Carnaval in Bolivia lasts for the whole month of February, starting with previos (pre-party) until the burying of the pepino and beyond, as Bolivians keep drinking and partying. Here is a synopsis of my Carnaval experience in Bolivia. The Friday before Carnaval, I was working on Pro Mujer’s borrow[...]
Archive for the ‘Culture’ Category
Inevitable Stereotypes
As a gringo in Colombia, more often than not, you will be asked, “So what did you think of Colombia before you decided to visit?” Being objective, before you make the trip, cocaine cartels and violence will pop into your head to some extent. You may not mention this and opt for a more pl[...]
Without Corn There is No Country (Sin Maíz No Hay País)
“Maíz is life, it is happiness, it is parties, it is everything,” said Raúl, a campesino from the state of Hidalgo who we interviewed at the “¿Transgénicos? No, Gracias.” conference this week in Guadalajara. “When the contaminated [genetically modified] corn came into our are[...]
Neighborly Relations
“How can we improve the relations between the US and Mexico and be better neighbors?” Whoa. Big question, right? This is one of the questions we ask every interviewee in the documentary we are creating in Guadalajara, Mexico. US/Mexico relations are embarrassing and sad, and we want to help [...]
“Can you help me with my homework?”
Three nights ago, while I was relaxing on the porch outside of my room, I received a surprise visit from a young man who I had met on several occasions but never actually spoken with. Without telling me why, he asked me if I could follow him. Naturally, I agreed. He led me to another young [...][...]
Lo bueno, lo malo y lo feo
Teaching English to children in Ecuador has been a fantastic experience. Most of the children are very eager to learn and I’m happy to be a part of their education. However, within my very first weeks here I noticed a very disturbing trend: a lot of the kids cheat. At first I thought i[...]
When Microenergy and Microfinance Meet
Part of my role at blueEnergy is to manage our two loans through our local microfinance institution. Who would have thought a portfolio of a little over $1,200 would be so challenging? Earlier in 2009, blueEnergy received funds to subsidize individual solar systems for two communities: Set Net Point[...]
