The summer has come to a quick end! I plan to keep working on ¡Hace Sol! at Hampshire, and propose a Fulbright for 2012..more to come!
Photos from La Rioja, Argentina
Thanks for following!! :)
25 August 2010
15 August 2010
Still here.
I have been busy visiting schools with XO laptops! Wrapping up my internship here and still working hard on Hace Sol.
21 July 2010
hacesol.org
I'm proud to (finally!) launch hacesol.org !! We now have an official online home, which will be critical for funding the project. Feel free to leave feedback here!!
14 July 2010
Uruguay
I am now in Montevideo with Federico (also with OLPC)! I'm checking out the solar projects that have been installed here with the XO, and Fede is looking at adaptations for students with special needs.
"¡Hace Sol!" will have a website in the next few days..so stay tuned!!!!
"¡Hace Sol!" will have a website in the next few days..so stay tuned!!!!
04 July 2010
26 June 2010
¡Vamos, vamos!
The octavos start today!
Tomorrow is Arg v. Mexico..thought I'd post a short video from the plaza after Demichelis scored #1 against Greece..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8CV-7pAyDM&fmt=22
Tomorrow is Arg v. Mexico..thought I'd post a short video from the plaza after Demichelis scored #1 against Greece..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8CV-7pAyDM&fmt=22
16 June 2010
The Green Light
I've officially received the green light to go ahead with my project:
With luck, I'll be delivering solar panels to every student without access to electricity in La Rioja. It's the kind of project I've always wanted to get involved with, and I'm really ecstatic to have a purpose here! I will try to launch a website soon, but for now we are looking at costs and logistics...there are a few options to make this happen, and several panels are actually designed specifically to fit the XO!
¡Hasta pronto!
¡Hace Sol!
With luck, I'll be delivering solar panels to every student without access to electricity in La Rioja. It's the kind of project I've always wanted to get involved with, and I'm really ecstatic to have a purpose here! I will try to launch a website soon, but for now we are looking at costs and logistics...there are a few options to make this happen, and several panels are actually designed specifically to fit the XO!
¡Hasta pronto!
13 June 2010
¡Vamos, Argentina!
The World Cup is here! I'd love to upload some longer videos, but internet is usually too slow.. :/
03 June 2010
The Little Green Machine
We're hard at work in La Rioja, where our small team is designing projects to carry out over the next few months!
My hope is to look at a set of indicators, and evaluate which ones will most effectively assess the impact of the laptops in primary schools. Hopefully, I'll be able to return to La Rioja and recollect data well after the laptops have been deployed...
More to come! Again!
My hope is to look at a set of indicators, and evaluate which ones will most effectively assess the impact of the laptops in primary schools. Hopefully, I'll be able to return to La Rioja and recollect data well after the laptops have been deployed...
More to come! Again!
28 May 2010
Buenos Aires
Made it! I've always wanted to get here, and now I'm finally in Buenos Aires. It is a beautiful city, but tragically I only had a day to roam around. In a few hours I'll catch a bus to La Rioja--a state in the northwest of Argentina where I'll be working for One Laptop per Child.
I have a hard time blogging, so PLEASE PLEASE comment whenever you can! It would be great if this space turned into a conversation..I really don't want to build a cyberego, if that's even possible. I'm sure it is.
http://tinyurl.com/39uhzrg
More to come...
I have a hard time blogging, so PLEASE PLEASE comment whenever you can! It would be great if this space turned into a conversation..I really don't want to build a cyberego, if that's even possible. I'm sure it is.
http://tinyurl.com/39uhzrg
More to come...
23 January 2010
Pics, at last!
Hey all,
I've finally uploaded pics from my trip..thanks again for following !
http://tinyurl.com/y9y577x
Matt
I've finally uploaded pics from my trip..thanks again for following !
http://tinyurl.com/y9y577x
Matt
29 November 2009
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...
--Pablo Picasso
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!
22 November 2009
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. :)
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. :)
15 November 2009
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.
.jpg)
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.
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.
.jpg)
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.
09 November 2009
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!
Be back soon!
31 October 2009
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...!
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...!
25 October 2009
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,
That same year:
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.
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.
17 October 2009
¡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..
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..
11 October 2009
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!
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!
04 October 2009
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
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
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