Meet Our Staff

 Bernard Schleien
 Director
 info@peruforless.com

Bernard attended Southwestern University at Georgetown, TX, one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the USA. After graduating with a major in history, he founded Peru For Less in 1998 and has ever since devoted his professional life to building memories of Peru for all. He has learned that there is much more to life than the ever so constant work day, and is one of seven founding members of Peru Futbol - a Peruvian NGO that aims to bring thousands of Peruvian children out of poverty, while instilling values through the teachings of soccer. Bernard has a love for Peru (especially Cuzco), like so many, and finds it extremely gratifying at the end of each day that he is able to sell something that he truly believes in. He has lived in Cuzco for 6 months, and goes there at least 3 times a year. Other interesting factoids about Bernard: Seinfeld fanatic, Cienciano del Cuzco soccer club team rooter, independent rock music, biking, creative writing, cooking and eating out, microbrewed beer (he says he just likes the taste.).

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 Richard Leon
 Director
 richard@peruforless.com

Richard attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, one of the best schools of music in the world. He has lived in both in the USA and Peru, back and forth, as his family tended to move from one country to another due to job reasons. After 4 years of traveling back and forth from Boston and his home town of Lima, Peru, he graduated with a Bachelor degree in Music Business and Management. He has a passion for travel, drums, music, surfing and the financial markets as he is has been day trading for several years. He can never say no to food, especially if it is Pizza Day at the office which is to his fortune, once per month. He loves playing with his band called "Pan con Tamal" and also to simply grab his backpack and start walking into unknown territory to explore and find beautiful destinations which later he can share with all his friends. As an avid traveler he has been all over many countries in South America and experienced how travel can open your horizons by meeting new people, new cultures, new places and especially new rhythms for his drum set. Helping people is one of his passions as he truly believes that what goes around comes around and we all have to do our best to make our small space in the universe the best place to be.

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 David McClellan
 US Office Manager
 david@peruforless.com

David is a medical social worker and he attained Psychology and Philosophy degrees at Southwestern University at Georgetown, TX; a leading liberal arts college in the USA. He started working in a senior living community in Austin after college, and after traveling to South America and meeting up with his old college buddy Bernard, he became the US office manager for Peru For Less. David's laid back attitude and warm character have always drawn him towards Latin America. He is a 'seize the moment' type of guy with an ambition to collect as many valuable experiences as possible. He collected many such experiences during his enchanting travels through Peru, from the zenith experience of Machu Picchu to the Taoist exploration of the Amazon waters. David plays football in recreational leagues and also sings Bass in professional choirs from Texas tours to a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall, New York City. In his spare time David plays guitar and cries the Missisippi delta blues or bangs on bongos. He also enjoys motorcycle-riding through the Texas hill country. David brings to bear his passion for experience, compassion for the unlucky and faith in each person's liberty to create his or her own living Heaven in preparation for what lies beyond. These principles of the human spirit align David with the Peru For Less philosophy of rejuvenation, sensory stimulation and collection of experiences, as well as the cultural good.

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 Janjoris van Diepen
 General Manager
 jan@peruforless.com

Janjoris graduated in 2004 from the University of Twente in the Netherlands with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. He stands 196 cm tall and is often called ‘the giant' in the streets of Lima. Before moving to Peru, Janjoris roamed the slums of New Delhi in India, researching urban and solid waste management in order to obtain a minor in Sustainable Development in a North-South Perspective. After returning from India he was bitten by the travel bug once more and it wasn't long before he found himself in Latin America. Following an internship in a quiet little city in the Peruvian Andes, Janjoris traversed the entire country falling head over heals in love with both Peru and its people. A girl from Cuzco in particular caught his eye (and love), and after graduating he came back to Peru to live with her. Before joining Peru For Less, Janjoris worked as a Tour Leader and got deeply in touch with the tourism industry. Joining the company was a logical step for him, and he instantly found himself at home. Although being an uncompromising supporter of the PSV football team in Holland, Janjoris claims to be terrible at the sport. Instead he prefers biking and playing squash. In the evenings you can find him in one of the many cinemas in Lima or just at home reading, trying to improve his Spanish.

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 Elizabeth Nicknam-Retana
 Corporate Development Manager
 elizabeth@peruforless.com

Elizabeth was born in the Midwest, but moved to the San Francisco Bay Area as a child and considers herself a Californian at heart. She received her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley in 2008, with an emphasis in marketing and business strategy. She also studied international business strategy and fashion retail management while on MBA exchange in Milan, Italy in 2007 at the SDA Bocconi. Elizabeth spent her undergraduate years in the beautiful forests at the University of California, Santa Cruz and has a double major in business management economics and legal studies. Before coming to Latin America For Less, Elizabeth spent 8 years in the heart of Silicon Valley working for Intel in commodity management, managing accounts, supply chain programs and negotiating contracts for the worldwide factories. She also built a consulting business, working with companies around the world to develop solid business strategies, marketing programs and effective advertising campaigns. When not creating the next marketing program for Latin America For Less, Elizabeth enjoys exploring the world with her husband, Mark. From big cities to beautiful natural scenery, Elizabeth loves to see new places and is always ready to get out and explore, so much so that her friends and family think she’s crazy – but they are no longer surprised when she says she is off on another adventure! Her most memorable trip to date was when she spent 2 months traveling around 14 countries of Europe with all her belongings on her back, keeping a lively travel blog of the adventures. She is looking forward to expanding on her travels in Latin America and to learn to speak Spanish fluently. You can catch Elizabeth rollerblading, playing basketball, listening to music, watching the crashing ocean waves or out exploring the town in her free time.

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 Abby Winship
 Sales Manager
 abby@peruforless.com

Abby graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies.  Within weeks of finishing her coursework she ran off to Peru to be with the man and the country that she fell in love with during studies abroad in 2005.  Her friends like to say that she’s more Peruvian than the potato because she’s explored so much of the country and is deeply in touch with its culture.  And speaking of potatoes, she is always willing to try one of the thousand typical dishes that comprise Peru’s greatest treasure, its cuisine.  She is intrigued by the varied flora and fauna of Peru and you might ask to see her impression of a vicuña, the precious Andean camelid whose fleece makes some very fine sweaters. She leaves Lima at every opportunity to seek out these animals as well as to catch some fresh air. She has seen dolphins from the beach, llamas at Machu Picchu, and river otters in the Amazon, all without ever setting foot off of Peruvian soil.  Her idols are her big sister and Shakira pre-Oral Fixation, who populates her extensive music collection along with Bob Dylan, Jack Johnson, Stevie Wonder, and the best of Latin Rock, Folk and Pop. If she’s not working or talking to her boyfriend, she’s probably reading, writing, compensating for Peru’s high-starch diet (i.e. exercising), or contemplating the waves that she will one day be able to surf.

