Agro-Biz Workshops and Fair

After vacation I had to go back to Granada for the Agriculture-Business Workshop, so Freddy, Byron and I took the 6am bus to Managua and were picked up by a Peace Corps contracted bus to take us directly to Granada. It's so nice when I don't have to take a taxi!

We had 2 days of workshops and then a exposition fair which showed some of the newest Agriculture technology, introduced us to Micro-finance institutions and was a great time in general to network around.

I think Freddy and Byron got something out of the workshops, for example they are excited to start up a community bank and maybe even construct a biodigestor in Cusmapa. Also, they want to make a barrel oven to harvest smoke fertilizer...I'm not sure how that works yet but I'll get back to you on it.

Why did we have the workshop? Well, since food security is a huge topic right now, and the next Business Group that is coming in May will also be accompained by the new Agriculture Group...PC Nicaragua is trying to make stronger connections with the Ag and Biz sectors. Smart! Also, it was a great time to share ideas within the two sectors and across the different departments (areas). Networking is never a waste of time in my book!

Speaking of Agro-Biz, hopefully I will be working with another counterpart to help a coffee coorperative in Las Sabanas to write their business plan and help them get business basics down. More to come on that subject after Semana Santa (Holy Week, aka Vacation!)

Biowaste solutions: a washer, toliet, and biodigestor

This biodigestor uses cow poo and water to create methane gas to power a cooktop.

Coworkers Freddy and Byron attended the event with me in Granada and Managua. I think they learned something from it!

Solar ovens, I remember making these in frosh tech. The bag is on of those Reynolds oven bags.

Freddy and Byron listen to the solar oven explaination.

A livestock grain mixer, it mixes vitamins and whatever grain the farmers use. In my area, most livestock don't receive feed and are left to graze on the few blades of grass left during the dry season. The attitude: "well, they'll just get fat again during the rainy season"

A molido, or mill, is used to grind grains or corn. I see them most used for grinding corn for tamales and pinol.

Another molido, I wasn't sure why these were better than the others I've seen. Supposedly made of better quality materials...whatev...

Freddy checking out the agriculture equipment.

Coffee toaster, I think they said it cost around $1,000 (U.S. Dollars).

Water pumps or "bombas", these wouldn't work in my area because we don't have enough river water to go around. Other parts of the country can utilize these for most of the year.

This bomba can irrigate up to 4 manzanas (I think that's what I heard), which is 12 acres I think?

The water, supplied by a river or stream, acts as the motor and then it can pump the water to the fields.

Lindsey sells her community's (Cinco Pinos) jams and canned veggies.

Brie and her counterpart sell beeswax candles, from the department of León.

Lindsay checks out the coffee products from San Rafael del Norte, where another member from our group Patrick lives. In the background is his counterpart.

Patrick's counterparts and their coffee.

This coffee project is sponsored by USAID (United States Agency for International Development), whose signs can be seen everywhere in Nicaragua.

My boss Georgia makes some purchases and then called me "pinche" (cheap) because I didn't buy anything...I had no money left from my vacation in Corn Island and Granada!

Solar panel made by a women's group in Nueva Segovia. Nikki works with them.

The Peace Corps table presenting the different programs that Peace Corps Nicaragua offers.

Mission statement of Peace Corps Nicaragua.

Water filters, only $21 that can rid Nicaraguans' drinking water of parasites, amoebas, worms, and other harmful external agents in the water supply.

The water is filtered through a clay pot and presto, cleaner and healthier drinking water. We have these in the Fabretto houses.

Various water supply parts.

Another molido...

Pump demonstration with sprinkler.

The Eco-Fogon, a cooktop that uses less wood to make heat and in addition has a chimney to pass harmful smoke out of the house. ($99)

Notice it's a barrel with metal legs and an iron top.

Another Eco-Fogon, also uses less wood and it multiuseful with it's flat service instead of having 2 holes to put pots or pans.

