Enseñe En Otro Pais: LSP '12

(Learn Serve Paraguay 2012)

Round Two. It’s possible I failed to make note of this experience (in a non-verbal sense) when I first encountered it last year. Forgive me. But in my defense, I was an adrenaline-infused, nervous wreck prematurely overcoming my bewilderment then. I had to regroup; once I finally did, the week had blurred by quicker than it arrived and thus (I regret to say) clouded my detail retention. However, this year I assured myself that history would not repeat itself, and my awe of the efficiency this time around has made it much easier for me to make good on that promise. Per usual to my perfectionistic habits, I began planning and recruited a small unit to help me back in early April. The team consisted of David (very guapo colegio student/dear friend), Adaliz (ex-compañera of Paola/also guapa), and myself. The three of us usually met in my home each Sunday to discuss specifics, then we hit the barrios (neighborhoods) of Isla seeking out the folks we thought would be kind enough to host an American (or two). We also outlined the activities coinciding with the three cooperating schools’ schedules and planned the meals around herbivores and allergens (neither of which were a cake walk, but we managed despite the challenges). Next, I got busy organizing the likely supplies as far as what could be found locally and what needed to resourced via stateside. Being there is only one of me and there was to be three groups at three different locations, I then turned to my fellow PCVs for any aid whatsoever they could offer. Rose, Zach, and Jaime (all representing G-35) plus Mel (G-34) all came to the rescue for which I was grateful (and still am) because I couldn’t have done it without them. In particular, Zach and Jaime tag-teamed the Escuela Grande with exercise charlas (lessons) and a playground paint touch-up. Rose and Mel took on the Escuelita with nutrition charlas and fruit tree planting, and I worked with Colegio students on recycling. We did a little community clean up as well and following suit from last year escorted the children from the comedores (soup kitchens) to the nearby health center for check-ups. During our down time we: took a mini tour of Isla, attended the local San Juan festival*, pulled up some mandioca (known as yucca in the U.S.) for lunch one day, attended both a harp practice and concert (the latter in our honor), gave David a surprise birthday cake this year, and for a little extra mescla (mixture) of cultures we hosted a goodbye party supplied with smores and chipa asador (the local corn bagel cooked campfire style). All in all it was a very organized chaos kind of week, but I found I was much more tranquila (calm) this year so my excessive planning wasn’t completely in vain. It’s a great feeling knowing putting forth a little extra elbow grease eventually will pay off in the end. Another year, another success under my belt,

I’ll take it :)

*The San Juan festival is held to honor the patron Saint Juan known for his love of fire. Ironically it usually takes during the winter months (yet any drastic changes that bring about random humidity are typically chalked up to San Juan’s influence).

Traditional foods like chipa in its many forms (stuffed with meat or cheese; grilled or baked), mbeju (chipa pancake style), assorted empanadas, and “Clerico” (fruit salad for adults) are sold and consumed. Some sort of entertainment is often provided as well: a comedy and/or musical act for the adults while the kids take turns kicking around kicking around a ball of fire, literally. Last year I witnessed in awe at the frequent panic as it was kicked consistently beneath poorly parked cars. Although to my further astonishment none of the vehicles were ever relocated nor was the fireball ever extinguished. It is also not uncommon for multiple community establishments to each host their own. Basically if you’re a county fair kind of guy or gal, (unlike myself) then a San Juan festival is just the thing to make your South American dream come true, ha.