carriekahn

wow....great questions. Thanks! I didn't hear that TAL, I'll definitely go back and listen, but I am familiar with that story. Mexico's judicial system is quite concerning. Justice is not equalitarian and incredibly slow. If I could recommend, there was an incredible movie in Mexico a few years ago that documented one man's judicial nightmare. It's called Presumed Guilty and think it is out in English. I would not dare to compare Mexico with the rest of the world, but I can say it is woeful need of reform. There is an amazing effort to reform the Mexican judicial system now, especially with regard to its trials and prosecutions. USAID is funding and giving much professional assistance to this effort. They want to transform the "accusatory" nature of trials to a more open one.

Thanks for joining. If I could only pick one I would say Haiti. I was there covering the earthquake and continued to travel there for the next two years. If I could sneak in one more .... I just got back from Nicaragua and it was fascinating. I hadn't been there since the war years in the late 19-90s and it was amazing to see the changes and some of the aspects that haven't changed

I guess the biggest lesson is that EVERYONE has a story. Living in Los Angeles was great and definitely helpful, I grew up there so it's in my blood.

awww...thanks!

Hmmm...definitely the majority were positive. When I was there Nicaragua was in the midst of the U-S backed Contra war. And it was still trying to rebuild from the devastating earthquake, the Revolution and the ongoing violence. These days there is much more development and economic activity for sure. That is very positive. And Nicaragua's economic growth figures are very impressive for the region. On average for the past four years about 5 percent. No other country, including the economic powerhouse Mexico can say that. AND Nicaragua has much less violence than its neighbors to the north. I really felt safe and enjoyed talked to people and traveling through the country. But, and there is always a but, there is much concern about the increasingly closed and authoritarian rule of the President Daniel Ortega.