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 JP Salcedo
 Travel Advisor
 jp@peruforless.com

Juan Pablo (aka JP at the office) graduated from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana in 2004 with a BA Bachelors Degree in economics and a double minor in mathematics and management. When his time came to choose where to obtain his bachelors degree he immediately chose to study in the US and particularly at Purdue since it has one of the largest populations of international students among US schools. He studied continuing his studies abroad at the University of Mannheim in Germany in 2002. His international experiences not only helped him to understand better the world dynamics, but also increase his love and appreciation of Peru and all this beautiful country has to offer. Always ready to return to travel, visit with friends and family, and enjoy the endless variety of dishes, especially ceviche!!! For him the best time of the year is the summer, when he can just wear shorts, enjoy the sun and read a nice book peacefully in the beach with the soothing sound of the waves breaking in the background. His favorite sport is soccer (of course!), but he enjoys playing just about anything, from tennis to snowboarding. Oddly enough, one of the passions he developed while in the states was the love for Salsa music. Unfortunately he is a terrible dancer, but he is always willing to try his best, improve and have a good time. He's our technical guy that gets you through your travels squeaky clean.

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 Susana Alegre
 Travel Advisor
 susana@peruforless.com

As a lovely limeña, Susana's work allows her to share not only her love of travel, but also her love for her country. Indeed, these two loves were combined in her studies at the Catholic University of Peru, where she majored in Communication for Social Development. Putting her degree into practice following graduation, Susana worked in the communications department of an environmental NGO, travelling extensively throughout Peru – most notably to isolated communities and national parks, especially in the Amazon jungle. Her first hand knowledge of her country and its people, and her desire to apply her knowledge to assist in their social development were further developed in Denmark where she worked at the EUC Nordvestsjalland Business School as the International Marketing Assistant Professor for the 2003 – 2004 Semester. In Denmark, Susana had the opportunity of sharing Peru's rich culture and history with students from all over the world. During her studies she travelled to Paris – ostensibly to study French for five months – and here she uncovered her passion for history, art, meeting people from different cultures, and travelling. Susana is a Cinema going die-hard and goes to the movies at least twice a week. She enjoys playing tennis and relaxing on the southern beaches of Lima during her summer holidays.

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 Aimee Reeves
 Travel Advisor
 aimee@peruforless.com

Aimee, a Chicago native, loves the laid-back Midwest, but simply cannot fight her desire to see the world. A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with degrees in Political Science and Spanish Language and Literature, she also spent six months studying international politics at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile in Santiago. After receiving her undergraduate degree, Aimee worked with an environmental law firm, where she developed a great passion for environmental issues. Nevertheless, her studies and fascination with Peru led her to take a position with an NGO in Lima. She’s traveled throughout Chile, Peru, and Argentina, and one day hopes to move to Buenos Aires where she will be able to indulge on delicious Malbec whenever she wants.

When not at the Peru For Life office, Aimee enjoys discovering new independent musicians, playing soccer, running, and challenging her English coworkers to duels. She also spends time with her dog, who was abandoned after the earthquake in August of 2007.  

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 Rylee McGowan
 Travel Advisor
 rylee@peruforless.com

Rylee is a photographer and musician originally from San Francisco. It was here that she studied Film Production at the State University and worked diligently through school at the Exploratorium Science Museum as an audiovisual technician and as a freelance photographer.

After graduation, Rylee had an urge to travel and explore the rest of the world, her camera at her side and so spent time in Haiti, Mexico, South East Asia and Western Europe. She found the Caribbean and Latin American countries particularly visually exciting, although on one occasion in Haiti, a voodoo curse was put on her by a lady worried that she was capturing part of her soul.

Her first experience of South America was last year when she traveled through Argentina and then to Peru … but she liked it so much she stayed! She realizes that traveling is always going to be an important part of her life, but for the time being, she is happily settled in Lima, where she continues to take photos, play her piano, enjoy the local music scene, and is learning how to cook Peruvian-style.

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 Chris Mahoney
 Travel Advisor
 chris@peruforless.com

Born and raised 'Down Under' in Sydney, Australia, Chris attended Martin College where he studied Graphic Design and Marketing. While living in Sydney, he contracted Latin Fever from his encounters with Peruvians there, especially his best friend from Lima, and yearned to know the Latin American continent. After traveling through the South Pacific, Southeast Asia and Europe, he packed his Maracas and Peter Allan music and headed for the other side of the Pacific Ocean to satisfy his gnawing curiosity for Latin America.

Traveling through Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Chile, Chris finally arrived in Peru where he found the country lovely and the people amiable, true to his expectations so he decided to settle in Lima for awhile.

Chris has a background as an Art Director and has experience working with fashion shots, magazines and corporate identity. He feels the warm and passionate people, the vibrant colors and the agreeable ambience in Peru give him all the inspiration he needs.

His favorite animal is the Toad and he also boasts to making the finest Pisco Sour in all of Lima. On the weekends you can find Chris playing cricket and surfing in Caballeros Beach near Lima where the waves can reach a height of 3 meters!

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 Daniel Smith
 Travel Advisor
 danielm@peruforless.com

Originally from Denver, Colorado, Daniel has lived in many parts of the world including San Francisco and Toulouse, France, and now Lima. He attended the University of San Francisco in northern California, where he received a B.A. in English Writing. After graduating, Daniel worked for KQED, California’s public radio and television network, and also taught writing to inner-city youth in the Hunter’s Point neighborhood of San Francisco. He then moved to France where he completed an independent study on Afro-French culture at the Universite de Toulouse. His experiences in Toulouse opened his eyes to the cultural and social differences people face around the world. In returning from France, he became a program coordinator at a refugee resettlement agency in Denver where he worked with newly-arrived refugees from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. His experiences with the refugee populations in Denver changed and molded his ways of living and will stay with him forever.

Daniel has a passion for music, the arts, and literature; his family is full of Afro-Cuban drummers, Peruvian criolla singers, classical guitarists, and salsa dancers. On weekends, you can find him listening and dancing away to live music in downtown Lima. He is an aficionado of poetry and the short stories of Amiri Baraka, a famous urban American writer, and from time to time enjoys visiting the Miraflores art galleries. His interests are diverse, but more than anything he loves meeting new people, traveling to new places, and having interesting conversations over a glass of wine.

