Familiar Faces: Batidos Falkis

The happy faces of the Batidos Falkis staff have quickly become familiar to the people of El Sauce throughout the course of the last year as the new business planted its roots and began to grow rapidly in popularity. It is a rare day when there isn't a line of costumers waiting to order a refreshing cold smoothie.

Batidos Falkis Staff

Left- Angela Falkis  Right -Fiama Mayorga

The business started just over a year ago when owners Angela Falkis and her daughter Fiama Mayorga began thinking of opening a smoothie shop in their hometown. After having heard of the increasing interest and success of shops in other local cities they had high hopes for similar outcomes in El Sauce. From the beginning their main goal has been to teach the public that fresh fruits are a healthy option for all.

Service with a SMILE

Common Nicaraguan beliefs suggest that eating fruits at certain times during the day can cause health issues. There is even a taboo connected to the diet of a pregnant woman forbidding her to consume fruits after a certain point in her pregnancy. The ladies now take pride in their business saying that it has become much more than they had ever expected it to and they enjoy teaching facts about health and good eating habits.

But things for Batidos Falkis haven’t always easy; as most entrepreneurial experiences aren't.  Aside from finding a good and affordable location, one of their largest obstacles was getting the needed machinery. 

Sealing the smoothies.

Miguel making smoothies

Serving refreshing mocha smoothies.

However, with the assistance of the EnlaceProject Entrepreneurial Development Program Manager, Enrique Corrales and his assistant Peace Corps Volunteer, Conrad Wright, Angela and Fiama were able to receive the professional support and guidance to better their business. The mother daughter duo attended workshops that educated them in the starting a new business. The information and ideas they learned helped to attract more business and sales began to pick up quickly thereafter.  

Multi-seater  bikes are also available for rent.

This humble family business not only greets customers with smiling face because of their professional growth, but more importantly because they have work and through the opening of the shop they have provided others with jobs as well. 

The relationships they have formed with the community members of their hometown are something of great value to Angela and Fiama. They've even established friendships with the many foreign visitors spending time in El Sauce; servicing them with a bilingual menu.They love being able to provide good service to their clients and have big dreams to one day soon expand the business into a larger venue where they can give even more than they are capable of now. They hope to one day have extended hours and a wider variety of meals on their menu.

Follow Batidos Falkis on facebook today for updates, photos, events, and promos. 


--- Written by Bethany Nelson, Enlace Project Intern

Familiar Faces: Emilio Alonso Martinez Gutierrez

Alonso has worked as a tour guide for his community since he was young.

Alonso Martinez is well-known by visitors of El Sauce's Los Altos de Ocotal for his advanced English skills and welcoming smile. A recipient of The Friend's Project's education scholarship, Alonso has finished his secondary school and is now studying English at UNAN León. We sat down to interview Alonso about his plans for English and development in the community of Ocotal.

When we asked Alonso what his childhood was like, he expressed that his English studies were a prominent part. "It was good because I could study in my community. It was easier for me [than for some other children studying in Ocotal] because I didn't have to walk a lot to go to school. My childhood was happy because my whole family helped me with my studies."

Alonso and his classmates of Las Minitas

Alonso shared with us that he decided to study English because it is an important part of his life and a way to help his family. " I want to get a job that uses English, and make some money to support myself and my family." He thinks that English will help him in his future career because it will allow him to "talk to American people and to work as a tourist guide here in the cooperative."Alonso thinks that English will help his community in Ocotal because people like himself who can speak in English will be able to translate for the visitors from places like the United States. He also thinks that he could possibly become an English teacher for some of the children in Ocotal.

When asked about his studies in the university, Alonso responded, "that is a long story because when I was in my second year of high school, I did't like the language or the career, but little by little I grew to like it more. It is currently my favorite subject. I am in my second year of studies in the university and I also study here in my community."

Alonso shared with us that although he sometimes finds it difficult to communicate with English speakers due to the speed at which they speak, he is gradually getting better at understanding them. Alonso is the son of Emiliano Martinez, a local coffee farmer of Ocotal. As a member of the Los Altos de Ocotal cooportive, the family opens their home to visitors and students as a host family. "When some Americans stay at my house, I talk to them and they feel more comfortable because they can have at least a short conversation with me and ask questions about my family and tell me about their families."

Enlace Project English School is very proud of Alonso and his progression with his English studies. His story, alike that of  many others who study at the Enlace Project English School, represents our growth since our doors opened in 2009. His new found appreciation for the English language and new cultural experiences reflect the hopes we have for our English students today. With graduation from both our program and the university in Alonso's near future we congratulate him on all of his accomplishments and encourage him to keep up the good work.

--Written by Bethany Nelson, Enlace Project Intern

Familiar Faces: Mauricio Martinez

For many people, Don Mauricio Martinez is the face of Ocotal. As the patriarch of the beautiful and ample mountain community, Mauricio cares for the land and often refers to the environment as if it were a lifelong friend of his. We sat down for an interview with Mauricio to find out more about his life and the community:

Sean: Thank you for speaking with me, Don Mauricio. Were you born in Ocotal?

Mauricio: No, I was born in El Jicote, a community about a kilometer from here. When I was growing up, no one lived in this area. I built a house here when I was around 30 years old. The guy who owned this land hired me to work in the community as a farmer, so I built a house here.

Mauricio during the construction of El Ranchón, the mountain's restaurant.
This land was donated courtesy of Mauricio.

S: What was your youth like? How would you describe Ocotal in those times?

