Student Blogs Throughout The Trip
Thursday November 15, 2007
Today we began our adventure to Guadalajara , Mexico . At 5 am. I am tired. We left Barsema Hall for O'Hare really excited to start our insight trip. Getting onto 88 came sooner than expected, Matt left his car running in the parking lot. The day started off with a bang. We got to the airport and Cody and I tried catching a bird with a garbage bag. The flight was 4 hours full of eager and energized college students. We got to Mexico and were greeted by Lupita, Gaby, and Jennifer from Opportunity International. Then we went to lunch, found out that they use sugar cane instead of high fructose corn syrup, and paid to use the washroom. The authentic food was delicious. The sights around town were amazing and absolutely beautiful. We saw a lovely church and a few trucks full of intense Mexican army soldiers. We then arrived at the hotel. The rooms and the bathrooms are full of Mexican culture and the scenery of the bird and lobby is stunning. We had a delicious Mexican feast for dinner and went back to the hotel, watched Spanish television and went to sleep! I can't wait to meet the OM gang and the clients tomorrow!!!!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Today we woke up to a fresh breakfast at our hotel of toast, fruit, “tortilla casserole” and yogurt; we knew we'd need a lot of energy for the day. Around 8am we hopped in the van and headed to the offices of Oportunidad Microfinazas. Once there, we interacted with a group of OM loan officers, the Executive Director Maria Elena, and the Director of R&D Max Nino. We divided into small groups and worked on morning devotions. Luckily I was with Alejandra, one of the OM staff members that spoke some English, and also Maggie, who is a Spanish minor. I worked on my Spanish, but more importantly I was so touched by the love and faith that all of OM had in God. Their faith is truly the driving force in their lives, and it was unbelievable to see how grateful they were for the little they have. Americans could definitely learn how to revalue their lives from these people. After devotions we heard presentations by Maria and Max on the workings of OM and the theories behind microfinance. Through exhausted eyes, we learned the businesses processes of OM and the history behind the how the everyone can start lifting many of the world's poor out of poverty…
After OM we went to a lovely restaurant that had macaws and we tried to take pictures with them and were warned that they may peck at us if we got too close. The restaurant was an old convent. There was history everywhere. The food has been great! We then went to visit the clients. The first client was Maria. She invited us into her home to explain her business. She bought ceramic things and painted them. The next client was Oliverio. His business was a mixture of paintings, ceramics and jewelry. He demonstrated how he painted straight from memory. The most touching conversation was when he was explaining to Gabby that the local school offered him a part time job teaching art but it didn't pay as much as his business so he turned it down. Gabby explained to him that he could do both if he wanted. This was new to him, that he could work both jobs. He then said that he was going to go to the school that week to see if the offer was still available. The next client was Raymunda. Her business was nativity scene figures. She used powder, water, and molds to create the figures. Then she would put them in the fire to bake. After that she would paint them.
We bought different items from the clients that we were really excited about. The one thing that surprised me was that as much as the clients touched me, I was not sad like I thought I might be. The clients all seemed so happy and inviting. They made where they lived not just a house but a home for them. They were so proud of everything they were accomplishing and instead of feeling sorry for them I was excited for them. I hope that they can each achieve their hopes and dreams.
One interesting fact about Mexico is that they don't flush toilet paper down the toilet. There is a little can for the paper next to the toilet bowl for the used toilet paper.
Title: Max Nino “The Poverty Professor”
After morning bible study and a presentation on Opportunity Mexico, our team was blessed to have a session with Max Nino. Max, originally from Mexico City , spent time in the UK attaining his PHD in Microfinance. Max connected with us, giving us all a new perspective on what poverty is and how is should be measured.
Max defined poverty non-traditionally. In a traditional sense poverty is measured by income metrics or purchase power parity comparisons. In Max/s thesis, poverty is measured by a person's vulnerability to the environment. This definition takes a non-western approach to poverty. So many times we miss opportunities to handle social problems, such as poverty, because we are analyzing situations through our limited perspective. By measuring poverty by a person's vulnerability, metrics such as cultural situation and social networks have more weight than income.
Max's model was revolutionary to me. It is applicable to all country's poverty dilemma. The metrics are harder to measure in this model. How do you measure a person's social network? Yet, a person's network is worth more than income when the issue is vulnerability. If wealth is defined as the “control of systems and assets,” then Max Nino's definition of poverty would be the antithesis of wealth, the “lack of control of systems and assets” or a high amount of vulnerability to the environment. Max's discussion has given me a better perspective on poverty and given me the opportunity to brainstorm more effective ideas.
After a long day out in the field meeting clients and seeing how Opportunity International works in poor Mexican villages, we all went back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. At around 7:45pm, we all went on a single file to walk our way down to Casa Fuerte. This was our first time crossing the road and it was so great being together all at the same time, like a group of children playing and goofing around with each other. The Mexicans pretty much recognized us as “extranjeros” and you can tell that with how the people look at us. Some who are driving on the road even snapped a quick, “Gringos!” at us and we just kept ourselves in a straight line and let our feet bring us to the restaurant. Casa Fuerte was another “obra maestro” for us, another one of those colorful cultural edifices where good food and good memories can be shared with one another. I was seated next to Maria Elena and it was so cool to be picking her brain and feel the goodness of her heart. She was kind enough to share to me her experiences going to my home country in the Philippines and she told me how similar it was with the warmth of people and how close the “Spanish” flavor is in both Mexico and the Philippines . I was so amazed learning more about these people and I felt so grateful to know their stories on random thoughts from plans during the holidays to just about any other random thoughts that crop up along the way. A little before 12 midnight, we went back to our hotel. It was a fruitful day indeed.