10.23.2016 / familiy, gratitude, peru
Heart of a Fighter - The Sacrifices of Volunteer Firefighters in Peru
Good morning, good evening, or good afternoon,
This year I was blessed to spend my New Years in Lima, Peru for the first time with my huge family and warm next door neighbors which you can watch part of that experience in my Peru vlog to get a glimpse of it. Well, a tradition that is typically done to bring in the new year is something that's known as La Quema de los Munecos, dolls that are made up of old clothes and burned. This is done in representation of letting go of negative energy and bad luck. As you can imagine, this is dangerous because of how flammable clothes is and how easily the flames can get out of control.
Sadly, this very nightmare occurred that night a block from me when some kids had placed fireworks in their muneco (smh) and the sparks got into the school nearby .Luckily we had a firefighter among our neighbors. While the fire truck was coming, he first screamed out to see if anyone was in there and luckily there wasn't and then he stormed into his house and asked the neighbors to get buckets of water to help ease the fire. Without any hesitation, he climbed over the gates of the school and did all he can to end the fire. The firefighters soon came afterwords and in the end there were very minimal burns to the school which could've been a whole other story if it wasn't for the quick actions of our neighbor the firefighter who btw was definitely not even in his 20's.
This situation quickly replayed in my head as I watched the news earlier this week in shock over the disappearance of three firefighters who had gone in to try to rescue a man trapped in the inferno of a fire that occurred in La Agustino where there was a shoe factory and a health government building (which was going to be checked for corruption reasons). I was even more devastated when they were found dead.
In the United Stated, firefighters are paid well, have all the latest material and gear, and are given several benefits; deserving for risking their lives everyday to save ours, the utmost sacrifice. In Peru, that's not the case. Becoming a firefighter there is like being initiated in a beautiful brotherhood where they VOLUNTARILY sacrifice their life everyday, and they wouldn't even want to be a firefighter anymore if it meant that they had to get paid. It's still incredulous to me that these men go through so many ordeals, but to them it's still a complete honor to be able to serve others. This has been going on since 1860 and many times you see entire families that have been involved in this brotherhood for generations, their own legacy.
These men, who are asked of so much...are given so little. You would think...hey, if you're not getting paid for protecting and saving the lives of those in danger, might as well allocate money in order to provide them with the necessary equipment. Also, wouldn't you think that these heroes AT LEAST deserve a proper pension after retiring or health insurance benefits when they're injured from putting their life on the line? Unfortunately, nope. Peru is a country where politicians that spend their time in Congress playing PokemonGO and sleeping are paid WAY too much money, money that can be used to benefit the lives of many, even their own.
On average per week, there are 190 fires and 1,050 car accidents (how surprising) that goes on in Lima and in the whole country, there are only 12,000 firefighters that carry this heavy weight. They are only given one bunker gear, an oxygen tank that lasts only between ~ 30-40 minutes, and one pair of boots. The boots are typically worn out quickly so they then have to resort on using old ones from others which can many times not even adequately fit them. The firetrucks are very outdated, for the past 80 years, some of their equipment and gear has been renovated only 3 times so eveyone does their part in taking really good care of everything. They don't have an adequate health insurance, many times injured firefighters have been dismissed and turned down from hospitals for this very reason. They aren't given a pension after they're 70 years old, money is only given if they DIE and in that case, their families can be given at most...only 68,000 soles, about 22,250 dollars, that's if they die.
So many sacrifices on their behalf and it's so disheartening to me that the government and the people themselves don't take the action of doing something to help these heroes out, they need our help. I've seen first hand the passion these men and women have in this job where they are willing to give what's most sacred to us, our life. They have kids and loved ones waiting for them at home with great pride in what they do, even if it means not seeing them ever again. They don't ask for any monetary pay, only for money to go into getting the material they need to save as many lives as possible and also a proper health care and pension which they are SO DESERVING OF!
I've realized that true happiness is not found in seeking things of monetary value, those things don't come in the tomb with you. True happiness is found when you can make an impact in someone's life, leaving memories that no one can ever take away from you. This is exactly the reward for these heroes, los Bomberos Voluntarios del Peru.
How will you impact someone's life today?
