who came from the land and care for it.

We reached a site that was home to many Lattes and possibly housed over 300 people. Our guides explained that all around this area, there are remains of Latte stone and other kinds of structures. It was awesome to be able to visit this land and share space with our guides and my class.

Tecpatl studied abroad in Guam in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/asianam-guam/

Guam | Fua Rock

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By Tecpatl Kuauhtzin

One of Guam’s most sacred places is the Fua Rock, and for good reason. Unfortunately, a lot of the teachings about the rock have been forgotten due to colonization and religious indoctrination during the Spanish invasion. Regardless, uncle Joe took us down to his village in Umatac, where the Fua Rock is located, and took us to visit the rock. He explained to us that it is customary to keep a low volume so as to not disturb the spirits in the area, and the importance of asking for permission before entering the locale. Out of respect, we all kept a low talking voice while walking around Umatac. The town is one of the most rural in Guam, and it was beautiful. The waters were also some of the clearest.

During our hike, Uncle Joe explained a lot about the different kinds of rock, trees and plants in the area. He pointed out many things and explained their uses and importance.

There was so much life in the area, and every turn there was a little animal. My eyes caught a little hermit crab and I locked on, following it and watching its movements. It was gentle and took its time walking from rock to rock. I took a few pictures and said my goodbyes, thanking it for allowing me to visit.

We saw the Fua Rock from across the shore, and Joe explained its significance. As I mentioned earlier, the Chamoru had to forget many teachings related to the rock for its survival. If the Spanish knew how importance this area was, they would have destroyed it as they did with other sacred structures and areas. Nevertheless, Uncle Joe shared what they do know: the area was used for new life ceremony. It was traditionally a place where women prayed and practiced their protocol. Today, young men hold ceremony there as well. We did not approach the rock out of respect, and instead took it in from afar. We even got a group picture!

Tecpatl studied abroad in Guam in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/asianam-guam/

Guam | Atan Tano

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By Tecpatl Kuauhtzin

My group got our assigned organization and I could not be happier! I was paired up with the Guam Preservation Trust (GPT) and met with Joe, Andrew and Charmaine. We visited our site at the Lujan House and talked about our group project, which consists of surveying Guam’s local population and understanding both general attitudes towards cultural heritage preservation and specific attitudes towards a new project by GPT in which ancestral land, previously owned by the oil company Shell, would be used to create Guam’s first cultural heritage preserve.

Uncle Joe explained to us that because we are going to work with Atan Tano, we need to get to know it personally. We need to visit and introduce ourselves to the land, so that is what we did.

The drive was about 30 minutes from the Lujan House, and I was fortunate enough to ride with Uncle Joe. The rest of my group drove with Andrew and Charmaine in the GPT van. On the way, Uncle Joe and I talked about my background, similarities in our community protocols, and what I hope to get out of working with the Guam Preservation Trust. I expressed to him that I was grateful to be part of these efforts and that I was hoping to learn about everything from how to manage land as a community process to how to work with legal documents pertaining to land. I was intrigued by how GPT was able to acquire this territory back from a corporation, and Uncle Joe explained to me that it was a divestment.

Upon arriving, we talked about the importance of safety and asking the land and spirits for permission to enter. We had a small group talk, and made our way to the trail. Charmaine and Andrew explained that students of the University of Guam came a week ago to begin clearing this trail out, which was previously started by wild boars. Funny enough, we found some boar droppings, lol!

I began documenting our journey with the intention of using the images to tell a story for our final presentation. Charmaine and Andrew taught us many things along the way about different plants in the area, and we even came across a plant called sleeping grass that shrinks when you touch it. Unfortunately, the plant is invasive.

The greenery, humidity and sounds in Atan Tano were all very new to me. It was an experience that I will never forget, and I am grateful to the land for taking care of us while we visited.

Tecpatl studied abroad in Guam in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/asianam-guam/

Guam | The Lancho

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By Tecpatl Kuauhtzin

One of my classmates named Jade recently announced that she was informed she had family in Guam. Apparently, her parents let her know that she had relatives living here right before she boarded her plane! She told my cohort that her uncle wanted us all to go over for a Barbecue on his Lancho (farm).

