Thursday, September 3, 2009
Finals Days in Guatemala
3 Billion
You must open your ears
To understand the tears
You must search your heart
To see this is not the start
You must lend both your hands
It’s time to make a stand
You know that you and me
Have the power to set 3 billion free
Vive en tu corazón y en tu mente
Para hacer que es verdadero
Though you many not understand what I am saying
We share the same dream…to do what’s right
What’s verdadero
From the bottom to the top
The others gotta stop
Give them the tools to make a choice
To empower and raise their voice
It won’t be easy to change something
But it’s much harder than doin nothing
You know that you and me
Have the power to set 3 billion free
Vive en tu corazón y en tu mente
Para hacer que es verdadero
Though you many not understand what I am saying
We share the same dream…to do what’s right
What’s verdadero
BRIDGE
Vive en tu corazón y en tu mente
Para hacer que es verdadero
Though you many not understand what I am saying
We share the same dream…to do what’s right
What’s verdadero
Sukari…shuka ah (meaning: good morning…good night in Tzutijil, the local language in San Pedro)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
The Price is Right - Results
Thanks for all that participated in the "Lake Atitlan Price is Right." I was hoping to have the answers up by last Friday, but I was in Huehuetenango (a rural village in Central Guatemala, pronounced: Way-Way) and had zero access to internet for the past few days. I am excited to announce our winner, Ashley Foster, from Seattle, WA. Below are the correct prices along with the leaderboard of all contestants. After receiving all entries I decided to omit 2 questions (full week of rent, and 3 hours of spanish lessons) as my immediate family had "insider information." The hacksack Ashley has won is not your average toy played by kids outside at reccess. This hackysack was made by the Lema Cooperative who are famous as one of the only cooperatives in Guatemala that use Natural Tint for there products. Lema purchases only white threads, and creates natural colors from resources in Guatemala. Everything from plants, coffee beans, insects, tree's, and many other natural resources are used in a cooking-like procedure to provide the greens, yellows, browns, and reds in the hacksack. Stay tuned for more competitions to come in the future.
Real Prices ($)
1) Chocolate covered banana = 0.12
2) Strawberry ice cream cone (w/ strawberry sauce on top) = 0.25
3) Kite (flies perfectly in the air) = 0.25
4) French Fries (size comparable to McDonalds regular container) = 0.18
6) 10 chocolate donuts that I bought for my family = 1.23
7) The Prensa Libre Newspaper = 0.37
9) Haircut = 1.23
10) Full loaf of banana bread = 1.96
Total = $5.58
Leaderboard ($ from the total)
1) Ashley - 0.96 (Brother's Girlfriend)
2) Alec - 1.63 (Cousin)
3) Christine - 1.87 (Aunt)
4) Cole - 1.97 (Cousin)
5) Mitchell - 1.97 (Brother)
6) Rich - 2.23 (Dad)
7) Jill - 3.42 (Mom)
8) Shelby - 4.32 (SCU Professor)
9) Rob - 8.32 (Uncle)
Real Prices ($)
1) Chocolate covered banana = 0.12
2) Strawberry ice cream cone (w/ strawberry sauce on top) = 0.25
3) Kite (flies perfectly in the air) = 0.25
4) French Fries (size comparable to McDonalds regular container) = 0.18
6) 10 chocolate donuts that I bought for my family = 1.23
7) The Prensa Libre Newspaper = 0.37
9) Haircut = 1.23
10) Full loaf of banana bread = 1.96
Total = $5.58
Leaderboard ($ from the total)
1) Ashley - 0.96 (Brother's Girlfriend)
2) Alec - 1.63 (Cousin)
3) Christine - 1.87 (Aunt)
4) Cole - 1.97 (Cousin)
5) Mitchell - 1.97 (Brother)
6) Rich - 2.23 (Dad)
7) Jill - 3.42 (Mom)
8) Shelby - 4.32 (SCU Professor)
9) Rob - 8.32 (Uncle)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Price is Right (winner gets a prize)
The past week has been a little crazy. I got pretty sick Monday afternoon from…well, I really don’t know the cause. There are many ‘variables’ in my village to get sick from. I would be willing to bet it was the food I ate as it had a pretty big affect (the next part is graphic, do not read if you are under the age of 15) on the action that food takes an hour after it enters the body. Had to miss Tuesday and Wednesday of work, and have been playing catch-up the past couple of days. Don’t have time for a full update, so I decided to play a game with you instead. Below is a list of items that I have purchased in the past week. Comment on this blog, or email me (bsbelcher@gmail.com) what you think each item costs (quoted in US$). The person who scores the best will receive a hand made hacky-sack from one of the cooperatives I visited.
