Entiendes?

I have been in Nicaragua for about a week and a half now and my Spanish is begining to pick up. I am understanding a lot more of what others are saying, but my own speaking abilities are still pretty weak. Even when I am saying the correct words people often don't understand me because of my accent. I am however able to understand most of what I am being told at work, which is an improvement.

Yesterday I met with Lucia who is in charge of women's development. Out of all of the managers I have met with so far her work interested me the most. Sixty-one percent of FDL's borrowers are women, as the FDL is dedicated to improving the economic well being of Nicaraguan women. FDL also tries to provide more than just financial services to women such as working to increase their self-esteem and improve their education and health.

They serve women in both rural and urban areas through solidarity groups. In order to obtain a loan women must form groups of four. The group is like a team, and if one woman is not able to make her full repayment the remaining three pick up the slack. This helps lower the default risk for FDL. In addition to providing the loan FDL also provides training services through a partnership with Nitlapán Research and Development Institute of the Central American University. Workshops they offer teach women about credit and credit management as well as new agricultural techniques and products. For example they may put on a workshop that shows all the products that can be produced from a cows milk so that borrowers may expand their product lines.


This Friday I will be going to Messiah, which is about an hour outside managua. There I will get to meet with the manager of the FDL branch, as well as a loan officer and borrowers. On the way there however we will be stoping in another town where one of FDL's annual assemblies is being held. At the assembly borrowers are able to speak their opinions on the services provided by the FDL as well as make recommendations for new products they would like to see offered.

So overall work is going pretty well, and I am moving along on my report for the FDL. At the guesthome I am begining to feel like one of the family. Most travellers who come to stay at Hostal Dona Ida are only there for a few days, but I will be there for at least three weeks. Monday I went with the dad and son to their horse ranch in Ficha. They have four horses right now (two lil ones!), and the two big horses are both pregnant. It's been a while since I've ridden a horse, but I got the hang of it again after a while. Then Alfredo and I rode them through the rural areas of Ficha.

It was nice to finally get out of Managua, and the surrounding areas were beautiful (my camera was dead though so no pictures to show)! Palm trees, lush greens, bright flowers, pastures and hills surounded us everywhere. The people who live in the area were very poor, as it is more rural, but Alfredo was telling me how he wants to study marketing in the University next year because he and his dad want to turn their ranch into a get away resort for tourists wishing to ride horses and enjoy Nicaragua's more rural landscapes (At least I'm pretty sure that's what he said because he only speaks spanish).

The traffic here is pretty crazy, but no where near as ridiculous as China. I would probably be in an accident within two minutes though if I ever tried to drive here. They also love to honk their horns, so Gido would feel right at home (sorry I had to call you out Gid). But anyways I'm off to lunch.

Hasta Luego