Friday, April 3, 2009

Anniversary of Padre Fabretto's Death

March also marked the celebration for the Anniversary of the death of Padre Fabretto up in the mountains of Cusmapa. In Nicaragua you try to celebrate as many peoples' deaths as you can possibly remember. I've already lost count of how many people I've met and who have died during my service, it's alot more than home put it that way. For the celebration the town had a feria (Fair) and a King & Queen Fabretto competition amongst the highschoolers. At first they were only going to do a Queen, but Lauren and Callie pointed out that it should be a competition for both sexes and not an "exposition" of young girls.

Some of our highschoolers also wanted to particpate in the fair selling their wares. One group made cookies, another made popcorn balls, the boys had their fresco (juice) stand, and we also had their knitted items out. The night before I helped Lauren with the kids and we baked and cooked for a good 3 hours. I taught the cookie group how to read a recipe and follow the instructions (including the meaning of amounts of ingredients), and they turned out pretty good. Lauren made a point to the kids that they should only use ingredients that they can find in Cusmapa. In addition, we made them calculate their costs and estimated earnings to arrive at their Equilibrium point (where you sell enough to cover your costs). This was a good opportunity for my students to continue to practice the basic skills they had learned last year during their competition. The fair lasted all day and the kids sold most of their items, except for the knitted items. The interesting thing was that none of the families that "have money" (or extra money to spend is better to say) showed up to the fair. It was a community event, but many do not come to mingle with their "riff-raff" neighbors...pretty ridiculous in my opinion.

Making cookies! Oatmeal raisin and plain oatmeal.

Yum!

Lauren writes down all the ingredients and the total cost.

Memo and Eric were being "hams" as my mother would say.

The kids showed me their jumproping skills...I shared mine as well.

Gieselle has the biggest smile out of anyone!

Jump around! Jump around!

Popcorn balls: there were 4 other groups that sold them too. The girls got a little discouraged, but managed to sell quite a few.

Rigoberto claims to have made this purse...we think he had alot of help from his mama since she is the one who crochetes and Rigo can only knit. He's a great knitter don't get me wrong! A+ for creativity!

Making frescos with a variety of fruits: watermelon, canteloupe, pinapple, and orange.

The girls man their table and we worked on customer service skills. "Thank your customer", "Advertise your product"...I probably sounded like a broken record at the end of the day...

Our fresco boys! Great sign and they did it all by themselves!

The knitting group, who also sold enchiladas (Nica style: fried tortilla with cabbage and some cheese, topped off with some "spicy" vinagre mix)


Popcorn ball girls, who got sad they weren't selling and left their booth for long periods of time. Sometimes we had to chase them down!

Cookies? Galletas?

Cusmapa Knitters

They had 3 tents set up to shield the sellers and patrons from the sun.

Padre Fabretto: 19 years since your departure, Cusmapa remembers you!

Marlon (english teacher in Cusmapa) and Jorge (music assistant) were in charge of the tunes.

The view from outside the tents.

The bus station converted into the main stage.

This girl wrote an essay about the Padre all by herself, she is one of Lauren's students.

Selwin, one of my 2nd year highschoolers, won King Fabretto...he is one of those very happy, excited, talks too loud and I have to tell him that I hear him just fine!

So what did we do with the extra juice? We bought it, poured an entire liter of Ron Plata in it, and made the closest thing in Nicaragua to Maverick Juice.

Fun picture of me!

Callie took this one of Ozzy, very artistic!

Did I mention that I'm teaching myself how to play trombone? The kids were watching me through the trees and then I went over a blasted them! They thought it was hilarious!

This is the place where Ozzy spit, right in front of the walkway...I then proceeded to scold him for spitting in the same spot where people walk, and then he responded that it was fine because he spit outside. Mike cleared up the entire situation by making a sign that says "Careful/Caution"...dios mio!

Callie and Ozzy before the concert at the church where I had my debut performance on trombone in the song "One Love" with the Cusmapa choir.

Streets of Cusmapa....

"I have often walked, down this street before...but the payment always stayed beneath my feet before..."

Mike looks at the Catholic Church in Cusmapa...aka the only social highlight for women.

This little piggy when to market...

Livestock wandering the streets is not a rare sight.

Mike who do you see?

Chavalos! aka Children!

More Chavalos!

I forgot to mention they had cock fights to celebrate the weekend as well.

Love this Callie face!

Mike and Pablo, our new Spanish dude, watch the barbaric sport.

I really don't like chickens, but I still feel bad for them that they are used for killing to the death! Makes me ill.

I took this picture to show the male dominance of the sport...one female (not including the gringas) out of 50 men.

Yummy barbarque!

The spectators try to catch a glimpse at the "bull riding"...why do I put it in quotes? Because they were female cows that didnt buck or do anything! Poor girls!

Pablo enjoys his barbarque, Nica style!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

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.