¡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!

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.