San Juan del Sur

San Juan del Sur!!!!

Work has picked up quite a bit lately due to the approaching holiday season and upcoming funding proposal deadlines. Specifically, the past two weeks have been filled with assisting Veronica complete various requirements for funds that MiCredito is applying for. It has been quite some time since I’ve had the pleasure of pouring over financial statements and, needless to say, it took a while before I got back in the groove. Thanks should be given to my co-worker, Miguel, who helped tremendously throughout the process.

Moving from work to pleasure, I spent last weekend in beautiful San Juan del Sur in the most incredible hotel you can imagine, called Pelican Eyes. Such a hotel would normally be wayyyyyyyy out of my income bracket, but in the country where everything is cheap, 5 star hotels are affordable even to interns. We had our own cabin which was perched on top of a mountain, overlooking the bay of San Juan del Sur. The hotel included three amazing pools, also overlooking the bay, from which you can catch the most amazing sunsets imaginable. Before moving on with my description of San Juan del Sur I feel it’s necessary to describe what it’s like driving on Nicaraguan highways. Based on the recommendation of many, we rented a small SUV since we were told that ‘the highway from Rivas to San Juan is not fit for cars’. Thank god we adhered to the advice as it was like driving on the moon. This along with the fact that driving in Nicaragua is similar to battle made for an interesting driving experience. I know feel as though I’m fit to drive in any country in almost any situation. Getting back to our time in San Juan, we spent the first day on the main beach, eating drinking and most importantly, relaxing. Our second day started with a wonderful breakfast that included none other than, eggs benedict – my favorite. Satisfied, we began to ask around about some of the beautiful secluded beaches we’ve heard so much about. I should point out here that it’s amazing how accurately Nicaraguans are able to draw maps and give direction from memory. We settled on Playa Marsella (see photo) which is located about 45 minutes from San Juan del Sur. Following the day of sun and ocean, we raced back to the hotel in order to catch one more sunset, we weren’t disappointed.

I believe I’ve mentioned the popularity of Raggaeton in Nicaragua. If I haven’t let me just say that it rules the airwaves. Short on content most of the time, it’s never short on fun. Anyhow, a group of went to the first night of the Raggaeton Festival here in Managua. Being the first night, the big artists hadn’t shown up, but it was still a blast. Photos will soon follow.

Happy Holidays!

Highlights

Today marks exactly 3 months in Nicaragua. It also marks the expiration of my visa. – I should probably take care of that. Whoa, it’s truly incomprehensible how fast time has passed and all credit goes to a wonderful posting, a fantastic country and amazing people around me at all times. That said, I’m going to quickly rattle off a short highlight list of the first 3 months in Nicaragua:
5) Caballo Vayo (spelling?) This Nicaraguan dish consists of tender, marinated pieces of pork, chicken and beef; tortillas and various condiments are provided. The real fun begins by testing out different combinations of meat and condiments.
4) Laguna de Apoyo (See Photo): Ever watched ‘The Blue Lagoon’? Well, if you have or haven’t trapped inside a volcanic crater, on the outskirts of Masaya lies a carbon copy with incredibly warm, clear, blue water.
3) My upcoming weekend getaways to San Juan del Sur and The Corn Islands. Google them. Enough said.
2) The People: The warmth and friendliness offered by Nicaraguans is something I’ve never found in all my travels. Always willing to lend a hand, get you on your way and constantly looking out for you safety, the people of Nicaragua are second to none.
1) Managua: When I told people that I got an internship in Managua, the reactions I received ranged from ‘Managua? Why?’ to ‘The only reason I spent time in Managua was to make my way to Grenada’. However, I’ve learned to love this city, the people and the country. The city is incredibly green, the people are incredibly warm and the culture is something to be seen.
Congrats to Shannon who was able to pull off the final semester of her MA while working….in a foreign country!!!!!! I have no idea how she did it. I’m proud of you Shannon!!!!!

MANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GREY CUP BOUND!

Congratulations are in order for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for reaching the Grey Cup - their first since ’97. However, since an invincible man by the name of Doug Flutie was quarterbacking the Argos in ’97, it’s their first real shot at the Cup since 1989.

