Random Notes

Sorry that it has been a while since I updated, but the last couple of weeks have been thankfully busy. I´ve been working or traveling a lot which has kept me from spending all my time thinking about my trip home next month (July 1st through the 22nd). Here are some of the highlights...

->We finally got all the numbers together for the chicken project and I did a feasibility study on the business (who says you have to have an MBA?). I found that we´d make money, but only in the long term. During the first year each member of the group would have to fork out almost $900 of their own money and then wouldn´t recoup it all until the third year. I think that is way too much money and too long a time for people in my site to stay with the idea, so it looks like that project is a bust. Instead, we now are looking at working with broilers instead of laying hens. I haven´t done the study yet, but hopefully the numbers will be better.

->I just joined the recently formed PC Agricultural Task Force which will be working with country wide agricultural training. I still don´t know a ton of Ag stuff, but I hope to help with organizing and setting goals for the new group. My first idea about slightly changing the format of Pre-Service Training has received a lot of good buzz, and I think it will be implemented.

->I went down to Ambato for a friend´s birthday party a couple of weeks ago. It was nice to see everyone and while I was in the city, I picked up a $1.25 bootleg copy of the new Indiana Jones (Sorry George Lucas). I was excited to see the movie since I´ve always been a fan, but was very disappointed. The only redeeming quality in my mind was that it was set not far from here and there were several small bits that had connections to Ecuador (Francisco Orellana, the explorer, and the Quichwa language which they still speak here).

-> I traveled to the northern part of Ecuador last week for a couple of days to visit some friends. It was nice to see a different side of life and feel some warm weather. It is usually pretty dry there, but it rained almost every day...I must have brought it with me. The area where my friends live is called the Chota Valley and is famous for being the home of almost all the Ecuadorian Nation Soccer Team´s players. Since a lot of the residents are Afro-Ecuatoriano, the culture is very different and I could have conversations with people, look them in the eyes, and not have to squat...how bizarre! We basically just hung out, but I did get to see one of my friend´s yogurt projects. She showed me how to do everything, and its pretty easy. When I get back from vacation I think I´m going to try it out in my town. I think that I´ll do it all on my own and later on I´ll get others involved (there will be a lot less headaches that way).

Other than that I´m getting stuff ready for the trip. I have some garden work to do next week and then some packing.

I´m looking foreward to seeing everyone and if you are planning on being in Chicago or St. Louis in July, send me a line.

P.S. - This will be the last post until I get back from the States, so until then, Hasta Luego!