Tag: guest post

Central America, El Salvador

Guest Post: Gluten-Free Travel in El Salvador

Erin Smith

I am thrilled to share today’s guest post with my readers. Today’s post comes from Candice of Embrace G-Free. I randomly “met” Candice through a giveaway on my Gluten-Free Fun blog a few years ago. We kept in touch after her win, finally met in person after many emails and Tweets, and she soon started her own blog: Embrace G-Free. Candice is a strong and encouraging young woman who recently took her first gluten-free trip outside of the United States. In her guest post, Candice shares her stores of a service trip to El Salvador.  I am so proud of Candice for overcoming her fears of gluten-free travel and thrilled that she shared her story with us today. I highly encourage you to follow Candice’s blog, Facebook, and Twitter pages. Her posts are very honest, emotional, and inspiring. Thank you Candice for today’s post! 

Embrace G-Free in El Salvador

1st Day in El Salvador - Hiking at La Puerta del Diablo
1st Day in El Salvador – Hiking at La Puerta del Diablo

Since I was little I have always had aspirations of traveling and seeing the world. I am blessed to have parents who love to travel and have been fortunate to travel to many breathtaking destinations both domestically and internationally.

Traveling is one of my many passions, and I have a list of places I want to see. However, my ultimate dream is to travel to Italy, and I want to go on a cross-country adventure, since one of my goals in life is to see all 50 states.

Another passion of mine is to engage in service activities. Service became a huge part of my life in high school, but was then fostered by my Jesuit education at The University of Scranton. Throughout my undergraduate career I engaged in many domestic service activities which all have made an impression on my life. In engaging in many service opportunities, I have not only had the privilege to serve others, but they have taught me so much about life, myself, and have helped me develop an understanding about cultures that are different from my own.

Last Group Shot Before we headed on the plane to USA
Last Group Shot Before we headed on the plane to USA

Since I step foot on Scranton’s campus I knew I wanted to be apart of Campus Ministries’ International Service Program. However, after being diagnosed with gluten-sensitivity during my sophomore year, this dream seemed unreachable.

How could I safely follow a gluten-free diet, while being immersed in another culture?

Not only did going on an international service trip seem daunting, but traveling in general seemed like a stressful task when I first received the news that I had to be gluten-free. However, as time moved on and I began to gain more confidence I began to realize that just because I had to be on a gluten-free diet, did not mean I had to stop chasing my dreams.

Active Volcano - On Bus during Guatemala Day Trip
Active Volcano – On Bus during Guatemala Day Trip

It took a lot of support and encouragement, but four years later, during my first year of graduate school at The University of Scranton, I succeeded in my dream of participating in Scranton’s International Service Program (ISP) and traveled to El Salvador this past May. To say this was a trip of a lifetime is an understatement, and I can’t fully express how wonderful this trip was.

Traveling to El Sal was different then any other trip I had taken. Unlike many of the travel posts you read on Erin’s blog, I can’t provide recommendations on the best gluten-free/ accommodating restaurants to eat at when traveling to El Salvador, because as part of ISP we were immersed in the culture and lived at Casa Voluntariado Santa Rafaela Maria (Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus).

One of the painting at our host site.
One of the painting at our host site.

That being said, I was able to enjoy many authentic Salvadorian foods which was made by the outstanding cooks each night. My favorite meal which the cooks made were Pupusa, which is a traditional Salvadoran dish; tortillas are stuffed with pork, beans, and cheese – when made this way they are called “Crazy Pupusa”. However, the cooks only made theirs with beans and cheese. This was a naturally gluten-free meal, however, they made me a special Pupusa with just beans, since I can’t have dairy. Although I was not able to eat all the same meals as my group I was thrilled I could have a Pupusa, plus the rice was amazing! My host site was more then accommodating and Sr. Gloria (our host) was always making sure I had enough to eat!

