Una Despedida

Hey all, this marks my last blog post!

I'm still way too absorbed in all this to properly digest it, or even try to summarize 3 1/2 months of mayhem and growth..

But, I've been thinking a lot about how I've changed as a result of my time here in Central America..so here it goes!

1. You can't choose culture..you inherit it.

I came here thinking my U.S. identity meant nothing, and I was wrong. Just because I'm not proud of my government doesn't mean I don't carry culture around on my sleeve. Living here has forced me to really confront that identity for the first time. I've learned that the world is not one place, and I only know a very small, specific part of it.

2. There's more to language than words.

I used to think speaking Spanish was a function of how many words I knew. But now I understand that without the right expression, tone, emotion, pronunciation, no one knows what the hell you're talking about. Language isn't about memory, but expressive adaptation.

3. The world's not small..but we want it to be.

Kids with field day t-shirts from New Jersey, families living under signs from the New Zealand government..every time the word "globalization" popped into my head, it was because someone else was imposing culture, or religion, or idelogy. The world's not getting smaller, we're just shrinking it.

4. You're only as old as your adventure.

Being halfway across the world is like starting from square one. It was a poetic slap in the face to come here and realize I only know what I'm doing in my own comfortable little bubble.

So, at the risk that these four epiphanies seem delusional or incoherent, I'm going to formally close off my blog with someone else's words...

Siempre hago lo que no puedo hacer, para que yo pueda aprender a hacerlo.

I always do that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.

--Pablo Picasso

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks so much again for following my adventure!!!
I'll be sure to post photos when I can,
but that won't be until late December...
Happy Holidays!

El Programa

So I've been putting some of my final work together for ICADS, and realize that I haven't been very specific about my work here in Matagalpa!

So here it goes..

Usura Cero was launched in mid-2008 by the Sandinista government in Managua as the first national microfinance program in Nicaragua. It had originally planned to reach out to 80,000 women in five years, but at the end of 2008, it had already granted loans to over 70,000 in all.

The loans have specific requirements..some of which are strictly followed, some aren't.

The idea is to only loan to women from urban barrios (neighborhoods)..a sharp contrast from other programs that largely target subsistence farmers and agricultural production as a whole. There are 16 regional offices--one for each departamento (state) in Nicaragua. The office here, in Matagalpa, currently manages 242 groups of women. Officially, these are called "grupos solidarios"..groups of 5-10 women that are meant to support each other through the duration of their individual loans.

In Matagalpa, 53 of the 242 groups are currently in debt. There is no money available for loans to new groups, so for now, the money is just being recycled for second/third loans.

The amount of each loan varies between 1,850 and 5,500 cordobas ($89-$265)..although the vast majority of women, in my experience, opt for the maximum loan of 5,500. There are four plans for repayment--3, 4, 6, or 8 months..and interest increases with time--1.27, 1.66, 2.45, and 3.24 percent respectively. This is much lower than what the private banks offer here, but contrary to public opinion, microfinance is not free in Nicaragua.

I've been tagging along to learn from the four different stages of these loans.

First, there is "capacitación"..the two training sessions required for each loan recipient prior to receiving her check (and one for each subsequent loan). They are interesting to take part in. Organized by an external institute, they focus on business strategies as a way for women to manage more money than they usually see in a month.

Second, there is distribution..a fun kind of celebration where the groups come together for their checks. Usually, this is accompanied by a speech from a government official, or something formal to contextualize the event.

Third, there are payments. Working in the office means getting to interact with women that come in to make weekly payments..always an interesting opportunity to see how the loan is progressing.

Fourth, and probably most importantly, I get to travel with the "Oficial de Crédito" on collection visits to the barrios (neighborhoods). This is the most life-changing part of working here..getting out to the barrios, and engaging with women who are surrounded by immense poverty.

My views on the program, and microfinance as a whole, are mixed..but it's something I won't comment on online. I will say that this has been an unreal experience--something I won't ever be able to forget. I can't wait to bring my experience back to Hampshire and try to make sense of all I've seen in these quick two months.

I will try and get to a computer next weekend for my final (!!) blog. After that, we will be traveling back to Costa Rica with little time to get online..finishing up with finals, presentations, etc..

But for now, thanks so much again for checking in! It's been fun writing here..has been a nice little weekly ritual. :)

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Some Developments

I came to Nicaragua with a sense of what "development" means: that we, as Americans, are part of the "developed" world. They, as the global poor, represent "underdeveloped," or "developing" people.

There are, of course, innate issues of political inequality that penetrate those ideas. I can't say I haven't stopped to think about them, but my life certainly hasn't changed because there are poor people in the world.

We offer sympathy, and money, to this other "world"..never stopping to think about what that means, or the framework in which we think that's okay.

I'm no expert. But living, working, and making memories here has completely reversed the way I see development.

I understand now, with all honesty, that we, as a country, are underdeveloped.

1. We are underdeveloped until we realize that America is not one country, but thirty-five. Not one language, but thousands.



