Naked Chorizo: Kitchen Day

What's up! 
So I didn't blog yesterday because I was taking my AP English Test until noon, and I got the day off from work. Since I worked on Sunday though, I have still fulfilled my hours for this week (probably more, actually). 
Anyways, today was a really nice day!! We didn't have any events booked, so I got to go to the kitchen where they prep the food in order to help Zenia make the marinade for the chorizo. She also took today as a day to help me with my own "truck" (a.k.a. my product for the senior project). I got to test some of my recipes for what I plan on serving in a couple of weeks, and she and her nieces did the taste testing. Her nieces especially loved my pizza hobo pie and the egg and cheese one. Today was extremely helpful for me because I got to put my vision into action, and Zenia helped me brainstorm more menu options and variations. So far, I've solidified a few parts of my plan: my food "truck", will be a food tent (because trucks and carts cost upwards of $20,000). The tent is actually Zenia's, which she so graciously offered me to borrow! 
The second component I'm set upon is the name (one of the most important parts of this entire operation actually)....my business is going to be called "Zobo's Hobo Pies". It kind of rolls of the tongue, doesn't it? :)
I also got to visit Zenia's butcher, whom she gets meat from twice a week. He, like most people I've met this week, was really stressing how tough this entire industry is. It feels like everyone is trying to scare me out of it! But I'm not budging. I get that it's hard work, a lot harder than most would expect, but I'm willing to do it. I like working hard if it's for something that I really want...it just makes it all the more worthwhile. And that feeling of satisfaction after a long day of serving customers is the best feeling in the world.
It's also Friday, the end of the week, which means I should be reflecting back on this past week. I don't even know where to begin! I feel like I've learned more this week than I have in an entire semester of high school. I certainly surpassed my goal of thing I wanted to accomplish this week. I've met such amazing people and I did things I never thought I could pull off. I learned about opening and maintaining a business, how to work with others, customer service, the labor behind the operation, washing dishes, taking orders, preparing food, dealing with  both slow and busy days, promotion and marketing, AH!! I feel so enriched and excited. 
In fact, I had such a great time this week that I asked Zenia today if I could work a few times next week as well. I would work full time if I could, but I also realized that I have a lot of planning and setting up to do this next week. As soon as I got home today, I wrote down everything I need to focus on next week. Zenia's going to be sending me her business plan template to help me construct my business and think about important aspects of my food tent, which is going to be so helpful. A few of the many things I plan on doing is having another taste-testing session with a small group of friends and family who can give me some honest input, getting a logo created, getting my name out there through social media, going to costco/food depot to tally exactly what I need and how much it will cost, refining my business plan, and setting up some definite locations I can serve at in my final week. So far, I'm extremely satisfied with the way my senior project is turning out, and I'm getting so much more out of it than I had expected!
The most exciting part, actually, is that before this week I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do in college or beyond. But after meeting all of these people who share the same passion for food trucks as I do, I'm strongly considering majoring in Business and/or Marketing at UCLA next year. That' s what all these food truckers have under their belt, and I can do so much with that major. I also think I want to work for Zenia over the summer. WELL, talk to you soon! I can't wait to continue blogging about my crazy adventure. I'm feeling so good about this project....and am really hoping for an all-school presentation :)