Karen Monge
-The Chic Engiruvian
This year I was blessed to spend my New Years in Lima, Peru for the first time with my huge family and warm next door neighbors which you can watch part of that experience in my Peru vlog to get a glimpse of it. Well, a tradition that is typically done to bring in the new year is something that's known as La Quema de los Munecos, dolls that are made up of old clothes and burned. This is done in representation of letting go of negative energy and bad luck. As you can imagine, this is dangerous because of how flammable clothes is and how easily the flames can get out of control.
Sadly, this very nightmare occurred that night a block from me when some kids had placed fireworks in their muneco (smh) and the sparks got into the school nearby .Luckily we had a firefighter among our neighbors. While the fire truck was coming, he first screamed out to see if anyone was in there and luckily there wasn't and then he stormed into his house and asked the neighbors to get buckets of water to help ease the fire. Without any hesitation, he climbed over the gates of the school and did all he can to end the fire. The firefighters soon came afterwords and in the end there were very minimal burns to the school which could've been a whole other story if it wasn't for the quick actions of our neighbor the firefighter who btw was definitely not even in his 20's.
This situation quickly replayed in my head as I watched the news earlier this week in shock over the disappearance of three firefighters who had gone in to try to rescue a man trapped in the inferno of a fire that occurred in La Agustino where there was a shoe factory and a health government building (which was going to be checked for corruption reasons). I was even more devastated when they were found dead.
In the United Stated, firefighters are paid well, have all the latest material and gear, and are given several benefits; deserving for risking their lives everyday to save ours, the utmost sacrifice. In Peru, that's not the case. Becoming a firefighter there is like being initiated in a beautiful brotherhood where they VOLUNTARILY sacrifice their life everyday, and they wouldn't even want to be a firefighter anymore if it meant that they had to get paid. It's still incredulous to me that these men go through so many ordeals, but to them it's still a complete honor to be able to serve others. This has been going on since 1860 and many times you see entire families that have been involved in this brotherhood for generations, their own legacy.
These men, who are asked of so much...are given so little. You would think...hey, if you're not getting paid for protecting and saving the lives of those in danger, might as well allocate money in order to provide them with the necessary equipment. Also, wouldn't you think that these heroes AT LEAST deserve a proper pension after retiring or health insurance benefits when they're injured from putting their life on the line? Unfortunately, nope. Peru is a country where politicians that spend their time in Congress playing PokemonGO and sleeping are paid WAY too much money, money that can be used to benefit the lives of many, even their own.
On average per week, there are 190 fires and 1,050 car accidents (how surprising) that goes on in Lima and in the whole country, there are only 12,000 firefighters that carry this heavy weight. They are only given one bunker gear, an oxygen tank that lasts only between ~ 30-40 minutes, and one pair of boots. The boots are typically worn out quickly so they then have to resort on using old ones from others which can many times not even adequately fit them. The firetrucks are very outdated, for the past 80 years, some of their equipment and gear has been renovated only 3 times so eveyone does their part in taking really good care of everything. They don't have an adequate health insurance, many times injured firefighters have been dismissed and turned down from hospitals for this very reason. They aren't given a pension after they're 70 years old, money is only given if they DIE and in that case, their families can be given at most...only 68,000 soles, about 22,250 dollars, that's if they die.
So many sacrifices on their behalf and it's so disheartening to me that the government and the people themselves don't take the action of doing something to help these heroes out, they need our help. I've seen first hand the passion these men and women have in this job where they are willing to give what's most sacred to us, our life. They have kids and loved ones waiting for them at home with great pride in what they do, even if it means not seeing them ever again. They don't ask for any monetary pay, only for money to go into getting the material they need to save as many lives as possible and also a proper health care and pension which they are SO DESERVING OF!
I've realized that true happiness is not found in seeking things of monetary value, those things don't come in the tomb with you. True happiness is found when you can make an impact in someone's life, leaving memories that no one can ever take away from you. This is exactly the reward for these heroes, los Bomberos Voluntarios del Peru.
How will you impact someone's life today?
Karen Monge
-The Chic Engiruvian
10.18.2016 / book recommendations, gratitude, peru, peruvian-american
The Conquest to My Heritage and Manuela Saenz
Good evening or good morning, wherever you are,
First of all I would like to share my quote of the day in my "Daily Gratitude: 365 Days of Reflection" book which I love;
First of all I would like to share my quote of the day in my "Daily Gratitude: 365 Days of Reflection" book which I love;
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens;but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."