2. We are underdeveloped until we read. Until we read and read and understand our history of imperialism.



3. We are underdeveloped until we see the fence we built from space.



4. We are underdeveloped until we take responsibility for our actions. Until we say no to the World Bank, and yes to harmony.



5. We are underdeveloped until a smile says we can listen.



If we can't look inwards--if we can't change the way we think about the world--then it's no wonder development is taking so long.

La Playa

So, I know I didn't blog this weekend, and I can't pretend this is my photo, but I did have a solid excuse for not checking in ;)


Be back soon!

Fast Forward

So I just thought I'd link this article from the New York Times..it's all over the news here...

Thirty years later, and the U.S. is still imposing its will in Nicaragua.

Of course, it's part of a bigger picture..we've already seen this with Chavez in Venezuela, Evo in Bolivia, Correa in Ecuador. The U.S. is doing everything possible to break down the New Left movement in Latin America.


Is Nicaragua next? The ambassador's problems here might just find their way into U.S. headlines...!

Truth is Sad

In the 10 minutes it takes for me to write this blog entry, at least one child will come up to me and ask for a peso.

We all know what poverty is--see it on TV, read about it in the NY Times, but rarely engage with its intrinsic origins.

The truth is that the United States has had a profound and heinous influence in Nicaragua since the early 20th century.

That canal we now cruise through--in Panama--was originally meant to be here, in Nicaragua. You can see from the map below that Lake Nicaragua would've made the project a lot less expensive than the Panama Canal.



American troops invaded in 1909, and took control until 1933. This is when Sandino, a national hero here (the Ché of Nicaragua) led a revolution to overthrow the military.

The Americans "left," but also put Somoza in power..a puppet dictator meant to protect American interests. He reached an "agreement" with Sandino in 1933, and had him assassinated in 1934.

Somoza, and later his two sons, ruled the country for 45 years. It's unknown how many thousands of innocent citizens he killed, but there are still torture cells under his palace in Managua.

In 1939, FDR said,

Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.

That same year:

Somoza may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch.

After the Sandinistas overthrew the government in 1979, Nicaragua got its first taste of "freedom"..that is, until Ronald Reagan imposed a full trade embargo against the country, and started planting underwater mines in Nicaragua's Corinto harbour.

I can't define freedom, and I don't know when it arrived in Nicaragua.

But if we find it "self-evident" that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,

There has never been a free Nicaragua.

So now this little boy is asking me for a peso. What do I tell him?

The truth is sad.

¡Fotos!

Not the most high-res pics in the world, but I wanted to finally post a couple photos..



All is well, and the job is all I had hoped for. I have already traveled to meet with several women who have received microloans..it´s all too much to take in!

I´m crafting a study on the Usura Cero project in Matagalpa..basically contrasting the groups in debt with the groups that have paid back their loans. It will be interesting to find differences in the socioeconomic conditions of each..

Sorry for a lack of description..things are busy in a good way!

On a side note, news from the U.S. is very, very confusing when you´re abroad. First Obama and his Nobel..now this Balloon Boy thing?!

Check back soon..

Seguro y Feliz

So!

I have finally arrived in Matagalpa, where I will be completing my two-month internship with Usura Cero. I am incredibly excited to be here, living with the same wonderful family I stayed with during the few days we spent here in September.

Usura Cero is run by the Sandinista Government--a brand new (<1 year) microfinance program that hasn´t really been studied. I´m thrilled to be working with them, but even more excited to study microloans firsthand. If all goes well, I´ll be researching the success rates of these loans and traveling to each project, so I can learn from the Nicaraguans that are paying this money back.

For now, I have safely arrived in Matagalpa, where everything is fantastic! Thanks for all your messages, etc..if I had the time, I´d try and respond, but internet minutes seem to add up quickly here!

I´ll be sure to post here when I can..for sure next weekend when I´ll have a lot more to report!

Plans

Hey all,

Not much happening at the moment! Enjoying my final days in the San José area..

I am finalizing plans to work with Usura Cero...a microfinance project started by the FSLN government in Nicaragua.

If all goes well, I´ll be studying the initiative in Granada, where very few loans are being returned to the bank. It will be a research project on the ideal conditions for microlending..Granada is a city with high levels of tourism, but revenue from that sector does not seem to be alleviating the extreme poverty in that area.

I´ll be sure to post soon with more details, but possibly after I arrive in Nicaragua.

Thanks so much for checking in!!
Matt

Quick Thoughts from Nicaragua

We all just returned from Nicaragua last night..it was one of the real highlights of my semester so far.

Managua, Matagalpa and Granada are all incredibly different cities. From climate to income to energy, it seemed like each city really had its distinct personality.

But culturally, the country is warm and welcoming..political ideologies were strong and visible. Daniel Ortega and the socialist party have assumed power again (as of Jan 2007)..there are new government projects, like schools and homes being built. But on the whole, Nicas I met didn´t seem to think that the Sandinistas could lift the nation out of poverty.

Living in Costa Rica sometimes makes you forget where you are. Things are generally comfortable here..I have a bed, running water, (sometimes) working showers, and three meals a day. In Nicaragua, many of these things are scarce. It is a true challenge to live, even for a few days, in Matagalpa. I find myself thinking constantly of the daily life conditions there--to lose electricity for a week, or water, or food.

