Feliz Holidays

Very happy holidays to everyone...
I wanted to thank you all for reading the emails that I had sent throughout my time in Central America. It's really beautiful to be able to share such experiences with you all and hear your feedback. So once again, thank you for adding to such learning and journeys.

It has been a bit over two weeks, now, since I have been in Spain - visiting family and friends once again... Almost two years have past since I lived here for a semester studying; that is pretty surreal to realize.
Of course, it has been wonderful thus far seeing good friends and re-visiting some of my favorite places... some of my favorite spots in Andújar like the clock tower near the library, the plaza area of San Miguel... even just walking down the narrow streets noticing the different architecture and noises tuned to a Spanish note. I've got to say though that two of my most humorous loves here are that which I have now indulged plenty in-- jamón and olive oil. These tastes have always stuck with me since my "Spanish beginnings";)
For a quick re-cap: My first days were spent in Madrid with a good friend... I loved it!!! It was my first time being in the capital. We explored some of Madrid's most famous areas and visited many pubs in order to take advantage of the tapas lifestyle. I learned how to navigate my way sola through the Metro and I also got to see my former Spanish host mother.
On the way to Andújar, Jaén, I also had one thing happen to me for the first time-- I was robbed!! No worries, the culprits were sneaky enough to the point where I didn't even notice (I was carrying all my backpacking luggage from Central America - running on little sleep and a bit of sadness from leaving Madrid)... Right as I was about to board the bus, I realized that my left jacket packet was broached open (as it was not 15 minutes before then!) and my billfoald was gone... luckily the most important thing in my billfoald was my passport. No worries, my passport has since then been handed into the US embassy in Madrid (as it was found thrown on the street). It will be sent to the home where I'm at in Andújar.
This Friday I'll be heading to Sevilla in order to see a friend from Mexico and check out a social/political activism org.
Then later I will go back to soak up and explore more of Madrid.

I send you all my love and desires that you are passing the time relaxingly with those you care about most.

PS-- check this out-- I received it from a friend this morning:
"Also I would suggest keeping up on the news from Gaza. It's obviously nowhere near identical to the situations we learned about in Central America, but it bears one crucial resemblance: a conservative U.S. president backing an oppressive regime.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2008/12/2008122994140674153.html

Stolen passport... still some luck

Last Thursday as I was heading for Andújar, Jaén, (from Madrid)I hopped on the Metro with my big backpackers bag that I have been hauling for about four months now and one other backpack that has stuck with me also. Well, little to my knowledge (if my intuition is correct), the two men that were standing strangely close to me on the not-so-filled metro had robbed me. Robbed. For the first time in my life. I didn´t even realize what had happened until I was about to get on the bus to Andújar. Of course, my robbed wallet also had in it my bus ticket. Luckily the conductor listened to my story and let me on in a secret manner of some sort.
I think the tears in my eyes helped a bit.
With a "que lástima" smile on his face, he said "Welcome to Madrid"...

Goodbye for now, Central America... Hello Europe

I arrived at the Barajas airport in Madrid, Spain, this past Sunday at 9 am. Of course the days prior to that had been filled with running around, trying to say goodbye to everyone and finishing up last-minute tasks. Our last night together as a group in Nicaragua was fun after we finally finished packing (or at least some of us) and went to a favorite spot - "Q" - where we danced until the morning hours. After returning to the house I realized it would only be less than two hours until I would have to wake up again, so why not just sleep for twenty minutes!
To say the least, I slept very little on the plane rides which finally brought me to Spain... And then upon staying with my friend in Madrid and being excited and a bit overwhelmed emotionally and mentally, I have ended up going to bed quite late these past nights. It has been worth it, though. But what a choque, also. Of course, Spain is incredibly and blatantly distinct from Nicaragua. Managua, Nicaragua's capital where I lived for the past month or so, is so unlike Madrid, Spain's capital. Now this may sound obvious. But I point this out because what a drastic change in environment I experienced that occurred in just less than one day. It makes one realize, and more so face, the realities of inequity/ies that exist cross-culturally but yet are so closely integrated.
While maneuvering through the metro the other day by myself, I waited on a bench for around 40 minutes in a busy stop and basically just sat and watched people. I could not stop wondering about each person's life and their story... if they were and/or are active in civil society and if they are informed about what is going on in regions such as Central America... These questions could be addressed anywhere in the world; and of course there are many more areas that must be taken into account that expand far beyond Central Am...