- Helen Keller
Just two days ago I finished reading an incredible book that by fate I randomly came across at my local library, Nuestras Vidas Son los Rios by Jaime Manrique, which in English translates to, Our Lives Are the Rivers which by the way, the book was originally written in English. I've recently become very engrossed on Latin American History, especially on Incan Civilization and the birth of La Ciudad de los Reyes, Lima. Why? Well because I've been tracing back my family tree, in particular my mother's side as of now and I've always been curious on my ancestry and my family's position in the early 1800's when Simon Bolivar was starting to liberate nations from the Spaniards.
In order to learn more about the history of Peru, I purchased the book History of the Conquest of Peru by William H. Prescott and this book is a treasure to me, especially since I was lucky to purchase a collector's edition for a great price! About 2 weeks after buying this book, after work I felt this desire to visit my library and I had no idea what kind of book to get but when I went to the Spanish section, the first book I saw was this one and after a quick read of the back of the book, I was hooked.
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| La Ciudad de los Reyes taken by moi. |
This book is a novela based on real life events that occurred in the life of Manuela Saenz, an Ecuadorian political activist who is most recognized for being known as La Libertadora del Libertador and to Simon Bolivar, Manuelita. She had a difficult childhood as an illegitimate daughter of am Ecuadorian mother who died when Manuelita was very young and a Spanish military officer who already had another family and didn't come into her life until many years later. She played a pivotal role in the liberation of Peru from Spain with the help of her beloved friend, Rosita Campuzano and because of her contributions she was awarded with the highest award that is bestowed in Peru, the Order of the Sun aka La Orden el Sol del Peru (#goals).
Not only that, but this brave woman actively participated and combated in battles alongside Simon Bolivar and the rebels like in the Battle of Junin and the Battle of Ayacucho (where my father's side is from, Larcay, Ayacucho) where her cleverness in the battles led her to being promoted to Colonel. This was in the 1820's, a time where women had very limited liberties, were not even entitled to an opinion, had to spend all day being modest and praying and here was Manuela Saenz, fighting and killing off Spaniards dressed in her soldier attire of red and blue!
Her very liberal views and her romantic love affair with Simon Bolivar who in the end was the love of her life and the force that pushed Bolivar to continue his fight against the Spaniards led to her heart breaking ending. She was forced out of Colombia, Ecuador, and most of Peru except Paita where she lived her last days reminiscing on her golden days with Bolivar.
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| Manuelita, la Libertadora del Libertador with the Order of the Sun #goalz |
I can see so much of my great-grandmother in this remarkable woman, two women who were way beyond their time. Manuelita is definitely a Latina to look up to, she was ridiculed for doing the right thing during her time and paid a harsh price for it, but I'm sure she's now proud to see that her sacrifices didn't go in vain and is admired by many women like me. I will definitely go to the museum that was made in honor of her in Quito, Ecuador.
Wuynas nuchis and I hope you make the best out of this new day.
-Karen
The Chic Engiruvian
10.14.2016
Catcalling is NOT A Compliment
Good evening,
I've been a bit busy with school, work and life in general, but something happened to me on Monday that inspired me to write about something I don't often like to talk about but I feel like sharing this would be important. I live nearby a police precinct so while walking home with my sister after a wonderful day, we were passing by there when suddenly one of the police men that are usually just standing outside (all.the.time) stopped me. I had noticed him staring at me right before walking past the precinct but I never imagined what he was going to do next. When he stopped he told me "Hey, I was just watching you walk and I love your style (signaling up and down), I REALLY like the way you're dressed". This was followed by an awkward "Thank you?" on my behalf and a wtf stare from my sister, the policeman next to him, and I. It is because of situations like these that I always second guess about what I'm going to wear, solely fearing about the remarks and catcalls I will get just because of the way I'm dressed. A compliment is followed by a positive response and a feeling of confidence...but every single time I'm catcalled, I feel belittled, embarrassed and disgusted and I'm sure every woman in NYC has felt this way.
I've lived in NYC my entire life and it's saddening to admit that I can remember being catcalled ever since I was in 6th grade. I still remember those first times of being catcalled being confusing and uncomfortable.Yea,when you're catcalled they don't physically touch you but part of your innocence dies when you realize that men are starting to look at you in a different set of eyes that they shouldn't be...especially towards young girls. It's around this age that one learns that you need to be more careful about the way you're dressed when instead young boys should learn that they should be respectful of women and treat them in the same way they would want their mothers and sisters to be treated.