Inside are bricks and sand, it helps keep the heat in.

The Eco-Fogon poster which shows the various styles.

They also make better ovens for baking!

Shows their efforts to reforest Nicaragua since about 70% of the population still uses wood as a cooking fuel.

Also at the fair were Micro-Finance organizations; Freddy, Byron and I used this opportunity to find out how we could help our student groups get more funding/loans.

Bayardo (The Agriculture Volunteers' Boss) gives out certificates to the participants. Dale pues Freddy!


Good job Byron! Bien hecho!

Team Somoto, notice how professional I am dressed. I dress nicely ALL the time, fijense!

Thank you to Mom and Dad for the packages, Gina for a package, letters and cards, Amanda for letters, Mamow for letters, and Jan for letters.

NY Times Article about Nicaragua

This is an article about Carlos Fernando Chamorro, member of one of the most famous Nicaraguan families. His mother was president in 1990, beating out the Sandinistas and becoming Nicaragua's first female president. In addition, the article talks about current Nica gov't censorship on the press, as well as political actions of current president Daniel Ortega. Take 15 minutes and read because it will give a little insight to the current politics and policies of the modern Sandinista gov't (remember FSLN is the acronym for the Sandinistas).

The Chamorros, a Nicaraguan journalism dynasty

Peace Corps News: Suspension of Madagascar Program

At any time during service there is a chance that a country's program will get canceled due to unrest. Herein lies the case of Madagascar:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1437

She's alive....gawrrrrr

She lives! I greatly apologize for the delay in photos and stories...February was a crazy crazy month and March has proved to be the exact same. I had my camera stolen in February, which also helps explain for a lack of photos :( However, my parents sent a new one down with my friends who came to visit me. Thank you so much mom and dad!!!

February marked the start of school, so I have 6 classes at the public school which is located on the opposite side of Somoto from Fabretto's Somoto Oratorio. I work Tuesday through Friday at the public school, the rest of the time in between the classes is spent in the Somoto Oratorio (remember that is the NGO). At the public school I see each class for 1.5 hours one time a week, with 4 classes in the morning and 2 classes in the afternoon, spread throughout the week. It's exhausting with 40+ kids in a small classroom but I'm confident they will learn something this year. More to come and lots of pictures of these kids!

The intent of this post is to put up some pictures so everyone knows I'm alive, I am writing about my adventures in more detail for the next post...basically everything will be the abridged version at this moment. Don't worry, I have so many more pix to post to accompany the stories!

More exciting for me was a vacation with some girlfriends who studied abroad with me in Chile, way back in 2006. Kristin flew in first and I picked her up at the airport, then we took a bus back up north to party it up in Esteli for 2 days before Nishma and Arielle came in. We went out and partied with some Nicas, drank some fabulous Flor de Caña 7 year rum, and hiked to Estanzuela Falls nearby. It was great to salsa it up again and we had fond memories of our salsa class at the Universidad de Chile with our gay Cuban teacher.

Kristin and I on the bus up to Esteli! Start of an adventure!

The hike was pretty easy...

Kristin strikes a pose on the trail!

We didn't have to walk up one of the big hills thank goodness!

Behind Kristin lies Esteli

The falls weren't at their full power since we are in the dry season, but still pretty nonetheless.

I braved the chilly water, it felt nice.

Nishma and Arielle flew in 2 days later and Kristin and I traveled back to the airport to fetch them, to then fly off to Corn Island on the Atlantic side. I have a whole other story for this that involves Arielle freaking out and me thinking "thanks Nicaragua for once again messing things up".

Boarding passes...they are very hard to get apparently, even if you have a little thing called a reservation!

Corn Island here we come! Shot of Big Corn.

Merriment in the 12 person plane, though I thought we were going to crash...what is it with me and being paranoid in small planes?

The one beautiful day (out of 3) that we were able to enjoy few winds and a gorgeous ocean.