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 Deanna Ewing
 Travel Advisor
 deanna@peruforless.com

Deanna is a small town Wisconsin native who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 2005 with degrees in Psychology and Spanish. Bags in hand and driven by her adventurous spirit, she spent 3 years wandering the globe, where her travels ranged from the snow-covered mountains in Alaska, to the sunny beaches in Western Puerto Rico, and eventually to Southern Spain where she taught English. In 2007, she returned to the United States to unpack her bags and start her Master’s degree in Spanish Literature, Language, and Culture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. However, once again bitten by the travel bug and the desire to experience the world, she set off to explore the exotic territory known as Peru. Deanna found herself charmed by the diverse geography of the country, a new found love for seafood, and a profound admiration for Latin culture that eventually led her to stay in Peru to finish her degree. When she’s not off meeting the locals and participating in cultural events, Deanna has a passion for cooking and indulging in new foods, looking for sea glass on isolated beaches, reading, scrapbooking and spending quality time with her friends. With the support of her family and friends, Deanna continues to explore the wonders of travel and the opportunities of Latin culture. Her deep love for adventure and exploring new horizons contribute to her sincere ability to truly experience life to its fullest.

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 Jennifer Raske
 Travel Advisor
 jennifer@peruforless.com

Jennifer was born and raised in south Texas and is proud of it. Although not everyone from Texas grows up around or on a horse, Jennifer does fit in with this Hollywood image of Texas. She attended the University of Texas at Austin where she devoted her free time to her clarinet and the marching band (free football tickets!). Jennifer received her degrees in Art History and Anthropology and specialized in Latin American culture. Specifically, she was enamored by the beauty of Aztec, Mayan and Toltec art and architecture and can talk about the intricate relationship between mythology and human sacrifice for hours. As part of her studies she participated in an archaeological field school in Belize, where she proudly uncovered a gorgeous plaster floor and discovered that obsidian blades are still sharp even after hundreds of years. During Jennifer’s time in the field school she was able to travel through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. She climbed volcanoes, went scuba diving and began a mission to see all archaeological sites in Latin America. And so began her addiction to living life from a backpack.

As destiny should have it, her best friend from the field school is Peruvian and invited Jennifer to come to see her country. So before having too many responsibilities, Jennifer packed her bags and headed for Peru. What was a three month stay became seven months after she fell in love not just with Peru, but a Peruvian who she first saw on a horse. After returning to Peru twice and traveling through Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay, Jennifer is now living in Peru and trying to plan a wedding. In her free time you will find her looking for opportunities to be on or around horses (she did get to ride a Peruvian Paso Fino at an exhibition in Trujillo - a dream come true), visiting archaeological sites (and possible crying because of their beauty) or running to her obsession of Peruvian cumbia music and the music of Juanes (from Colombia) in order to compensate for her other obsessions for mamay, Inca Kola, humitas, and vast quantities of aji.

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 Kristina Rudge
 Travel Advisor
 kristina@peruforless.com

Kristina’s interest in South America goes back to her childhood and has sometimes led her to wonder if was born on the wrong continent. She studied Latin American history and literature at Warwick University and spent her third year at the University of Puebla, Mexico, before studying International Development at the London School of Economics.

Combining a passion for travel with a belief that travelers should be socially and environmentally responsible, Kristina worked on Tourism Studies at a UK education provider before leaving England behind to undergo an adventurous volunteer project in Argentine Patagonia, helping biologists in their studies of the Andean condor and other endangered species. The impression left on her by the wild beauty of Patagonia led her to head off the beaten track several times as she traveled through Bolivia to Peru, seeking low-impact ways of visiting other pristine areas and archaeological sites that retain their sense of mystery.

Following an awe-inspiring trek in the Cusco highlands, Kristina spent a month in Pisco helping to rebuild houses in the poorest districts affected by the 2007 earthquake and came away feeling indebted to the families she met for their extraordinary generosity in the face of a long-term crisis. She arrived in Lima expecting a short visit and was charmed into staying by the warmth and open-hearted nature of the “limeños”, who introduced her to the capital city’s gastronomic delights and all the opportunities offered by its proximity to the mountains and the sea. At weekends she can be found eating ceviche, lomo saltado or chaufa and visiting one of the beaches and archaeological sites close to Lima. She loves to read and go to the movies and enjoys listening to classic salsa and rock, although her lack of dancing ability is one factor that will surely mark her out as a “gringa,” however long she stays.

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 Matt Greenberg
 Travel Advisor
 matt@peruforless.com

Matthew comes to us from the suburbs of Chicago where he was born and raised.  He graduated from the University of Tampa in Florida with a major in writing and a minor in English. During his college years, Matthew spent a year teaching English in Costa Rica, where he fell in love with Latin America and fostered a desire to write about its culture. Fascinated by the warm and gentle “pura vida” attitudes of the “ticos,” he was struck by a sense of beauty and serenity he had never before encountered.   In Costa Rica, Matthew was bit by the travel bug; this took him to venture throughout Central America and Europe.  He now indulges in the rich and foreign treasures South America has to offer.

Matthew came to Peru to instruct English and quickly found the country had much to teach him. In his reports home, Matthew sings the praises of the best food he has ever had “except maybe for Chicago deep dish pizza.” Even more than the delicious cuisine, it was the warmth of the people, the beauty of the countryside, and the bustle of Lima that captured his heart and imagination. He travels as much as his time permits and has become known as the “Tango King” in certain corners of Buenos Aires.  Friend to the penguins of Puerto Madryn, the gauchos’ cattle of the Argentine pampas, and the llama of Peru, Matthew cherishes the sacred and vibrant wildlife that can be found all over South America. In his free time, Matthew can be found writing, reading, or catching the latest movies.  While Matthew does not miss the harsh Midwest winters, he does long for basketball and cheering on his beloved Boston Red Sox, a family inherited obsession. Nevertheless, Matthew has happily found a new home in Latin America.

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 Killian Doherty
 Travel Advisor
 killian@argentinaforless.com

Killian has traveled in over 30 countries, across most continents, but his passion is for Latin America. He studied Linguistics and Political Science at Western Washington University. Upon graduation he spent nearly a year working and interning with NGOs and government officials in the District of Columbia before he felt the impulse to grab his backpack and passport once again. He has been living in Buenos Aires now for the last three years, studying, teaching, translating, editing, playing soccer, and, of course, traveling. To the dismay of his Argentine friends (and girlfriend), however, he has probably spent as much time traveling in Uruguay as in Argentina. He has bicycled across Uruguay and into Brazil twice and is currently planning a third route, and hopes to eventually publish a book about such bicycling adventures in Uruguay. He frequently fantasizes about a transcontinental bicycle trip, and just might try it some day.

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 Hayley Henderson
 Travel Advisor
 hayley@argentinaforless.com

Hayley has been hooked on Latin America since she arrived in 2007. She left Australia after finishing a Masters in Development Practice at the University of Queensland and has been working and traveling from Mexico to Argentina ever since. Her Aussie ways lead her to start this expedition and her love for Argentina has kept her there.

