Vivero / Nurseries

Thanks to Several Valuable Donations of Seeds, We have been able to Pioneer some Trials of New Varieties in the Highland Area. Not Everything has been a Success, Unfortunately : Tomatoes Grow Vigorously, Set Flowers then Die to the Ground under a Heavy Fungus Infection. But there have been Encouraging Advances which I would like to Share at this Time.

Following a Ten Pound Donation of an F-1 Hybrid Sweet Corn Variety coated in a Particularly Virulent Combination of Fungicides, [Captan, Thiram, etc] I Donated about Half to a Struggling Cooperative near Xela which had a Small Green House set up. [They Assured Me that They Regularly Used such Poisons - Never Mind]

They began Offering Young Corn Plants at a Nominal Charge, which Covered Their Operating Expenses; and Word of This even Reached Me, Indirectly. Somewhat Later, I began Hearing of Sweet Corn Appearing in Local Markets as the Harvest Came in. The Fact that Sweet Corn Matures in Three Months, rather than Six, [for Mountain Corn] makes it an Important Two Crop Option.

I Spoke with Them about Selling the Seedlings and Informed Them that I was in Full Agreement; since My Experience with highlanders has been that a Purchase is Respected and Cared For, while a Gift is Highly Suspect and Soon Abandoned to the Realm of Bad Memories. In Fact, this Incident lead Directly to the Vivero / Nursery Idea. By Setting Up Demonstrations, Primarily with Patzokit School; Community Members can See this Idea in Action, through the Participation of Their Children. The Children will Learn by Caring for Their Plants and Flowers Daily, Seeing Them Grow; and Once Reaching Market Size, can Offer the Plants and Flowers for Sale. The Money can be Used in Any Way that Students, Teachers and Parents Agree Upon, since Consensus is the Maya Way of Local Governance.

Commercial Varieties of Sunflowers and Summer Squash appear to Hold Promise and I would like to see Pop Corn and Juice Grapes Introduced as well. Vivero / Nurseries also offer the Option of Small Market Herb Gardens, both Culinary and Medicinal, as well as Flowers, both Cut and Live.

The Highland Climate is a Somewhat Harsh Combinations of Cold, Humid and Tropical Fungal Infections, but There is Hope. A Friend Recently Told Me about a "Volunteer" Tomato Plant which Came p in His Yard, Bloomed and Produced some of the Finest Beef Steak Type Tomatoes Ever Seen; which Of Course, His Family Ate.

I Gritted My Teeth, Covered My Eyes as the Solution to the "Tomato Problem" Flitted Away in My Imagination; and Said, Quite Encouragingly : "The Next Time this Happens, Please Save Some Seeds, as This Could be the Variety that We Have Been Searching For." He Agreed and Asked How to Go About Saving Them; So, I Explained.

Basic English Courses

After Teaching Intensive English to Upper Middle Class Ethnic Guatemalans in Xela for a Year, I Realised that there Existed Zero Options for Beginning Students. All English Courses Available in Guatemala Start at Conversational Level, Requiring a Basic Vocabulary of One Thousand Words and an Understanding of Simple Grammar.

I have Taken it upon Myself to Develop a Form of what I call Basic English™ composed of a Five Hundred Word Vocabulary and Introducing Common Usage based on Useful Phrase Pairs. [Q&A] By Establishing a Felt Need for Simple Exchanges, Motivation for Learning by the Student / Participant is made more Accessible than a Nebulous Rationalizing for Vague Grammatical Rules that do more to Confuse than Codify.

Since Most of American English is based on Requests and Simple Conversational Exchanges, the Student Who Masters these Series of Five to Ten Courses, will be Better Equipped to Dynamically Improve Their Vocabulary and Grammatical Adaptation, than Otherwise.

Introduction to Computers

Through Teaching Basic English™ in Rural Schools, I Propose also to Introduce Vocabulary and Concepts of Computer Usage at Variance to the Accretive Nature of Most Operating Systems which Contain Vestiges of Programming within Help Files and GUI Layouts. Perhaps Rather than Resist These Simple Approaches to Introductory Computers, the MegaSoft Conglomerates will lend a Sympathetic Ear.

In Order for the US Economy to Continue to Expand, [since it Appears that Growth is the Only Life it has] We MUST Open Markets that Do Not Exist, Now : i.e., Latin America. All Other Markets are Closed to Us, and if We cannot overcome Racist Colonial Attitudes and Facilitate the Basic Educational / Vocational Opportunities, perhaps through Cooperation with Mexico President Vicente Fox' "Puebla - Panama" Free Commerce Zone; Well, My Friends We are Doomed to Second Place, as Latin America Forges Their Own Destiny, Leaving the Ertwhile World Domination Force in the Dust.

At Any Rate; I have Constructed a Model LapTop from a Couple Pine Boards and Hinges, Carved with a Wood Chisel and Painted. This will give the Maya Children of Patzokit the Opportunity to See and Play With a Computer, without having to Worry about Hurting Anything, beyond Their Friends. [I have Noticed a Tendency Among Maya Children to Beat on Anything Unfamiliar, perhaps to Test its Reality, or Simply to "Get a Feel" for it]

Following an Initial Period, Their Teacher will Bring to Class a LapTop that I am Trading Out for a Desk Top that He Purchased from Me, a Year Ago. Once the Children Understand the Capabilities of a Real Computer, the Wooden Model can then be Used to Introduce Operating Techniques, Using Paper OverLays and White Board Sketches. Little by Little, These Children, Who in the Course of Their Country's Development Strategies, Could NEVER Learn Computers; will In Time, Master this Indispensible Art.

Volunteer Placement

In the Past Few Years, I have Encountered Numerous Requests for Volunteer Placement, and being a Volunteer, Myself; Decided to Find Jobs for Dedicated Individuals. Unfortunately, Ordinary Jobs are not to be Fond within Most Organizations, because of the Time and Personnel Necessary to Train and Supervise the Work. For that Reason, I must Insist upon a Minimum of Three Months Committment, so that I can “Invent” a Suitable Project or Place You as Teacher in a School.

Fortunately, though, there IS a Real Time Need for Medical Personnel, All the Way from Bandaging Minor Wounds All the Way to Assisting in Surgery and Difficult Births. This has been Our Greatest Opportunity, so far, and a One Month Committment is Sufficient to make Both Parties Fairly Satisfied with the Interchange. At this Time, I am Filling Positions ONLY in the Town of Momostenango and Not in the Rural Aldeas, since I will be All Summer in Southern AZ Fighting Wild Fires to Make Money to Pay My Expenses and Fund the Expansion of some of the Projects already Outlined.

For Specific Information on Volunteer Opportunities and OnGoing Placements, Please Click on the Image Below and E-Mail Me. I will not Mention Active Volunteers by Name, but if You Wish to Request a Contact, I Can Forward Your Request, so that At Their Discretion, They Can Respond. [or Not] I will, However, in Future UpDates of This Page, Include Descriptions of Volunteer Placements and Their Comments for the Benefit of Those Who are Considering Exchanging Their Time and Skills in Return for a Rewarding Life-Enriching Experience.