new classes, armadillos

This week I am starting new classes and will begin research into the potential of the carbon market in promoting development in Latin America.

On an unrelated note, there are a bunch of baby armadillos hanging out around the library:

Viva el BLOG!!

Yes, it has been a ridiculous amount of time since my last post... nearly a year. Apparently graduate school has kept me busy! With no promises of future posting frequency, here are updates of the past year:

-In addition to the original MIAM dual degree I enrolled for, I am going to concurrently complete INCAE's full MBA program, resulting in a double dual degree. My MBA will specialize in finance & economics and sustainable development. Graduation for MIAM is December 2008. MBA graduation is May 2009.

-Commodities prices have skyrocketed... which is bad news for humanity BUT at least my interests are more relevant.

-My research from Mexico, 2006, has finally hit the press!!!!!

-During spring break I went to a place where mojitos are the drink of choice and Hemingway used to hang out.

-My brother has been in Europe since last winter. Follow his food blog.

-Chimichurri is my new favorite addition to grilling.

-While I can help you with a financial analysis or debate the causes/solutions of the global food and credit crisis, there is little, if anything, that I have time for these days because of school... Unless you catch me in CR for a weekend of salsa dancing, rum sampling, or grilling...

-Post-graduation plans are starting to form in the direction of environmental finance, carbon markets, and international trade. Anybody looking to hire???

-MICHIGAN: third week of august!

Bienvenido Pura Vida (de nuevo)

I'm back in Costa Rica as of last Saturday July 21, 2007 to work on a Master's degree in International Agribusiness Management with a strong focus on sustainable development in the region. For the next three weeks I will be at CATIE as part of the first class of students in this new program.

My roomate is an old friend from EARTH, which was a surprise to us both...

Today was the first day of class. The professor asked me what I would do as president of the US.

Photos will be up soon. As well as my plans as leader of the free world.

tuanis mae

Pura Vida!!

I just found out that I was accepted to the Masters in International Agribusiness Management offered jointly by INCAE and CATIE in Costa Rica. The program starts in July 2007 and lasts until December 2008.

INCAE is considered the best business school in Latin America, while CATIE is the first established tropical agriculture and ecology research center in the region.

I've turned down the University of Michigan's PhD offer, my job at NSF is set to finish on June 19, and there's only a couple more months until I'll be back in Costa Rica!! Ya'll better come visit me!! Pura Vida

Tree Town updates

The snow is almost gone, but it is still cold... check out my house in February:

Only been in the country 2 months and have worked my way up through three jobs. Scrambling to make some quick cash I worked at Banditos Mexican (terrible) and Sylvio's Organic Pizza (highly recommended), but just started at NSF International, A non-profit organization that certifies companies for quality in food and water (among other things). Full time, good money, work experience, something to do with my time.

I cut my hair so as to appear more professional, and it very well may have got me the job.

In other news, I was accepted to the University of Michigan PhD program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, in which I will potentially continue research in coffee agroecosystems as I did last June/July.

Still waiting to hear back from a Costa Rica-based program in International Agrobusiness Management and Sustainable Development.

Back in Tree Town

Well, 2006 was a great year and now I am back in Ann Arbor...
So there won't be many updates any time soon. Pura Vida.

Caracas-Bogota-Quito

It is December and I am in Quito, Ecuador to spend my birthday, the holidays, and new years with my friend Karen, an Ecuadorian I met while planting vegetables at EARTH University. Over the next three weeks we will spend a lot of time with her family in Quito and travel. She is finishing finals at EARTH and will arrive to meet me on my birthday, December 17th.

Stuff from the last few weeks..

Venezuela
-Caracas police considered me suspicious for speaking decent Spanish
-Espresso shots at every corner for less than 50 cents
-Swam to cays off the shore by Emilio's apartment in Chichiriviche
-28 oysters for $1.50 (also in Chichiriviche)

Colombia
-Friendly people dressed in style
-Public concerts and theatre almost every day in Bogota
-Played an extra in Paraiso Travel during a scene with John Leguizamo
-Cartagena fortress colonial town once destroyed by Sir Francis Drake

Ecuador
-Met up with Susan Fawcett who was here working on a documentary about health and healing in Ecuador
-Swam in a volcanic lagoon near the pueblo Quilotoa
-Walked 20km of the Pan-Am highway which was shut down by campesinos demanding potable water
-Learned how to make a Zampoña, an Incan pan flute
-Received an official police insignia patch from an officer while playing pool

Caracas Organoponics

Some shots of the downtown urban food production system modeled after Cuba's famous organoponics

ground level


bird's eye

CHEVERE

I arrived last night in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.

First impressions include...

-An overwhelming presence of Bolivarian-revolutionary propaganda
-Chávez's face everwhere, the presidential election is in December
-Good food - arepas
-Caracas is huge. There is a subway.

There isn't much else to say right now. I am going to get oriented today and hopefully get my hands on a travel guide. This Thursday I will take the GRE.

Finca Brian y Emilia

I just arrived in San Jose (again!) after almost a month at Brian's farm near Dominical. Brian has lived on the land, off the grid, for the last 27 years and grows primarily rambutan, mangosteen, and lanson as cash crops, but at a low agricultural intensity. He also has all kinds of exotic tropical plants, such as the canistel, biriba, kumquat, kola nut, paradise nut, tiquizque, and heirloom varieties of pineapple.

We woke around 5am to begin chopping weeds with machetes until 8 when we stopped for breakfast. Then we would do a variety of tasks around the farm, mainly harvesting rombutan, until the rain fell in the mid afternoon. I worked 8 hours a day when possible and according to Brian, am the first person ever to accomplish this task. This saved me from paying any money for my time spent at the farm.

Now and then we sold fruit at community soccer games and in the pueblo. I enjoyed this chance to interact with the community. Other than that, I spent two nights in Uvita and was able to go to a beautiful beach of the Bahia national park.

Brian cooks a great pasta with various nuts, greens, and tvp, as well as banana, nut, whole wheat pancakes that got us through the day. The only real complaint I have about the place is that instant coffee was all we had to drink in the morning. Though, this was made up for by the best hot sauce I have ever tasted, coming from a local cooperative operation.

While I learned a lot about plants and agricultural-related topics, my chess playing skills and life experience have also grown from my time with Brian.

Pictures to come eventually.