In the male-dominated world of Peruvian trekking, feminine tour guides are nonetheless fairly uncommon. When Ernestina Valeriano began her tourism profession 15 years in the past, they had been principally non-existent. Now, Tina is main the cost for ladies within the journey business, guiding female-only expeditions by the Andes.
It’s exhausting to get Ernestina Valeriano on the cellphone. Reception isn’t nice within the excessive, cloud-covered valleys of the Peruvian Andes, the place Ernestina (Tina to her associates) has been working for the final 15 years. When she’s not at dwelling in Cusco, taking care of three canines, two cats, her husband, mom and 19-year-old son, she’s trekking the mountains and sharing her tradition with Intrepid travellers.
“I actually just finished a trip this morning!” she says, clearly nonetheless buzzing. “We just got back from Machu Picchu. I was leading a group of 16 women, and it was an amazing journey.”
Feeling drained? “No, no, no, definitely not tired. I love this job. For most people, their office is their home. For me, the Inca Trail is my office. Machu Picchu is my office. Everywhere outside Cusco is my office! I love to show people around this beautiful country.”
Tina is one thing nonetheless fairly uncommon in Peru: a feminine trekking information. When she began her tourism profession, girls weren’t barred from the business, however the male-dominated tradition and Peru’s conservative social values didn’t precisely encourage participation. Women had been usually anticipated to remain dwelling and lift households, not go mountain climbing by the Andes.
“The system is still very – how do you say – machismo?” Tina says, “But little by little it’s getting better. When I started there were hardly any female tour guides in Peru. The men in the office would say, ‘Tina, why aren’t you at home? Why aren’t you looking after your family?’ It was a difficult time. Now, of course, it’s the opposite. Companies are actually looking for more women.”
Tina is Quechua. She grew up within the little village of Paucartambo, in Peru’s Southern highlands, and moved to Cusco when she was 11 years previous. She lived along with her mom and 4 siblings, and cash was tight. Tina all the time dreamed of working within the trekking business, which dominates the previous Inca metropolis, however there have been a couple of hurdles to beat.
First, she was busy elevating a toddler. Second, she was a lady, and tourism in Peru didn’t precisely welcome girls. And third, there was language: Tina’s mom tongue is Quechua, so she threw herself into language courses so as to study Spanish, and ultimately English. Working in a restaurant and chatting to travellers helped pace up the method.
“I actually started very late in tourism,” she admits. “Most students when they finish school go straight to university to become a tour guide. In my case, I had my baby, so that wasn’t an option. I worked as a waiter for a while to earn money, then spent three years at a tourism institute. I’m over 40 now, and I’ve been doing this for 15 years. Not too old, I guess!”
Tina ended up turning into one of many first feminine trek guides in Cusco, and on the Inca Trail. It was an enormous achievement, particularly whereas elevating a household, and at the moment she leads Intrepid’s Women’s Expeditions: limited-edition, female-only excursions that wind by the excessive valleys, lakes and ruins of the Andes.
“It’s still very difficult for female guides in Peru,” Tina admits. “As a woman, you wonder, will people think differently about me? Maybe my English isn’t good enough. Maybe I’m not strong enough for this. Some girls ask me, ‘Tina, how do you become a leader? How are you doing all this with your family?’ And I say that my family supports me. They know that this is a part of me. This is my life. They say, ‘If you’re happy, we’re happy’.”
Tina says juggling household and work remains to be the most important hurdle for younger girls in Peru. But if you wish to reach journey, you want that help community in place.
“In Peru, we start our families very early, and it’s always going to be difficult to leave your family,” she says. “But I always tell the girls they should follow their dreams. If they want to be a tour guide, they need support. I feel proud of me, and my family is proud of me too.”