Tentative Final Post

I didn't expect to be writing a post from Miami yet, but here I am! Fearing airport closure and other unpredictable factors in Honduras, my parents called me yesterday (Sunday) at about noon and asked that I head to the airport and return to Miami. Feeling safe at my home in Tegucigalpa and generally not too worried about the situation, like any good teenager should, I resisted my parents. I tried to convince them that I would be fine and all of this would pass and things would return to normal. But my pleas couldn't be heard over those of the international press who showed burning tires and tanks in the capital (I didn't see a single soldier on the street on my way to the airport). So now here I sit in Starbucks in Miami while the world scrutinizes over Honduras and mainstream news sources finally begin to run full stories on the topic.

Here's a video of my thoughts of the political situation and my time in Honduras:



I remain optimistic that the controversy will settle down and I will be allowed to return but even if I don't get the opportunity to go back, I can't complain about my time there, except for the rushed good-byes to my new friends.

I feel like I really learned about microfinance and how it can really help people. I also saw the ugly side of any finance company when people refuse to pay. But I realized that the huge majority of people who receive mircoloans use them to better their lives.

Right now, during all of these problems, the poor in Honduras (about 70% of the population) will be the most affected. In times like these, more than ever, these people need to continue to have access to microloans through agencies like Prisma and through the help of people around the world through Kiva. I hope that this blog and my experiences have helped you gain a more in-depth experience of microfinance and I thank you for reading.

And unless things change and I am allowed to return, so long.