When going on a trip like this, preparation was key! I worked well in advance with the ISP program director to select a host site which would best accommodate my needs. Everyday we were at work sites during lunch so we all made PB & J in the morning. This made it easy because all I needed to do was make sure I traveled down with plenty of gluten-free bread, almond butter, and many gluten-free snacks. Schar Deli Style bread traveled well in my suitcase and is great because it has a longer shelf life. Additionally it was helpful to travel down with individual almond butter packets from Barney’s Butter. I also made sure I brought down my Triumph Dining card and made an allergy card on Allergy Translation, which was a great suggestion by Erin for my additional food allergies. This helped tremendously with the language barrier!

This is part of the memorial they have for all those who died or who went missing during El Salvadorian Civil War
This is part of the memorial they have for all those who died or who went missing during El Salvadorian Civil War

Overall, the biggest message I want you to hear from this post is just because you have celiac or gluten-sensitivity doesn’t mean you can’t travel or go on an immersion trip like I did. Although food is central in so many of our experiences, it doesn’t always have to be the center of your attention. To me traveling down to El Sal (and taking a day trip to Guatemala) was so much more then the food I ate. It has only been 2 months since I took this trip and honestly the memories of the food I ate are not as clear, but the memories of the people who I met grow stronger everyday. I saw more beauty in a week; in a place which is so impoverished, then I have ever seen in my lifetime.

After traveling to El Salvador, I can honestly say that although nothing will compare to my first international service trip, seeing a country in this way is something I want to do again. This trip and overall planning experience was a blessing in so many ways. Not only did I get to combine my love for travel and service, but overcoming my worries to pursue this dream made me truly believe that my traveling aspirations don’t have revolve around my dietary restrictions. I promise you, with a little extra planning and preparation it all works out!

general

Guest Post: Eat Your Way Through Culture Shock

Erin Smith

Just yesterday, a fellow blogger and Gluten-Free Globetrotter reader sent me a link to one of her most recent posts on the blog Culture Shock Toolbox. I really enjoyed her post because so much of my favorite travel memories revolve around food. For me, one of the best ways to learn about a new culture is through their interaction with food. From the markets, to the restaurants, to even how and what people eat, I am so intrigued about such a simple yet universal thing. Everyone eats, but not everyone eats the same. Whether in the United States, Prague, or Thailand, food has been an integral part of my travel experiences and lingers in my memories. Being gluten-free has not stopped me from traveling the world and learning about food and culture along the way.  

With permission from author Helene, of Culture Shock Toolbox, I am reposting her blog that really struck a familiar chord with me when I  read it. Thanks Helene! 

Eat your way through culture shock

Eating your way through culture shock is effective in many ways.

In Mumbai, a local saw us browsing through our guide and heard us talking about food. He approached us and said: “you know what you MUST try?” He named the dish, the restaurant and explained how it should be eaten!

We ended up going to that place 3 or 4 times and I will be eternally grateful to this man for introducing me to a delicious local specialty that was so much fun to eat! Hello, fingers!

Eat your way through culture shock

So how can food help us deal with culture shock?

  • Food is a part of culture and a very tasty way for us to get an insight into a country’s culinary world. How does that help? Well, a full belly isn’t the wrong way to start…
  • Food is a source of comfort, obviously. On a primal level, it keeps us alive. On an emotional level, a hot bowl of yummy soup can work wonders. This is true at home and abroad.
  • Taste is dynamic, constantly changing and developing. Trying out new dishes and ingredients helps develop our taste and incorporate a bit of that new country into our lives. It bridges a gap.
  • Showing interest in another country’s food tradition is a way of showing interest for its culture and getting to know it a little better, again bridging the distance between us and our new environment.
  • Showing interest in another country’s culinary specialties is a way to communicate with locals too. If you’re shy, not sure what to talk about or how to approach people, why not start with food? You’ve got to eat anyway, so you might as well ask questions: what’s your favorite local dish? Where’s your favorite restaurant? What do you recommend I try? What’s the best way to eat this? Where do you recommend I eat [insert name of dish]?
  • Being interested in local food is also a way to bring us out of our shell. When we’re dealing with culture shock we might feel completely overloaded and ‘shut down’. In that situation, food is a way for us to be in that new culture, to get to know it while taking care of ourselves, because eating well equals care and therefore comfort.