Today was the day of the BBQ, and wow that food was just as amazing as his home. We took a walk around his garden and came across trees with hundreds, if not thousands, of butterflies. We then walked through an awesome natural tunnel leading to the coast and the view was incredible. I turned around and saw a really cool beach tree-house they are constructing, and snapped a picture.

I remember feeling lucky to be here. I thought about my family and my community that helped me get here and is supporting me from afar while I watched the waves crash. They mean everything to me. After about half an hour of sitting and watching the waves, my cohort was called in by Jade’s uncle. He said it was time for dinner! We had an amazing feast with great company.

Tecpatl studied abroad in Guam in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/asianam-guam/

Mexico | First Few Days…

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By Andrea Zheng

Greetings from Mexico! Today is the second day I’m in Mexico as I landed last night. I met my mamá right off the plane and she even had a little sign made for me (how cute!). Driving back to the house, she started introducing herself, telling me about Merida, and what to expect for my next month to come. My Spanish was a little rusty to say the least, but she was very nice about explaining words that I didn’t know or repeating things until I understood what was going on.

On this second day, we met at the school that we are going to be having classes in, Tecnología Turística Total. This school is an adorable niche that you wouldn’t expect to find in the bustling downtown of Merida. There’s a little fountain right when you walk in and a cute patio area in the back to relax during the breaks in class. Check out the Typical Day in the Life blog to read a little bit more about classes and homework for this program.

After getting a small tour of the school, it was time to go on a tour of Merida. The first stop was the Plaza Grande, which is the main plaza in downtown Merida and the site of many of the activities that the city puts on. It’s only a few blocks from school (an easy 5-minute walk) and has places where you can buy souvenirs, exchange money, or (most importantly) get ice cream. Of course, we stopped at the colorful Merida sign to take a couple pictures (more like a hundred pictures to be fair).

To tour the city of Merida, we hopped on an open top tour bus, which took us on a 45-minute tour of the city. For the bus, I would 100% recommend sitting at the top because it’s so much better seeing the sites (and taking pictures) when you’re not sitting behind a window. Just make sure you put on LOTS of sunscreen and keep an eye out for low hanging tree branches so you don’t get smacked in the face.

Here are some of the highlights from the tour.

Paseo de Montejo

This famous avenue is named after Francisco de Montejo, who was a Spanish conquistador who founded the city. Along the road, the light posts have cute hanging flower pots and there are many local shops, banks, and old buildings. One of these old buildings is the Quinta Montes Molina – Casa Museo, which the house of the Molina family that also functions as a museum.

ADDED NOTE: When we later got a tour of this museum a lot of the rooms had hammocks or hooks to hang hammocks and I learned that the hammock is actually the preferred method of sleep in Merida due to the ventilation it provides during the stuffy nights. (Catch me adding a hammock to my Amazon cart ASAP).

Churches in Merida

While in the downtown area, there were four different churches within a four block radius, highlighting the importance of religion in Merida. The most well-known church is the Cathedral of Merida, which was the first church to be built on mainland America. This church sits on the border of the Plaza Grande and was built using parts from the original Mayan temple that it now replaces.

Ice cream shops

This needs no explanation 🙂

After a long day, I’m ready to get into bed (unfortunately not a hammock) and start getting ready for school on Monday!

Andrea Zheng studied abroad in Merida in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/Span-Mexico/

Mexico | Let’s Get Ready!

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By Andrea Zheng

Hey guys! It’s a few days out from my flight to Merida so it’s time to start preparing. Here are a few tips on things to bring and NOT to bring on this trip. First thing to know about Merida is that it is hot, hot, HOT. Not only that, it’s also very humid. This means that the main attire will be t-shirt/tank top, shorts, and comfy walking shoes. DON’T bring a lot of heavy sweaters and jackets, because even at night, it’s not cold enough to wear those. There will be one fancy thank you lunch for the lovely host mamás at the end of the trip so pack at least one nice outfit (button up shirt, sundress and sandals, something along those lines).

I’ve never been on a trip that I didn’t over pack for, so of course, I packed over 30 shirts and more than 10 pairs of shorts. This is definitely not necessary, as there are laundromats near the houses you will staying at as well as laundry machines in some of the houses, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Also, don’t forget a swimsuit because there will be MANY trips to the beach, both spontaneous trips to the beach 45 minutes away from Merida and planned program-wide excursions to different beaches along the Yucatan Peninsula. Along with a swimsuit, it’s a good idea to bring a towel, sunscreen*, and some flip-flops.