Cheney Sin Vergüenza

Listening to DemocracyNow! this morning it was eery to hear Dick Cheney describing how he knew and approved of water-boarding... He remained strong in his supporting stance (of that form of torture) by saying something to the sort of "you can see by the results that it (water-boarding) was a good idea..."
If Cheney would have been at the side of Bush in Iraq at the news conference, I'm sure the Iraqi reporter would have thrown a shoe and some at him, too...

Some Food I'll Take Back

Yesterday was the final day at my home stay... But you know I couldn't stay away from the family so I went back and visited for a couple hours tonight. Luckily all members of the family were there. My brother Paúl recommended that we make some tostones, and there was no way I was going to say no to that.
So while there I decided three -- no, four-- food traditions that I absolutely must keep alive in the US.
The above-mentiones tostones:
-cut into medium-sized pieces a platano that still is green (of course after peeling it)
-fry the pieces with olive oil until they are cooked
-flatten the freshly fried platano pieces with your palm (first place the platano piece under a towel or napkin to avoid burning yourself)
-re-fry the platano pieces until lightly brown

--Once done, eat them with salt, ketchup, and some avocado and cheese (or to whichever way pleases your liking)

gallo pinto:
-cook beans on the stove top (many must be soaked in water overnight before cooking)
once cooked, use any preferred rice and mix the two together
-add salt
--there you have the famous central-american gallo pinto that can be eaten at any meal!

tortillas:
-buy masa (or if you can cook and grind your own corn it's best)
-add water until the dough is ready to be rolled into a ball
-place the dough ball on a flat, hard surface and compact it with your palm
-while compacting the dough, rotate it around and form it into a circle
-place the dough tortillas on a stove top and cook until lightly browned (they're also good toasted so just leave them on longer if you prefer a crunchy tortilla)
-don't forget to flip the tortilla over

juice:
natural papaya juice would be my favorite, but with any natural fruit just peel it (if necessary) and then squeeze all its liquid out until you have enough to serve as many people as you choose
-add a bit of water and sugar (if desired)
--there you have your natural juice!

Diversifying the Sources

So lately I have been utilizing my blog site to post articles written by other people... This may seem as though I'm "slacking on the job," but while being here I've realized more profoundly the importance of connections to diverse news sources. I wanted to make available to any readers of this blog some of the news sources I have been reading most - and most importantly - alternative worldly view points that others may not have the chance or interest to otherwise see.
I hope these prior articles have been of some enjoyment and better yet, of some mind-opening as they have been for me.

Women's Rights in Iran

People of 2008 Finalist: 1 Million Signatures Campaign for Women's Rights in Iran
December 5, 2008
Jeffrey Allen, OneWorld US

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Nominated by: OneWorld editors

WASHINGTON, Nov 24 (OneWorld) - An independent grassroots movement of Iranian women and men is educating women about their fundamental human rights and steadily becoming a powerful force for women's equality in the patriarchal country.

Members of the 1 Million Signatures Campaign greet Raheleh Asgarizadeh and Nasim Khosravi as they are released from Evin Prison in February 2008. © Change for Equality CampaignThe 1 Million Signatures Campaign, also known as Change for Equality, is demanding that all discriminatory laws against women be reformed. But rather than taking their demands straight to Iran's entrenched conservative leaders, the group has built a network of over 1,000 face-to-face educators in at least 15 of the country's provinces. They contact women where women usually gather -- shops, schools, offices, hair salons, or their homes.

The campaigners ask the women to sign the petition, which calls for equal rights for women in marriage, equal rights to divorce for women, an end to polygamy and temporary marriage, an increase of the age of criminal responsibility to 18 for both girls and boys, the right for women to pass on nationality to their children, equal compensation for bodily injury or death, equal inheritance rights, reform of laws that reduce punishment for offenders in cases of honor killings, and equal testimony rights for men and women in court.