Food is powerful in many ways, so don’t be afraid to eat your way through culture shock!

Helene is the author of Culture Shock Toolbox. She is gluten-intolerant, fascinated by all things culture shock, loves yoga, animals and the outdoors. Connect with her on Facebook @CultureShockToolbox or Twitter @helenerybol

South America

Guest Post: Glimpse of South America (Part 2)

Erin Smith

This guest post comes from my friend Kathleen. You can read more about Kathleen here.  Kathleen does not let her gluten-free diet deter her from traveling the world. She does extensive and impressive research before each trip and she was excited to share her South American adventures with my readers. You can read part one of Kathleen’s South American adventures here.  

In both Brazil and Argentina, labeling for packaged foods is fairly easy to see. They speak Portuguese in Brazil and Spanish in Argentina. English is fairly well understood in the more cosmopolitan areas though many spoke no English. I had no difficulties communicating wherever we went. When you make an effort to use the native language too, it seems to be appreciated. It might help you eat safely somewhere else. Many have heard about gluten because it is law in those countries. Industrialized foods and drinks are more regularly labeled “contains gluten” or “does not contain gluten” (translation: “CONTÉN GLÚTEN” or ““NÃO CONTÉN GLÚTEN”). Despite this, many people don’t know exactly what it means or how to deliver safe Gluten-Free. The translation of barley, oats, wheat and rye is ” malte”, “aveia”, “trigo” and “centeio” (from www.CeliacTravelSite.com).  I had no problems in the markets shopping for Gluten-Free food. What goes on in a kitchen is another matter. Here are 2 links to help understand and manage better.

Brazilian Celiac http://www.acelbra.org.br/2004/index.php                   http://www.acelbra.org.br/english/index.php

Argentina isn’t quite up to the same awareness as Brazil but these links should help. http://www.singluten.es/index.php?ArticleInfo&Process&1663     http://www.celiac.com/articles/229/1/Argentina/Page1.html

I always carry Celiac diet cards. Those are available from several sources and in many languages. They each may differ slightly. I make mine conform to my particular diet requirements. Here is one such link – Celiac Travel Cards: http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/  [Ed note: Here are more translation card resources]

As one who must avoid gluten always, in any form, I keep a vegetarian diet. The most unlikely foods during processing often are enhanced with, come in contact with or are derived from wheat, rye, barley or oats. Avoidance is the only cure for celiac. (I highlighted this for the tour company to understand dietary importance.)

These above Argentinian and Brazilian sites offer translations. These and others offer venues that might be accessible for traveling celiacs to eat safely and possibly better than what was offered during our recent South American tour. For future celiac guests, it would be beneficial if a few eateries from Rio and Buenos Aires nearby the destination hotels could be identified to inform your gluten sensitive guests. Tour people know better than travelers which places are nearer than others. Since diet is the only medical way to cope with Celiac Disease, this step would sufficiently enhance a celiac’s visit to your countries.

Many celiacs have dietary issues other than Celiac so a diet can be more restrictive than some with Celiac alone. Celiacs have to avoid Wheat, Rye, Barley and Oats but fully appreciate good flavor, like all other travelers. Food should be part of the travel fun.

These conditions do not have to confine Gluten-Free travels for several reasons. I contact hotels and tour companies well in advance and confirm at several points prior to arrival that they expect to serve a gluten intolerant guest. If tour companies would release hotel emails, this would greatly simplify this step as it is not easy frequently to find emails directly to the hotels. If I had the tour guide’s name and email, I would email them directly to assure they have my information in time to prepare, in a timely manner. This makes guides and the company all look good. Frequently tour companies say one thing yet do a bit differently in forwarding such health information to their guides in a timely manner.

Food choices were not nearly as generous for Gluten-Free compared to the goods for “regular” guests but I was cared for, other than too much sugar – which causes other problems. Meat-eaters have much more variety, as was the case throughout Brazil and Argentina. If dairy is tolerated, the selections expand nicely. There really is no reason celiacs cannot eat well other than a lower level of preparation in the kitchen or by the company. If places even provide a range of vegetables (not just salad) – grilled and/or seasoned –  that would be appreciated. There are wonderful Gluten-Free pastas, bakeries and breads available in both Rio and Buenos Aires. I was not offered these alternatives where the tour went as a group in Brazil or Argentina, although Internet sites indicate they are available.