She´s normally a beach bug and outdoors enthusiast, but she has been transformed into a city slicker, living the porteña lifestyle in the megalopolis that is Buenos Aires. Outside of work, she volunteers in a community centre for impoverished over 40s, tutors at the University of Buenos Aires in the undergraduate architecture degree, practices yoga and plays tennis. She likes to think of herself as a dancing queen, but remains stuck on the first steps of salsa, tango and whatever other latin dance styles come here way!

For Hayley, the city of Buenos Aires is a fascinating adult playground, a place where neo-classical design meets modern forms in a chaotic clash of urban design and people´s cultures. There is no where else she would rather live and feels blessed to be in the ¨Paris¨ of the south - where the food and wine is just as good! Her dream is to continue living and traveling in Argentina and if possible pick up the fine local traits of pasta making, tango dancing and mate drinking along the way.

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 Diego Garcia Santa Maria
 Travel Advisor
 diego@brazilforless.com

Born in Brazil and raised in Peru, Diego loves South America and everything it has to offer. At an early age he showed a deep interest in filmmaking, and later chose to study communications at the University of Lima, where he majored in Advertising and Marketing and graduated first in his class! During his last year in college he found a new passion for traveling; he lived in California for a while, and spent his last semester of college studying at Diego Portales University in Chile. That same year he got deeply involved in the world of advertising when he was invited to become part of the first class of the Cannes Lions Academy, which he attended during the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. Diego was also fortunate enough to study advertising and marketing at the prestigious Agulla & Baccetti Foundation (now known as Esponjario) in Argentina. His passion for filmmaking led him to work on the executive production of his first feature film: The Watercolorist, an ironic dark comedy about the ease with which we evade the defense of our dreams and with which we give the control of our lives to others. After spending 2 years as part of the PFL team, Diego has returned to his motherland, Brazil, as frontrunner of Brazil For Less. He now combines his work with frequent visits to movie theatres, samba lessons, relaxing on the white sands, learning Portuguese, and recalling his Peruvian cooking skills.

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 Sebastian Dawson
 Quality Control Manager
 sebastian@peruforless.com

As the son of a diplomat, Sebastian (a native limeño) spent most of his life abroad in Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, the U.S., Spain, Italy, France, Belgium, England, Ghana, Egypt, Benin, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Togo, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and the Netherlands. Along the way he learned many languages and experienced many cultures which, in turn, moved him to pursue a degree in social science. With a special emphasis on anthropology, political science, and modern history; Sebastian obtained his B.A. in 2007 from the highly selective honors college, the University College Utrecht in the Netherlands.

After many amazing and eye-opening experiences abroad, Sebastian felt that it was finally time to return to his roots in Peru. What he considers “the only city in the world capable of touching most of his senses;” the vibrant and diverse Lima was beckoning his return. Sebastian is captivated and inspired by South America’s mélange: the rich geographic diversity and cultural fusions that can be epitomized by the Peruvian and Argentine cuisine.

Due to his nomadic lifestyle, Sebastian cannot imagine life without the excitement of exploring new horizons. When he’s not wandering the world, Sebastian is organizing social events; reading novels and historical biographies; brushing up on his cooking and baking skills; or listening to jazz music on his iPod while jogging along the San Isidro golf course, diligently planning his next adventure…which includes visiting the white slopes of Barlioche where the snow is pristine and the air is crisp.

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 Ricardo Lopez
 Lima Operations Supervisor
 ricardo@peruforless.com

Ricardo was born in Lima and is currently finishing his degree in the Administration of Tourist Companies at the National University of Federico Villarreal. His expertise in both Operations and Administration, and his kind character, have been warmly welcomed at Peru For Less. Ricardo has a love of Peru and has spent a large amount of time traveling through the Amazon in the North and East of the country. He has previously worked for such companies as E. Wong and Banc de Credito (BCP), and it was within these that Ricardo acquired a lot of experience and knowledge with regard to the inner workings of companies and customer satisfaction. In his spare time Ricardo enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, and going to the cinema. Like many at Peru For Less, Ricardo happens to be a fanatical football supporter – his team is Alianza Lima, regardless of what others may say. In his spare time, Ricardo enjoys swimming, camping and trekking – he often wishes he had more free time to pursue his outdoor passions though! Over the weekends he is often found with his friends in some of Lima's more animated Night Clubs where he enjoys a little rum off and on. He dreams of getting to know all the provinces within Peru.

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 Deysi Becerra
 Operations
 deysi@peruforless.com

Deysi, born and raised in Lima, graduated with a degree in Tourism Administration from the Federico Villarreal National University in 2005. Before joining the PFL team, she had an internship as an administrative assistant in Hoteles de Tarapoto. Later, she worked as Reservations Manager for a travel agency in Lima. She was very excited about making the move to PFL because she feels that here she has more of a chance to learn more about the ins and outs of the travel industry, and she is also more able to put her education to use. Deysi’s philosophy is that every day there is something new to learn! She is also currently studying English at the Britanico Institute. When not working or studying, she enjoys traveling, reading, talking with friends, listening to music, going shopping, and spending time enjoying nature. Deysi has had the chance to travel around Peru to experience the country’s cultural and geographic diversity. Her favorite thing about Peru is how friendly the people are, and how willing they are to share their customs. Deysi, while traveling, was once told, “If you want to enjoy a place, don’t compare it to another- just ENJOY IT!” It has since become Deysi’s personal travel slogan.

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 Brenda Ysabel Huamán Amaya
 Operations
 brenda@peruforless.com

Brenda was born in the district of Jesús Maria in Lima and graduated in 2006 from the Federico Villarreal National University. Her fascination with foreign languages and their power in promoting cross-cultural understanding led her to learn English and French …with Quechua being next on the list. She feels that it is important for all Peruvians to know at least one of the indigenous languages of the country, especially when it’s spoken by 40% of the population.

Previously, Brenda worked as a tour guide in the San Franciscan Church of Lima, one of the most beautiful churches in the city, leading tours through the monastery and the subterranean crypts where the skulls and bones of 70 thousand people have been housed for centuries.

The Peruvian Andes, where the sun shines all day in the clear azure sky, is what Brenda fell in love with on her visit to Ayacucho. It was here that she understood the spiritual attraction of the simple things in life, and, since then, she has filled her house with flowers and plants to enliven the ambience and please the eye. She dreams of having a farm in the countryside with open fields where her two dogs can run freely and where there is space for a garden large enough to keep all her beloved fruit trees and flowers. But for now, she’s happily pursing her other dream of learning foreign languages and traveling whenever she gets the chance.