Whether the women sign the petition or not, they receive a booklet explaining how the Iranian legal system denies women full rights. Thus, even the women who do not sign are informed about their rights, explains the Women's Learning Partnership, a U.S.-based human rights group that publicizes the work of the Campaign.

The strength of the 1 Million Signatures Campaign was most clearly seen in the response it provoked from the country's security forces this year. Dozens of activists were arrested, detained, or otherwise intimidated. In May, the first man was arrested for his efforts to support the Campaign.

And in October, the arrest of Iranian American graduate student Esha Momeni brought worldwide attention to the group's work. Momeni, a campaign member living in California, was in Tehran working on a documentary film about women's rights in the country that was to become her graduate thesis.

The group's Web site has been regularly blocked or filtered. The media has been warned not to cover the group's activities, according to Sussan Tahmasebi, a member of the Campaign whose passport was revoked earlier this year. Other campaigners have had their their houses searched, and one was even denied entrance to university.

All this in response to a loose-knit group of peaceful activists who go out of their way not to break any laws.

"Given the breadth of the institutional opposition arrayed against them, the Change for Equality Petition Drive is especially clever," wrote the New York Times in a 2007 editorial about the Campaign. "Rather than directly confronting the system, it goes around it. Even women who don't sign the petition will be better informed about their second-class status. The hope is that they will then be less likely to accept injustice indefinitely. And if Iran's women start questioning their lack of rights, perhaps Iran's men will have the courage to speak out, too."

From its outset in 2006, the Campaign organizers, who include the Nobel Peace Prize winning lawyer Shirin Ebadi, have been extremely careful to ensure their group is entirely locally funded and organized. During this time of heated geopolitical rhetoric between Iran and the West, they want to make sure that no one can say their demands have been sponsored or orchestrated by any foreign power.

"For those of us starting this effort, and for those who joined subsequently, the issue of independence was the most important issue," says Tahmasebi. "We knew that if we were to be successful in reaching the grassroots and the Iranian population and establishing relationships based on trust, there should be no question about our independence."

The Campaign is funded by individual donations from its members and supporters, and through the contributions of time and non-monetary support of its members. Campaign meetings and events are often held in the homes of members, who cover costs out of their own pockets. Campaigners who travel to conduct training workshops or connect with members in other cities pay for travel costs themselves, and stay in the homes of friends and family or other Campaign activists.

It's too early to tell if the Campaign will succeed in bringing about the change it seeks in the Iranian legal system, but there can be no doubt that the group has managed to build a powerful movement within a strict political system. And regardless of its local success, that can have important implications for others facing oppression around the world.

"While the Campaign is focused on the common demand of women for equal rights," says Tahmasebi, "we do feel that this new and peaceful approach, which does not utilize antagonistic means, will hold lessons for all citizens who wish to have their voices heard by their government and their representatives in Parliament."

* This story profiles one of ten finalists for OneWorld.net's People of 2008 award. Vote for your favorite, read more profiles, or tell us about other amazing people on OneWorld's People of 2008 page

What's the Deal with the US Millenium Fund to Nica?

US officials have declared that the US will be ending their 'Millenium Fund' aid to Nicaragua since the country's municipal elections were reportedly fraudulent (which the FSLN denies). This news came out a few weeks ago, but Daniel Ortega continues to react calmly, speaking out against the 'Empire' - US imperialism. But after hearing the reaction from members of Batahola Norte's neighborhood and a prominent Managuan union leader (who will be kept anonymous), the majority of Nicaraguans (who earn around $97/month [4000 Córdobas] and have an average family size of six people) are very worried about the impact this aid reclamation will have. Nicaragua continues to be an extremely fragile country (not only politically, but also economically being the 2nd most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere behind Haiti). If these municipal election results are further delegitimized internationally and forced to be questioned nationally in Nicaragua once again, there would be substantial reason to fear how feelings would be acted out...

Chavez Chavez Chavez... Analytical Comments from a Brooklyn Activist

Chavismo is alive and kicking
Commentators have painted Venezuela's elections as a bitter blow for Hugo Chávez. But they have their facts wrong


o Max Ajl
o guardian.co.uk, Thursday November 27 2008 22.00 GMT


Richard Gott – usually an informed, sober analyst of Bolívarian Venezuela – observed on Comment is free this week that the results of the recent electoral round constituted an "electoral reverse" (or a "major electoral setback," or a "huge blow"; take your pick).