Catcalling aka street harassment should be an issue that shouldn't be taken lightly like it unfortunately still is...I mean, a police officer thought it was okay to do it right in front of his precinct. It shouldn't be something that men can feel entitled to do in order to make women feel uncomfortable of their bodies. I've sort of learned to mute the catcalls since it happens way too often to me when I'm alone, but it's difficult to do so when it's followed by an insult for not responding back. And sadly, there have been cases where men don't stop at the insult but turn to physical and violent means in order to get the attention they wanted or in revenge which hasn't happened to me but I've read these scenarios many times in the news. It is because of these violent impulses that lead to these horrifying scenarios that one should 1. Once and for all understand why this is NOT a compliment and 2. Do all that you can to help eradicate this harassment that is affecting the lives of your sisters, mothers, girlfriends, aunts, cousins, etc.
Remember to keep your head up girls, SIEMPRE.
Karen
-The Chic Engiruvian
I've been a bit busy with school, work and life in general, but something happened to me on Monday that inspired me to write about something I don't often like to talk about but I feel like sharing this would be important. I live nearby a police precinct so while walking home with my sister after a wonderful day, we were passing by there when suddenly one of the police men that are usually just standing outside (all.the.time) stopped me. I had noticed him staring at me right before walking past the precinct but I never imagined what he was going to do next. When he stopped he told me "Hey, I was just watching you walk and I love your style (signaling up and down), I REALLY like the way you're dressed". This was followed by an awkward "Thank you?" on my behalf and a wtf stare from my sister, the policeman next to him, and I. It is because of situations like these that I always second guess about what I'm going to wear, solely fearing about the remarks and catcalls I will get just because of the way I'm dressed. A compliment is followed by a positive response and a feeling of confidence...but every single time I'm catcalled, I feel belittled, embarrassed and disgusted and I'm sure every woman in NYC has felt this way.
I've lived in NYC my entire life and it's saddening to admit that I can remember being catcalled ever since I was in 6th grade. I still remember those first times of being catcalled being confusing and uncomfortable.Yea,when you're catcalled they don't physically touch you but part of your innocence dies when you realize that men are starting to look at you in a different set of eyes that they shouldn't be...especially towards young girls. It's around this age that one learns that you need to be more careful about the way you're dressed when instead young boys should learn that they should be respectful of women and treat them in the same way they would want their mothers and sisters to be treated.
Catcalling aka street harassment should be an issue that shouldn't be taken lightly like it unfortunately still is...I mean, a police officer thought it was okay to do it right in front of his precinct. It shouldn't be something that men can feel entitled to do in order to make women feel uncomfortable of their bodies. I've sort of learned to mute the catcalls since it happens way too often to me when I'm alone, but it's difficult to do so when it's followed by an insult for not responding back. And sadly, there have been cases where men don't stop at the insult but turn to physical and violent means in order to get the attention they wanted or in revenge which hasn't happened to me but I've read these scenarios many times in the news. It is because of these violent impulses that lead to these horrifying scenarios that one should 1. Once and for all understand why this is NOT a compliment and 2. Do all that you can to help eradicate this harassment that is affecting the lives of your sisters, mothers, girlfriends, aunts, cousins, etc.
Remember to keep your head up girls, SIEMPRE.
Karen
-The Chic Engiruvian
10.11.2016
Las Matriarcas ~ The Matriarchs
~ in honor of my Tia Maria who is the trunk of her family and currently fighting for her life.
In my family, our mothers are the ones who have kept the family together. Many sacrifices were made by my great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and my great-aunts and aunts throughout the years. The word impossible is non-existent to them, during the era of terrorism and corrupt governments when there was inflation and high unemployment.These women found every means to bring food to the table so that their children may never go to sleep on an empty stomach, even if it meant that they themselves, will. From these hardships came great wisdom, these women have learned how to do everything and I'm fortunate that in the few years I've had the chance to spend with them, they've passed down lessons to me that I'll always treasure.