1) Chocolate covered banana
2) Strawberry ice cream cone (w/ strawberry sauce on top)
3) Kite (flies perfectly in the air)
4) French Fries (size comparable to McDonalds regular container)
5) 3 hours of Spanish lessons with a private tutor
6) 10 chocolate donuts that I bought for my family
7) The Prensa Libre Newspaper
8) One full week of rent and food (three meals a day)
9) Haircut
10) Full loaf of banana bread (size comparable to footlong subway sandwich)
A Big Mac costs $2.05 in Guatemala. That is a hint for most of you, and a joke for anyone that understood Econ 1.
Responses will be graded and the winner (with the answers) will be posted on Friday, August 7, 5:00pm.
Feliz Fin de Semana!
1) Chocolate covered banana
2) Strawberry ice cream cone (w/ strawberry sauce on top)
3) Kite (flies perfectly in the air)
4) French Fries (size comparable to McDonalds regular container)
5) 3 hours of Spanish lessons with a private tutor
6) 10 chocolate donuts that I bought for my family
7) The Prensa Libre Newspaper
8) One full week of rent and food (three meals a day)
9) Haircut
10) Full loaf of banana bread (size comparable to footlong subway sandwich)
A Big Mac costs $2.05 in Guatemala. That is a hint for most of you, and a joke for anyone that understood Econ 1.
Responses will be graded and the winner (with the answers) will be posted on Friday, August 7, 5:00pm.
Feliz Fin de Semana!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Connecting the Poor
Anyone who’s ever bought a house knows the importance of the credit application process. The most qualified applicants get the most attractive loans. But the difficulty and importance of a strong application has taken on a new meaning for me recently when I learned that many of the artisans Mercado Global will try to assist can’t read or write, let alone fill out a credit application form. As is too often true, those most critically in need are facing the most obstacles. I learned I’ll need to go through the applications with the applicants, step by step – and then fill them out myself.
The success of a micro loan hinges on the ability of the borrower to meet the monthly payment. One aspect of the loan application, then, is determining a borrower’s ability to repay the debt; for this, we use the Feasibility of Credit form. Put simply, the form helps to assess the borrower’s ability to pay by subtracting their monthly expenses from their monthly earnings. The Feasibility of Credit form will work to beneficially pair the borrower’s monthly repayment capacity with the terms of the loan.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit the Cooperative of Chaquija. A group of about 20 women in the Guatemalan village of Solola, Chaquija will be the first cooperative to receive a micro loan. The women of Chaquija often work through the day and night at antiquated loom stands to produce the fabrics that sustain their economy. Providing the cooperative with a loan will let them invest in higher quality tools and more advanced technology, in turn increasing their efficiency and improving their quality of life.
But the benefits of technological advancement stretch far beyond Chaquija’s looms. Access to information can in so many cases pave the way towards economic advancement. Yesterday, one of the boys in my host family, Victor, sprained his ankle during a soccer game at the local campo. I went to see how he was doing and was surprised to see that basic treatments – treatments we too often take for granted in our own homes – were being forgone. And I’m not talking about Advil and Ace bandages; I’m talking about ice. (Information isn’t all that limits Victors treatment; ice is hard to come by in a tropical climate and a home without a refrigerator or freezer.) I explained to him that it was important to keep his ankle elevated to limit the swelling, another step I had considered universally known.
I started to realize how much a simple internet connection could have provided real, physical – even medical – benefits to Victor and his family. Type "sprained ankle" into Google Search, and he could have learned in five minutes all he ever wanted to know about sprained ankles. (And in almost any language, no less.)
Technology that provides access to information can educate, strengthen, and connect communities across the world (both the “first” and “third” worlds). A family’s access to medical information, a farmer’s access to prices and markets, a mother who is able to contact her son in the United States about the status of next month’s remittance – these are just three of a limitless number of reasons that a connected world is a better one.