Rio and Buenos Aires appear to eat a great deal more meat and much less vegetables. As a non-meat-eater, U.S. vegetarian’s daily diet is much richer in fiber, vegetables and fruits than I found were available where we were scheduled to visit. Some Gluten-Free foods I experienced in these two countries were flavorless or they tended to be overcooked, cool or dry. A best first step would be for the tour company and travel guide to exchange vital information about a celiac traveler at least one week BEFORE the first tour meeting. This gives the venues better lead time than guest showing up expecting to have Gluten-Free. It is most frustrating for celiacs to have completed all forms, requirements and requests, only to find out that same information was not transmitted in time to have Gluten-Free food available after a long flight or at any point along the way. It is impractical for celiacs to pack a week of food in a suitcase. This is one alternative if communication cannot be timely.

Stay tuned for part 3 of Kathleen’s story including where she ate throughout South America. For a sneak peek, check out Kathleen’s South American restaurant reviews on GlutenFreeTravelSite.

general, South America

Guest Post: Glimpse of South America (Part 1)

Erin Smith

This guest post comes from my friend Kathleen. You can read more about Kathleen here.  Kathleen does not let her gluten-free diet deter her from traveling the world. She does extensive and impressive research before each trip and she was excited to share her South American adventures with my readers.

GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA to Rio de Janeiro, Iguassu Falls, and Buenos Aires

For our first trip to South America, we were concerned about a gluten-free diet. As one celiac traveler who is mostly vegetarian, we didn’t know fully what to expect about safe eating. We had not traveled South America or south of the Equator before. The trip lists as a 10-day trip. We had 8 full days on the ground in Brazil and Argentina with 2 legs intra-continental air travel, plus arrival and departure arrangements. I’ll not address getting there and coming home to the US (many have their own routines for flights and familiar territories) but I’ll focus on eating Gluten-Free while IN South America.

We had a fabulous, conscientious tour guide, Rodrigo Winterstein, representing Trafalgar Tours with us. We traveled with a tour company and they select your guide. We like this way to introduce a new area to us; we don’t have to drive, map out what we’re doing each day, and most everything is done for us. We are free to watch and fully experience the sights to not miss a thing. We do our homework upfront, before getting there.

We could not have been happier with Rodrigo Winterstein. He escorted us throughout our South American visit, along with 36 other travelers. There is a nice safety element when traveling with a group as well as head of line privileges and door-to-door visits most often. Rodrigo is a professional guide (also for hire) who lives in Rio de Janeiro, who speaks 5 languages I think he said and who excels in his chosen field. His attention to all manner of details was first-class as he introduced us to various places and optimized our visit around Rio (just Rio to locals), Iguassu Falls, and Buenos Aires. He reinforced my celiac diet requirements by giving advance notice to food managers for my meals included with the tour. How considerate, knowing contact had been made ahead of time and the visited eateries expected a Gluten-Free guest and understood the demands of such a diet. This made travel easier as I could focus on what I wanted to eat mainly instead of having to begin at Point 1 with questioning whether they understood Gluten-Free and its preparation. You’re right; no Gluten-Free person entirely lets down their guard as it is our responsibility to guard as best as possible against eating the wrong things. That’s why I establish contact before travels, reinforce before departure and use travel cards with managers, waiters and servers. Sincere thank yous with feedback are just as important.

Rodrigo was most attentive to the Gluten-Free diet but what else impressed us is that he fully grasped the idea of cross-contamination immediately. Many, when explaining Gluten-Free eating, might “get” the idea of ingredients of safe food content but do not register that preparation and serving surfaces, implements, etc. must not touch gluten as well. His preparation was based on my emails, forms, health requirements and conversations shared with the tour company and booking company when we booked our trip, as well as a short paper I handed him his own copy to keep when we first discussed my Gluten-Free diet. This makes it easier if [your] guide has what you want and need in one short form. (One such standard I use is shown at the end.) Rodrigo was impressed how easy it is to miss the mark with Celiac. He said repeatedly how much he had learned by traveling with us. He gave great consideration to this and came up with the term “life risk” as a warning to describe how important proper food preparation is, in addition to ingredients.

