Friday, April 5, 2013

Living Life in Two Cultures - A Series by Ashley Patino

Hey I'm Ashley- operations assistant here at Ascend Alliance.  I am excited to write for our blog and let you in on my crazy American/ Peruvian double life.  It's an amazing journey that took place meeting my husband in Peru  And through this blog I am excited to share all my crazy experiences along the way.  After living in Peru, I got an opportunity to start working at Ascend in Expeditions.  I feel like I get the opportunity to help others fall in love with the Latin Culture and People.  Their culture has taught me so many wonderful lessons and really enriched my life.  I know they have taught me so much more then  have ever taught them.
Erick and I met through both serving missions in Argentina.  Later visiting Peru with my family we ended up  connected at a beautiful shopping  center that looks over the ocean called Larco Mar.  That will be important to remember for future blog posts... I remember that night looking over  the wooden ledge and  wrote Ashley + Erick.  At the time it was sort of a joke, but deep down I think that's what I really wanted to happen.  The next day I left for Utah, sad, and thinking what if? I knew if I told my family that they would think I was crazy! and I was.  We kept in touch through Facebook, and then Skype, and then that led to me convincing my parents to let me  jet off to Peru!  Well I'm not sure that they let me, as much as it was me saying im going to Peru, and you can support me or not.  I'm quite stubborn.  But when you feel something, I think you have to take the chance, and what would be the worst thing to happen.  I go over and spend my summer in Peru and come home knowing I took that chance.  Has that ever happened to you?  I felt like I was given the opportunity to follow my heart and take a chance.  I didn't know all the challenges that would come with it, but  those challenges have helped me to grow .
Stay tuned for more! 


Chau Chau,
Ashley Patino

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