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A Trip Around the World: Balboa Park adds eight International Cottages

India, Korea, Mexico, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Chamorros, The Philippines and Turkey all became the newest members of The House of Pacific Relations.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — On a sunny day in Balboa Park, the cultures of peoples from around the world was on full display. A celebration of nine new countries joining the park’s little united nations. 

The House of Pacific Relations welcomed India, Korea, Mexico, Palestine, Panama, Peru, Chamorros, the Philippines and Turkey- bringing the total number of nations and cultures represented in the park to more than 30.

Each nation has its own stand alone or shared cottage, a space to display artwork, have events and cook food from their county or culture.

"A group of houses without cottages had a dream," said House of Pacific Relations President Eugenie King. "They asked how difficult and expensive could it be? Yeah. Laughing is the right approach here."

Through donations, public grant money and a lot of patience the cottages were finally built. 

A nearly four million dollar project fifteen years in the making. And now countries like Mexico can have their culture on display in Balboa Park.

"We're all just united in the love of our culture and wanting to share it and promote it and educate people," says Blanca Gonzalez from the house of Mexico.

This was the original idea of the House of Pacific Relations, to educate the thousands of people that come through the beauty that is Balboa Park, to different ideas, culture and art of far away places. 

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