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 Darío Meneses
 Operations
 dario@peruforless.com

A native of Cusco, Darío takes pride on being a highlander. While never having seen a single Indiana Jones film in his life, his interest in Archaeology started at an early age when he became enthralled with the study of ancient peoples, the way they lived, and what they believed in. Darío’s burning desire and acute curiosity to discover all that can be explained without using math (his nemesis) has been satisfied while obtaining his Archaeology degree in The Catholic University of Peru. However, true to his inquisitive nature, he has emerging plans for a second degree in Bibliotecology and Information Sciences. Darío is also a firm believer that everyone has something to teach and something to learn. Apart from feeding his insatiable curiosity with new discoveries and teachings, Darío enjoys relaxing at coffee shops with friends while exchanging ironic jokes and odd comments on almost any subject. An avid reader and traveler, he dreams of someday roving around the world to the Buenos Aires of Borges, the Lisbon of Saramago, and the Barcelona of Gaudí (fortunately, he has already been to the Seville and the Madrid of Pérez Reverte).

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 Ana Karina Junes
 Operations
 anakarina@peruforless.com

Ana Karina is a graduated student from San Marcos University, the first university founded in South America during colonial times. As an institution surrounded by history, Ana likes to know all the stories about it, the same with Peruvian culture in general.

She really enjoys her country as place of mixed cultures and sees herself as a cultural fusion as well. Her mother is from the Amazon rainforest, Iquitos, and her father is from a small town in highlands, but she was born in the coast, Trujillo. Even so, she moved a lot during her first 5 years and thanks to her father’s job, her family moved for two years to Mozambique, Africa. She likes traveling and has had to opportunity to explore both with her family and by herself. That, she believes, is the main reason she entered the tourism industry.

She had the opportunity to work and live in the rainforest, Tambopata working by Rainforest Expeditions, in the middle of the jungle as a naturalistic guide, sharing with the travelers her passion about tourism and conservation. Although you can imagine, Ana is also a city girl that enjoys movies, music and concerts. She likes to write about the films she loves and the bands she discovers on the internet, and share them on local websites. She likes to spend time with her old time’s friends from school and university but she also enjoys staying at home watching a movie with her parents.

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 Sandra Vallejos
 Operations
 sandra@peruforless.com

Sandra attended Catholic University of Peru and graduated with a major in social history because she wanted to understand not only the culture of her own country but that of other countries as well. She was chosen to do an exchange program with a university in France so she could visit Europe during her vacations. Right now she’s following a Post Graduate Program in Marketing Management in ESAN (one of the best management schools in Latin America) because she realizes that Peru has a lot of potential in tourism that hasn’t been explored and promoted yet. Her goal is to promote the “Peruvian brand” around the world and develop new tourist destinations in the country. In order to do that she travels a lot around Peru and she also visited a couple of cities in the United States for the summer and followed some courses in Colombia. Whilst traveling she discovered many different cultures, languages and people from all over the world and she understood that communication is the key to other cultures. The words, the accent, the slang; everything talks about a country, its culture and history. That’s why she’s planning to study Chinese.

After traveling, Sandra’s second passion is dancing. She started when she was 10 years old and when she was 15 she became a professional folkloric dancer. Sandra is also a private teacher, she teaches Peruvian dancing alongside English, French and Spanish languages and, of course, history. On the weekends, Sandra enjoys going to the beach until the sunset and walking around the city to discover different places. She also likes to go trekking if there’s a chance. Although she’s always moving around and doing different things, Sandra appreciates the quiet moments in her apartment with her boyfriend, listening to music or playing with her little cat.

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 Allison Monge Carrión
 Cuzco Operations
 allison@peruforless.com

A native Peruvian, Allison studied Tourism at the National University of San Antonio Abad in Cusco which allowed her to travel throughout Peru. She credits her enhanced love for her country and appreciation for the richness of its people to this unique experience. Upon graduation, Allison worked in a NGO, helping underprivileged children who reside in the rural towns on the outskirts of Cusco. Like many proud Peruvians, she claims that cuisine and tradition are her favorite national attributes and she loves to discover the many tales and customs that make Peru such an amazing place. Noticing a correlation between Andean history and myths with those of ancient Egypt and Greece, Allison is an avid reader of these subjects. However, far from a bookworm, Allison is actually quite the adventurous spirit and enjoys a variety of outdoor activities such as trekking, rappelling, and rock climbing. She says that she was ‘hooked’ on adventure at the age of 17 when she whitewater -rafted down the class III+ rapids in Cuzco….without even knowing how to swim!

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 Dohjio Branko Knezvich
 Operations
 branko@peruforless.com

A native of Peru, Branko was born in the city of Tarma, often referred to as the ‘Pearl of the Andes’ for its rich history and natural beauty. He began his studies as a law student; however, after some considerable soul searching, he began studying Philosophy in the Catholic University of Peru where he graduated in 2007. A passionate traveler, Branko journeyed throughout Peru as a child and his studies have taken him to Brazil and the US. Branko believes in lending a helping hand and has done social work in communities of Ayacucho as well as volunteer for the Red Cross earthquake relief in Ica and Chincha. With a flair for dishing up Peruvian cuisine, Branko enjoys the gastronomy of his country because it represents regional diversity as well as the cultural exchange of various ethnic groups throughout the centuries. Branko also appreciates Afro-Peruvian music and salsa as well as cinema and ancient Greek literature. Nevertheless, soccer is his core passion and while he has played in almost all positions and was even captain of his philosophy department’s soccer team, he considers himself a terrible player.

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 Miguel Alonso Celis Sánchez
 Guide
 miguel@peruforless.com

A native of Lima, the history-loving Miguel says that there is no place better than Callao, the lively district where he spent most of his life. Due to his incredible passion to know his country’s past, Miguel got his BA in history from the Catholic University of Peru in 2007.

As a history enthusiast, Miguel enjoys exploring old Lima, where he revisits historic buildings, admires the majestic churches and looks at antique books that were of importance during colonial rule. Yet his passion is not only history, as Miguel loves tasting great food, going to the movies and spending time with his friends. In addition, this avid reader can be seen carrying a book most of the time, especially if it is about ancient legends, horror or science fiction. If he is not reading, then you can probably spot him listening to his favorite music on his MP3 player.

While Miguel claims to love Peru more than anything, his traveler’s spirit and curiosity of history make him eager to visit China and Japan. He is fascinated by the prospect of visiting Asia; he hopes to walk on the Great Wall, explore the Terracotta Army and learn more about Japan’s temples and samurai culture.

