Semana Santa (Chipa Week)

4/19/2011

Maybe it’s me but it seems like Mondays have a tendency to come with bad news. I dread the day myself and I suppose Paraguayans do as well since the day is often referred to as “Lune ro“ (Jopara for “bitter Monday”)... I couldn’t agree more.  So, on the afternoon of Monday April 18^th, 2011 G-35 Education sector received some crushing news. Our APCD (Assistant Peace Corps Director) Josefina was unexpectedly terminated from her employment with Peace Corps. We were informed via text message and later email, but neither provided little explanation. To make things odder, Rose and I had just visited the office that same morning and spoke with her. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary and from what we understand she was totally blind-sided. Timing couldn’t have been poorer as we had all grown to know and care for Josefina throughout training (she aided greatly in our site selection process); not to mention the majority of us were looking forward to the comfort of her company during our upcoming site presentations. And who was to replace her? There was no one prepared to step forward and take over her significant position. I personally thought the mass text was a horrible prank of some sort, but it turned out to be accurate. Through word of mouth I was told she was devastated, naturally and obviously confused as well. Clearly she and Peace Corps butted heads on a few ideas, but I suppose a mutual agreement was never reached. Yet since there are two sides to every story, I am interested in Peace Corps’ version being voiced one day, but neither I nor my colleagues will get our hopes up for such an occurrence. Nevertheless, Josefina shall be greatly missed and we appreciate everything she has done for us. To demonstrate as such, a farewell luncheon was organized in her honor on Tuesday April 19^th, 2011. The entire Education sector and each “G” were invited to attend and wish Josefina the best. Despite our hectic schedules to be in site on the very same day, some of my fellow group members (myself included) managed to stop by. I only stayed for about 30 minutes or so as it was raining and I was to meet Jamie (a Health volunteer who lives in the next town cover) at the terminal to travel to our sites together. It was just enough time to write a quick note to Josefina in the journal that circulated the table, get an earful of more details, and order a gelato to-go. “Suerte” echoed behind me as I pushed open the glass door to exit. With my pesado (heavy) bags at hand, I walked to the nearest bus stop and caught a ride. Within half an hour or so, I was pushing the timbre (bell) to cue the chofer (driver) I wanted to depart. I got off and crossed the street where I wandered aimlessly on the phone for 10 minutes trying to find my travel buddy. I finally found her with relief on the 2^nd floor of the three-story building. We exchanged a quick, friendly greeting then took turns making a run to the bathroom before our long expedition. Afterwards, we gathered up our *dead-giveaway belongings and headed down to the bottom level designated for boarding to wait for our bus, “Caraguatay”. *FACT: According to 9 out of 10 Paraguayans, enormous backpack=North American. This being our first terminal experience, Jamie and I were not expectant of numerous waiting spots (literally). We ended up having to ask exactly which number lot our bus would be pulling into. Once we were pointed in the right direction, our bags were kindly taken over by a nice gentleman who stuffed them haphazardly in the storage compartment on the side of the bus. We then proceeded to board the bus and sat in the back, presuming it would be less cramped. Although not many passengers entered alongside Jamie and I, we chose wisely with our seating arrangement as at each stop more and more people jumped on. I definitely felt more at ease with the extra space, and Jamie as well since she nodded off soon after.      As for me on the other hand, paranoia prevented me from joining in on naptime, despite my exhaustion. FACT: Theft is the most common crime in PY (especially on the buses), hence my extreme attentiveness.  I also decided it was a good idea to pay close attention to neighboring town names and landmarks for future trips to and from the city. Surprisingly, I recognized more than I thought because after passing through Caacupe then Eusebio Ayala, I knew the town of my future home was next. Soon enough, a towering “Bienvenidos” (welcome) sign was visible as we approached the threshold of Isla Pucu. I collected my possessions once more, bid adieu to Jamie, and reminded the chauffer’s assistant (job consisting of: collecting bus fare as needed, but usually just fetching and drinking teree with the driver) I needed access to the side cabin in order to retrieve the rest of my gear. Once we rolled to a stop, I stepped off and my stuff was handed to me almost simultaneously. I was still strapping my bag securely onto my back while the bus hauled away to its next destination. I took in both my surroundings and a deep breath at the same time, squinting for something familiar. Haziness combined with my poor sense of direction resulted in me becoming somewhat lost, and the plentiful pairs of eyes that scrutinized my every move certainly did not aid in the matter. Embarrassed, I took out my cell and anxiously dialed Lida´s number for help. No answer.  I glanced down at my watch and hesitated at the possibility of him being in class, but sent a text to David anyway. No response neither, thus resulting in slight panic on my behalf. I quickly regained composure and made up my mind to walk towards the only residence memory would allow me to recall, Paola´s. Fortunately, she was present as I explained my weariness and confusion of which she was instantly kind and sympathetic. Apparently my ability to recollect wasn´t so poor after all, as I was informed my new host family lives within a 2 block radius north of Paola and her family. We were preparing to walk towards this direction when David´s lanky profile came into view. He met us at the end of the block, grinning from ear to ear as always. Not long after greeting one another it seemed, we parted ways once again. I made sure to thank Paola for her gracious support then turned to follow David´s lead. Along the way, David clarified he knew where to find me because one of his classmates recognized me and sent him a message. I described for the second time my bewilderment upon arrival in Isla, as well as, my fatigue. David too was nonchalant about the topic and promptly reminded me I already had friends here, thus no need to fret. As we rounded the corner I couldn´t help but smile with him while verbalizing my gratitude as well. When we finally reached the gate of my new home, we were welcomed by Lida´s sister, Irma, Irma´s two young daughters and Lida herself along with her 8 month old daughter.  I was unaware my previous visit, but I soon learned that Irma also happens to be David´s madrina (Godmother). David stayed for a little while longer to both visit with his Godmother and to make sure I was somewhat settled in. Afterwards he left, suggesting we get together the next day. I instantly agreed and thanked David again as well. Next I was told for some unknown reason, the room I was to inhabit wasn´t prepared for me yet. I only nodded, no questions asked but I was also promised to be helped in setting it up the next day. So, I ended up crashing in the room temporarily shared by Lida´s two nieces. I went to bed that night with the thought that living with this family was going to be interesting and possibly a little challenging, but unbearable? I naively shook the idea off completely….