Gott is no neophyte analyst. He's also not lazy – rather than reiterating some party line, he clearly watched the results come in live, noting that "The president of the National Electoral Council, close to tears, had announced earlier that the Chavez government had lost the city of Caracas."

Indeed, one imagines his dissections of contemporary Venezuela carry considerable heft within the liberal or left-wing commentariat. So, to put it as nicely as I can, it is too bad that he's wrong.

The numbers are clear. With 65% turnout, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela's (PSUV) officials hold 17 of the country's 23 states, while the opposition holds five (sparsely populated Amazonas is on its own cycle). Meanwhile, some 80% of the mayoralties remain under Bolívarian control, while total numbers indicate that the PSUV candidates attracted 53.5% of the vote: 5.42 million Venezuelans. The main opposition parties garnered 39.9% of the votes: 4.04 million people. Dissident Chavista parties got 4.1% – 411,000 – while other opposition parties got 2.5% – 255,000.

At a glance, then, Gott's study seems suspect. But recall: the Chavista coalition is, ostensibly, carrying out a hegemonic project of national transformation. Social spending has radically increased, while poverty reduction has been precipitous, according to the freshest, most authoritative investigation (courtesy of the Center for Economic and Policy Research). So simple electoral tallies in response to the rhetorical question, "Who won?" won't do.

Keeping to the numbers, then, let us look at some other evidence. We should look to the results of previous elections, as all commentators view such statistics as a significant barometer of opinion. The 2007 referendum was on a package of constitutional reforms promoted by Chavez. Divided into A and B blocks, the referendum was rejected by a margin of between 1.5 and 2%, on a 56% turnout. Assessing electoral results on a purely numerical basis suggests that the Chavista movement has made gains with respect to the last vote, the most relevant unit of comparison. In that race, the No vote reached 4.5m. A year later, that number has dwindled to 4.2m.

In Venezuela, radicals have assessed the situation in similar terms. For example, as Venezuelan sociologist Javier Biardeau, surely situated further left than many PSUVistas, comments, "the Venezuelan revolution has recovered significantly from the electoral setback of December 2, 2007 (the day of the failed referendum). As he continues, the elections could have amplified that setback, or they could have "directed the electoral trajectory toward the recovery of the level of support reached in the 2006 electoral cycle", which is what happened.

Nor should one grasp at the facile explanation that the Chavistas are in denial or are delusional, smiling as they swallow down mouthfuls of ash. Particularly galling to them was the loss of the mayoralty that includes the massive slum Petare, on the eastern edge of Caracas, due to inadequate sanitation, violence, thuggery – and, some allege, the penetration of Colombian drug traffickers.

As Venezuelan journalist José Roberto Duque observes, "I know that anti-Chavismo won in Caracas," although he meticulously adduces evidence showing that in the most destitute areas of Petare, the Chavista candidate won by a 2-to-1 margin.

Moreover, there is widespread chagrin that the western electoral corridor is in opposition hands, including what community organiser and left-wing intellectual Roland Denis calls the "strategic" Táchira and Zulia provinces, bordering a potentially hostile Colombia. Additionally, the loss of Metropolitan Caracas, Miranda and Carabobo represents the loss of "states and regions that are among the country's most important with respect to population and electoral, industrial, and economic" clout.

However, all analysts suggest that the electoral results are, more than anything else, symbolic. Underlying them are the real stuff of politico-social mobilisation and the possibility of social transformation. As Duque continues, the key is "understanding that the PSUV is not the revolution". For example, the winner of the governor's office in Falcon state is hardly a hard-left figure. But from a pragmatic perspective, better the PSUV than the opposition.

In that sense, then, electoral victory is not the summa summarum of the political process. It is merely appreciably better than electoral defeat. As widely respected analyst James Petras concludes, the fact is that "Chavismo has consolidated its support and is in a position to advance the process of transformation."

And, one should add, Chavez has accepted the PSUV losses with equanimity, not ire. We may think what we will of the ongoing political change in Venezuela. But accusations of autocracy now seem like mere calumny.