Since the completion of the MCA proposal, I’ve transitioned from technical and financial analysis to research on the feasibility of micro leasing within MiCredito. In a nut shell, micro leasing is similar to what we in North America consider leasing, but on a much smaller level. Therefore, whereas in Canada one may lease a car or an office building, on the micro level, a farmer for example, may lease an asset from an institution in order to assist in income generation. I’m finding it very interesting on many fronts, mostly because it is possibly another bridge between Prodemur (the technical assistance arm of MEDA in Nicaragua) and MiCredito (the microfinancing arm of MEDA).

Moving from work to pleasure, I feel like I should report on a phenomenal weekend that began with a sweet birthday party and ended with sailing on a lagoon. Friday night we celebrated our friend, Lincoln’s, birthday. The party was on his father’s compound just outside of Managua. Let me just say that ‘compound’ probably isn’t the correct word to describe his plot of land, since it’s more like a resort complete with a bar, dance floor, pool, hot tub and a couple of sweat lodges. Kudos to Lincoln for throwing a fantastic party. Saturday started off slow and maintained it’s slow pace until around 6, at which point I decided to move. Following my first movements of the day, Kiki and I were picked up by Manuel, the CIDA Director for Managua, and we all mde our way to the National Stadium for the Mana concert. Dudes rocked for nearly 3 hours in what was more of a spectacle than a concert, complete with fireworks, flames and a waterfall. The hardest rocker of the group was the drummer, who at one point performed a 15 minute drum solo on a Motley Crew-esque elevating/rotating platform. Youtube ‘mana concert drum solo’ if you’d like to see for yourself.

Rest in relaxation was well deserved following the birthday bash and Mana concert. So, we decided to hit this great breakfast joint in Grenada on our way to paradise, aka Laguna Apoyo. On the outskirts of Masaya lies a fantastic lagoon with the most amazing lukewarm, clear, blue/green water. On the beach I started talking to a guy wearing, strangely enough, a Toronto Maple Leafs hat. Turns out, he’s Cuban and made friends with numerous Canadians traveling around Cuba. He now lives in Nicaragua, giving catamaran tours around the lagoon. He told us about this amazing cove with a beautiful, untouched beach and monkeys! We bought what he was selling, and it did not disappoint, except for the fact that we didn’t see a single monkey.

Hasta el proximo.

Marsh

...and BINGO was his name-o

Some of my fellow MEDA interns have been sticking it to me a little for the lack of blog entries on my part. What can I say? I’m a busy guy. LOL. Actually, it’s a combination of being busy, taking in all that Managua has to offer and a pinch of forgetfulness. That said, I checked my blog yesterday and realized that I’ve made a measly 3 entries in 2 months. 2 MONTHS!!!!! Has it already been 2 months?

Before getting into what’s new in Managua, I’d like to give a quick shout out to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, who after innumerable years of futility have finally secured a home playoff game. I believe it has been something 16 years since Taylor Field has hosted a home playoff game. I could be wrong. Anyhow, madness is sure to ensue. GO RIDERS!!!!!

Managua is still great, my friends are still awesome and work is still fantastic. At this point I have very few complaints. The only hiccups have been a few battles with my stomach - which I lost - and a rotten piece of the flu. It was an abnormally rainy rainy season and with the rain came new strains of the flu and other maladies. My roommate, Shannon, was stuck to her bed with a horrible cough for the better part of a week. Thankfully, the rains took a vacation until next year leaving only the sun and 35 degree weather. The grass being greener on the other side, I’m sure we’ll all be praying for the rains to return after a few weeks of baking on high.

