By reh on 4/15/2008

April 15, 2008, Tuesday

7:15AM Breakfast at the Maya with Dr. Avila. After preliminaries that included an update on Dr. Avila’s (he is becoming more involved in academia and expects to be appointed as the rector-our version of dean-of the Honduras University system) travels and on L4L, I explained that L4L needs a more stable financial base. I explained that I only know about the United Nations and the World Bank what I read in the news magazines but want to approach one of them for a grant. I know that, while the paperwork is important and applying with the right department within the organizations in important, presenting the proposal to the right person is most important. I understand the process will take time; my goal is to have results within a year, not within months. I would like Dr. Avila to coach me over the next year on the best approach. His reaction was instant and enthusiastic. He will talk to people today, when ... Read More »

By reh on 4/14/2008

April 14, 2008, Monday

7:30AM On the road to Teguci.

9:30AM Calles Dr. Avilea. No answer. A little later, Jessica called to tell me that Fernando had called; the interview wasn’t taped. While on the line, she told me this is a national holiday so all businesses are closed. Am sure Dr. Avilea wasn’t thinking of the holiday. Guess I’ll miss him this time.

Am still not sure how to gauge “success”. If success is completing “to do” items that prompted the trip, than this certainly was not a success; as it turns out, most trips are not. If success is keeping the program moving along, than this was a successful trip. Possibly, another way to gauge success is by cost effectiveness. I suppose time will tell if we derive value for time and dollars spent.
Clark always counsels patience. I guess I would say that has been my mantra during this entire trip. Some part of p ... Read More »

By reh on 4/13/2008

April 13, 2008, Sunday

9:00AM Fernando at the motel. Jessica called, on the way from Teguci their pickup had a flat. They are only 10 minutes north of Nacaomi so Fernando and I drove to the pickup, loaded the tire in the trunk and Jessica, husband and 2 kids in car. Stopped at tire repair shop on the way back to Nacaomi and left the tire, husband and kids ant went back to check on Roxana. She had not arrived and said she couldn’t make it. Drove to T.V. station but we were at the transmission location; the recording studio is on the other side of town. Fortunate Nacaomi is not a large town. Walked in studio at minutes before 10:00AM.
The studio is a square room approximately 15x15feet. A long table with a rounded front side sits far enough from the wall that 4 captain’s chairs can fit between the table and the back wall. There are 2 couches along the wall with the door; these are all out of the view of the camera ... Read More »

By reh on 4/12/2008

April 12, 2008, Saturday

8:00AM Fernando came by. Drove to El Amatillo. Roxana has classes but Suyen went with us.
9:00AM Dr. Castillo and assistant arrived. First school was Andrea Ganzales (Roxana’s school). Kida, teachers, parents waiting. Dr. set up one person to take names and one to give pills. It took about 3 minutes to realize that we would be there all morning with all the kids that shows up; students, kids too young for school, and post 6th grade. I suggested we set up two lines. Even with 2 lines, it took almost two hours to accommodate everyone. The response to this type of effort is pretty impressive; the parents know the importance and really come forth when the opportunity is presented.
Dr. Castillo insists on making these events a party so the children will see the event as a positive, party type of event so passes out a lollypop (bomba) to every kid and brings a piñata. We knew ... Read More »

By reh on 4/11/2008

April 11, 2008, Friday

8:00AM Packing, setting agenda for next few days.
9:00AM Call from Dr. Avila, we will have lunch Monday. We will confirm place at 11:00 Monday.
11:00AM Headed for Nacaomi. Lots of traffic through Teguci.
2:00PM In motel in Nacaomi.
3:30PM Fernando came by and we discussed coming events.
5:00PM End of day.

By reh on 4/10/2008

April 10, 2008, Thursday

8:30AM Call from Rosibel Ramirez asking if we can meet at 1:00PM (of course we can)
10:00AM Fernando’s reporter friend’s name is Luis Rodrigoez. He is the financial reporter for El Heraldo (El Heraldo is written for a more educated audience-like the Wall Street Journal) – I’m impressed. We were received cordially by Mr. Cuevas and started by talking in the receiving room while standing. I started by explaining that I know he cannot do a follow-up at present and that human interest stories are fillers to be worked on when time permits; I simply wanted to stop by as a reminder to keep us on his list for future stories. I think he really appreciated that I wasn’t trying to push for immediate results. I, then, explained that the young lady in the US who did the story is very young and inexperienced. As a result she did a story about a little girl; we are feeding 1000 students at 14 schools an ... Read More »

