The Microchip

As a PCV, we receive a lot of question about the United States.  Some are simple (“Is it pretty there?”), some are hard (“How do your elections work?”) and some are downright strange.  The best example is the numerous inquires I’ve received about the microchip.  What microchip is this you ask?  Frankly I have no clue either.  I read the top 10 stories in The New York Times every other day so I consider myself fairly in tune with the goings on in the USA.  Anyway this story has surfaced all across Latin and South American – that Barack Obama passed a law mandating that every US citizen will be imbedded with a microchip in April 2013.  Now correct me if I’m wrong, but there does not seem to be even a shred of factual information to this rumor.  From the stories I’ve read and seen, the “reporters” mention the “law” but provide zero sources or links to credible information.  Does this lack of hard evidence stop the Hispanic media from spreading the rumor?  Not even a little.  Some of the reports I’ve seen make Donald Trump look like a boy scout.  People have quoted the book of Revelations claiming that it’s the mark of the beast, President Obama literally is the devil and the end times are upon us.  Seems a little farfetched?  Of the 10 pages rendered from a Google Nicaragua search of el microchip, nine of them have to do with this false story.  In addition, I’ve had several teachers in my school asking me if I’m going to get the microchip.

Anyone with web design skills want to start VerdadoFalso.es with me?

Thanksgiving adventures II

My second thanksgiving in Nicaragua was just as pleasant as the first.  The ambassador’s house is nothing short of a temperature-controlled, multi-story mansion with a pool and dozen person staff.  My fellow 20 PCVs and I arrived there a little after 1pm and mingled with diplomats and other workers from other NGOs.  Dinner was promptly served at 3pm and included several turkeys, casseroles and pies with a never-ending flow of wine.  Getting back on the bus to return to the Peace Corps was near impossible due to not wanting to leave lush first-world comforts and I eating too much.

But board the bus I did and the next day I joined 17 other PCVs on a volcanic lagoon in Masaya.  We spent 2 incredible days lounging in inner tubes and sipping rum cocktails.  By the time Sunday rolled around we were ready to boycott the rest of our service and never leave paradise.

The view of La Laguna de Apoyo from our patio

But alas, back to work we go.  Tomorrow I’m meeting with the coffee people to go over the results of the survey!

Competencia Nacional

Yesterday was the national business plan competition put on by us Peace Corps Volunteers.  Again, my poor students didn’t qualify but I still got to attend and observe.  Twelve teams participated from all corners of Nicaragua.  The winning team ($550 plus business incubation assistance) was a mosquito trap.  It’s hard to describe (and of course I didn’t take a picture) but imagine a funnel where mosquitoes fly in but get stuck and can’t fly out.  It’s made out of recyclable material and uses chemicals to attract the mosquitoes.  Other products were coffee pudding, health syrup for anemia, a more eco friendly brick and a device to turn off the water when the storage barrel fills up at night.  Good competition and great knowing that it was my last one!

Off to rub elbows with diplomats, happy turkeyday everyone!  I’m sending out my xmas card tomorrow, let me know if you're interested!

El día de acción de gracias 2

My more dedicated followers remember that last thanksgiving I dined with the chargé d'affaires of the US Embassy (aka the interim ambassador).  As great as that experience was with the free turkey, pie and wine, I lowered my expectations for this year’s thanksgivings.  That is until I received my invitation to dine with…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENMy9SWv6uw

Madame Ambassador Phyllis Powers!  The invitation tells me to dress casual and bring a bathing suit – my kind of thanksgiving.  There should be about 30 PCVs in attendance and a handful of diplomats.  Super excited, have a great thanksgiving everyone!

Starting the well

The well project finally seems to be taking shape!  Last week I went and met with the community and they were excited to get started.  Friday they were supposed to use their highly advanced technology to estimate where to start digging – a metal wire.  From what I understand, it acts as a giant dipstick.  They push the wire down into the earth and if it comes up damp, there must be water.  I was as skeptical as you probably are so I offered to come and document the “testing” but fell ill and couldn’t attend.  Hopefully I can swing by Tuesday to see if it was successful.

Wednesday is the national business plan competition.  Check back then for updates how it went!

Coffee Market Study

So my contact at the coffee cooperative and I (let’s be honest, mostly me) drafted the market survey that we (let’s be honest, hopefully more she) will distribute. Wanna see it? Good because I took the trouble of translating it into English.
Age
Sex
Occupation
Location

1. ¿Do you buy coffee?
A) Si B) No
2. ¿What size do you buy it in?
A) Bag B) Pound C) Other _____________
3. ¿How many times do you buy coffee?
A) Daily B) 5 or 6 times a week C) 3 or 4 times a week D) 1 or 2 times a week E) Fewer
4. ¿Where do you buy it? A) Convenience store B) Supermarket C) Distributor D) Other _____________
5. ¿What do you look for when you buy coffee?
A) The brand B) The quality C) The cheapest D) No preference
6. ¿Generally what brand do you buy?
A) Café Toro B) Café Presto C) Café Palo D) Other _____________ E) I don’t care about the brand
7. ¿Generally how much do you pay for a bag of coffee?
A) Less than 3.5 córdobas B) 3.5 córdobas C) 4 córdobas D) More than 4 córdobas
8. ¿Would you pay more for a higher quality coffee?
A) Yes B) No
9. ¿Would you pay more for a coffee that helps your community?
A) Yes B) No

We’re meeting again Tuesday to discuss the method of surveying various communities.

Year and 1/2 in Country!

Hey friends and neighbors!

This weekend I was hanging out in Masaya and Managua with my Nicaraguan friend Jadder and my PCV friend Julian.  I got to see where Julian lives and then we went for an all-you-can-eat brunch at the Holiday Inn (I won it in a raffle, otherwise it would have been nearly 10% of my monthly salary).  DELICIOUS!  Omelet, bacon, sausages, chicken, granola fruit = heaven.  After gorging ourselves, we swam and watched American football.  What a life, huh?

Yesterday I administered a test at my rural school.  Back in the beginning of the school year in February, I had the foresight to make the students take a pre-test to gauge their existing knowledge of entrepreneurship.  Yesterday’s exam was the exact same as the one I used in February so I can also measure their progress.


And the results show…not much.  Honestly overall I didn’t see improvement between the pre and post tests.  There are numerous excuses for this: bad counterpart, poor class attendance etc. but it’s still pretty disheartening.  Most of the questions were not difficult (“What is a business plan?”) and all were multiple choice or true and false.  Also I did this at my rural school where there is the lowest emphasis placed on education so it’s safe to assume that the rest of my students would test better.  There were a couple A’s so hats off to them!

Later this week there will be posts about business consulting, thanksgiving plans and carnival!  Unrelated I’m participating in No-Shave-November more out of sheer laziness than advocacy.  Since mustaches are inexplicably still considered “professional” here in Nicaragua, I say why not go for it?