Introductions

[Guest]

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[Diane R]

Welcome, margmom! I've only been here for a month and I'm addicted right along with you. (But if one has to have an addiction, this is such a constructive one! )

--Diane.
(I used to live in Westchester County, but now am a settled Silicon Valley resident in CA. I still miss the autumns in NY, though...)

EDIT:
Using a patented KivaFriend technique, I am using the area below for insertion of photos which I must attach but which I'd like to refer to in-line in a much later post.  Please ignore the following, they have no relation to the actual thread at hand.

[Peter S]

I am Peter and I am a Kivaholic...

At the moment I'm still "collecting" countries and borrowers with cheerful smiles - how shallow is that, but in the presence of other addicts maybe I shouldn't feel too embarrassed to confess a frisson of excitement at being able to bag a new one.  (Vietnam yesterday, yes! - and to a laughing lady who sells snail liquor)   There'll be time enough for more high-minded motivation later on..

[annielf]

Hi all.     I'm Annie and I'm an American who has lived in Scotland for 7 years.  My husband is Scottish and we are in our mid and late 50's.  We recently decided to go overseas with an NGO - VSO UK.  After a recent trip to South Africa the crushing poverty we saw inspired us to try to do something.  My husband is volunteering in the education sector and I will be going along as a partner as I don't have the skills they want.  I'm sure I will find lots of ways to be useful once I arrive.  We have a tentative placement in Uganda for 2 years.

While doing a search on Uganda I discovered the Frontline video on Uganda and Kiva.  I'd heard of microfinancing but hadn't yet researched it.  I quickly joined up after watching the video and doing a bit of research. 

I plan on donating to many countries but search specifically for Uganda.  I hope that once we arrive in Uganda I might be able to visit a few of the businesses I've donated to. 

modified to add:  I just browsed through some previous intros and see I'm not the only one that finds this addictive.  I thought it was just me being weird as usual!  It's a good thing to become addicted to, isn't it?  I'm long overdue for trying to help someone besides people in my own wee world.

[Henry]

Hello Annie and Welcome! 
p.s.  what is: 

We recently decided to go overseas with an NGO - VSO UK

?

[Wood Fairy Glenda]

  Welcome, Annie!  I now have a number of loans in Uganda, and am TRYING to set up a visit with some of the borrowers there.  I'm going to Uganda as part of a Global Village Habitat for Humanity team for the first two weeks of September and have kept some extra days open after that for possible visits and other good things.  I'll be very interested to hear about your African travels.  Good luck and good traveling!

[annielf]

Hello Annie and Welcome! 
p.s.  what is: 

We recently decided to go overseas with an NGO - VSO UK

?

Don't know which one the ? is for, so NGO non-gov't organization.  VSO Voluntary Services Overseas - UK branch.  Similar work to the Peace Corps.

[annielf]

Welcome, Annie!  I now have a number of loans in Uganda, and am TRYING to set up a visit with some of the borrowers there.  I'm going to Uganda as part of a Global Village Habitat for Humanity team for the first two weeks of September and have kept some extra days open after that for possible visits and other good things.  I'll be very interested to hear about your African travels.  Good luck and good traveling!

Thanks.  We are quite excited about going to Uganda.  The majority of volunteers find it very satisfying and all seem to come to love the country of their placement.  Many are sad when it's time to come home.  I've already begun a blog about the experience but right now it's pretty much about training, etc.  We expect to go late September or October. 

Hope you get your visits arranged.  What area(s) are you going to visit in September?  We will most likely be in Mbarara.

[Henry]

Annie, I guess the question was for both initials....thanks.  Didn't know what either one was. 

[annielf]

Annie, I guess the question was for both initials....thanks.  Didn't know what either one was. 

I didn't know what either meant until my husband surprised me by telling me he'd applied to VSO.   I warmed to the fact after quite a bit of research and am now quite anxious to go.  I was only familiar with the Peace Corps.   VSO is the biggest of this type of volunteer organization.

[swashbuckler51]

I'm Ed and I live in Carrollton, Georgia USA.  I can't remember how I found out about Kiva, but I think I accidentally read about it at Salon.com.  I'm a high school teacher; about four years away from retirement.  For fifteen years, I taught Economics/Free Enterprise, along with a couple of classes of World History.  Teaching about entrepreneurship, the factors of production, etc. gave me an appreciation for risk-takers.  However, the people that we lend to appear not to have a choice.  They are forced by necessity to be entrepreneurs.  I think the idea of loaning to them is a terrific way to help make the world a little better.  I realize more than ever what a luxury my teacher's salary is.
  Beginning last year, I gave up my classes in Economics/Free Enterprise.  I wish I had known about Kiva when I was teaching it, because it would have been a good way to illustrate several economic concepts with real examples.
  On the other hand, I may be able to use Kiva to teach World History.  Not many high school students know where Tajikistan is.
  And yes, I'm addicted too.