By reh on 4/9/2008

April 9, 2008, Wednesday

9:00AM Not a good day. Jessica explained to me that the AP reporter really doesn’t want to see us.
Called Alcoa, the receptionist said Ms. Paz is in a meeting; same answer Jessica has been getting for 2 weeks.
Called 3-M, the receptionist won’t even tell us who we should talk to.
Called Tabacalera Centroamericana (Philip Morris subsidiary), the person we must talk to “is not in”; same answer Jessica has been getting for a week.
Called Ms. Ramirez (VP’s wife’s secretary) she will check Mrs. Santo’s schedule and call back; I think she will.
Called Dr. Avila’s office. He is in Venezuelans this week but his secretary will check his schedule for Monday or Tuesday of next week; we’ll see.
All in all, not a good morning.
On the road to Teguci by 11:00AM
2:00PM Signed into Maya. Took notes, relaxed. ... Read More »

By reh on 4/8/2008

April 8, 2008, Tuesday

8:00AM A continued search for schools that can best present and explain the L4L program. Drove to 3 de Octubre. New principal (only on the job for a week). He Robinson Cruiz and the other teacher, Ms. Maya, who has been there since the program began, are very capable of coordinating a visit. While this is the best school, the roads in are very long and in very poor condition.
11:00AM Stopped by Rincon and saw Anabel. She has grown much taller and looks to be in good health. I was surprised how glad she was to see me and how easily she talked with me. She has matured a lot; she asked about Elise and attends school regularly. She said she is living with one of her sisters and she is very happy. I said that possibly she could go to lunch with us one day soon. She explained that we would have to go by her sister’s house and get permission (remember, this is the same girl who came and went at wi ... Read More »

By reh on 4/7/2008

April 7, 2008, Monday

7:00AM In anticipation of reporters, contributors, other entities wanting to review our program, we will review 3 schools that we think represent the program; criteria: principal that can communicate well. Drove to El Coyolar and talked with principal Anabel Lazo. We walked through one of the poorer areas. The principal is very outgoing and can explain the L4L benefits. Drove to Los Almendros, principal is Aracely Gonzales Calix. Principal is not outgoing and will not present the program well.
Drove to La Pena #1, Principal is Celina Cruz. Principal is outgoing and can explain the project well. 1:00PM These schools are quite a distance apart on bad dirt roads. We left at 7:00 and didn’t return to the motel till 1:00. Jessica was waiting so went to San Rorenz for fried fish dinner.
3:00PM At motel. Tried to call Alcoa Valesquez, 3M, Phillip Morris. No luck.
Fernand ... Read More »

By reh on 4/6/2008

April 6, 2008, Sunday

4:30AM Courtesy van ride to airport. Even with pre-printed boarding pass, I had to use kiosk for baggage ticket (which gave me another boarding pass!). Uneventful flight to Houstin. Uneventful flight to Teguci; plane half full – first time I’ve seen such an empty plane on any Teguci flight. Immigrations took no time, bag arrived with flight, right through customs. Nobody at Avis so wasted a bunch of time there. On the road to Nacaomi by 12:30PM
3:00PM Checked in at motel in Nacaomi. Fernando came by about 4:00. We simply discussed events of next couple of days.
5:00PM Dinner at a restaurant that is a patio on the second floor of a downtown bank. Beautiful view of downtown plaza, nice corner breeze, clean dining area. Mediocre food.
7:00PM End of day.

By reh on 4/6/2008

April 6, 2008, Sunday

4:30AM Courtesy van ride to airport. Even with pre-printed boarding pass, I had to use kiosk for baggage ticket (which gave me another boarding pass!). Uneventful flight to Houstin. Uneventful flight to Teguci; plane half full – first time I’ve seen such an empty plane on any Teguci flight. Immigrations took no time, bag arrived with flight, right through customs. Nobody at Avis so wasted a bunch of time there. On the road to Nacaomi by 12:30PM
3:00PM Checked in at motel in Nacaomi. Fernando came by about 4:00. We simply discussed events of next couple of days.
5:00PM Dinner at a restaurant that is a patio on the second floor of a downtown bank. Beautiful view of downtown plaza, nice corner breeze, clean dining area. Mediocre food.
7:00PM End of day.

By reh on 4/5/2008

April 5, 2008, Saturday

4:00PM Birmingham Holiday Inn. Overcast all the way, raining most of the way.