Even though it’s hot in Merida, that doesn’t mean there isn’t rain. There will definitely be thunder and lightning storms so be sure to bring an umbrella and rain jacket to pull out when necessary. Along with rain comes mosquitos, so don’t forget insect repellant to help protect from bites, otherwise you’ll be itching all night long.

Of course, there is also the school side to this program, so be sure to prepare any materials for class that you might need, like notebooks, textbooks, and pencils/pens. While talking about school, I would advise that you try and finish all the homework you can before the program, as this will leave you more time to explore and experience the city while there.

Don’t forget to leave a little extra space in the suitcases in case you’re looking to buy some souvenirs while in Mexico.

Make sure to check with your doctor to get any prescriptions filled that you may need on the trip and make sure you keep them in their original bottle so you don’t have trouble with airport security.

A few logistical things that may need to be done.

  1. Make that you have a passport that won’t expire until at least 6 months after the trip. And if you don’t have a passport, make sure to get one (or a visa) ASAP!
  2. Check with your bank to convert some dollars to pesos for your trip, or ask about their policy for getting money out of the ATMs in Mexico (transaction fees and such).
  3. Check with your phone company about their policy for using data, texting, and calling in Mexico because you might have a plan that can be used in Mexico with no extra fees. 

With my bags packed and flight checked into, I’m extremely excited for this trip and can’t wait to have you guys follow along as I spend the next month in Mexico!

*There is a trip to Xcaret where biodegradable sunscreen is the only type that you can bring in, so it may be a good idea to check Amazon for acceptable brands. Alternatively, you can just buy sunscreen when in Xcaret. 

Andrea Zheng studied abroad in Merida in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/Span-Mexico/

Italy | Staycation Abroad

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By Andrea Arredondo

Florence is wonderful and the accommodations arranged could not have been any closer to the classroom we met in, but July is a hot time of the year in Florence. As a Southern California native, I also am not used to humidity, so when a heat wave struck, I needed to swim in some water.

Beach, river, inflatable pool—I didn’t care. It was so hot and humid that I decided I needed to find a way to cool down. Unfortunately, the room I was staying in had so much natural sunlight, that it was very challenging not to sweat just sitting inside. I usually loved the natural lighting, but one weekend, I decided to find a place to swim—a shower just wasn’t going to cut it with that heat. Can you guess where I went?

Unlike other rivers, the Arno is not the cleanest. So, I did not swim there. With no beach within walking distance, I also did not go to the beach. Desperate to swim, a few girls and I decided that our only solution was to stay in a hotel. Now it might sound funny. Paying to stay in a hotel when you had an apartment in the same city? While this certainly isn’t for everyone, I was lucky to find some like-minded people in my program.

In agreement that we would be renting a hotel, we got to work looking for a place to stay. But, trying to book anything at the last moment in Florence is a challenge, if not impossible. Everything is either booked solid, or very expensive. But we persevered and we eventually found a hotel with an incredible rooftop pool and air conditioning inside.

Within minutes, we booked a room for the weekend. Upon arrival, we immediately went to the roof. While I was sure the view was going to be nice, what I saw was beyond what I expected. We basically bad a 360-degree panoramic view of Florence. As soon as I saw the pool, my focus changed toward jumping in. But as the composed college student I am, I applied more sunscreen and let it set before gracefully sliding in.

Wow. That swim was incredible and very much worth the wait. In the words of one of the other girls, it was “everything I wanted and more.” Relaxed and cooled down, we eventually went to the room where a massive bed, blow dryers, and the balcony of dreams welcomed us.

Hungry, I ordered a pizza which arrived in minutes. (Don’t forget to read my blog to learn how to make pizza like an Italian!). With the sun setting, a delicious pizza, and book in hand, I was truly living my best life that day. Not only did I get to swim on a rooftop, but I ate some pizza and was able to relax in an air-conditioned room.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, some might think it is silly to stay in a hotel. But, if you should find yourself without air conditioner during a heat wave, I recommend you look for some other friends to see if any of them would be interested in stay at a hotel for a night. Trust me when I say it was worth every second.