My great-grandmother, Eduarda, who has lived a life filled with heart-breaking challenges, from becoming a mother at the age of 13 and a widow at 47 with 8 children, she had multiple jobs to provide for her family and with her strong character, she managed to do it with such ease. My mother has fond memories of going to her home and always having delicious food. Their home may have been humble but she always managed to have an abundance of seasoned meats stacked in her fridge, ready to be fried whenever someone came to her home. She was an amazing cook and she would plan family reunions often, setting an example to always keep the family together, because it is what she treasured most and what filled her heart with happiness. You see...my great-grandmother was an orphan, her mother died when she was very young and her dad wasn't in her life, an aunt took her in but treated her more like a servant than a niece. She never experienced the warmth or affection of someone until she met my great-grandfather who loved her more than anything in the world, and together they built together the family that would give her the unconditional love she always yearned for.
Before she passed away, my grandmother and mother made sure and promised her that they would keep this tradition of doing whatever it takes to keep the family together, in the good and in the bad. I live far away from my family members in Peru and we have family that have also left to other countries like United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, and Saudi Arabia to chase their dreams of a better life. Despite the miles, with the help of social media, we make sure we're always in contact and always supporting each other. I hope we're making her proud by doing this.
Despite the miles, always keep in contact with your family, especially your grand parents and the elders in your family.You have no idea how much a simple good morning greeting can make their day. Life is so short, you never know when it'll be the last time you'll get to hear their voice.
I was inspired to write this because another matriarch in my family, my tia Maria, is soon parting away to join my uncle who passed away a few years ago and whom she misses so much. She was the glue of her family tree, and through her sacrifices she succeeded in raising her 6 children, my aunts and uncles who are one of the most caring and sweet individuals you can ever meet.
It's fascinating, that in a country like Peru, where machismo is still very much prevalent, it's the hard-working women that hold the family together, las MATRIARCAS.
Sweet dreams.
Karen
- The Chic Engiruvian
In my family, our mothers are the ones who have kept the family together. Many sacrifices were made by my great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and my great-aunts and aunts throughout the years. The word impossible is non-existent to them, during the era of terrorism and corrupt governments when there was inflation and high unemployment.These women found every means to bring food to the table so that their children may never go to sleep on an empty stomach, even if it meant that they themselves, will. From these hardships came great wisdom, these women have learned how to do everything and I'm fortunate that in the few years I've had the chance to spend with them, they've passed down lessons to me that I'll always treasure.
My great-grandmother, Eduarda, who has lived a life filled with heart-breaking challenges, from becoming a mother at the age of 13 and a widow at 47 with 8 children, she had multiple jobs to provide for her family and with her strong character, she managed to do it with such ease. My mother has fond memories of going to her home and always having delicious food. Their home may have been humble but she always managed to have an abundance of seasoned meats stacked in her fridge, ready to be fried whenever someone came to her home. She was an amazing cook and she would plan family reunions often, setting an example to always keep the family together, because it is what she treasured most and what filled her heart with happiness. You see...my great-grandmother was an orphan, her mother died when she was very young and her dad wasn't in her life, an aunt took her in but treated her more like a servant than a niece. She never experienced the warmth or affection of someone until she met my great-grandfather who loved her more than anything in the world, and together they built together the family that would give her the unconditional love she always yearned for.
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| My mamita Eduarda. |
Despite the miles, always keep in contact with your family, especially your grand parents and the elders in your family.You have no idea how much a simple good morning greeting can make their day. Life is so short, you never know when it'll be the last time you'll get to hear their voice.
 |
| My Tia Maria, in the middle and my grandmother, second to last to the right. |
I was inspired to write this because another matriarch in my family, my tia Maria, is soon parting away to join my uncle who passed away a few years ago and whom she misses so much. She was the glue of her family tree, and through her sacrifices she succeeded in raising her 6 children, my aunts and uncles who are one of the most caring and sweet individuals you can ever meet.
It's fascinating, that in a country like Peru, where machismo is still very much prevalent, it's the hard-working women that hold the family together, las MATRIARCAS.
Sweet dreams.