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 Giovanni Battistini
 Driver
 giovanni@peruforless.com

Giovanni studied information technology at the ABACO and IPAE Montericco. He is currently also studying audiovisual communications at the SISE. He has a seven year old daughter who he proclaims “is his life.” While he is no party animal, Giovanni enjoys having a good time. For him, this means visiting Lima’s huariques, small family owned restaurants with good food that are often hiding in various corners of Lima. He claims the best dishes contain shellfish. Seafood is his favorite! He is also an adamant player of soccer and and the similar Peruvian version of fulbito. Another activity that he enjoys is karate and even has a brown belt! Giovanni has seen almost all of Peru except Cuzco and has traveled to Chile, Argentina and Ecuador.

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 Fernando Velásquez Villalba
 Buenos Aires Manager
 fernando@argentinaforless.com

Fernando studied history at the Catholic University of Peru and has a M.A. in Development Management and Policy. After finishing his studies, he backpacked around Latin America, worked for NGOs and moved to Buenos Aires where he got a very good feel for the metropolis’ nightlife. During the months of his backpacking adventure, Fernando went from Ecuador to the Argentine Patagonia. He was especially fond of the Bolivian cities of Potosi, Santa Cruz and Sucre. He plans to one day be able to take a depart from the port of Buenos Aires on a ship to Cape Town, South Africa and then travel by jeep all the way up to Cairo, Egypt for thirty days. The NGO’s he worked for promoted democracy and has volunteered for Idealist.org where he investigated organizations dedicated to the promotion of activism in Argentina. He is a mediocre but persistent soccer player. He does, however, play chess against his roommate. The loser ends up washing the dishes.

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 Daniel Fernando Espinoza
 Argentine Operations
 daniel@peruforless.com

Born in the Jesus Maria district of Lima, Daniel is in his last year of studying Tourism Administration at the Federico Villarreal National University. Previous to his joining PFL, Daniel worked for the Banco Continental, and as a coorporate executive for AFP Horizonte. He also worked for the city of Lima, administrating the city’s vehicular fleet. Despite this previous work experience, Daniel feels that coming to PFL was the best decision he could make, as travel is his passion and his job at PFL allows him to apply his studies to his work. Daniel first developed his passion for travel as a child when he traveled along Peru’s northern coast. Some of his more memorable childhood trips included visiting Chiclayo, Pisco/ Paracas, Arequipa, Puno, Tacna, La Paz (Bolivia), Santiago del Estero (Argentina), and Chile. Through travel Daniel has had the chance to enjoy the diversity of cultures and landscapes that Peru and South America have to offer. Despite his interest in visiting other countries, Daniel maintains that Peru is truly his favorite place on earth. When not traveling he enjoys playing Playstation 2 and Massive Role Playing Games online, and while he says he is not any good at sports, he still likes to play them and he is a huge fan of Sporting Cristal. Daniel no longer watches TV, but he loves music, and was even lead guitarrist of a band called Treva (they made a record, but they never became well known... maybe someday).

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 Camila Paolini
 Argentine Operations
 camila@argentinaforless.com

Camila attends the University of Buenos Aires where she will soon receive her degree in Psychology. For the last five years she worked as an accounting assistant at a consulting group where she was a receptionist helping with the accountancy paperwork. During her academic experience she has had the valuable opportunity to coordinate a social project which diffused information about sexually transmitted diseases to the young and socio-economically vulnerable population.

Camila is passionate about both music and psychoanalysis; she considers herself to be a fan of Sigmund Freud and this is why she plans to study an M.A. in the subject. Although she is a persistent and self-taught guitar player, she thinks she is not good at all. However, she continues practicing with the hope of one day being the Argentinean Jimmy Page. In her school she was a choir member who always enjoyed singing in different languages; she even went on tour with the choir group to England to perform in schools and churches. One year she performed as an actress in theatrical music concerts during which she had to struggle against her stage fright and shyness.

While she has been on holidays she has backpacked to Salta, Jujuy, Cordoba, Mendoza, Santa Fe and Entre Rios, where she always looks forward to meeting local people and learning about their cultures and their life perspectives. She has also traveled to Uruguay and is now aiming to complete a more adventurous trip to the North - very near to Brazil - where there are lovely and almost virgin beaches and little and unknown fishing towns. On weekends she sometimes goes to the countryside where she goes horse-riding. When it comes to sport, Camila practices rollerblading and ice skating.

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 Fabricio Ortiz De Zevallos
 Tour Guide
 fabricio@peruforless.com

Fabricio is our official tour guide for Machu Picchu – and he is a great one at that. He is from Cuzco and his knowledge of the city, its history, the surrounding area and Machu Picchu is unbelievable. He is in fact a direct descendant of one of the last Inca and is deeply proud of his cultural heritage. Fabricio studied mechanical engineering at the National Univeristy of Engineering in Lima. Engineers don’t often become tour guides but by some stroke of luck Fabricio was given the opportunity, after graduating, of accompanying a few tourists through Peru. He became their defacto guide through his home country and at the end of the tour realized that he had found his true calling. Embarking upon a new stage in his life Fabricio started studying to become a tour guide. Fabricio is deeply knowledgeable about the Inca Culture and is also very keen to share his wealth of information with anyone who cares to listen. He enjoys river rafting, trekking, mountain biking and is both a guide and an expert in each field. He is bright eyed, charismatic, and aims to give tourists the best possible experiences of Peru imaginable. He dreams of one day being the best Tour Guide in Peru – we at Peru For Less however, know that he already is.

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 Angel Seron
 Senior Web Designer
 angel@peruforless.com

Meet Angel Seron – our web designer and artist - who studied at the Toulouse Lautrec Superior Institute of Communication and Design here in Lima. Angel was born in Puerto San Juan de Marcona, a beach town close to Ica and roughly 8 hours from Lima. Angel lived in this idyllic setting until he was 17 and often reminisces about his childhood, which he describes as the peaceful life of sitting on beaches, swimming in the sea and enjoying the fresh clean sea air. From an early age Angel has been fascinated with art and while he wiled away his time painting and drawing as a child, he never imagined his passion with the arts would accompany him into his career. At University Angel decided to combine his passion for art with another passion of his – computers. An education in graphic design, multimedia and web design were obvious choices and Angel graduated at the top of all of his classes. Angel has been an avid football fanatic his entire life. He also enjoys Baseball, traveling, is in love with Salsa, and likes to kick back with some Spanish rock. In his spare time Angel enjoys reading and studying so as to keep in touch with all software innovations. Despite regarding himself as a homely kind of guy, Angel adores going out with his friends and meeting new people.

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 Fernando Ramos
 Web Programmer
 fernando@peruforless.com

Fernando hails from the valleys of Huaral, 2 hours north of Lima, where the fruit is fresh and the people are warm and friendly. As befits a Programmer, he is interested in all matters of information technology, having studied Systems Analysis and Programming at the SISE Institute and Advanced Programming in Web Languages at TECSUP.

