Slow Boat to Samoa

[Guest]

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[simba]

I think you missed couple of other pictures.

[Henry]

ahhh...a challenge!  Prove it!!!!!   

[wind5001]

I just saw that, too. How silly is that? I don't get it: they know the loans are posted together...and what did they think? That I'd go: "Hey, someone with a big car! Definitely need to provide him with free money from me!" That is just pathetic.

[Diane R]

That is SO WEIRD!!  I assumed when I saw the photos that they were looking for loans to repair a car or drive a taxi.... but they're all *agricultural* or *food sales* loans!  What's up with THAT?!  What a bizarre prop.

Maybe there aren't many cars around Samalaeulu Leauvaa, and everyone wanted to have their photo taken with the new car on the premises?

--Diane.
(PS: Eseta Sefo's pose at least is classic.  )

[wind5001]

Diane,

that is VERY classic...she looks like Marilyn Monroe!´

[Henry]

How are we liking these 18 month loans from Samoa?

me....not to found of them.  Too long term for me.

[Diane R]

I was thinking about that yesterday...  It's not so much that 18 months is too long-term for me, but it's too long-term for a $300 loan.  For my preferences anyway.  And I know that it wouldn't matter to *me* one way or the other, since for any 18-month loan I'd have invested the same $25.  I guess it just seems like a very long time to pay back a modest amount.  But that only means that I'm illogical in my lending preferences, LOL!!

--Diane (wondering if I ever claimed to be otherwise...)

[Kay]

How are we liking these 18 month loans from Samoa?

me....not to found of them.  Too long term for me.

I agree that I like shorter loan terms, but Kendall Mau once pointed out in his blog that longer loan terms can be advantageous for the borrowers.

[Dottie b]

One of them earns $120 USD a day, which is over $30,000 a year, working five days a week! Looks like the business to be in in Samoa! Or maybe that's gross earnings.

Dottie B

[KivanSteven]

Diane, I was thinking about the length of loan repayment as well, as I sifted through the growing number of available loans made available.  I typically dont lend when the repayment term is over 14 months because I guess I am not as patient as others.  At the same time it is money I want to re-circulate through the system and the sooner it is paid back the sooner I can use it to help someone else.  If I only loaned to people with lengthy repayment terms, some even 2 years, it wouldnt make that much difference at all for Kiva because of the tens of thousands of members, but for me and the potential people Id be re-loaning to, it is a longer wait than I am comfortable with.  Thankfully there are a combination of various lengths of loans, so if longer repayment terms are needed to help the entrepreneur as Kendall suggested then that works, while money from the shorter loans is hopefully being quickly re-loaned to help the next round of people.  I think I also prefer shorter loans so that my account sees more activity, and I dont get bored.  Its no secret that loaning with Kiva is tons of fun, even compulsive, almost like shopping as horrible as that sounds, and the sooner a loan is repaid the sooner you can have that feeling you get by picking someone you feel you want to help make a difference for.