The Bancos de Confianza (banks of trust) is, in my biased opinion, the most impressive, subversive (against the crippling social and economic status quo), and overall successful program at the Project. During a mid-year evaluation with the director of the Project, the bank team was given pats on the back, gold stars, and a lot of encouragement to keep up the good work. We were moderately scolded for our sub-par accounting system, which could be an enabler to any corrupt future members of the bank team. It was suggested that we form at least two more groups of women before the end of the year, bringing the total number of women involved up from 200 at the beginning of the year to 300 by this December. Other suggestions included that I be the driver of the Project pickup truck (a role which I gladly stepped into, although I am quite worried about unavoidable encounters with Nicaraguan traffic cops), and that I stay for a third year. I vehemently opposed the latter suggestion and defended myself by pulling the Nicaraguan trump card (I’d love to, but my family would kill me).
Project director Ana María doing a workshop with one of the banks.
Since so much time with the women in the banks is spent dealing with the subject of money, we try to facilitate fun, laughter, and dancing whenever possible. A Spanish man named Emilio, a specialist in cooperative games, spent a whole week meeting with every bank (that is, every group of women, of which there are 9). He did a mixture of childish games, dancing, and group therapy, which had women laughing, crying, yelling, etc. It was wonderful to see the women enjoying and expressing themselves, something that their culture and home life rarely allows. The women of El Recreo need much more than economic assistance. I was grateful to be present while Emilio helped them work out their emotions and bring out their inner child.
A tradition at the Project is to have a field trip for the staff every July. So twenty of us packed our lunches and bathing suits, crammed into a microbus, and set out for the natural hot springs in Boaco, central Nicaragua. As usual I was enamored with the views of an unfamiliar countryside, which was vibrantly green and pulsating with lush vegetation. We got to the hot springs (which does not initially sound tempting when the air temperature is around 100) and spent the day relaxing by the steaming pools, playing in the water, and dancing. It was exceptionally relaxing and a rare chance to hang out with coworkers in a laid back setting.
Coups d’etat and celebrity suicides
Depending on the thoroughness of U.S. media, you may or may not be aware that the President of Honduras was kidnapped from his home by the Honduran military and shipped off to Costa Rica in what everyone (except the perpetrators) has labeled a coup d’etat. Mel Zelaya, the deposed President (who didn’t even get to change out of his pajamas or grab his cowboy hat when he was kidnapped), was trying awfully hard to make major changes to the constitution, which seriously upset a lot of powerful people in Honduras. I definitely question Zelaya’s prudence and commitment to democracy (I do not consider radical and whimsical changes to a constitution to be a good thing), but I also think it’s outrageous that Honduran congressmen and Supreme Court Justices would order the military to force him out of the country. I appreciate the international community’s reaction (“militaries kicking out presidents is not acceptable”) and I appreciate that diplomacy has, to this point, been the main tool for resolving the issue (as opposed to violently reinstating Zelaya). I’m hoping that the new, illegitimate Honduran government will be reasonable in negotiations, and that the instability will not spread to Nicaragua (which also has a president proposing ridiculous changes to its constitution).
Troubling pictures in the news after the coup d´etat in Honduras. Supporters of the ousted president protested outside the heavily guarded presidential palace.
There were a few pictures in the newspapers of soldiers shooing away reporters in the days after the coup.
In other local/regional news, the mayor of Managua and former boxing champion Alexis Arguello committed suicide recently. People loved him, not as a mayor but as a boxer that put Nicaragua on the map, in boxing terms. He is the second Sandinista mayor of the capital city in the last 4 years to drop dead shortly after drifting away from the party line and loyalty to President Ortega…a coincidence? Some Nicaraguans and JVs think not…
Well, I’m 19 months in with 5 months to go. I love it here but I am excited to come home some day and indulge in the many beautiful things America has to offer (national parks, bacon cheeseburgers, milkshakes, baseball games, etc.). Some major holidays are coming up in Nicaragua which may warrant another entry in the next month or so. July 19 is the 30th anniversary of the Sandinista revolution, at which Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and deposed President Mel Zelaya of Honduras are sure to make special appearances. And August 1st is the celebration of Santo Domingo, which includes but is not limited to the palo lucio, the fabled telephone pole lathered in pig fat with prizes at the top for those who dare to climb it. Thanks for reading!
Peace,
Michael Marchesini
Bank women dancing to their heart´s content at a recent celebration!
