What’s the Same?  What’s Different ?

Mary grew up in a poor family. She works retail jobs, doesn’t own a car, and although she’s bright enough, she could never afford college. Her only asset is a one-bedroom, 1950s-style house in the older section of the city.  By working 2 jobs, she paid the last year of the mortgage after her Papa died in 2002. A new city bike and recreation trail is being constructed along the old irrigation ditch that passes a couple blocks from the house and Mary would like to set up a small weekend concession business.  The permit costs $500 and she needs $3000 for the down payment for the mobile “food wagon” equipment and several week’s supplies.

José has lived on the frontier of his Latin American nation since he was a baby.  His penniless father moved the family beyond the edge of civilization, cleared a small plot of land where no one lived and scraped out a living by farming and hunting.  He worked hard and had some luck, and the farm slowly grew.  As settlement spread toward the frontier, he was occasionally able to sell some mahogany to loggers and to sell surplus produce in the distant markets.  When Papa died, he left a large, well-built house and small flock of chickens.  The roads have improved over the years and José would like to raise chickens for market.  To protect and manage a large flock on the frontier, he needs $500 for fencing, materials to build sheds, additions to the flock, and supplies.  

What will happen when Mary and José visit their local banks?  Role play their conversations with loan officers.