Author Archive
Divided in Two
Let’s hear it for everyone who works hard: supporting themselves, supporting their families, and trying to balance their professional and personal lives!
We all know that this balance is nearly impossible to achieve, but the formula becomes especially complicated when you run your own business.
First Rains on Shaky Ground
Things have settled down in Chile – somewhat. At least once a week there’s another strong “réplica”, or aftershock, that gives people jelly-legs and sets off anxiety attacks. Buildings are being gutted and have their innards strewn on the sidewalks as they await new walls and roofs. The previous inhabitants of these retail or living spaces have taken up business under tarps on the street, and have taken up residence under tarps on the outskirts of the cities. For the most part, they have proudly resumed a sense of normalcy, although of a very different flavor.
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider
The Itsy-Bitsy Spider climbed up the water spout
Down came the rain and washed the spider out
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain
And the Itsy-Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again…
This song always comes to mind when I meet clients who seem to be trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, loan dependence, and over-indebtedness. Meeting these clients makes me sad and disappointed. But other clients inspire me infinitely.
What if God Was One of Us?
Kiva, micro-loans, and spiritual self-awareness
Let there be light!
Kiva brings sustainable energy to an isolated farming community in Honduras!
And where have all the Journals gone?
The Q&A sessions of last week continue. I have to really open my ears to get the “A’s”, because the best responses to the ever-growing list of “Q’s” usually come unsolicited from “platicas”, or casual conversations.
The best reply yet to last week’s ambitious question of “What were the immediate and latent effects of last year’s disastrous economic and political situation in Honduras?” came in a “platica” I had with Prisma loan officers about Journals …
Week 1: Q&A
Where am I?
What am I doing?
Who am I?
These are all important questions that Kiva Fellows ask themselves. I imagine that I will spend the duration of my Kiva Fellowship (and probably a long time after) seeking the answers to these questions. So, what of the questions I have asked of my surroundings this week?
thanks, San Francisco! with love, KF10
We are the tenth class of Kiva Fellows (KF10), and we graduated from Kiva Fellows training! Now we must implement all that we have been charged with over the last week. Before I upholding my end of that promise, I need to reflect on the impact that the Kiva Fellows experience has already had on my life.
But how do I craft the perfect, viral blog that will accurately represent myself, my Kiva community, and the community in which I will be working and living?