But far from being a nerd, Fernando has many outside interests, from strumming the guitar, to cycling, playing football or enjoying the beach in summer. He has also been lucky enough to travel extensively through Peru, climbing as high as 5,557m above sea level to the top of Mount Huaytapallana in the Andes. However, he still has ambitions for further travel, both within and beyond Peru, as well as honing his programming skills.

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 Juan Miguel Mifflin
 Web Designer
 juanmiguel@peruforless.com

A native of Lima, Juan Miguel knows the coast of Peru like the back of his hand. When he was still in school and had vacations (which he hasn’t had in two years), he traveled the entire coast with his father, a merchant seaman. In 2005, he graduated from the Catholic University of Peru as a Communications major. Curiosity, not the same curiosity that killed the cat, but an intelligent curiosity combined with a sense of wonder, is in his view, necessary for enjoying life. It has created in him eclectic tastes: from his preferences in music (his favorite groups right now are The Strokes and Justice, a French electronica band); film (The Royal Tenenbaums); to books (currently reading the Italian novel, El Baron Rampante), his choices are dictated by nothing more than his mood. His love of literature brought him to writing short-stories with a fantastical twist, several of which were selected for publication by his university. Along with a friend, Juan Miguel has recently written a screenplay for a film that is being screened in Peru, Spain and the U.S.

As eclectic as are his tastes, Juan Miguel’s work experiences show that a healthy dose of curiosity serves to enrich a person’s experiences. He’s worked as a web designer for artists and musicians and recently at the national newspaper Trome. With all that said (and written), his love of design, and most of all, in multimedia and animation, are what rock his boat.

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 Johan Arredondo Ventura
 Technical Support
 johan@peruforless.com

Johan studied at the Instituto Superior Tecnologico CESCA until 2000 and stared working for Mmsystem in the area of technical assembly support for computers. Later he started selling PCs and worked in the field of computer parts. He worked independently in this field until he started working at Peru for Less.

He is a big aficionado of Peruvian food, especially ceviche, the country’s tourist sites and the people. His travels around Peru have taken him to see the famous Nasca lines, the dunes of Ica and la Huacachina. He also volunteered to help the people of Chincha that suffered from that region’s earthquake.

Johan likes to play and watch soccer. He is interested in the new advances in technology, mainly in electronics and information technology. Johan also enjoys going to the movies. One can be sure to find him at one of the local cinemas, especially if it’s a science fiction movie with special effects. He has been a fan of this genre ever since he first saw Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

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 Alex Seeger
 Content Development Manager
 alex@peruforless.com

Though he was born in Lima, Alex lived most of his life away from the country of his birth. After living in Germany, Uruguay, the Netherlands and the United States, Alex is excited at the prospect of returning home. He is an avid believer that studying the language and culture of different places contributes to a better understanding of the world in which we live.

Alex just graduated from Davidson College in North Carolina with a major in history and a minor in German. He was able to study British history and literature from 1780 to 1850 at the Corpus Christi College of Cambridge University. During his junior year of college, he spent a semester in Cape Town, South Africa where he studied multiculturalism and social change, lived with host families and practiced his isiXhosa language skills. After touring Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana, Alex hopes to one day be able to explore more of Africa, preferably in a Safari vehicle with his camera. He also spent a semester in the Albert-Ludwigs University –Freiburg in Germany where he fine-tuned his German, enjoyed the country’s cuisine and used Europe’s train system to explore France, Italy, England and the Czech Republic.

While Alex can complain about Lima’s traffic, he believes, probably not impartially, that Lima is one of the world’s most enchanting cities. He loves the combinations of the mountains and the ocean. Alex hopes to start playing tennis again after a hiatus of several years and plans to take cooking classes so that he can replicate the fine country’s fine cuisine at home. Alex can often be seen walking his old English sheep dog, Maia, through the parks of Miraflores.

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 Simon Ross-Gill
 Content Development
 simon@peruforless.com

Simon graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 2008 with a Master of Arts degree in Politics and History. The Scottish tradition of exploring foreign shores has undoubtedly left its mark on him, although the howling wind, constant rain and bitter cold of his home country are probably more valid motives for travel. Following his study of the Incas in the final year of his degree, he was left itching to see the history and splendour of the Andes for himself. Travel in Peru became a top priority after graduation, and Peru For Less gave him the perfect opportunity to fulfil this ambition. Much of Simon’s spare time is devoted to football (soccer), and he is in the unfortunate position of supporting the habitually dismal Aberdeen Football Club. He is not yet sure whether he should subject himself to the mania of a South American game. Simon also likes to say that he can play the guitar and he has had the chance to see many bands that have toured in Scotland. He has even worked in an organic burger van at a music festival in the Scottish Highlands, combining his passions for food, music and natural scenery. He regularly indulges in cooking, and his culinary skills are constantly developing.  Amongst his favourite foods are Indian, Nepalese and Mexican cuisines, as these all offer a fantastic blend of spices. He has only just begun to discover what delights Peru has to offer.

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 Diana Olano
 Content Development
 diana@peruforless.com

After finishing her BA in Media and Communications from Pace University, Diana left New York for Lima, Peru and spent a year working as an editorial assistant for the expat website Livinginperu.com; traveling; and falling in love with the country her parents hailed from. She’s traveled to Cusco, Arequipa, and Trujillo, among other Peruvian cities, and hopes to make a trip to “la selva” of Peru this winter. She is currently studying at The New School University and hopes to have her MA in International Affairs, with a concentration in development, by 2011. Besides writing and traveling, Diana’s other interests and passions include music (Franz Ferdinand and The Smiths are among her favorite bands), concerts, cooking Peruvian dishes (aji de gallina is her specialty), and outdoor jogs.

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 Caitlin Ham
 Human Resources Associate
 caitlin@peruforless.com

After living in bone-chilling Ireland, Russia and Belgium for a total of five years, Caitlin (a native Californian suffering from a mild case of the greener grass syndrome) decided to head to South America as a reward after graduating from Trinity College Dublin with a major in European Studies. Only a few weeks into her trip she had an epiphany-she wanted to stay! Though now at a slight disadvantage with a degree in European History and a distinct preference for South America, Caitlin tries to keep the playing field even by maintaining her rewarding-though expensive-obsession with Belgian microbreweries and rebuilding her collection of Russian literature, which was supremely depleted while at the height of her backpacking phase! As she speaks four languages and is a huge fan of travel, Caitlin fits right into the Peru for Less team in Lima, with writing and web development as her main source of fun(ds). Caitlin can often be found outside working on her mini computer when there’s any chance of possible sunlight, desperately trying to maintain the first tan she’s had in years. As a balance to the beer and burger habits that her evil sub conscience tries to destroy her with, Caitlin tries to keep moving as much as possible, often trekking, swimming or white-water rafting (she’s a trained guide) so long as there’s sun! Though open to any opportunities that her internship with Peru for Less will lead her, one thing is certain, she’s fallen hard for Peru and the love affair with South America is complete!

