Micro-lending in the United States

I definitely think that micro-lending is a practice that could have some real use in America, but it would have to be different in structure from the program in Belize that we have been working with. Unfortunately, micro loans would not help people who were trying to start small businesses, in my opinion. Small businesses such as the women we met had would probably not go over well in the States. However, I do think that micro loans could have an impact on people's lives here as well.

Micro loans could be given to help people make money apart from a small business setting. For example, if someone needed a basic vehicle to get to a job, micro loans might be the way to help them better their situation. Or if a woman needed to pay for daycare in order to attend classes or get a job, that might have some real use as well. Just because someone does not have a business plan does not mean that they would not make money as a result of the loan. I would love to see more micro-lending for this purpose in the U.S.

My experiences in Belize have shown me how much difference a relatively small sum of money can make. Although the conditions there are vastly different than here, I think we can use some of the concepts of micro-lending here as well, with some modifications. It's great that people in Belize can know the feeling of pride of owning their own business and helping themselves.

I stole this photo from Hannah, but it pretty much sums up the snorkeling experience for me. My first time snorkeling was amazing!

Climbing to the top of Xunantunich was amazing!

Post Trip review

Considering that I am an economics major, our experiences in Belize with microlending have related greatly to my major. I was first attracted to the idea of making this trip because of the microlending concept that I had studied before. It was amazing to see the concepts studied actually happening in real life! It's one thing to sit in a classroom and talk about it, but another altogether to see it happening. Other concepts, such as the invisible hand of the free market, were displayed when bargaining prices for goods. That doesn't happen in the States - we just pay the price they say to - so to see everyone paying what they valued for the good really brought to mind the principles of consumer surplus and producer surplus.

Now, on to career aspirations...I get stressed out every time I am asked that question. I still don't know what I want to do after graduation, so I don't like to talk about it. I did right in my journal on the last morning, however, commenting how natural it feels for me every time I go on a trip like this one. I really could see myself in a position with the Peace Corps or something like that where I make a career out of service for others.