Part 1: The Excitement Before the Journey

Taking the train is always an experience. The anticipation of the trip builds from the moment you pick a destination. But if you’re traveling for a special event, the excitement is instantly elevated. That’s the case for Mayra, a Peruvian fashion designer studying at The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York that is headed to Washington, DC to be a part of the Smithsonian Folk Festival – Peru Pachamama.

, a second year student at FIT studying fashion design, along with five fellow Peruvian students will participate in the festival and as an extra piece of excitement; they will also participate in a fashion show at the Peruvian Embassy. We recently chatted with Mayra to talk to her about her upcoming trip.

Will this be your first time to Washington, DC?
I’ve visited Washington, DC many times before but this will be my first time with more of a fashion eye. The last time I took an Amtrak was last year when I went to Maryland to visit my grandparents. It’s always exciting to travel by train and to enjoy the landscapes.

Back in Peru, do take the train often? If so, what do you like about train travel?
In Peru the most common way to get to Machu Picchu is by train and the view is always amazing.

What are you looking forward to the most about your trip to Washington, DC?
One of the most common characteristics of Peruvians is their ability to fuse culture with creativity, thus I’m looking forward to meeting my fellow expositors individually and their original designs at the Peruvian Ambassador’s house. I really want to have fun and enjoy the festival while presenting my piece and get inspiration from other designers. And of course I hope to connect to more people in the fashion industry.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your upcoming trip?
I am excited to showcase this piece to a different audience than the usual one and why not maybe get the chance to meet the Peruvian representative in Washington, DC too!

Mayra and her fellow students will travel down on the Northeast Regional to participate in the Smithsonian Folk Festival, an annual festival held on the National Mall. Next week, we’ll chat with Sen, another student traveling to the festival to find out what he thought of his trip to DC. Check back next week!