Journaling. Is it a lost art or a relic of times past that has rightfully disappeared in a world of easy electronic fixes for expression? Journals are deeply private things, they represent ourselves poured out in ink. Our moods can be seen in every penstroke, our thoughts in every malformed word. We don't edit ourselves in journals. Looking back, our writing seems disjointed and without the structure or social awareness that is expected from a polished status update. Journals are the only places,...
Continue Reading >>Stories tagged with blogsherpa
Aug 8, 2013
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Every city that I have ever visited has been decorated/defaced with lots of colorful graffiti. In some cities, the graffiti is confined to train tunnels, highway overpasses and other functional places that generally lack any kind of redeeming aesthetic qualities. In others, the graffiti can be seen everywhere, coating fire hydrants, schools and long-abandoned corner grocery stores (among other places).
The common thread in both types of city is that most graffiti, however colorful it may be, either advertises a gang's territory or functions as an artist's signature (or both);... Continue Reading >>
The common thread in both types of city is that most graffiti, however colorful it may be, either advertises a gang's territory or functions as an artist's signature (or both);... Continue Reading >>
Jul 7, 2013
Ukraine
Ukraine
Chernobyl.
That’s probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Ukraine. Either that or the Soviet Union. It’s one of those former Soviet republics the world has forgotten. (Ukraine? That’s part of Russia, right?)
History hijacked, present overshadowed, future uncertain.
Those are, in a nutshell, the three fundamental reasons that Ukraine needs Kiva. And here are 7 striking examples.
... Continue Reading >>
That’s probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about Ukraine. Either that or the Soviet Union. It’s one of those former Soviet republics the world has forgotten. (Ukraine? That’s part of Russia, right?)
History hijacked, present overshadowed, future uncertain.
Those are, in a nutshell, the three fundamental reasons that Ukraine needs Kiva. And here are 7 striking examples.
... Continue Reading >>
Jul 7, 2013
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Going to bars or clubs before they open is always strange: music is loudly thumping, lights are moving festively across walls and floors and bartenders are standing at the ready with bottles open and kegs tapped. All of this is happening while the bar is completely empty, making it an eerie experience that I typically attempt to avoid. But, I was on a mission this night.
The reason that I arrived at this trendy bar so early was to help with the setting up of an event to raise funds for Café Pendiente, an initiative that began here in Costa Rica one month ago. Caf... Continue Reading >>
The reason that I arrived at this trendy bar so early was to help with the setting up of an event to raise funds for Café Pendiente, an initiative that began here in Costa Rica one month ago. Caf... Continue Reading >>
Jul 7, 2013
Ukraine
Ukraine
A cool two-hour drive downriver from the still-entombed (yet unstable) Chernobyl nuclear disaster site stands Ukraine's capital city Kyiv (Kiev). As with most cities at this latitude, it's sweltering during the summer and many residents don't have air conditioning. Those who live outside the city, however, are able to endure the heat more easily.
For the last two months I've been living at a dacha, or cottage, where my parents-in-law live.
For the last two months I've been living at a dacha, or cottage, where my parents-in-law live.
...
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Jul 7, 2013
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
I'm a vegetarian. However, there are occasionally times when I relent and consume meat, especially if it's offered and refusal means either going hungry or—worse—being rude. Even this reluctant acceptance of the occasional meaty meal has its limits, though.
I will not eat pork. It's not a religious thing for me, nor is it a question of taste; I think bacon tastes fantastic and is a wondrous smell in the morning, particularly maple-cured smoked bacon, eagerly sizzling in the pan as the coffee brews. This is the smell that mornings are made of, that makes... Continue Reading >>
I will not eat pork. It's not a religious thing for me, nor is it a question of taste; I think bacon tastes fantastic and is a wondrous smell in the morning, particularly maple-cured smoked bacon, eagerly sizzling in the pan as the coffee brews. This is the smell that mornings are made of, that makes... Continue Reading >>
Jun 6, 2013
Chile
Chile
A little more than an hour north of Santiago, Chile sits Cartagena. Like an old ship left in the harbor, this coastal town is slowly rotting away — its sidewalks are crumbling, its mostly abandoned houses and buildings are collapsing, and the streetlights rust and flicker. Looking...
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Jun 6, 2013
Chile
A Kiva borrower in Talca, Chile
These days, Silicon Valley culture can be found many miles south of northern California. The fever around innovative startups has crossed the border, spreading to nearly every country in the Americas.
From Rio de Janeiro to Bogota, Latin American cities are trying to generate that startup environment that’s proven so effective at reinvigorating the business market and attracting foreign investors.
One of the first cities, with arguably the most interesting and innovative program so far,... Continue Reading >>
Chile
A Kiva borrower in Talca, Chile
These days, Silicon Valley culture can be found many miles south of northern California. The fever around innovative startups has crossed the border, spreading to nearly every country in the Americas.
From Rio de Janeiro to Bogota, Latin American cities are trying to generate that startup environment that’s proven so effective at reinvigorating the business market and attracting foreign investors.
One of the first cities, with arguably the most interesting and innovative program so far,... Continue Reading >>
May 5, 2013
Mongolia
Mongolia
a massive silver statue of Chinggis Khan looms 40m high on a snowy spring morning at Tsonjin Boldog, east of UB
Spring may have arrived in Mongolia, but for two Kiva staff who visited me in April, winter gave one last hurrah and dumped the largest snowfall I’ve seen since being here (a whopping 2 inches!).
If you’ve had a chance to read some of my past blog posts, you’ll already know that winter in Mongolia is a big deal—even for a Canuck like me....
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May 5, 2013
Azerbaijan, 
Ecuador, 
Global Update, 
Guatemala, 
Kenya
Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Global Update, Guatemala, Kenya
We've collected a few of our favorite (and cutest) photos of mothers, grandmothers and their children from the circle of Kiva borrowers around the world.
We hope that you make a this a special day to remember your mothers and any other women who cared for you like a mother!
P.S. A Kiva Card makes a great last-minute gift!
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We hope that you make a this a special day to remember your mothers and any other women who cared for you like a mother!
P.S. A Kiva Card makes a great last-minute gift!
Mother and daughter CAURIE borrowers, Fautou and Sylla in...