well, its been much too long again and i'm forcing myself to sit down and write something. i think of doing it so often, but life is crazy right now and i'm just so bad about being disciplined with these things.

we have now been in the country with the seeders for a week - time is flying! i can't hardly believe that they are almost half way done with their orientation period...i get to go to the coast in 6 weeks!!! how exciting.

we've had a good few weeks. the group is great - very excited with tons of energy. they all get along really well and seem to be really enjoying what we have planned, although i think the schedule wears on them, especially for those who are speaking in a second language (that they're still learning) most of the day. its a much different group than ours was and its been a bit of an adjustment learning to change what methodology a bit, but i really enjoy getting to know each one and learn more every day.

alejo and i are insanely busy. we're with the group all morning every day and sometimes in the afternoon, then we stay working in the office while they're in spanish class - we still have meetings with communities as well and have to do some travelling, etc. its been pretty crazy, but we enjoy the challenge. i have learned to really value a good work partner. alejo and i are close friends and we often agree, but also hold each other accountable, have each other's back, and challenge each other a lot - i truly can't imagine doing this job alone. i think the only reason i can handle the administrative part of the job is because someone else is in the office with me, whom i can bounce ideas off of and goof around with.

this week with seed we're getting into economy and this morning we heard from an organization who gave us a lot of information about resource extraction and multinational companies here in colombia. it is so maddening to hear and such a huge system to try to fight against. i think the challenge is to constantly be working at the grass-roots level to do what we can. but it is incredible - when they showed us a map of the communities/regions where petroleum and carbon are being exploited, they are THE EXACT SAME communities and regions where there is the most violence in the country. this is not an accident. there is so much that globalization has done that has enriched the world in wonderful ways, but there is also so much damage it has done and the fact that multinational companies have more power in the global system than even the united states (which already has a ridiculous amount) is hard to comprehend on a practical level - and even harder to comprehend what that means for my life, what i do about it all. for now, i am grateful to have the opportunity to continue living here in colombia - to see the world from a different position.