<<<NYTimes article - April 15, 2009>>>
"... Decreasing black carbon emissions would be a relatively cheap way to significantly rein in global warming — especially in the short term, climate experts say. Replacing primitive cooking stoves with modern versions that emit far less soot could provide a much-needed stopgap, while nations struggle with the more difficult task of enacting programs and developing technologies to curb carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels."
<<<Stove Team International>>>
"... In fact, reducing black carbon is one of a number of relatively quick and simple climate fixes using existing technologies — often called “low hanging fruit” — that scientists say should be plucked immediately to avert the worst projected consequences of global warming. “It is clear to any person who cares about climate change that this will have a huge impact on the global environment."
4.09.2009
Los osos de malas noticias *
For this story, you need to know a few things. First off, Jimbo, my notoriously hairy buddy often featured in my blog and fellow peace corps volunteer ≠ Kimbo, the equally notorious streetfighter who probably could grow a beard just by thinking about it. Maybe to avoid any confusion, I’ll start using nicknames.
So Ridiculously Hairy Jimbo lives an utterly horrible life in a picturesque town on the gentle slopes of a volcano, full of beautiful people who couldn’t be more open and nice. That's right, Absurdly Hairy Jimbo’s site is literally on the side of a 7,000 ft volcano. Horrible.
Because of this, or maybe because of the abject poverty, who knows, the kids up there have never played baseball before and have never used mitts, baseballs, or any sort of equipment. Cue Gabe with his giant hockey bag full of bats and gloves courtesy of my man Mark Erlandson. Thanks again, Mark!
To get the kids out and excited for physical activity that doesn't involve hauling 100 lb sacks of fertilizer, Surprisingly Hairy Jimbo invited me to come up and help run a day-long baseball camp for his community's kids. Nothing too complicated, just a few workshops teaching the fundamentals.
I jumped at the chance, convinced there would be a reward in my future for my selfless, humanitarian acts (read: cold beer). And I guess the whole helping salvadoran youth and checking out Suspiciously Hairy Jimbo’s community thing kinda influenced me too.
Jimbo did some great promo work beforehand, including using the nearby church's voice of god PA system (I gotta get one of those) to command kids to attend our camp, as if god himself were a baseball fan. In the end, over 30 bichos came, albeit an hour late. We rotated them through stations, taught them how to spit and grab their crotch, and got a few of them to at least admit beisbol was kind of a cool sport. But nowhere as cool as futbol.
Here are a few pics from the weekend.
Infield drills. More than a few kids took a couple hard grounders to the face. Como se dice "walk it off, kid"
Wendell giving some batting tips. Get that elbow up, punk!
Aw, look at that kid kinda sorta backing up his friend, just like I taught him
We ended the afternoon with a little homerun derby competition. How'd they do? Um, well, there's always tee ball...
Stylishly Hairy Jimbo, handing out the bribes, I mean snacks
Davebo showing em how it's done
Happy future MLB'ers
Improbably Hairy Jimbo and Wendell enjoying a bromantic moment together
A few excerpts from our 9 hour (I wish I were joking) game of cribbage, following the camp
All in all, an awesome time giving a little taste of the old US of A to El Salvador's youth. And if anyone has any football equipment, send it on down!
* Title translation: The Bad News Bears. Please tell me you've seen it.
So Ridiculously Hairy Jimbo lives an utterly horrible life in a picturesque town on the gentle slopes of a volcano, full of beautiful people who couldn’t be more open and nice. That's right, Absurdly Hairy Jimbo’s site is literally on the side of a 7,000 ft volcano. Horrible.
Because of this, or maybe because of the abject poverty, who knows, the kids up there have never played baseball before and have never used mitts, baseballs, or any sort of equipment. Cue Gabe with his giant hockey bag full of bats and gloves courtesy of my man Mark Erlandson. Thanks again, Mark!
To get the kids out and excited for physical activity that doesn't involve hauling 100 lb sacks of fertilizer, Surprisingly Hairy Jimbo invited me to come up and help run a day-long baseball camp for his community's kids. Nothing too complicated, just a few workshops teaching the fundamentals.
I jumped at the chance, convinced there would be a reward in my future for my selfless, humanitarian acts (read: cold beer). And I guess the whole helping salvadoran youth and checking out Suspiciously Hairy Jimbo’s community thing kinda influenced me too.
Jimbo did some great promo work beforehand, including using the nearby church's voice of god PA system (I gotta get one of those) to command kids to attend our camp, as if god himself were a baseball fan. In the end, over 30 bichos came, albeit an hour late. We rotated them through stations, taught them how to spit and grab their crotch, and got a few of them to at least admit beisbol was kind of a cool sport. But nowhere as cool as futbol.
Here are a few pics from the weekend.
Infield drills. More than a few kids took a couple hard grounders to the face. Como se dice "walk it off, kid"
Wendell giving some batting tips. Get that elbow up, punk!
Aw, look at that kid kinda sorta backing up his friend, just like I taught him
We ended the afternoon with a little homerun derby competition. How'd they do? Um, well, there's always tee ball...
Stylishly Hairy Jimbo, handing out the bribes, I mean snacks
Davebo showing em how it's done
Happy future MLB'ers
Improbably Hairy Jimbo and Wendell enjoying a bromantic moment together
A few excerpts from our 9 hour (I wish I were joking) game of cribbage, following the camp
All in all, an awesome time giving a little taste of the old US of A to El Salvador's youth. And if anyone has any football equipment, send it on down!