It had been quite some time since I pulled my bingo dabber out of my drawer; thankfully the ink hadn’t dried up. Dabber in hand, a group attended a BINGO Fundraiser. Upon arriving I realized to my disappointment I realized that I wouldn’t be needing my dabber since uncooked pieces of corn are used to mark cards rather than ink. Reflecting, I realized corn is actually better since you only need one card and are therefore not wasting piles of paper, and the seeds acted as a tasty little snack. The Night turned out to be a success as Wendy, the birthday girl, won some cash, Amira an ice cream cake, and Megan not 1, but 2, 6 inch ham and cheese Subway Sandwiches. The following morning, to celebrate Wendy’s birthday a group of us, including Kiki’s parents went to a fantastic restaurant for brunch. I’m talking lobster, shrimp, steak, crab, scallps, fresh fruit, lamb chops, desserts, the works. The fact that I could barely move after eating was a testament to the fact that I made a point of getting my money’s worth. I barely made it home.

Tomorrow, I’m hiking a volcano with my Spanish school. I’ll take loads of photos for the next post on my blog….in ’08.

Hasta Pronto

A long time coming.....

Where to begin? I suppose apologizing for the lapse between blogs is a good starting point. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we’re currently putting the finishing touches on a significant proposal for an agricultural program funded by the US government. That said, I’ve been up to my ears in meetings, spreadsheets and translation work. I guess my point is that I’ve been too busy to contribute frequently to my blog. Poor excuse, I know. But the last thing I want to do while relaxing after work is spend more time in front of my computer. Anyhow, here’s a quick synopsis of the last couple of weeks:

Masaya and Granada:
Roughly two weeks ago our boss/tour guide, Keith, picked us up bright and early Sunday morning to experience Patron Saints Day in the town of Masaya. On any normal day I’m sure my description of Masaya would be a lot different than the one I’m about to give since Patron Saints day isn’t any normal day to Nicaraguans. In celebration of Saint Geronimo the people of Masaya crowd the streets surrounding their impressive cathedral. Following mass, those in attendance exit the church followed by this massive apparatus decorated with various flowers plants. A statue of Saint Geronimo sits proudly atop the apparatus (don’t recall the specific name). This “thing” is carried on the shoulders of numerous young men who dance to the rhythm of the bands playing in the background. Somehow, with great concentration, the young men carry Saint Geronimo – while dancing – through the streets of Masaya as the massive crowds surrounding them cheer them on. It was impressive to say the least. What’s more impressive is that not one was trampled or otherwise injured as Geronimo barreled through the streets. All in all, it was a really great experience. To see the people so filled with joy, and beer, was a lot of fun.

Needing to relax after surviving Patron Saints Day, we drove another 30 minutes to the city of Grenada. Grenada is often described as the pearl of Nicaragua, with good reason. Streets are lined with adjacent houses; each painted a different colour, think Notting Hill, Central America style. The main purpose of our trip to Granada was to go to what Keith described as “the best coffee and chocolate cake in Nicaragua”. He wasn’t joking. The cake, richer than Bill Gates, melted in my mouth. The only thing more impressive than the cake was the coffee house itself. Built by the Spanish, who knows when, it’s easy to see the Arab influence with the towering ceilings and impressive archways. We sat, sipped our coffee and enjoyed the architecture for the better part of an hour. Following the cake and coffee we check out a restaurant recently opened by a friend of Keith. To say that I was jealous is an understatement; beautiful restaurant, great location and wonderful food. Given culinary talents, I would love to open such a restaurant. After daydreaming of my own restaurant in Central America and a quick bite we headed back to Managua where we finally had cable, which mean Sunday Night Football!!!!!

Leon
As part of the proposal we’re putting together we’ve been tasked with compiling Value Chains for a number of crops. The purpose is to pinpoint areas where we can help farmers, producers or anyone along the value chain, do what they do more efficiently and effectively. That said, my Boss and I went to Leon to meet with experts in each of the crops that we’re going to work to finalize the Value Chains, Problem Trees and Cost benefit Analyses. Unfortunately I didn’t get to see much of Leon on this trip as I was stuck in a conference room all day, but I do intend on returning ASAP since I was really impressed with what little I was. As some of you may know the western part of Nicaragua has been slammed by rain over the past week, devastating the region. The reason I mention this is because on our drive home we drove through the initial stages of the storm. It was literally like driving underwater, thank god for 4 wheel drive. Other weren’t as lucky. Many farmers and other small producers lost a large chuck of their income generating activities. We’re hopeful that the international community will respond in providing some assistance to the farmers of the region.