While I’m down here, I’m exploring ways to provide technology infrastructure to the three billion people that lack it. (And I look forward to the possibility of working with the Brute Labs team to provide this resource.) Dr. Muhammad Yunus echoes the same vision that there are too many middlemen between the developing and developed worlds.
In this last picture, taken from my office last week, you can see four Americans sitting inside using computers, and four artisans outside making jewelry. How much longer until no one needs to be on the outside looking in? As critically as we must pursue the many green efforts in place across the world, it’s time for us to enable an equally vast information revolution. It’s time to start "G-chatting" with the developing world.
The success of a micro loan hinges on the ability of the borrower to meet the monthly payment. One aspect of the loan application, then, is determining a borrower’s ability to repay the debt; for this, we use the Feasibility of Credit form. Put simply, the form helps to assess the borrower’s ability to pay by subtracting their monthly expenses from their monthly earnings. The Feasibility of Credit form will work to beneficially pair the borrower’s monthly repayment capacity with the terms of the loan.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit the Cooperative of Chaquija. A group of about 20 women in the Guatemalan village of Solola, Chaquija will be the first cooperative to receive a micro loan. The women of Chaquija often work through the day and night at antiquated loom stands to produce the fabrics that sustain their economy. Providing the cooperative with a loan will let them invest in higher quality tools and more advanced technology, in turn increasing their efficiency and improving their quality of life.
But the benefits of technological advancement stretch far beyond Chaquija’s looms. Access to information can in so many cases pave the way towards economic advancement. Yesterday, one of the boys in my host family, Victor, sprained his ankle during a soccer game at the local campo. I went to see how he was doing and was surprised to see that basic treatments – treatments we too often take for granted in our own homes – were being forgone. And I’m not talking about Advil and Ace bandages; I’m talking about ice. (Information isn’t all that limits Victors treatment; ice is hard to come by in a tropical climate and a home without a refrigerator or freezer.) I explained to him that it was important to keep his ankle elevated to limit the swelling, another step I had considered universally known.
I started to realize how much a simple internet connection could have provided real, physical – even medical – benefits to Victor and his family. Type "sprained ankle" into Google Search, and he could have learned in five minutes all he ever wanted to know about sprained ankles. (And in almost any language, no less.)
Technology that provides access to information can educate, strengthen, and connect communities across the world (both the “first” and “third” worlds). A family’s access to medical information, a farmer’s access to prices and markets, a mother who is able to contact her son in the United States about the status of next month’s remittance – these are just three of a limitless number of reasons that a connected world is a better one.
While I’m down here, I’m exploring ways to provide technology infrastructure to the three billion people that lack it. (And I look forward to the possibility of working with the Brute Labs team to provide this resource.) Dr. Muhammad Yunus echoes the same vision that there are too many middlemen between the developing and developed worlds.
In this last picture, taken from my office last week, you can see four Americans sitting inside using computers, and four artisans outside making jewelry. How much longer until no one needs to be on the outside looking in? As critically as we must pursue the many green efforts in place across the world, it’s time for us to enable an equally vast information revolution. It’s time to start "G-chatting" with the developing world.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Seasons of the Sky
Many of my posts share the same theme of the peaceful beauty of Lake Atitlan, and its beauty deserves every word. It is easiest to blog about the lake, because it is the one time of the day, on the lake traveling to and from work, when I am alone with my thoughts. No children asking me to perform card tricks, no ladies smacking there hands together to make tortillas, and not trying to figure out what interest rate we must charge so that all the costs that go into the program break-even with the monthly payments on the loans of the artisans.
