What's Happening

Work is slow.  It could partially be my fault because I’ve been so focused on moving in, but at times I feel a sense of powerlessness when it comes to my main project. 

The cacao association was audited last August.  We had till March 31^st to show we’d made the necessary changes.  I seemed to be the only one concerned about this.  I could have done it myself, but that would kind of defeat the purpose of me being here.  So we finally coordinated a meeting and started making the changes; nothing major – update the memberships list with current data, demonstrate the flow of cacao from the farm to its first buyer, send copies of contracts to make sure they include everything Fair Trade requires (not so easy to find a scanner here, fyi), and most importantly, create a 1 year development plan detailing the purchases and projects you will undertake to improve the organization, farmers’ lives and community’s well being.  I had about a week to send in the changes.  Day after day I accessed the website trying to attach the documents but it just never worked.  About to lose my cool the day before the deadline, thinking they put their trust in me and I’m going to fail them, it finally worked.  Load off my shoulders.  4 days later we received an email saying the measures were approved and we shall continue to be certified Fair Trade producers. 

Today the Association will have elections for their governing body.  I'm anxious to see their methods.

Now I am awaiting a trip to our baseball field to build a table and some shelving from spare cuts of oak and mahogany.  I’ve always wanted some mahogany furniture ever since seeing Anchorman.  Not really, but saying mahogany is good fun. 

My house is seriously lacking in furniture – 2 beds, a small coffee table I put my gas stove on, and that’s it.  Actually I came home from Semana Santa after visiting the South and there was a newly constructed table sitting there with my stove and dish drying rack on it.  Love my neighbors. 

The quest for chairs, tables and shelving is on.  One day I hope to build an enramada, or outdoor shelter (no idea how to translate that, maybe some sort of gazebo?)  There is already a cement patio for drying cacao, but since I have none of that, it would make a great little gathering area.  My other thought is to but a basketball hoop up.  My only concern is that I’d have muchachos there ALL the time.