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 Anyela Saldaña
 Financial Manager
 anyela@peruforless.com

Anyela studied accounting at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP), one of Peru’s top universities. She belonged to the PUCP Federation of Students, as well as to the Organization of Business and Accounting Students at the PUCP. She describes herself as responsable, very friendly, and simple- all qualities, she believes, that allowed her to grow professionally. Before joining the PFL team, Anyela had worked for the Maple Gas Corporation, KPMG, and Telefonica del Peru, which allowed her to put her education into practice. In her free time, Anyela likes to go to the movies, play sports, listen to music, and read. She has traveled several times to northern Peru (one of her favorite places) where she loves going to the beach, exploring the diversity of ancient and contemporary cultures, spending time with the famously friendly people, and most importantly- the wonderful food northern Peru has to offer!

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 Niels Ureta Aguilar
 Cuzco Accountant
 niels@peruforless.com

Niels, a native of Peru, received his Accounting degree from The Catholic University of Peru in 2005. Before finding Peru For Less, Niels worked for firms such as Sony, General Electric, and a variety of well-known Peruvian radio stations. Loving his homeland more with every passing day, Niels assures that there is nothing on earth like Peru’s people and food. A diehard number cruncher Niels exclaims: “you can get such a great variety of fruits for so cheap!”. When not formatting Excel spreadsheets or buying economically sound produce, Niels is participating in one of the many extreme sports that he enjoys such as paragliding, bungee jumping, and Taekwondo. Boasting a wide-range of interests, Niels also enjoys Japanese literature, drawing, or simply browsing through the weekend newspapers and catching up on current events.

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 Dunker Torres Escalante
 Accounting Assistant
 dunker@peruforless.com

A Cuzco native, Dunker, has studied philosophy and theology in the San Antonio de Abad Seminary in Cuzco and tourism administration at the Instituto Latinoamericano. Before becoming a guide for Peru for Less, Dunker went to Lima and committed much of his time to public service. He was the administrator for a retirement home and clinic for people with little means, many of whom were suffering with tuberculosis. Additionally, he helped with a rehabilitation center for street kids ages 14 to 19. After experiencing the commotion of the capital city, Dunker left Lima and taught Quechua in the provinces of Espinar and Paruro. He is now happy to be pursuing his passion for alternative tourism at Peru for Less in Cuzco.

Dunker believes Peru has so much to offer: all one needs to see it is assertiveness and an adventurous spirit. He would be one to ask, as he has traveled through 12 of Peru’s 13 provinces! In his travels, the country’s varied valleys, crisp streams and snow covered mountains have captured his attention. Through these journeys he has come to understand a lamentable consequence of globalization: the gradual loss of his rural brothers’ traditional customs and values. Though he has made it to Guayaquil and Quito, Dunker hopes his next trip to Ecuador will include a stop in the Islands of Galapagos.

As the promoter of a cycling club in Cuzco, Dunker spends time on his bike or organizing events for this group. Recently, Dunker has gotten into the habit of making pizza at friends’ or relatives’ houses as a way to unwind and enjoy the weekend.

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 Stephanie Byrd
 Costa Rica Manager
 stephanie@costaricaforless.com

Stephanie graduated from Kennesaw State University in Georgia with a BA in Modern Language and Culture where she majored in Spanish and minored in Business Management. While fulfilling her university foreign language requirements, Stephanie discovered her knack for the Spanish language and decided to further her language and culture skills with a study abroad opportunity in San José, Costa Rica. It was there that she fell in love with Latin America and its intense beauty and tranquility. Stephanie then spent the next 4 years revisiting the Central American jewel where she traveled throughout the country, reveling in its tropical climate and rich biodiversity all while capturing the essence of the “tico” spirit and the true meaning of “pura vida”. Although she has now visited 2 of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Stephanie still considers Arenal Volcano and surrounding hot springs to be the most magical and spiritual place on Earth!

Stephanie’s enthusiasm and adventurous spirit later took her on journeys to Mexico; Argentina; and Lima, Peru (where she currently resides). Combining an extensive background in the Hospitality Industry with a love of travel, Latin America and the Spanish language…she found Latin America for Less and the rest was history! Stephanie is currently working on the inauguration of Costa Rica to the Latin America for Less family, which she considers an opportunity of a lifetime and the perfect way to share her passion with others by introducing them to her first Latin love!

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 Matthew Barker
 Marketing and Public Relations
 mattb@costaricaforless.com

Matt graduated from the University of Sheffield with a Masters in international politics before moving into the world of public relations at a homelessness charity in England's hard-pressed industrial north. Only able to cope with abandoned factories and perpetual cloud for so long, he decided to seek a more appealing environment elsewhere.

Having lived in Japan and traveled throughout Europe, North America and East Asia, Latin America seemed the next logical step, so Matt and his partner made their way to Peru overland from Central America, working with community projects and doing some freelance writing and photography along the way.

With an independent and inquisitive attitude to travel, he enjoys getting to know a place through its people; a useful excuse for hanging out with the locals in Lima's backstreet watering holes! While not searching for new stories or taking yet more photographs, he is absorbed with travel literature and keeps a meticulously close eye on world news.

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 Nicola Kopp
 Manager for Peru For Less - Deutsch
 nicola@peruforless.com

Nicola studied Tourism Management at Munich’s University of Applied Science, one of Germany’s leading Universities, graduating with a Diploma in spring 2007. At this point, she decided to explore Latin America in greater depth, initially taking up a job at an adventure and nature tour operator in Ecuador. However, in a quirk of fate, five weeks before leaving Germany for Quito, she fell in love with a Peruvian guy, and 3 months later, they resolved to come to Peru to live together. She has since developed a passion for Lima, its lovely citizens - ‘limeños’ -, their creole music, food and lifestyle.

In her free time, she loves nothing better than to put on her backpack and explore the vast, natural expanses of the Andes. Her passion for hiking had been fostered as a student walking the famous, Spanish pilgrimage route ‘El Camino de Santiago’: an experience that left such a deep impression that she wrote her university thesis on it. Her enjoyment of the peace, camaraderie and simple pleasures of walking, unencumbered, in beautiful countryside has led her to adopt as her motto ‘less is more’ - which certainly fits in nicely with company philosophy at Peru For Less!

When not out mountaineering or reading about cultural diversity, she is to be found with her friends in one of Lima’s alternative music bars, listening to Rock, Reggae or Ragga, thus demonstrating her multifaceted character.

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