That’s all for this update. The proposal is due on the 26th of October, at which point I’ll have more time to explore and write more frequently.

Hope everyone is well!

Semana numero dos!

Hard to believe that I’ve been in Managua for nearly 2 weeks, time sure does fly in paradise. It seems like yesterday that I was re-packing for the 5th time, trying to figure out what I REALLY needed in Managua.

As much of the first week was about getting to know my co-workers and surroundings, the second week was all about work, work, work. I have been temporarily pulled off my post as a Microfinance Associate to assist the Director of Prodemur, Keith, in developing a proposal for the US Government. I was initially intimidated by the switch since I was leaving something I’m very comfortable doing (finance) to something I haven’t much experience in (crops and horticulture in Nicaragua). To my relief Keith is not only a great guy, but an awesome boss who gave us all the guidance we would need to kick start the process. So, last week Shannon (Keith’s intern) and I put in crazy hours searching site after site in order to put together a report summarizing cost/benefit analyses for a handful of different crops. I now know more than I ever thought I would need to know about the different characteristics of cassava, cotton, sesame and sorghum. The highlight of last week was when I led a 2hr meeting which involved about a dozen Nicaraguan agronomists with the goal of extracting from their minds as much information as possible. I swear my Spanish vocabulary double in those 2 hours.

Nicaraguan independence was celebrated this past Saturday (the 15th) so I assumed we were in store for local celebrations. Turns out my assumption was wrong. We learned, after the fact, the reason the normally packed streets near our place were silent was because all the locals flee to the beach to celebrate Independence Day. Normally a situation like this would be upsetting except for the fact that we have a great pool in our building. So, we decided that if we weren’t able to celebrate at the beach, we might as well take advantage of the beautiful weather in Managua by roasting in the sun, poolside (see top-left photo).

I’m really looking forward to this week for a number of reasons. The first is that tomorrow Shannon, Keith and I are off to Leon to attend a meeting/forum for the grant we’re writing . The second is that we’re beginning intensive Spanish lessons Monday afternoon. And finally, on Friday I’m off to the resort town of Montelimar with the microfinance crew for a weekend of teambuilding. I’m hoping to squeeze in a few hours of sunbathing and surf lessons at some point. (see below for photo of Montelimar)

Until the next time….

Marsh

We did it. We survived Felix!

Bienvenido a Managua!!!!!

(The photo will be changed to one from Managua ASAP)

After enduring and interesting flight that included the remains of Hurricane Felix and a fantastic lightning storm (see: http://youtube.com/watch?v=M0G6_9UQds4 ), I arrived at the surprisingly beautiful Managua International Airport. Greeting Kiki (MEDA Trust intern), Shannon (MEDA Produmer Intern) and I at the airport were Keith and Wendy, both MEDA employees, kudos to them. More kudos are in order since Keith and Wendy arranged our wonderful apartment and stocked our fridge with food. If it wasn’t for to two of them I’d still be at the airport asking “¿Sabe usted donde se renta departamentos?”.

Describing my feelings upon seeing our new home as “impressed” would be an understatement. The place is gorgeous and within walking distance of the heart Managua’s downtown. Although we haven’t gotten to know our area that much yet, we are planning to explore all weekend with the hopes of pinpointing great restaurants, local shops, gyms and whatever else we come across.

As many of you know, Nicaragua is currently suffering from an energy crisis resulting in daily, scheduled blackouts. Depending on the area of the city that you’re in you may experience a power outage from 2pm until 6pm or from 7pm until 10pm (the current schedule at the office). Where am I going with this? Let’s just say that driving through the heart of Managua with no street lights in the darkness of night is better than any thrill ride offered at Canada’s Wonderland.

That’s all for now. I’ll be diving into the work I was sent hear to do in the near future. The next blog will on the findings of the exploration of our area. One last thing, tonight, we’re all going out for supper before heading to The National Ballet. This will be my first ballet experience and needless to say, I’m really looking forward to it. Photos will be up next week.

Hasta el proximo,

Marshall