M: My youth was healthy and normal; I never had problems or fights with anyone. I had two cousins who I lived with, and we spent time learning how to play the guitar, the mandolin. We would spend entire nights just playing music. I worked a lot, mostly as a farmer, harvesting sugar cane, corn, coffee, and beans. Ocotal, at that time, was suffering because many pine trees were affected by a disease. The trees were all dry, and many were falling. There was a lot of deforestation by lumber companies, both legally and illegally. That’s why we decided it was important to care for the forest. We've been protecting and caring for it for more than thirty years now.

S: What are the best qualities of Ocotal? What does Ocotal have that other areas in Nicaragua do not?

A beautiful view of part of Ocotal's pine forest.

M: The pine needle forests are truly amazing. We have amazing nature all around us, and they are important to take care of. The environment is what gives us life, water, and the air we breathe. We started to care for the land  with of the help of the Danish Development Project "Manuel Lopez" (which years later helped formed the Coffee Cooperative "Manuel Lopez"), who came an gave us tools. Now we are lucky enough to have the Los Altos de Ocotal cooperative, so that we can show others the beauty we have around us. The members of the cooperative are good people, and also care for the environment.

S: What are some difficulties that the community of Ocotal faces?

M: Some people still do not recognize the need for working with the environment instead of against it. Much of the mountainous area that is closer to the city is damaged. We also need to focus beyond plant life, to animals too. We have a lot of beautiful wildlife to be seen. There are many types of birds and animals in Ocotal.

Sean and Mauricio together in 2013.

S: What is your vision for the future of Ocotal? 

M: I hope that one day we can all be responsible for taking care of our community, that we can work together to live with the environment, because in the end it is what protects us. I also hope that the tourism cooperative will be able to show others the beauty of Ocotal and that they too can learn to value the natural environment. Too often, it is believed that we as humans should be separate from the wild when really we are just another part of it.

Familiar Faces: Juan Mairena (PLUS an announcement!!)

Juan Mairena, Enlace Project's Academic and Volunteer Travel Coordinator and English teacher, is heading to the United States on September 21^st to meet with many of our partners and friends. In preparation, he has decided to re-introduce himself and explain a little bit about what he does:

Juan with a group of students in Managua.

Hi mi name is Juan Mairena, and I am twenty seven years old. I am from Nicaragua and I was born in Managua, the capital of the country, but I have been living in El Sauce for about three and half years now. I work for Enlace Project, the vision of which is to inspire individual in the human development and the economic development in El Sauce.

Juan showing an oven to students from Geneseo's sustainability class

Currently my position is the Academic and Volunteer travel coordinator, so I am the guide in charge of setting up of the academic and volunteer trips that visit Nicaragua. The different trips that I work with are: Service Learning trips (during the summer and winter intersessions of SUNY Geneseo), Avon for Nicaragua (a group from Rochester, NY who work on school constructions), Humanities II (a SUNY Geneseo required course for all students), Comparative Sustainability (a new course in the Biology department of SUNY Geneseo), and a rural health program (students from Upstate Medical University).

I also teach English classes for Enlace Project. I love doing my job because I meet wonderful people, I learn more about my own culture and the different cultures that the students and volunteers have. In my free time I like to watch movies, to play soccer, to go out with my friends, to spend time in family, to play chess, and I am starting to work out.

Juan (far right) on his last trip to the USA.

During these three and half years working and living here in El Sauce, I could say that it has been one of the most wonderful experiences in my life because I have met such great people from different countries and I feel part of the Sauceño community. I have met amazing people from the States who, regardless of being students, professors and volunteers, are now friends and family and that is the best part of my job.

I am going to the United States to promote the different kinds of trips that we offer. I will be giving presentations about our trips and our organization at Geneseo from September 21^st till the 30^th and then I will be going to Syracuse to have some meetings at Upstate Medical University. In Geneseo, I will be around in different meetings and fairs, so if you know someone interested in coming to Nicaragua please let them know that they can meet me there during those days. I look forward to seeing many of you and spending some time in the U.S.A.!

For more information on Enlace Project's trips, click here.

For more information on Juan's trip to the United States, follow us on Facebook. Or contact us at info@enlaceproject.org.

Familiar Faces: Alejandro "Alex" José Solano Vallejos

Alex and his daughter.

We've written about Alejandro "Alex" Solano Vellejos before. That's because Alex is the type of person who actively goes after what he wants. When we sat down with him, he told us that he experienced a change is his life seven years ago. "My life was a mess, so I decided to change my lifestyle," Alex told us in English, using the vocabulary that he learned between in the Sunday beginner's English class and the weekday advanced class.

Over the past few years, Alex has become a distinct face around Enlace Project. Back in 2012, he was the recipient of a microloan to help him buy supplies for his bicycle supplies and repair shop. Attending the financial training classes helped Alex to get his finances and credit under control.

Through this connection with Enlace Project, Alex became interested in the English language as well. He began assisting the Sunday English class because it was the only day he had enough free time between his three jobs. "I was working as a teacher on Saturday, a radio DJ on Sundays, and at my own business all week, but I believe English is important."

Additionally, Alex has one daughter and four nephews that he takes care of. His bicycle business is run out of his house so that he can remain close to his family. Alex attributes his drive to work and learn English to his family, and hopes one day to be able to teach his children English as well.

Alex helping out in the Sunday English class.

Alex displays the same selflessness in helping others around the community. "I like speaking English a lot, and helping those less fortunate has always been my dream," he explains It's beautiful to practice English with other people and help them learn." While Alex has now moved onto the advanced class, he still attends the Sunday classes to assist the other students.

Alex hopes to continue moving forward. He wants to learn new techniques to expand what his business can do to include motorcycles and more. Recently, he attended a Peace Corps small business training in Granada, which has given him motivation to improve his business practices. In the future, he hopes to work with Enlace Project's Entrepreneurial Development Program as well.