2009-2010 Michael B. Keegan Traveling Fellowship

2011-11-26T13:31:55.485-08:00

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If you are a young person or a traveler on a tight...

2011-06-29T05:10:21.439-07:00

If you are a young person or a traveler on a tight budget, you might want to stay in a hostel because it will be cheap and you can do a lot of people.

Pousadas Em Florianopolis

Rob, thank you for a very well-written, insightful...

2011-04-09T01:34:56.615-07:00

Rob, thank you for a very well-written, insightful, and entertaining blog and for sharing these last thoughts with us. The effort you have put into this is commendable and valuable to many people.

Grace

I think I have learnt a lot from your blog.I know ...

2011-02-08T15:25:43.363-08:00

I think I have learnt a lot from your blog.I know many crazy guys,daring ones and courageous ones.But I can assure you that you are beyong expectation.You braved all those problems and loved your mission.I can only wish you all the best and God be with you!

Hey Yan, thanks for the birthday wishes, and I'...

2011-01-06T11:05:56.286-08:00

Hey Yan, thanks for the birthday wishes, and I'm glad you were able to check out the blog. 我看到了你的博客，很有意...有英文有中文. 听起来你想得很深.

Dear Rob Happy birthday! Got your email as well:)...

2011-01-01T21:20:26.680-08:00

Dear Rob

Happy birthday!
Got your email as well:)
Btw im linking your blog to mine at http://wenyanwenyan.wordpress.com/

So I lived in a village out here for a weekend - a...

2010-12-16T08:44:26.586-08:00

So I lived in a village out here for a weekend - a weekend - and I will never forget it. Can definitely identify with bathing with naked people (you are correct about small talk), not knowing if others had eaten or not, and not knowing anyone. I'm looking forward to reading more. That's great that you had connections and things came together for you to make this possible. Better buckle up for the typhoid to hit soon...

This is better than a Taiwanese soap opera. More!

2010-12-15T06:40:58.735-08:00

This is better than a Taiwanese soap opera. More!

It was great to read so many realities we we used ...

2010-12-11T02:04:19.666-08:00

It was great to read so many realities we we used to ignore or stay indifferent from.Through your writings,I believe more has been acquired and we hope that added to our intellectual strength,God Jesus will help us grow this dear Africa like what is like the USA today.God keep on bless you and directing your steps throughout Africa!
Kinda

Wow man, really interesting questions posed...enjo...

2010-10-29T13:54:20.186-07:00

Wow man, really interesting questions posed...enjoying the reading.

Matt

Thanks Isaac for the thoughts. I do agree that mon...

2010-10-16T11:36:05.023-07:00

Thanks Isaac for the thoughts. I do agree that money leads the way, but we definitely need good rules in play so that businesses play nice. In this respect, perhaps there needs to be some simultaneous leadership in government and economic progress. But hey, look at Bangladesh – it’s consistently ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, yet it’s moving ahead, albeit with growth very concentrated on the elite.

Thanks for this great piece of writing Rob. I like...

2010-10-09T16:46:25.512-07:00

Thanks for this great piece of writing Rob. I like the way you argued your points out on this complex issue. I agree with the fact that the West should stop giving their own reasons why Africa failed, because normally it does not solve any problem.

With the issue of the media, I personally believe when we are able to be economically independent things will automatically change. Definitely, Africa has a promising future in reference to the new crop of young Africans both home and abroad who are now thinking of ways to Unite Africa and be economically independent.

My favourite line "May humanity never perpetrate such injustice against humanity".

Nii Bruce

Again, you make me think, wonder, marvel, and take...

2010-09-15T18:51:34.259-07:00

Again, you make me think, wonder, marvel, and take pride. Thanks for an inspiring post.

Thomas, thanks for the thoughts. Yes, I definitely...

2010-09-15T18:43:11.406-07:00

Thomas, thanks for the thoughts. Yes, I definitely agree. Sometimes there is a reason to aggregate - there is the "car dealership effect" in which people know where to go to find a certain product or service, such as fabrics or shoe repair. Still, this only accounts for some products, and this only makes sense if the business is stationary. Often in Moz I'd see three people walking around together selling the same thing. Sorry, you're silly for trying to sell together - I can only buy from one of you.

Jes, I have thought about this, but I have to come down on the side of "let's just provide the best income opportunities and let them decide their values". While I don't doubt that every rational individual is looking for fulfillment in his or her life, I've come to believe that when you're that poor, you just want to eat and put food on the table for your family. You don't care what it takes.

