Green Mountain Farm to School

Check out this program on Vermont Public Radio about Green Mountain Farm to School (the place I am working this fall)!

http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/85852/
(click on Listen)

Enjoy!

Reviews of Guatemala

Because I have so much time and am so kind-hearted :-), I posted a review of Antigua and Lake Atitlan on the lonely planet forums. Here are links if you want to check them out:

Antigua:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/message.jspa?messageID=16186829#16186829

From Guatemala

Lake Atitlan:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?messageID=16186873&#16186873

fun stuff.

Ventures

Frank started two new websites / companies. One of them got written up (independently) today!
http://www.killerstartups.com/Web20/firstlinefiction-com-for-all-aspiring-short-novelists

The other one is TykeRider. They are just starting marketing for it, but its a great product so hopefully that won't be a tough task.

It's been fun talking about the sites and strategies. The whole exploit reconfirms my idea and hopes for achieving a happy work/life. Focusing on and redefining (1) who is your boss, what is your motivation, why are you doing your job? (easy questions to answer with your own company) (2) work schedule - flexible is amazingly freeing.

As for me, I start my mini consulting gig this week. Going well so far! I leave for VT Sept 27th.

Coffee Economics

I finished my paper on coffee (for the summer class I took at UCLA) - it ended up being about the economic sustainability of the industry. It was VERY interesting to do the research and write the paper. I talked to so many interesting, smart people, who have great perspective on broad issues, as well as getting to volunteer and become involved with some great organizations. (Maybe I should go to grad school?) I ended up focusing on the economic sustainabilty over the environmental impacts because it was just so obviously wrong. Here is my first paragraph:

Worldwide, coffee is the second largest export commodity after oil, valued at 60 billion dollars annually (PBS). Guatemala is among the top 10 players in this rich business. Not only important in the world market, coffee alternates with sugar as the top export in Guatemala; a key source of the country’s income. In 2005 the agricultural trifecta of coffee, sugar and fruit accounted for 1 billion dollars, or one third of Guatemala’s overall exports (ITC). This number is only a shadow of the total value of the market, realized once these raw materials are converted into end-products and sold to consumers.

Over half of Guatemalans work in the agriculture industry, many nurturing these cash crops. In the face of this wealth, how is it that Guatemala is one of the 10 poorest countries in Latin America, with over three quarters of its residents living below the poverty line (World Bank)? This paper will explore the economic sustainability of the coffee industry in Guatemala, examining the political and social roadblocks and the efforts to forge new paths.

You can read the rest here

And here is the photoessay

From Guatemala

From Guatemala

There and Back Again

I'm back. The first signs of culture shock:
- i keep saying hola, gracias and si (esp to waiters)
- feeling like the airplane toilet was a luxury - you can throw the TP in toilet and hot water comes out of the faucet!
- taking $80 out of the ATM and knowing it will only last me a day, maybe two. ouch.
- i can turn on the tap and DRINK the water!

Other than that, its not too hard to adjust to NY or the US. I have some really great things to look forward to:
- I am doing a short-term consulting project (paid!) gathering/documenting business requirements for new green energy startup. awesome! it only lasts two weeks in sept which is perfect.
- I "move" to VT on Sept 27th to work at Green Mountain Farm to School. I am working there for three months, well volunteering you may call it, getting a stipend and free housing. I am psyched to live in VT and somewhere rural for a bit, and am really excited about the organization and people there.
- Christina's bachelorette weekend is sept 17th! we are all hanging out in NY. Sarah is pregnant! And then going back to LA in Oct for christina's wedding and seeing my sister.
- My friend Dave form Australia (my Asia traveling partner) is coming to visit.

AND I arrived in NY in one of my favorite months. Looking forward to seeing all my friends, hanging out with Frank and enjoying as many restaurants and nights out as I can afford!