Wonderful video of study-abroad cultural exchange on La Isla de Ometepe, Nicaragua: A chat with the filmmaker, Heather Croix

By Joshua | February 7th, 2010 | No Comments »

The description of the video is simple—”Carthage College professors lead a group of students on a trip to Nicaragua to learn about physical geography and health care”— but its message is far-reaching and it captures aspects of travel and volunteering abroad — the anticipation, the fear, the lessons, the humility — that I’ve rarely seen presented so well.

The 9-minute film, “Explore Nicaragua,” was directed and edited by Heather Croix and produced and directed by Paul Chilsen. Heather is a recent college graduate, currently working as a swimming coach and substitute teacher in Wisconsin. Her trip to Nicaragua to document a Cathage College study-abroad program was her first time traveling outside the United States. Watching the video, you can tell it was as a profound experience for the filmmakers as for the subjects. I asked her about the experience: Read the rest of this entry »

Best. Roadsign. Ever. “Borracho Crossing” in Northern Nicaragua

By Joshua | January 31st, 2010 | 1 Comment »

This photo was taken by Rodney McDonald, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who heads the Latin America division of a non-profit organization which, among other things, promotes road safety and emergency training. It’s a funny sign but you would not believe how true it is in some parts of Nicaragua (and, I’m told on Valencia St. in San Francisco, CA). Learn more about ERSLA’s work in Nicaragua and their Haiti Relief Mission: http://www.ersla.org/ERSLA/

Guest Post: Egypt – A Brief Travel Guide

By Joshua | January 31st, 2010 | No Comments »

The Red Sea Peninsula, best known for its clear waters, exotic fish, coral reefs, thriving beach resorts and year-round sunshine, has developed into a popular holiday destination. —travelsupermarket.com Read the rest of this entry »

Awesome, low-tech success story from Nicaragua — Condega firefighters deliver water filters to people of Ducuale Grande

By Joshua | January 19th, 2010 | 1 Comment »

I thought I’d share this excellent video and news from friends in Nicaragua. Here’s the release from Rodney McDonald, Latin American director for Emergency Response Services for Latin America (ERSLA):

Water filters distributed to Nicaraguan families through local firefighters and US Organization

Ducuale Grande Nicaragua, Jan 18, 2009—More than 200 water filters purchased by individuals, U.S. church groups, and volunteer organizations were distributed to Nicaraguan families over the month of December as part of a project begun by a team of firefighters in Bend, Oregon. Read the rest of this entry »

“Nicaragua is a place of wonders”: A Chat with Silvio Sirias, author of Meet Me Under the Ceiba

By Joshua | January 13th, 2010 | 26 Comments »

(LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW AND YOU’LL BE ENTERED TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF MEET ME UNDER THE CEIBA.)

There is not much fiction in the suggested readings section of my book, Moon Nicaragua. It’s mostly history, memoir, and political analysis. That’s why Silvio Sirias’s books are such a breath of fresh air.

In his first novel, Bernardo and the Virgin (Northwestern University Press, 2007), Sirias takes the reader to the village of Cuapa, Chontales, in central Nicaragua. The book fictionalizes the story of a campesino to whom the Holy Virgin appeared in 1980 while providing a vivid slice of recent history through the eyes of everyday Nicas.

His latest book, Meet Me Under the Ceiba (Arte Publico Press, 2009, winner of the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize), is also a work of fiction. It takes place in the tiny twin villages of La Curva and Pio XII, in the hills south of the capital. Maybe I’m biased since I actually lived in Pio XII as a Peace Corps trainee in 1998 (as Sirias writes, “…very few people in Managua had even heard of this miserable little town”), and I can vouch for the book’s authenticity. Ceiba is based on a true crime that occurred in 1999, and on the intolerance of Nicaraguan culture to homosexuality. I wrote a short review of his book here, then had the opportunity to sit down with the author (he in Panama, where he teaches literature, and me in Colorado).

Enjoy: Read the rest of this entry »

The Best Way to Help Haiti: AJWS Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund

By Joshua | January 13th, 2010 | No Comments »

AJWS is there on the ground. They’ve been supporting grassroots organizations there since 1999 so their local network is in place and ready to go. It’s going to be a real mess for the survivors; donate to the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund.

Read the rest of this entry »

Novelist Silvio Sirias Coming to Tranquilo Traveler this Thursday — Stop by to win an autographed copy of Meet Me Under the Ceiba!

By Joshua | January 12th, 2010 | No Comments »

Author Silvio Sirias is including the Tranquilo Traveler in his blog tour this Thursday, January 14, 2010. I’ll post a review of Sirias’s latest novel Meet Me Under the Ceiba, a book which offers wonderful storytelling, plus a remarkably vivid portrait of small-town Nicaraguan life (which is good news for those of us on a constant Nica nostalgia kick). There is a reason LatinoStories.com just named him one of 2010’s Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read). Stop by on Thursday, leave a comment, and you’ll automatically be entered to win an autographed copy of Ceiba.

¡Suerte!

Belize is one of Developing World’s 10 Best Ethical Destinations (and Nicaragua is dropped from list)

By Joshua | January 3rd, 2010 | No Comments »

Much respect to The Ethical Traveler, the world’s “first grass-roots alliance uniting adventurers, tourists, travel agencies, and outfitters” in the belief that “all travelers are, in effect, freelance ambassadors.” I’m happy to report that the ET included Belize on a very elite list, as reported in this article for the San Francisco Chronicle by Spud Hilton:

“The list is based on three general categories—environmental protection, social welfare and human rights—as well as a number of subcategories, including preservation of resources, mortality rate, civil liberties, safe drinking water and political rights, to name a few. The idea is that nations with responsible policies, not just sexy attractions, should be recognized and rewarded.” Read the rest of this entry »

TIME article on baseball diplomacy in Nicaragua

By Joshua | December 28th, 2009 | No Comments »

I just saw Invictus, so sports-politics combo is on my mind. Here’s a recent piece by Granada-based journalist Tim Rogers on a related subject:

Can U.S. Baseball Diplomacy Get the Save in Nicaragua?

“I think the State Department is coming to realize, belatedly, that [baseball] can be a very effective tool in public diplomacy,” Callahan told TIME. In the case of the U.S. and Nicaragua, he said, “of all the things that unite us, I think the great sport of baseball is the most important.”

Where are they now files: DailyKos checks in on famous gringo prisoner of the 1980s

By Joshua | December 28th, 2009 | No Comments »

From the sketchy Reagan-Contra files, here is a fascinating flashback to the capture of Eugene Hasenfus in Nicaragua. “Shot down Oct. 5, 1986, while kicking crated cargo to anti-government terrorists from a CIA plane over the back-country of Nicaragua, his capture by Sandinista militiamen led to the exposure of what would become known as the Iran-contra affair.”

Be sure to read through the bottom where you get an update of this Nicaragua player: “Hasenfus … faded into his old life in small-town Wisconsin…. accused of indecent exposure … killed a bear without a license,” etc. LINK->