Watching Hawks
Monte Cristo is really a breathtaking place. In Spanish, the word for it is bellísimo, or the most beautiful it could possibly be. After school Hilary and I sit on the back porch and watch the hawks glide in circles…
belmontlumodev
Economic dynamics in small communities
I’m going to take a break from my series of posts about working on the tea farm to touch on a more or less unrelated topic–economics. I’m currently writing a paper about some economics observations I’ve made regarding the ashram…
Days for Freedom
For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. – Nelson Mandela March 21: SA Human Rights Day Every year on March 21, South Africa…
Expression Week
You know all those special activities you had in Middle School? Like talent shows, science fairs, and field day? Well, here in Guatemala we do them all in the same week. It’s called “Expression Week” and it’s the wildest, busiest,…
Monte Cristo Poems
The dirtcheek boys on the grassless patio Throw stone and dirtlcod at the mango trees El chucho viejo limps raggedly away From the children playing cornstalk apache —————– Fuego billows again; black cloud sky writer Chimaltecos sleep cold for the…
Last Week in Thailand
After being in Thailand for almost 6 months, I am sad to say that it is finally over. Students are home, my small home is cleaned, and my bags are almost packed. Today I had the opportunity to visit the…
Gardening, part 4: soil experiment
As I mentioned in my first post, Black Bug Invasion, the recent destruction of our tea crop has given us the opportunity to reassess the gardening techniques we use and to experiment with new approaches. One way we’re doing this…
Belmont Came to Visit!
Two weeks ago, Belmont Study Abroad came to study fair-trade coffee farming and international business here in Guatemala. This trip has special meaning for Eric and I because it’s how we met and also what inspired us to lead the…
Gardening, Part 3: DIY organic fertilizer!
Yesterday in the garden we fertilized the tea plants. We have two fertilizer mixtures we use, and we try to set aside one day each week to use one or the other. I’m going to share both the recipes with…
Thanks Belmont
Our schedule over the last two weeks has been consumed by visitors from the US. It started with Brennon, a good buddy from my college days that was with me during the early stages of Spring Back Recycling. In two…