Here are a few events that came to pass directly and indirectly during my short-lived stay with Lida and her family:

My bedroom window has a hole about the size of a pill bottle cap or voting sticker. Index fingers (attached to Lida´s nieces) being poked through it became a daily happening…no matter the obstruction I attempted to conceal it. I actually think they genuinely enjoyed seeing and later destroying whatever I could come up with next. There was also a caravan of ants constantly flowing to and from this hole.

-I believe my lovely partial abode was added on after the rest of the house was built, as there was only one door to enter and exit. This became both a blessing and a curse: a blessing as I had a secluded sanctuary (for the most part) and a curse for the very same reason. On more than one occasion I found myself unable to gain access to the interior of the house (aka the bathroom, 3am) or to the house itself (front gate locked, 8pm bedtime.. apparently I was both misinformed and forgotten). And each time I attempted to contact someone on the inside they failed me, yet Lida´s brother, Bernardo, residing next door always came to my aid. He was the one who answered my calls to Lida´s cellular which was purposely or accidentally (I´ll never know) left there. Bernardo was also the one whom let me use his bathroom and attempted (unsuccessfully) to wake Josefina up for me by whispering, then yelling at her to wake up through her bedroom window.

-Speaking of the baño (bathroom) and I, we had a love/ hate relationship. I loved it because the ducha (shower) provided the first few hot showers I had yet to have in Paraguay. I also hated it because it these hot showers lasted about 2 minutes as I had to fight off mosquitoes in between scrubs. Not to the mention, it usually reeked of used adult diapers….may be a little harsh but it´s true:/

-These diapers belonged to Lida´s 92 year old father. This Señor may have been wheel-chair bound and on a soft-foods diet, but he was still very humorous and attentive. After eating he liked to feed the dog in his own special way…swishing around the leftovers in his mouth and then discarding them on the floor. He also never ceased to attempt cleaning his mouth with the kitchen tablecloth, even though we all knew (and him as well I suspect) that a slap on the hand from his wife to stop him would follow. 