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/

Italy | How to Make a Pizza

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By Andrea Arredondo

What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word Italy? For me, it’s pizza. Imperfectly circular, cheesy, and saucy, a simple pizza is one of my favorite things about Italy. Lucky for me, while I was abroad, I had the opportunity to learn how to make a classic Italian pizza. Now, the instructions I am about to explain won’t give you a multi-topping Domino’s style pizza. Italian pizzas are (usually) stripped to their fundamentals. Instead, I will be sharing a no thrills, tasty and Italian-approved recipe.

Before going further, let me explain how I even learned the recipe. This journey started out when one day I received an email announcement from Accent, the program in Florence that helped organize my study abroad outings. Sharing that they would be hosting a pizza making class during lunch, I decided to sign up.

As the date approached, I looked at the list of other students that signed up and didn’t recognize a single name. In fact, all the other students were from different universities. But, determined to enjoy a handmade pizza, I went anyways.

At a small pizza shop near Accent, fifteen college students turned toward our instructor, a brawny Italian man. Excited to have students from different countries, he quickly gave us an overview of the process and pilled pairs of students into the kitchen for more detailed guidance.

As I waited for my turn, I met tons of students from UC Santa Barbara. Bonding over our hunger, we talked about everything we wished we were eating. Croissants. Burgers. French fries. Salmon. But most of all, pizza. It was great having the opportunity to meet students from other schools that like me, loved being in Florence but felt misplaced at times. We bonded over all the times our phones died and we somehow made it back.

Eventually it was my turn to head to the kitchen and I couldn’t have been more excited. After pulling my hair out of my face and washing my hands, I waited for instructions. Handed a lump of dough, I was told to add a little flour and stretch it out. If you have ever stretched dough, then you know that it can quickly get messy. Add too much flour and it flies everywhere. Add not enough and your dough sticks to the table. Lucky for me, my instructor added more flour when he realized that I didn’t add enough. I didn’t use a rolling pin to stretch out the dough. Instead, I stretched it on the table and eventually did the cool thing where you spin it on your hand.

Dough stretched, I then added a light layer of sauce and swirled it around. One important detail to remember is not to add the sauce too close to the edge to make sure your crust is big enough. Then, I was handed some pepperoni and mozzarella cheese which, I liberally spread on my pie (remember, I’m an “extra cheese” kind of girl). It is worth noting that unlike I thought, pepperoni goes before the cheese.

Seconds later, my instructor came out with a giant shovel like contraption which we used to scoop up my pizza and slide into a fire over. Do you know long to bake a pizza? One minute and thirty seconds. That is how long it takes to bake a pizza in a fire oven. So, shortly after leaving my pizza in the over it came back out again.

Perfectly toasted, I let me pizza cool before slicing it up and taking a big bite. Without a doubt, this was my favorite lunch during the program.

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/

Italy | Forkfuls of Florence

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Okay, you can’t make a blog about Florence without at least one post dedicated to food. From pasta to gelato, Italians have perfected a variety of dishes. However, I also discovered some not-too-Italian dishes which were delicious while I was abroad. While some splurge on Italian shoes, I splurged on eating out. Eating is truly one of the greatest pleasures in life for me, but a lot of foods can be oversimplified to the point of boredom. Take a spaghetti for example. In theory, it is simple to make. You just boil some water, add the dried noodles, and pour store bought paste sauce over the noodles when they look ready. While there is nothing wrong with this, and at times it is all I can make at home, this pasta is in the words of one of my pickiest friends, “sad.” Funny as it may sound–and without judging anyone that prefers pasta this way–I had to agree with what she was saying. Fortunately for me, the foods I ate in Florence were anything but sad or boring.

In Italy, the pastas I ate were always divine. The tomato sauces had little chunks of tomato and seasoning mixed in. The noodles were never too soggy, but always perfectly al dente (this is when noodles are neither over nor under cooked). I am a “lots of cheese” kind of gal, so when I pile on parmesan in most pastas, it usually never melts completely. But the pastas I ate in Florence were always so hot when they were brought to me that the cheese melted as it touched the noodles.

