Juan Lopez

Well, I FINALLY got internet here, for a little bit. It´s SO slow, I won´t write too much or too often. I have pictures because it is BEAUTIFUL here, but you´ll have to wait until I get faster internet. We are up in the mountains, but the mountains are covered in palm trees and plantain trees, it´s gorgeous. I think we may get to walk up one of the mountains on the weekend.

We are actually doing a diagnostic now. We are working with communities (mine is Los Comacho) and I will be helping them do a budget and figure out how much they can take out in a loan and at what percent to help them expand. It´s cool because the entire community is very excited about this. It´s a definate change from the city, but a very good one. Things are cleaner, the people are much more nice, and we are actually able to do hands on things. I am having a great time here.

The Spanish is coming, slowly. My family can understand me, but they have a weird accent up here I´m having trouble picking up on. My Don is super nice and does everything to try and help me learn. He shuffles me around the house and outside to get in on good conversations or to watch the news or a movie in Spanish. He´s incredibly nice.

The down side to here, besides the internet and phone situation, is that the trainees are relatively far from eachother. I like the people I am close to, but I don´t get to see everyone and that´s a big change. I guess that´s how life will be in the campo.

That´s all for now, hopefully I´ll have more exciting things to write in a week. Next week we return to the capital for a bit to help with a business plan competition. Should be interesting!