Karen
- The Chic Engiruvian
10.07.2016 / beauty, gratitude, peru
The Ikonn's
Wuynas Nuchis!,
If you read my The Power of Gratitude in My Life blog, you would know that two people that have been very inspirational in motivating me to achieve my life goals and passions are Mimi and Alex Ikonn. I started following Mimi and her sister Leyla four years in 2012 when I found their LuxyHair channel on Youtube and fell in love not only with their easy to follow intricate braids and hair styles but also with their personalities. Besides posting about fashion ( btw, Mimi taught me about Color Analysis and its been life changing!), hairstyles/haircare, and travel videos, they would post inspirational videos too. I loved their perspective in life and was thrilled to see that Mimi would post more motivational videos, some of my favorite are:
- My Failures
- How to Be Happy and
- How to Make Your Dreams/Goals A Reality
These videos have catapulted me into a path where I've become more disciplined with myself and to not be too harsh with myself when things don't go the way I envisioned them to be. Not only is she such an incredible woman, but she of course had to marry someone just as extraordinary as her, Alex Ikonn. Together they've decided to become business partners and have achieved great projects like The Five Minute Journal and The Productivity Planner, as well as books like The Bingo Theory which I hope to purchase soon. Alex also posts motivational videos that I'm sure every twenty-something year old like myself would appreciate, some of my favorite are:
- The Mindset You Need to Succeed
- My Top Life and Business Lessons of 2015
- Why You Shouldn't Settle and Keep Going
Well, I especially wanted to talk about them today because yesterday they finally welcomed their baby girl, Alexa Ikonn, and those 42 weeks seriously felt like an eternity for their loyal followers like myself. I can't wait to see them embark in this magical journey that is parenthood and seeing how they're going to show Alexa and the beautiful places they've visited around the world.
Also, today my aunt came to NYC from Lima, Peru to visit for two weeks and my grandma, who knows how much I love Peruvian handbags sent me a beautiful handbag that I'm sure will be my new fashion staple for the fall.
Remember, Positive Mind, Positive Vibes, Positive LIFE. Have a wonderful weekend!
Karen
- The Chic Engiruvian
If you read my The Power of Gratitude in My Life blog, you would know that two people that have been very inspirational in motivating me to achieve my life goals and passions are Mimi and Alex Ikonn. I started following Mimi and her sister Leyla four years in 2012 when I found their LuxyHair channel on Youtube and fell in love not only with their easy to follow intricate braids and hair styles but also with their personalities. Besides posting about fashion ( btw, Mimi taught me about Color Analysis and its been life changing!), hairstyles/haircare, and travel videos, they would post inspirational videos too. I loved their perspective in life and was thrilled to see that Mimi would post more motivational videos, some of my favorite are:
- My Failures
- How to Be Happy and
- How to Make Your Dreams/Goals A Reality
These videos have catapulted me into a path where I've become more disciplined with myself and to not be too harsh with myself when things don't go the way I envisioned them to be. Not only is she such an incredible woman, but she of course had to marry someone just as extraordinary as her, Alex Ikonn. Together they've decided to become business partners and have achieved great projects like The Five Minute Journal and The Productivity Planner, as well as books like The Bingo Theory which I hope to purchase soon. Alex also posts motivational videos that I'm sure every twenty-something year old like myself would appreciate, some of my favorite are:
- The Mindset You Need to Succeed
- My Top Life and Business Lessons of 2015
- Why You Shouldn't Settle and Keep Going
Well, I especially wanted to talk about them today because yesterday they finally welcomed their baby girl, Alexa Ikonn, and those 42 weeks seriously felt like an eternity for their loyal followers like myself. I can't wait to see them embark in this magical journey that is parenthood and seeing how they're going to show Alexa and the beautiful places they've visited around the world.
Also, today my aunt came to NYC from Lima, Peru to visit for two weeks and my grandma, who knows how much I love Peruvian handbags sent me a beautiful handbag that I'm sure will be my new fashion staple for the fall.
Remember, Positive Mind, Positive Vibes, Positive LIFE. Have a wonderful weekend!
Karen
- The Chic Engiruvian
Good evening my lovelies,
Earlier today while planning out the blog posts I will be writing out throughout the month of October, I decided that today I will talk about a charity that has been very dear to me for about a year already. Right now, while many of us all are worried about where we're going to go out tonight for "Thirsty Thursday", what the Kardashians next move will be, or on whether or not to splurge on those fluffy FENTY slippers from Puma...there's more than 21 million people who have been forced to leave their homes to flee from being killed, we have a Global Refugee Crisis.
People in countries like Syria, Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Iraq have had to leave it all behind to flee war and persecution. Everyday when I log into my Facebook account, I see videos of children in Syria, drenched in blood from missile strikes that have cost the lives of thousands of innocent people, especially children. We are heartbroken upon watching such inhumanity but besides reacting as "sad" to the video and sharing, we all can do something bring some light into their lives.