Will I find safe eating easy, what else need I do, I wondered before our journey. The Internet is a great resource with a caution to note the date. Things change. I did my online research and came prepared by having several copies of modified restaurant or travel cards – one for the guide, a few for the place we’re eating at the time and several for me in case mine get messy or lost. Plus, I needed Spanish and Portuguese for where we traveled.

Rodrigo asked if I would share my contacts and information regarding CELIAC/COELIAC assistance. Thus began a plan to help tour companies and Gluten-Freers accommodate a safe Gluten-Free diet while traveling. I do hope this helps others with any special diet needs. Again, Rodrigo, thank you for helping us navigate Brazil and Argentina safely GLUTEN-FREE during our Glimpse of South America tour with Trafalgar Tours.

Stay tuned for part 2 of Kathleen’s story including her pre-travel communications to her tour company. For a sneak peek, check out Kathleen’s South American restaurant reviews onGlutenFreeTravelSite.

Canada, general, Ontario

Guest Post: Gluten Free in London (Ontario)

Erin Smith

London, Ontario, Canada holds a very dear place in my heart. I grew up going to London almost every summer to visit my grandmother, aunt, uncle, and cousin. It is a beautiful city about 3 hours west of Toronto and worth a visit. The city is full of beautiful parks and even has a Thames River running through the city, just like London, England. 

When I connected with Harpreet Kaur, author at Celiac Desi, via Twitter, I was excited to learn about her adventures in one of my favorite Canadian cities. She kindly agreed to write a guest post about living and eating in London, Ontario. Please remember, these are Harpreet’s opinions and experiences so I cannot vouch for this information. 

Gluten Free in London, Canada
by Harpreet Kaur

London, Ontario…  Yes! There’s a city called London, in the south west of Ontario, Canada. For the past 3.5 years this has been my home. I came to Canada to pursue my PhD in Biochemical Engineering, in the fall of 2009. And as a student from India, The University of Western Ontario, now known as Western University was (and continues to be) one of the most beautiful campus I’ve ever stepped foot on. I could go on and on about how much I love the campus, however, what fascinates me the most is the hospitality services.

So, if I have to list my top 5 places to eat in London, Ontario, I’d have to start with Western University. Considering I spend 90% of my time here, it’s not a big surprise.  The main food court resides in the University community centre but the campus eateries are dispersed throughout campus and almost every other building has a small cafe, where a pre-packed gluten free sandwich/salad/dessert can be purchased.

Now, even on campus, this is my absolutely favorite place:

  1. Western Student Recreation Centre cafe

It seats about 50 people and has the most kind-hearted hospitality staff I’ve ever come across. Andrea, the supervisor, makes sure that she does all that she can to keep you ‘gluten free’ and healthy & fed. Her colleagues, Jim, Kaitlyn & Jeff are amazing too.  At the Gym cafe (as I call it) you’ll get easy access to, gluten free salads, sandwiches & desserts. Now, the campus hospitality staffs in general, are trained in handling gluten free food. They use a parchment paper when heating your sandwich, make sure there’s no cross contamination at all times; even when making your gluten free salads. My favorite sandwich is toasted slice of buckwheat-chia bread with peanut butter and honey these days. But the other popular options are: turkey, chicken, egg and the good old grilled cheese sandwich. Salads vary from the traditional garden greens, to chick pea and tuna salad, thai noodle salad to artichoke salad. They also carry Chex Rice cereal (the small pack, that is good for one person’s breakfast). The dessert squares come from Organic Works Bakery at 222 Wellington Street south. This also happens to be my next most favorite place in Ontario, not just London. 