* Title translation: The Bad News Bears. Please tell me you've seen it.
4.03.2009
What the hell just happened?
I think this picture of Chuckie sums it up best.
What a week. Words can't come close to describing it. But it's been almost a month and I need to get something up. So I'll let Chuck’s photos do the talking. Enjoy!
Chris and me in the back of Orlando's pickup, bombing through the mountains of Guatemala at 80 mph.
Orlando with his new baby, back in El Sal.
A few rockstar volunteers in training who were visiting my community for their immersion weekend. They're gonna be great PCVs.
Chuck's special delivery. Here I am opening up a box of keyboards and mice donated by Dana's (Chuck's fiancée) high school in Hingham, Mass. Incredible!
A tour of the community with my boy Carlos. Unfortunately, Chuck was the camera man for the week and there aren't that many shots of him.
My vote for the shortest woman in El Salvador. I've already contacted the folks at Guinness World Records. She's super sweet.
Playing the touch the cow game, which apparently I suck at.
After a day of hiking around my community, swimming in the river and meeting families on three hours sleep, we were a little tuckered out.
But we soldiered on... and headed to the beach. This country's small, but has a lot to offer.
Jimbo and his buddy Dave, who I couldn't help but call the human tennis ball for the week. Such a cool guy.
Um...
After the beach, we headed up to Juayua, where cool temps and strong coffee attract travelers from all over.
Los Chorros de la Calera
Chris in the famous tunnel, a 100 meter passage cutting through the side of a mountain where, for a five meter stretch, the ceiling dips and you're forced to dive under and swim through the tunnel dragging your hand on the ceiling until you feel air and reach a small cavern. If you're brave enough to attempt it, you're rewarded with an incredible swim out through a waterfall on the other side of the mountain.
Campo dance party!
Goodbye dinner with the fam.
The girls were obsessed with rabbit ears and back massages.
So we returned the favor. Sidenote: Chris and Chuck were rockstars down here. Eating everything, trying their best at Spanish (no tengo pene! - priceless), respecting the culture, embracing my salvo and PCV friends. Love you guys!
After trying a different route and quickly getting lost in the Guatemala mountains turning a four hour trip into a seven hour epic adventure, we arrived at Guat City's international airport.
The definition of a successful vacation.
I guess I'll just say that the trip was a powerful experience for everyone.
For my buddies, it was an exotic, crazy trek through one of the murder capitals of the world. (Still amazed they actually came.) For me, it really drove home the point that Gabe at 29 is a very different person than Gabe at 24. Maybe even than Gabe at 28.
It would be an understatement to say I view the world through a different lens, but having just passed my one year anniversary, it couldn't be more true.
Looking forward to showing the next group all the amazing things this country has to offer.
What a week. Words can't come close to describing it. But it's been almost a month and I need to get something up. So I'll let Chuck’s photos do the talking. Enjoy!
Chris and me in the back of Orlando's pickup, bombing through the mountains of Guatemala at 80 mph.
Orlando with his new baby, back in El Sal.
A few rockstar volunteers in training who were visiting my community for their immersion weekend. They're gonna be great PCVs.
Chuck's special delivery. Here I am opening up a box of keyboards and mice donated by Dana's (Chuck's fiancée) high school in Hingham, Mass. Incredible!
A tour of the community with my boy Carlos. Unfortunately, Chuck was the camera man for the week and there aren't that many shots of him.
My vote for the shortest woman in El Salvador. I've already contacted the folks at Guinness World Records. She's super sweet.
Playing the touch the cow game, which apparently I suck at.
After a day of hiking around my community, swimming in the river and meeting families on three hours sleep, we were a little tuckered out.
But we soldiered on... and headed to the beach. This country's small, but has a lot to offer.
Jimbo and his buddy Dave, who I couldn't help but call the human tennis ball for the week. Such a cool guy.
Um...
After the beach, we headed up to Juayua, where cool temps and strong coffee attract travelers from all over.
Los Chorros de la Calera
Chris in the famous tunnel, a 100 meter passage cutting through the side of a mountain where, for a five meter stretch, the ceiling dips and you're forced to dive under and swim through the tunnel dragging your hand on the ceiling until you feel air and reach a small cavern. If you're brave enough to attempt it, you're rewarded with an incredible swim out through a waterfall on the other side of the mountain.
Campo dance party!
Goodbye dinner with the fam.
The girls were obsessed with rabbit ears and back massages.
So we returned the favor. Sidenote: Chris and Chuck were rockstars down here. Eating everything, trying their best at Spanish (no tengo pene! - priceless), respecting the culture, embracing my salvo and PCV friends. Love you guys!
After trying a different route and quickly getting lost in the Guatemala mountains turning a four hour trip into a seven hour epic adventure, we arrived at Guat City's international airport.
The definition of a successful vacation.
I guess I'll just say that the trip was a powerful experience for everyone.
For my buddies, it was an exotic, crazy trek through one of the murder capitals of the world. (Still amazed they actually came.) For me, it really drove home the point that Gabe at 29 is a very different person than Gabe at 24. Maybe even than Gabe at 28.
It would be an understatement to say I view the world through a different lens, but having just passed my one year anniversary, it couldn't be more true.
Looking forward to showing the next group all the amazing things this country has to offer.
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