Similarly, I noticed that food establishments in Italy took great care to make sure they were serving the food they envisioned. Even something as simple as an ice cream cone was carefully prepared. Whether it was ensuring the scoops were perfectly round or that they were centered right onto the cone, each gelato scooper prepared Instagram ready treats. One small detail that is more common in Europe, but does sometimes happen in the United States, is that there was a small, circular cookie or chocolate placed into the scoops. Aesthetic was it was, the little detail was also delicious.

Surprisingly, I event found airport food to be shockingly amazing in Italy. As I have written before, while I was in Italy, I became a mild coffee addict. So, before boarding my departing flight, I went to one of the coffee shops to ask for a “cafĂ© cream.” Not expecting to experience a life changing moment, I immediately ordered another after sampling my first spoonful. For those of you who have yet to experience the magic that is the Italian “cafe cream,” think of a Starbucks Frappuccino but better. Creamier and consisting of a shot of espresso, this little desert is like the cookie butter of all butters… and it has since raised my standards so high for coffee.

I guess you could say that Italy changed my mind about a lot of foods. As someone who doesn’t like to eat meat more than once a week, I was worried that I wouldn’t have many options in Florence. Even worse, I wasn’t sure the meatless options would be any good. However, I soon found that salads were anything but disappointing. Instead, they were full of tasty flavors and vibrant colors. Have you had yams on salad? How about mozzarella cheese? Before Florence, I had never had either of those mixed into a salad, but since then, the topping that I usually put on salads has pleasantly increased.

I could keep sharing more about everything I ate abroad, but I think I’ll leave some things for you to discover yourself…

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/

Italy | Art Scene in Florence

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By Andrea Arredondo

Florence is known for collecting some of the world’s most famous sculptures, paintings, and taxidermized animals, but with so many museums available, where should you go in the limited time you have there? Well art lovers and curious travelers, read to find out what some of my highlights and underrated recommendations are…

The Uffizi Gallery is by and large, one of the most famous museums in Florence and this is definitely not one to miss. Home to Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Rafaello’s Madonna del Cardellino, and Caravaggio’s Medusa, each wing displays work by a variety of paintings by a myriad of artists. The Uffizi is easy to navigate and is air conditioned, which is a bonus during the summer heat. Best of all, after you finish, it is surrounded by other museums like the Pitti Palace and Palatine Gallery. Be sure to look for Titian’s Venus of Urbino before leaving!

Likewise, the Galleria dell’Accademia is well known for its collection of Michelangelo’s sculptures. As such, crowds quickly form and you can easily wait over two hours in line if you come at the wrong time. In order to avoid waiting, it is possible to buy tickets in advance so that you can go inside at a specified time. While the David may be the star of the museum, I also advise you take some time to appreciate Michaelangelo’s non-finito works before to see what sculptures look like while they are in the works.

A less visited museum is the Museum of the Opera del Duomo. Not very crowded, this museum welcomes you in through the Salone del Paradiso. It then displays Michelangelo’s much written about Pietà. Finally, inside another room that can barely be spotted, there rests Donatello’s creepy yet cool Penitant Madonna, a carving made out of wood. This museum may not be as large as the others, but it is a great way to get a glimpse inside the Duomo without actually going inside of it.

Similarly, Porcelain Museum is a smaller but still interesting visit. Found inside the Boboli Gardens, entrance is free with your ticket into the gardens (and completely free for locals, I believe). The Porcelain Museum can be a little hard to find as it is located at the very top of the hill and up a small staircase, but the hunt is worth the views in the small flower garden right in front of the museum. In addition to an incredible view of the Tuscan hills, the porcelain dishes found inside are beautiful to look at.

Now, any fashion lover knows that Florence is the home of Gucci, but not everyone knows that there exists a Gucci museum! Gucci Garden Galleria aesthetically presents a history of Gucci through clothing and accessories. From vintage pieces to more contemporary designs, you can learn more about this fashion leader’s inspiration in each room. Gucci Garden also sells clothing and items in a gift store—though I should let you know that the cheapest item I could find was a €10 post card (yes, just one post card). Students can get in for free, but I would only recommend this museum to someone that is interested in fashion history.

There are so many museums in Florence that I did not get a chance to see them all. Of the ones I did visit, these were my favorites so I hope you love them too!

Andrea Arredondo studied abroad in Florence in Summer 2019. https://ieo.ucla.edu/travelstudy/English-Florence/