The boat ride home the other day was one I will never forget. As the mountains and volcanoes surrounding this lake create a climate that would even keep Bill Nye guessing, its mystery brings natural beauty. This day, however, was a special day as I call it the "Seasons of the Sky." I refrained from taking a picture as I fear it may not do justice to this experience, but hopefully my words will be able to fill your blank slate. As I stood up on the boat I found that each cardinal direction of the sky was displaying, in my mind, a different season. To the south I saw what looked like to me as fall, a clear dark blue, partly cloudy setting which gave me a chilly feeling. To the North, winter, as I saw headed straight for my boat a rain cloud that in the right temperature would make Whistler look like a shaved ice machine at a carnival. To the East, Spring, and to the West, Summer, which brought up one of the greatest myths? I know that the sun sets in the West, however; at this moment I could not tell where the sun was in the sky. I have never been anywhere on this planet where the weather was so mysterious (except in Prague when in the winter the sun sets at 2:30 pm), and it is so beautiful. I felt like I was playing Truman in the movie The Truman Show, and Ed Harris (actor who plays God) has created a mini-globe for me.
Within the beauty I get frustrated. As I exit the boat the poverty stains my mind. One of the main sources of poverty is geographical location. Some countries are blessed with natural resources that can only be controlled by the location of the country. Whether it is oil, gold, or an environment perfect for agricultural production, location can be a main determinant in the outcome of a country long before “Columbus” even arrived. But I have begun to think, Lake Atitlan may not have the natural resources to sell on the futures markets and exchanges, but they have another natural resource; its natural beauty. As the Seasons of the Sky put a smile on my face, I cannot help but look on this lake and realize that at any point in time there will be no more than two boats on its surface. Atitlan is home to many tourists, and I wonder how well a jet-ski, or water sport business would do on this lake. A water sports industry could possibly provide jobs for hundreds of Guatemaltecans. The true question remains: is beauty something to capitalize on?
Trying to picture this lake with jet ski’s and another hundred speedboats, I can’t help but think that the lake will loose some of its beauty. What is the cost of beauty, and is it worth loosing some to earn profits? One of the reasons the lake is so beautiful is because when I am on it I know that I am the only one. I get frustrated because I see what potential this lake has, but I get frustrated when I think about the effects of that potential.
What is more important, income or happiness? I know that industrializing this lake will bring hoards of cash to Atitlan, but I also believe that the hoards of tourists that it will take may decrease the happiness of the natives. In the country of Bhutan, they measure GNH (gross national happiness) as opposed to GDP (Gross Domestic Product). They believe that the happiness of the people should be the focus, and not the size of their wallets.
If hoards of tourists are not wanted by the Atitlan natives, I have another answer for the economy, the film industry. Tell George Lucas that if he wants to make another Star Wars film that I have a great location for his next planet. He has used Hoth, Tatooine, and everyone’s favorite Endor (home of the Eewok’s), well I think Atitlan with its towering volcanoes, and mysterious climate would make a great setting for the next “In a galaxy Far Far Away…”
The boat ride home the other day was one I will never forget. As the mountains and volcanoes surrounding this lake create a climate that would even keep Bill Nye guessing, its mystery brings natural beauty. This day, however, was a special day as I call it the "Seasons of the Sky." I refrained from taking a picture as I fear it may not do justice to this experience, but hopefully my words will be able to fill your blank slate. As I stood up on the boat I found that each cardinal direction of the sky was displaying, in my mind, a different season. To the south I saw what looked like to me as fall, a clear dark blue, partly cloudy setting which gave me a chilly feeling. To the North, winter, as I saw headed straight for my boat a rain cloud that in the right temperature would make Whistler look like a shaved ice machine at a carnival. To the East, Spring, and to the West, Summer, which brought up one of the greatest myths? I know that the sun sets in the West, however; at this moment I could not tell where the sun was in the sky. I have never been anywhere on this planet where the weather was so mysterious (except in Prague when in the winter the sun sets at 2:30 pm), and it is so beautiful. I felt like I was playing Truman in the movie The Truman Show, and Ed Harris (actor who plays God) has created a mini-globe for me.
Within the beauty I get frustrated. As I exit the boat the poverty stains my mind. One of the main sources of poverty is geographical location. Some countries are blessed with natural resources that can only be controlled by the location of the country. Whether it is oil, gold, or an environment perfect for agricultural production, location can be a main determinant in the outcome of a country long before “Columbus” even arrived. But I have begun to think, Lake Atitlan may not have the natural resources to sell on the futures markets and exchanges, but they have another natural resource; its natural beauty. As the Seasons of the Sky put a smile on my face, I cannot help but look on this lake and realize that at any point in time there will be no more than two boats on its surface. Atitlan is home to many tourists, and I wonder how well a jet-ski, or water sport business would do on this lake. A water sports industry could possibly provide jobs for hundreds of Guatemaltecans. The true question remains: is beauty something to capitalize on?