Arielle and Nishma with our new friend Minnow, the dog owned by Carlos the hostel owner. In Arielle's hand is part of a water bottle we used for drinking homemade Nica Libres.

What to do on an island? Pick coconuts and eat them!

Dale pues Kristin!

The one beautiful sunset we got to enjoy.

The view 10 ft. from the front of our cabaña. $40 a night, couldn't beat it!

Just keep swimming swimming swimming...

EAP Chile 2006 reunited...but still missing Michele, Tracy and Mack Dawg

How lucky to get 4 out of the original 7 together!?

Peel that coco! It's harder than it looks actually!

The Dutch are everywhere? Why can't I run into Priya then? (Priya is my Dutch friend!)

So after Corn Island we headed off to Granada after our plans were foiled to go to Ometepe Island in the middle of Lake Nicaragua. But things always happen for a reason I guess...we stayed at Hostel Oasis in downtown Granada (Dad remember, I'm talking about Granada and not Grenada which is an island. Granada is a colonial city of Nicaragua.) for 2 nights. The first day we were there we were recovering from a long travel day from Corn Island and having some tea and coffee when a nice girl asked to sit down with us. Turns out, our new friend Stephanie was studying abroad in Costa Rica and was at the hostel with the 3 others in her group and their study abroad "director". Turns out, they had a truck to drive everywhere...so we were able to ride around with them and hit 4 major tourist spots in less than 10 hours. We had a great time and we thank them a million times over for bringing us along!

First we hit up the Masaya Volcano...from the left, the girls, new friends: Ryan, Don, Court and Steph.

Arielle you aren't the shortest!

Why do chicks love Jesus? Or, "the hills are alive..."

Nice pose as always Nish!

Janksters! That one is for you Mack Dawg!

They have quite a few rangers at the volcano, very good to see!

Next...Laguna de Apoyo

This shot reminds me of Van Halen's "Jump"

With my 3 partners in crime!

Teaching the eastcoasters about the "Thizz Dance"

She was just in a posing mood that day...

Again the Fab 4!

This is Court's modeling "look"...Blue Steel was already taken...

Try to catch me Ride n' Dirty! Arielle's hair mixed with mine.

More truck shots! Thanks Jon for the bruises on my nalgas (he hit a couple hard bumps, more than one let's just say)

Boat ride in the Granada Isletas!

The Isletas, or Little Islands, are privately owned by various people and you can see how nice some of them are. Some vacation here, some actually live on their little island, some rent it out, depends. The islands are located right off Granada in Lake Nicaragua. It's sad how dirty the water is, but it was still gorgeous.

Got some good sun! I'm a couple shades tanner!

Another fancy house bridging 2 islands!

Gives a little bit of an idea of the variety of sizes.

The guide also took us to see the resident monkeys! One just came abroad and hung out for a bit! It looked through my bag, climbed on Arielle, violated Nishma and wrapped it's tail around Kristin.

She was laughing really hard!

Volcano Mombacho, which we didn't get to visit, but it was very pretty in the distance around sunset.

Thanks again to Jon, Court, Steph, Don and Ryan!

We then headed up north so the girls could see Somoto. Mike made us a great dinner and then the next day we just chilled out in town. On Monday we went to the famous Cañon de Somoto!

Work it, work it!

Before getting to the Cañon, you have to hike a bit!

Wow factor #2, as Matt my sitemate describes it.

Kristin "borrowed" an innertube so some of our stuff wouldn't get wet in the crossing.

Thanks to Kristin, Nishma and Arielle for coming to visit me and bringing me lots of goodies! I miss you girls so much! Thank you also to Mom and Dad for sending me replacement stuff that got stolen, to Jan and Mamow for more letters, and to Priya for sending me a card!

Happy late Bday to Greg, the World's Tallest Leprechaun!

Later this week: Stories from my vacation, Agriculture-Business Workshop, the School Year in general, and future plans.