Kiva-like - Off topic

[Guest]

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[Julia]

Hope its ok to start a thread that's off topic of Kiva, where we can post about other things that might interest us. Things that are Kiva-like.

I just found this incredible video. Its a women reading a poem.  She is beautiful and her words are incredible. And her passion is felt.

[Joe]

That is from Def Poetry Jam on HBO. A really good show if you're into spoken word, poetry, slams, and haiku. Some really talented people have appeared on that show with words about poverty and the state of the world.

Moving this over to the Lounge section. Anything off-topic and/or Kiva-like is welcome there.

[Julia]

Sorry Joe, I can't seem to get things in the right place!
Thanks for all the housecleaning you do here.

[Joe]

Don't worry about it Julie. I'm still playing around with the format of this new forum, as you can see with the new subsections and description tweaks based on how and where things are being posted The good news is that it's about set (...for now  )

[Ari]

Hi guys!  Well this is sort of off-topic but a few weeks ago I signed up to do translating work for Kiva (Spanish - English) and received an automated reply saying my name would be added to their list.  Hadn't heard anything again so I was happily surprised to get an email from them about an hour ago asking if I was still interested.  I wrote back with the info they asked for and Naomi@Kiva replied that I should be getting some assignments this weekend!  I'm so excited : )
I also asked when Mongolia would be up and she said very soon.  Naomi asked if I knew anyone who could help translate the Mongolian loans and get this - years ago I had a friend here in Iceland form Mongolia!!  We haven't seen each other since at least 2001, but I just emailed him to tell him about Kiva and see if he'd be interested in doing translating work.  Who knows, Kiva might get us back in touch ?!
And now for a personal touch.. since we're posting videos of non-Kivafriends doing artsy things, I might as well give you a link of me performing!  I played a movement from a J.S. Bach solo violin sonata on Iceland national TV last Tuesday night.  You can see it here: http://dagskra.ruv.is/streaming/sjonvarpid/?file=4301769/4  until April 17th.  Hope you enjoy if you listen - but ignore my triple chin... arrghhh.

[Kevin]

Ari, congratulations on the TV show. Your playing is terrific. What did the host say in his introduction? I don't speak Icelandic!

And this is off-off topic but Scandinavia House here in New York is showing new art/music videos and some recent films from Iceland. Do you know about/recommend (sorry, I can't figure out how to make Icelandic letters) Blodbond (tr. Thicker Than Water) or Born (Children)?

[Ari]

Hi Kevin,  yes I've heard about Blóðbönd and Börn but haven't seen them.  You should go and tell us if they're good!  An Icelandic movie I'd recommend to anyone is 101 Reykjavik - it's so funny, about a 30 yo unemployed guy living with his mom.  I think you can get it at many Blockbusters or Hollywood Videos.
Another off topic, I just finished translating 10 Kiva loan descriptions from Ecuador!  I felt such a big responsibility, since people will base their decision on whether to loan to someone or not on the description.  I hope Ramón doesn't have any complaints... lol.

[Pondering Pig]

Good job, Ari!  You are right.  It is a big responsibility.  I remember recently reading that an entrepreneur wanted to borrow money "to meet his family's needs".  Sounded bad, but it was simply poor English syntax by a non-native speaker.  He really wanted to build his business so that his expanded income would meet his family's needs.

[Julia]

I give a lot of slack to the translators. I think its just great that volunteers are doing that.  Fantastic Job Ari.  I hear there are 40 or so translators. What's it like? How long does it take?  How come you know Spanish?   I get the impression from the Kiva web site that they have a lot of Spanish translators, is this true?

[michael]

HBO has POETRY SPECIALS?  Who knew?  I try to give the Comcast Leviathan as little money as possible so I do not do premium channels. 

Thanks for sharing this clip - the passion comes through in more eloquent terms than I could ever muster.  Unless we're talking about really good food, that is.  (Hey, I AM a fat man, after all.)