I was recently talking with a Ghanaian TechnoServe employee, with whom I grab drinks after work and hang out occasionally. He is a low-level administration guy, kind of like an errands runner. But he's super smart, reads psychology textbooks in his spare time for kicks, and is able to see both sides of the coin. At age 40 he plans to go to university to become a teacher.

I asked him if given the chance, would he go to the US and work for a foreigner as a cook or servant. Unhesitatingly he said he would go. I had to prod him with qualifiers like, "Well certainly you'd want to bring your family?" "Wouldn't you want to go back to visit? At least once a year?" He loves his family, but he explained that the income opportunities he could gain to provide for his family, even starting out as a servant, were so much greater in the US.

I agree those things you talk about are important, but I think they become more important as you have more options, as you are wealthier. I say we take things one step at a time.

No matter how much I learn about the world, I stil...

2010-09-15T11:02:41.551-07:00

No matter how much I learn about the world, I still find it hard to divorce myself from Western notions of motivation and fulfillment. Still I have to ask, do you find that there might me more sense of purpose instilled with microfinance than with its cousin, microfranchising?

I wonder if there's something to be said about the value in challenging someone to be responsible for their own business model versus handing that person a model and it never developing or changing? Do you think that matters at all, or is it mainly about putting food on the table? What has been your experience?

Rob, great reading once again. I definitely share ...

2010-09-05T20:40:33.560-07:00

Rob, great reading once again. I definitely share many of the same sentiments you expressed about microfranchising. There are definitely some pronounced advantages, namely its ability to address the pervasive lack of creativity with respect to value added. Yunus in his book himself admitted that Bangladeshis all tend to sell the same thing. Mozambique was no exception, as everyone sold the exact same product instead of trying to differentiate themselves by selling fabrics for pillows or other uses. I do find it interesting in that when I'm in Mexico, I see much greater diversity in products, which may be a function of their inherent culture or of the American cultural influence. Still, this advantage of microfranchising among others has been quite intriguing about the HealthStore Foundation in Kenya and Rwanda. I also like how Aarong (BRAC's department/retail store) uses designers to help rural craftsman create new products that match consumers' evolving preferences. This need is something I've been particularly interested in addressing with my own popsicle business, helping my partner understand American consumer preferences, allowing for product differentiation and the ability to sell at a competitive premium. Your analysis seems to really center on a pervasive problem I've also experienced. Well done and thanks for the great distraction from stuffing my face with medicine textbooks.

Thanks for the comments folks (and book rec). The ...

2010-08-22T13:01:35.732-07:00

Thanks for the comments folks (and book rec). The response got a little wordy so it become a separate writing on its own in the next post.

If you want to tackle the idea of redistributing w...

2010-08-21T19:21:03.941-07:00

If you want to tackle the idea of redistributing wealth through business, read "Plowing the Sea" which makes a compelling case for why wealth isn't diffusive. It really centers on comparative vs. competitive advantages.

Rob, great post. I haven't been on in a while with med school starting but it's refreshing to read about your experiences. I definitely share a very similar perspective. Looking forward to your next post...

I'm clearly too impatient to wait for your nex...

2010-08-17T09:31:34.497-07:00

I'm clearly too impatient to wait for your next post. I think this is the first entry in the blog that substantively argues for systemic support to address something that IS largely tackled at the community level anymore. Do you buy it outright? It sounds nice, but introduction of big industry in the global south rarely redistributes the wealth as is hypothesized to do.

Any chance of getting an Obama beer cap? It would ...

2010-07-29T05:26:31.281-07:00

Any chance of getting an Obama beer cap? It would make an excellent addition to my collection!

Good luck! Looking forward to reading the rest of ...

2010-07-09T20:45:40.765-07:00

Good luck! Looking forward to reading the rest of your trip and thoughts on life.

You are just amazing, Rob. Love the picture of yo...

2010-06-26T14:30:50.129-07:00

You are just amazing, Rob. Love the picture of you jumping, I love all of your pictures. I want some elephant pics though since I read this story!! How crazy and exciting each and every day is for you!! Megan

Awesome post and incredible pictures! What a lifet...

2010-06-26T13:55:17.283-07:00

Awesome post and incredible pictures! What a lifetime of memories.

Crazy read, Rob. I'm glad you post this stuff....

2010-06-21T09:32:44.340-07:00

Crazy read, Rob. I'm glad you post this stuff. I really wanted to make it to Zimbabwe when I was over there but never had the chance. Very enlightening. How was Easterly's book? I know it was dry, but would you recommend I read it?

Man I miss those days of just showing up and findi...

2010-06-10T13:40:46.878-07:00

Man I miss those days of just showing up and finding a place to camp out for the night. I'm craving another trip like that. Have fun in Zimbabwe!