UNHCR, the United Nations High Commisioner for Refugees has been providing vital assistance to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people, many of whom have nobody left to turn to. They've been doing this since 1950, working side by side with partners and communities to help millions of people to restart their lives and seek asylum and refuge in another country. They help provide shelter, medicine, and education to those who need it the most. It's these people, who have so little, that appreciate the most out of the things that many of us take for granted.
You can donate any amount that is most comfortable to you, but it is said that even a $30 donation can provide an emergency rescue kit for a family. That's less than HALF the price of a pair of fluffy slippers. I know it will feel so much more rewarding changing the life of someone forever.
You can donate via here (Btw, these are tax deductible).
~May your Friday morning be much better than your Monday morning's.
- Karen
The Chic Engiruvian
10.06.2016 / gratitude, peru, peruvian-american
The Power of Gratitude in My Life
Wuynas nuchis! (Good evening in Quechua btw)
So it's around 12:30 pm right now as I'm writing this so I'm settling down, doing my typical night time routine and there's one thing I've started doing this year that I'll like to share with you guys. Last year I noticed that many of the entrepreneurs that I look up to, for example Mimi and Alex Ikonn, all do something in common...they write down what they're grateful for everyday. According to studies done by psychologists like Robert Emmons, the world's leading scientific expert on gratitude, being thankful and expressing gratitude improves:
This means that the act of cultivating gratitude has resulted in wonderful changes in people, like heightened energy levels, confidence, heightened spirituality, greater likelihood to exercise and even a decrease in blood pressure! So...
I wanted to see if these changes would apply to me. When I got back from Peru in early January, I cut up 365 strips of paper and placed some of them in a cup on my desk and next to it I placed an empty mug. Every night, before I go to bed I write down an experience that I'm grateful for that happened that day. I fold up the paper and drop it into the mug. My goal is that by the end of the year, I can read up all these strips of paper and be reminded on just how grateful I should be for the life I'm living right now.
Another thing that has worked for me is an app called Gratitude Garden which I downloaded via the Play Store ( I'm an Android type of gal). You write down three good things that happened the past day and I usually do this in the morning to reminisce on just how happy those things made me feel. This allows me to start my day on the right foot.
I've found that expressing gratitude has been very effective in my overall mood and in pushing myself to make changes in my life to help make me the very best version of myself.
I strongly encourage you to be more grateful and incorporate routines like these into your life. Life is too short to focus on the bad things that happen in your life and to be anything but happy! Instead focus on what you have now, at this moment in your life, and how to make the best out of the opportunities you have now instead of what you don't have.
~ Mente feliz, vida feliz.~
Buenas noches.
Karen
- The Chic Engiruvian
So it's around 12:30 pm right now as I'm writing this so I'm settling down, doing my typical night time routine and there's one thing I've started doing this year that I'll like to share with you guys. Last year I noticed that many of the entrepreneurs that I look up to, for example Mimi and Alex Ikonn, all do something in common...they write down what they're grateful for everyday. According to studies done by psychologists like Robert Emmons, the world's leading scientific expert on gratitude, being thankful and expressing gratitude improves:
- mental
- physical
- and relational well-being
 |
| My happy self. |
 |
| I clearly don't have enough Peruvian objects in my room. |
I've found that expressing gratitude has been very effective in my overall mood and in pushing myself to make changes in my life to help make me the very best version of myself.
I strongly encourage you to be more grateful and incorporate routines like these into your life. Life is too short to focus on the bad things that happen in your life and to be anything but happy! Instead focus on what you have now, at this moment in your life, and how to make the best out of the opportunities you have now instead of what you don't have.
~ Mente feliz, vida feliz.~
Buenas noches.
Karen
- The Chic Engiruvian
10.04.2016
Happy National Taco Day!
Hola!
So apparently not only is today Taco Tuesday (which I honestly don't usually follow tbh) but it's also National Taco Day so I left aside my plans to make a veggie and sweet potato platter and looked up a recipe that included goat cheese since I had some left over and was really craving it! Upon looking at a couple recipes I found one that caught my eye by how unique it was...Beet and Goat Cheese Tacos, WUT?! I had to try it. I was really excited to make this although I did change the recipe up a bit since I didn't have any avocados with me but I did have everything else.
