Archive for August 13th, 2007
Coming to America
There are two themes to this: First, I´m coming home. And second, there are a lot of people who want to come with me!
I travel quite a lot, but it’s been a while since I’ve stayed in a foreign country for an extended period of time. All of a sudden, I’ve come to feel intensely proud and lucky to be an American. I was born into a country that gave me an opportunity to become anything that I’ve ever dreamed of. Sure, there are barriers, and it’s harder for some than for others, but I live in a country where most people have clean drinking in their home, where you don’t see children begging on the streets, and where if you try hard enough, you can find some sort of job that will allow you to put a decent roof over your head and feed you. I’m even lucky that I’m allowed to visit almost any country I please.
I’m amazed at the number of people who have jokingly asked me if I could take them home with me when I return. I have had more than a few offers to find me a good Honduran man to “import” back home. I’ve also met many people who have tried to cross the border by foot (often more than once), only to be caught and deported. I think the statistic here is that 1 in 4 families have a family member in the US. Many of the borrowers I interviewed have husbands, sons, and daughters who have immigrated, illegally or legally, to the US. One of the big education campaigns in Honduras is to encourage people to stay in their country, and help make it a better place. The belief here is that if one could only make it to the US, they would find this utopian society where all their problems would disappear and they would have a better life. For many people, their life does improve, but for others who are working illegally, it’s still a hard life in the US. I even know people here who don’t want to move, they just want to travel to the US on vacation, and they can’t get the visa.
Immigration is a controversial subject in the US, and I don’t know what the answer is. I only wish everyone else could have the economic opportunities that I have been given. There are a lot of countries that offer natural resources, rich cultures, and scenic beauty that just need a chance. Despite the downsides to Honduras, there’s another side to it that is equally impressive as the United States. So you can get a feel for just how beautiful and varied this country is, I’ve attached a few photos. It is abundant in natural resources – coffee, tropical fruits, shrimp, cocoa; tourism opportunities abound – the Bay Islands with its coral reefs, numerous national parks abundant with wildlife, the Mayan ruins of Copan; and most importantly – incredibly friendly and hospitable people who have welcomed me with open arms. I can’t say enough how much I am going to miss all the people I have met along the way that have been open and honest and willing to tell me their stories. Hopefully the next time I come to Honduras (and I will someday!) I will hear stories of change and progress.
2 comments 13 August 2007
Life in Kisumu
Prior to departure from the states, I was given the option of staying in either a hotel or a home stay for the duration of the trip—I chose the latter for the cultural experience. I stayed with staff members Patrick Oketch and Rogers Otieno, both aged 23 and great hosts despite the constant attention drawn by a mzungu in the rural parts of the country. The home stay was a small two bedroom house, shared between the three of us and a handful of local insects. The conditions were actually better than I had prepared for, but mosquito nets and bug repellent were necessary.
Most of my social experiences parallel Tanuj and Kerry’s recent posts; it has been surreal for strangers to constantly make an effort to shake my hand or engage in a short hybrid conversation of English and Kiswahili. The children are very social, and unquestionably the most engaging participants during my client visits to the rural areas. On a typical visit—within minutes of entering a village—most of the children will have poured from their homes and tightly crowded shoulder-to-shoulder behind me.
Located on the shores of Lake Victoria, Kisumu is highly influenced by the local fishing economy. There are commonly fishermen carrying a fresh catch directly to the markets for sale, and others cooking along the shores over a small charcoal grill. There are also just a handful of fish that actually inhabit the lake; the most popular being 
Tilapia, a sizable whitefish. My first experience trying the locally prepared food was a bit unsettling, as the cooked fish was delivered with the head, skin, and tail intact—all of which are intended to be consumed, excluding the bones. I’ve since become accustomed to this style of preparation, but I’ll admit that I long for a simple boneless filet.
A few weekends ago, after a similar meal, a few of the SEED staff took me hippo hunting on the lake. There are a few hippo hideouts that we searched along the shores, and to my surprise we found a small family of four bathing in the sun! I took as many pictures as possible, which can be found here. The lake itself is beautiful, and despite its vast size the maximum depth is a relatively shallow 84m (276 ft) which aids in more frequent spotting of wildlife. I’m also told that Lake Victoria has a large crocodile population, although I’m happy to say that we didn’t see any near our small boat.
Add comment 13 August 2007
Kiva Training in Baku!
On Friday, with the help of the NorMicro staff, I held a “Kiva Training Session” for the employees of the Azerbaijani Kiva Field Partners. There were seventeen of us total, representing NorMicro, Komak, and AqroInvest. Bahman (NorMicro’s Director) suggested that I hold the training, while Tasaduf (NorMicro’s Human Resources Manager) worked really hard to get us a very nice briefing room in Baku’s fancy Caspian Business Plaza. For over three hours we discussed (in English and Azerbaijani, with translation by Tasaduf!) pertinent Field Partner topics, such as writing Kiva business descriptions, taking good client photos, how to post business profiles, and writing journal entries. The attendees had lots and lots of good questions and are obviously committed to further enhancing their Kiva efforts!
I made sure we had an internet connection and a projector so everyone could experience Kiva.org — some of the attendees have not yet worked with Kiva, while others do not have consistent internet access in their offices. During the presentation I surfed through the website, highlighting important points and answering questions about lenders and clients. (I even impressed them with the fact that almost 12% of all Kiva funds, thus far, have gone to Azerbaijani clients!) One thing I really focused in on was that Kiva lenders are individuals – I think it’s easy for the uninitiated loan officer to assume that Kiva is just some faceless American corporation throwing big money at international projects. I pulled up Hajibaba’s business profile and used Mrs. Diba’s Class as an example of Kiva’s lenders. The mental image of six-year-olds collecting pennies for Hajibaba really helps illustrate the Kiva spirit!!
To train the newbies and reinforce Kiva’s processes to the experienced loan officers, we used a “real” client as an example. We tested out the new Kiva Form created by Adam (Peace Corps Volunteer assigned to NorMicro) as a means of systematically improving information flow between loan officers and the individuals who post the Kiva listings. Next, we all worked together to develop a concise, but detailed business description. Finally, Behbud (NorMicro’s Beylagan Branch Kiva Coordinator) walked us through posting a profile – keep an eye out for Rafig’s profile!
The Kiva Training attendees:
The response to the training was very encouraging and I expect that the Azerbaijani Kiva listings will soon be even better! The training was a little bittersweet for me – I leave in just one week! Time has flown! I am sad to go, but I guess I do need to get back home and finish up my degree at some point 
I hope to post some links to pictures before I leave!
Add comment 13 August 2007
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