Trying to picture this lake with jet ski’s and another hundred speedboats, I can’t help but think that the lake will loose some of its beauty. What is the cost of beauty, and is it worth loosing some to earn profits? One of the reasons the lake is so beautiful is because when I am on it I know that I am the only one. I get frustrated because I see what potential this lake has, but I get frustrated when I think about the effects of that potential.
What is more important, income or happiness? I know that industrializing this lake will bring hoards of cash to Atitlan, but I also believe that the hoards of tourists that it will take may decrease the happiness of the natives. In the country of Bhutan, they measure GNH (gross national happiness) as opposed to GDP (Gross Domestic Product). They believe that the happiness of the people should be the focus, and not the size of their wallets.
If hoards of tourists are not wanted by the Atitlan natives, I have another answer for the economy, the film industry. Tell George Lucas that if he wants to make another Star Wars film that I have a great location for his next planet. He has used Hoth, Tatooine, and everyone’s favorite Endor (home of the Eewok’s), well I think Atitlan with its towering volcanoes, and mysterious climate would make a great setting for the next “In a galaxy Far Far Away…”
Monday, July 6, 2009
10 Things You Should Know
At the moment I have so much work piled up with the microcredit program that Obama would consider fixing health care a walk in the park. I have lots to do, and yet it feels a little stagnant. I am using stagnant to say that we are taking steps forward, but to not have a lot of muddy footprints to show for. Because I am so busy I will refrain from a long post right now, and will keep it to a list of the ten things you should know about me over the past week. Starting with number 10…
10) I ate eggs, beans, and tortillas for dinner every night this past week.
9) I caught six fish. Although the size of the worms we use to catch fish in the United States…still, I caught SIX fish.
8) It rained every day and I saw three lighting storms.
7) This past Monday the kids from my host family just go the okay to return to school. The children have been out of school the past month due to Swine Flu. Hmmm...
6) I watched Michael Jackson music videos with my family on our 10 inch television each of the past four nights. We are all working on our Moon Walk.
5) My Spanish went from a 4 to a 5, out of 10 (on my scale).
4) I wore a Brasil jersey the day Brasil beat the U.S. in soccer.
3) I went two days without light…and could barely tell the difference.
2) My Host Mom made 350 tortillas!
1) I had $500 stolen out of my bank account after I used one out of the only two ATM machines in my town. Bank of America said that it was a criminal who set up a scanner in the ATM. We were able to trace the money and replenish my account. But the question remains…where the hell am I supposed to withdraw money?!
Here are two pictures that I really like. The first is of my with part of my host family. I was attempting to teach one of the boys how to play guitar (that's me in the hammock). Teaching guitar is difficult as it is, so imagine teaching in another language. The second picture is me waiting at the launches for my boat after work.
10) I ate eggs, beans, and tortillas for dinner every night this past week.
9) I caught six fish. Although the size of the worms we use to catch fish in the United States…still, I caught SIX fish.
8) It rained every day and I saw three lighting storms.
7) This past Monday the kids from my host family just go the okay to return to school. The children have been out of school the past month due to Swine Flu. Hmmm...
6) I watched Michael Jackson music videos with my family on our 10 inch television each of the past four nights. We are all working on our Moon Walk.
5) My Spanish went from a 4 to a 5, out of 10 (on my scale).
4) I wore a Brasil jersey the day Brasil beat the U.S. in soccer.
3) I went two days without light…and could barely tell the difference.
2) My Host Mom made 350 tortillas!
1) I had $500 stolen out of my bank account after I used one out of the only two ATM machines in my town. Bank of America said that it was a criminal who set up a scanner in the ATM. We were able to trace the money and replenish my account. But the question remains…where the hell am I supposed to withdraw money?!
Here are two pictures that I really like. The first is of my with part of my host family. I was attempting to teach one of the boys how to play guitar (that's me in the hammock). Teaching guitar is difficult as it is, so imagine teaching in another language. The second picture is me waiting at the launches for my boat after work.
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