Instead of the avocado cream I made a black bean and cottage cheese paste (cuz' one cheese ain't enough for me) and I placed that in the bottom of the taco instead and it was delicious!
Girl in the little red kitchen, thank you! This was absolutely delicious and very fresh which I love. You can check out the recipe for this yummy vegetarian dish here.
I hope you had a productive day and have a comfy good night sleep. Btw, if you have trouble sleeping, something that works for me is watching ASMR videos. Two of my faves are Gentlewhispering and Fairy Char ASMR. Might seem weird at first but trust me, it works!
Buenas noches.
Karen
~ The Chic Engiruvian
So apparently not only is today Taco Tuesday (which I honestly don't usually follow tbh) but it's also National Taco Day so I left aside my plans to make a veggie and sweet potato platter and looked up a recipe that included goat cheese since I had some left over and was really craving it! Upon looking at a couple recipes I found one that caught my eye by how unique it was...Beet and Goat Cheese Tacos, WUT?! I had to try it. I was really excited to make this although I did change the recipe up a bit since I didn't have any avocados with me but I did have everything else.
Instead of the avocado cream I made a black bean and cottage cheese paste (cuz' one cheese ain't enough for me) and I placed that in the bottom of the taco instead and it was delicious!
Girl in the little red kitchen, thank you! This was absolutely delicious and very fresh which I love. You can check out the recipe for this yummy vegetarian dish here.
I hope you had a productive day and have a comfy good night sleep. Btw, if you have trouble sleeping, something that works for me is watching ASMR videos. Two of my faves are Gentlewhispering and Fairy Char ASMR. Might seem weird at first but trust me, it works!
Buenas noches.
Karen
~ The Chic Engiruvian
10.03.2016
The Chic Engiruvian
Buenos Dias!
After a long...looooong time of considering about starting a blog, I finally took the initiative to get.it.done.
I'm still not too sure if this blog is going to lean more towards talking about a project I'm thinking of doing or about a bunch of different things which is more probable since I'm always doing several different things that I'm truly passionate about.
Well, to start things off, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Karen, I'm a civil engineering undergraduate student that currently lives in NYC. Three months ago I decided to embark on a vegetarian diet but I've decided that the only type of animal I will be eating is fish so I guess that makes me a pescatarian? I'm Peruvian-American so there was no way I was going to continue living without eat ceviche anymore. Also, as a Peruvian-American I've decided to start teaching myself Quechua via Youtube since my parents don't know it but my great-grandparents did so learning it is a way to honor them and knowing it will help me with my future projects in Peru. I love to collect crystals, I truly believe in their healing powers and manifesting them into my life has been oh so very beneficial. I also meditate every morning and try to work out at least four times a week which can be a challenge so I've been looking into different exercise methods like yoga, running, etc which I will definitely go more into in this blog.
I'm 23 years old so I have my heart set on so many different things I want to do so I hope you decide to embark with me on the many different journeys that I will share with you through here.
Have a wonderful and beautiful day, everyday has a treasure for you to discover.
- Karen
The Chic Engiruvian
After a long...looooong time of considering about starting a blog, I finally took the initiative to get.it.done.
I'm still not too sure if this blog is going to lean more towards talking about a project I'm thinking of doing or about a bunch of different things which is more probable since I'm always doing several different things that I'm truly passionate about.
Well, to start things off, I should probably introduce myself. I'm Karen, I'm a civil engineering undergraduate student that currently lives in NYC. Three months ago I decided to embark on a vegetarian diet but I've decided that the only type of animal I will be eating is fish so I guess that makes me a pescatarian? I'm Peruvian-American so there was no way I was going to continue living without eat ceviche anymore. Also, as a Peruvian-American I've decided to start teaching myself Quechua via Youtube since my parents don't know it but my great-grandparents did so learning it is a way to honor them and knowing it will help me with my future projects in Peru. I love to collect crystals, I truly believe in their healing powers and manifesting them into my life has been oh so very beneficial. I also meditate every morning and try to work out at least four times a week which can be a challenge so I've been looking into different exercise methods like yoga, running, etc which I will definitely go more into in this blog.
I'm 23 years old so I have my heart set on so many different things I want to do so I hope you decide to embark with me on the many different journeys that I will share with you through here.
Have a wonderful and beautiful day, everyday has a treasure for you to discover.
- Karen
The Chic Engiruvian
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