  1. Organic Works Bakery @ 222 Wellington Street South.

You can’t go wrong with this bakery. The owners are friendly, soft spoken and knowledgeable. Their menu is tantalizing and appetizing, ambience rustic chic and very welcoming. I would strongly recommend this place to everyone and anyone who loves food, an afternoon off with friends & family & conversation over coffee & food, and/or is just looking for a place to relax. Their pizza and lasagne is the best gluten free one’s I have had so far; not taking into account my friend Anastasia’s homemade pizza of course.

Next on my list is:

  1. Friendly Fare Cafes – Friendly fare for fussy folks

You see, like many of you out there, I had to wait 18 months before I was diagnosed with celiac disease. During this wait, I saw several doctors – cardiologist, endocrinologist, rheumatologist, general physician, liver specialist and many others. The only good that came out of seeing the rheumatologist was stumbling across this cafe, thanks to his last minute change of clinic location. What I love about this place is that you can customize your breakfast options, design your own omelette and have it served hot. Sure, Cora’s is another good option, but for budget conscious students like me, Friendly Fare does the trick. The ONLY downside to this place is the limited hours (weekdays 7:30am to 4pm, and Saturday 9am to 2pm.)  Their menu can be accessed at their website: http://pplisforyou.wix.com/ffc#!

  1. Waldos’ Bistro

A sunny afternoon and a slight craving for good wine lead us to this little bistro, tucked within Covent Garden Market, in London. Covent Garden market has its own charm. Definitely a must visit for all and Waldo’s is the cherry on top. If you visit, do not miss their ‘tomato and goat cheese stack’. While not a completely gluten free restaurant, the staff is very well informed, considerate and patient. So take your time to explain and specify how you would like your food served.

  1. Cafe Sentral & Sushi Galore

I’ve been debating over which of these two places are worth the 5th spot on my list, and I think it’s a tie. What Sushi Galore lacks in ambience and hospitality, Cafe Sentral more than makes up for. Of course, with respect to gluten free food, Cafe Sentral serves the best gluten free crepes and Sushi galore the best sushi. In fact, Sushi galore is even mentioned on ‘The Celiac Scene’.

Of course, these are the places I’m yet to try out…If you do, I’d love to hear from you:

About the author, Harpreet Kaur:

A pharmaceutical technologist by qualification, I am currently pursuing PhD in Biochemical Engineering at Western University, Canada.  As a scientist, my research interest lies in development of novel, cost effective and highly efficient techniques for protein refolding and purification. I’m a dynamic person and enjoy exploring new avenues, in my personal & professional life.

My family means the world to me. I sincerely believe I am who I am today thanks to the patient guidance and humble upbringing of my parents. They gave me the most priceless assets anyone could hold – education & unconditional love.

After almost 18 months of misdiagnosis, battery of pathology lab tests, seeing specialists of almost every other organ in a human body; I was ‘relieved’ to learn I have Celiac Disease. A disease that although doesn’t have a cure, is easily managed by a serious, stringent change in eating habits, and general lifestyle. It took me more than a year to realize that going gluten free wasn’t enough. That I performed much better, lactose free and on a low carbohydrate (specifically rice & potatoes) diet. And so, since Jan 2012, I’m gluten free, lactose free and on a strict low carb diet*. This has resulted in me losing 27 lbs in a year and I’m finally in the healthy BMI range. My thyroid is in check, I’m not breathless anymore and I’ve regained almost all my stamina to survive a regular day in the lab without feeling like I’m gonna die.

I started writing on Celiac Desi in 2012 (update 10/24/13: http://celiacindia.tumblr.com), after realizing that there was very little information easily available for those in India, or of Indian origin. Most of the Indian food can be easily modified to suit gluten free needs, and in fact is rich in nutrition, since it is essentially vegetables, lentils, meat and spices. The staple diet of most Indians is a bowl of sautéed vegetables, with lentil soup and rice and/or Indian bread. Removing the Indian bread (roti, naan) from the diet, avoiding the use of hing (or asafoetida) when cooking, makes almost every meal gluten free.  Indian bread can be substitute by Indian crepes which are made of fermented rice and lentils.

*Low carb diet: I eat not more than 2 cups of rice or 3 large potatoes in a week.