It is a country with rich culture and history that I hope to dive further into soon..we are finalizing internship plans over the next week or so, and I can only hope to learn more from our neighbor to the north.

Mi Vida Aquí

Thought I´d take the time to reflect on my first two weeks in Central America..

The ICADS program is very, very intensive..with classes from 8 to 5 every day, and not much time for rest. It has, for me, been a great success so far. The Spanish professors here have literally transformed my ability to speak the language. Concepts that seemed vague and incomprehensible are now very clear, and I find myself making more mental corrections, shedding my ¨gringo¨ understanding of Spanish! Initially, I hated the idea of spending this much time learning a language, but is so rewarding to be able to communicate and really engage with everyone here.

The afternoon class is filled with intensive lectures and readings (I have a hard time finding a better word than ¨intensive¨!) which are also very rewarding. The guest speakers have spoken richly and about a number of important Latin American issues. I´ve also had to tap into my pathetic capacity for science, to perform hands-on research in sustainable agriculture. We traveled through the mountains to see firsthand how stringent regulations are for organic coffee.

But I digress. As much as I´ve learned in class so far, actually living with a family and becoming part of this culture (if only for two weeks) has been a life-changing experience. I feel so lucky to have this opportunity...every day meeting someone new, hearing an incredible story. I´m convinced that studying abroad is hugely important, but to do it in this manner is very different--and much more significant than living in an American dorm overseas.

The first five weeks here are dedicated to living around San José, learning as much Spanish as possible. It´s broken up by a trip to Nicaragua during the third week. We´re leaving on Sunday and it´s something we´re all looking forward to..all the ticos here say it´s a totally different world. Already we have heard that many of the American myths about Nicaragua are not true, but I´m interested in seeing that firsthand.

We´ll be traveling to Managua, Matagalpa, and Grenada..including some stops in between. I am looking forward to seeing all three of these cities, but particularly Matagalpa, because there are some internships there I am seriously considering.

After the five weeks of class have finished, we all move to different homes for 7 weeks to work at the internship site we´ve selected. I´m going through that process right now, looking at an activist group for sustainable development, an international radio program for peace, and a few organic farms scattered around the area. It makes up the vast part of the program, and as much as I´m cherishing San José, it will be good to find new work, a new home, and a new set of interesting challenges.

After those 7 weeks, we return to our families here for about ten days to write papers and present our work to the program. I hope this blog post wasn´t too boring, but I know I was confused before I started the program. So hopefully this will clarify some things for any students that are interested...

I´ll be sure to check in after we get back from Nicaragua! But that may not be until late Saturday or Sunday. Thanks for checking in!

La Manera Orgánica

The first thing you notice about Costa Rica is not the rainforest, or the beach, or the fancy resorts. Rather, it´s the way people interact..even with minimal competence in Spanish, it has become more and more clear that there is a sense of community here completely absent in the United States.

When I eat a meal, it is more often than not produced locally. Costa Rica does not (cannot?) rely on other countries for its rice and beans, or its bread and butter. Of course, when you go to a McDonald´s in the U.S., you´re eating an American burger (maybe), yet you still have no idea where it comes from. In this country, everything has a fresh, local taste. It amazes me how many Americans are trying to go "organic", which is all peachy..but how organic can a fruit be when it´s flown in from another hemisphere? I am on the 20-fruits-a-day diet, and they all come from Costa Rica. (Sadly, also the 20-cups-of-coffee-diet, but I´m convinced there´s no better coffee in the world)

Without a computer or the internet or a book or a magazine or the latest fashion news from Hollywood, I find myself constantly interacting with my surroundings. How often do we take a minute out of our day to study what´s going on around us? Of course, this is part of being a traveler, but it is also a product of life without the petty distractions we seem to live off of.

There is more love here than I have ever seen..each family is sown together in such a natural way. To me, that´s what organic means..love minus the chemicals: gossip, drama, propaganda. It´s not our fault that these petty things seem to penetrate our daily lives, but we also must take responsibility for the decisions we make. Cliché, I know, but I realize now that winter doesn´t mean me and the internet need to be best friends. Or that a day off from work means a day with HBO...

Everyone who walks by my home here stops in to say hello. In a half-mile radius of my home in the U.S., I know maybe 3 neighbors? 4? It´s those personal decisions we need to re-examine. So I´m sorry if this first blog post is a bit unclear, but I guess I´m just generally shocked at the organic sense of community everyone has here..something we lost a long time ago.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for checking in everyone! I´ll be trying to blog every Saturday while I´m here..I´m sorry for any typos etc..but Spanish is very intensive here, and there´s not much time to speak English!

Initiated!

Hey ya'all,

I am leaving tomorrow morning for San José..thought it would be a good opportunity to start blogging. I'm doing this for Hampshire's global education office, but also for friends and family that want to keep track of my adventure!

Thanks for checking in..

Speak to ya'all soon,
Matt