-Josefina, wife to this Señor and mother to Lida, Irma and Bernardo, was a character herself. My most cherished memories of this family involve her. I believe she can be summed up in three words sly, resourceful, and blunt. During my first attempt to cook soja (soy), Josefina slipped a spoonful of salt in the water when she thought I wasn´t looking and after I had already stated I would add it later. She also cunningly insulted my intelligence a little by communicating with me in baby talk for the first 3 days. Nonetheless, I found her to be resourceful as well because during the tidying up of my new room, she also rearranged 4 mil from off my bed to her right pocket. In addition she creatively re-named her chewable cigar and her wine as her ¨chocolate stick & water¨. Lastly, Josefina wasn´t afraid to say what she was thinking or express her true feelings. One time I was invited to eat lunch with another family, after notifying my host grandmother, she put her hands up to her face and fake cried. This action signified her feelings were hurt and even though she said ¨esta bien¨ (it´s ok), she really wasn´t pleased. Another time we were standing in the kitchen and she began patting me on the back. Her hand continued moving further downward until she reached my love handle. She then pinched it while exclaiming with a grin of astonishment ¨Ooooh, so that´s why you don´t eat meat. You carry yours with you!¨ As for the chipa that just so happened to be in my hand at that very moment, it found it´s way to the trash and I lost my appetite for the rest of the night. Oh Josefina!

-Did I fail to mention the petting zoo?, whoops! You all know how much I love me some animals, allergy or no allergy! Lol. My new family also included 2 dogs one of which I felt pretty certain was sick, because one night I swore I saw one of it´s eyeballs dangling from the socket through the chain link fence. I shared this observation with one Zena (one of Lida´s nieces) and she laughed at me. A couple days later, I witnessed the dog being wrapped up in an old tarp, stiff as a board. Apparently, he was infected with a Bot fly, go figure. Also present on the property were: a calf, a bunny, a talking bird named chancho (hotdog) who could creepily utter ¨Mama¨, and about 30 or so chickens, but hey who´s counting, right? However, my personal favorite was Bernardo´s horse who technically lived next door, but was often tied up in Josefina´s yard. One morning I witnessed Bernardo attaching at least 20 pounds of decorations to this horse. I asked him for what purpose was he dressing up the stallion and he replied it was for a rodeo and I could attend if too if I so desired. Shortly after David talked me out of going saying it wouldn´t be much to see since it simply entails people dressed up like cow folk and riding around in circles. Lol.  

Yes. All of this excitement took place within one week and not just any week either, Semana Santa (Saint Week). Traditionally, it´s told Semana Santa is special time allotted for family (no school or work), extra good behavior, and chipa being made and shared inside and out of every home. I learned chipa is not only a food unique to Paraguay; it can also last many days without refrigeration. Thus, explaining why the practice of making it is still carried on today just as it was in the olden days. It was also during this week that I discovered even more change was stolen deliberately from my room, while I made a quick run to the kitchen. And despite all of this, I decided to stay but was later asked subtly to looking into relocating since it was simply too much trouble for me to be there…so much for that momentary ¨saintly¨ conduct, eh?

Bernardo's elaborately decorated horse & a hungry chicken 

Graduation (por fin)

4/15/2011

After returning from site visits on Monday April 11^th, 2011 we received both good and bad news. The good news was despite her busy schedule, Paraguay’s Minister of Health really wanted to come to our swear-in ceremony to support us. The bad news was in order for her to make it the original hour of commencement of 10am would have to be moved up to 8am, thus resulting in us having to wake up at 5am to be picked up. Most of us weren’t happy in the least bit, but we forced smiles and mumbled celebratory remarks. Of course the rest of the week flew by! On Tuesday there was a brindis (a toast or small goodbye ceremony) held at the language center for our host families. Later that same day Rose and I also baked a cake to personally thank my host mom for being so kind to us both. Wednesday was our last day at the Centro with all the volunteers of G-35. It was a very relaxing day with a picture slideshow, traditional dancing, and an absolutely gorgeous live harp/guitar performance. Thursday morning, we visited the Peace Corps office in Asuncion once more for another tour (as a refresher). Upon returning in the afternoon, Rose and I made sure to stop by “Franshop” one last time before parting ways to pack. We made a plan to meet up again in a couple of hours to re-locate Rose’s maletas (suitcases) from her house to mine. SIDE NOTE: Rose’s host family turned out to be not-so- nice :/ so I offered to let her crash at my house Thursday night and she took me up on it :). I asked my host mother if she minded but of course she was ecstatic, “Now I have 2 daughters!” she exclaimed with a huge grin. Both Rose and I were grateful she didn’t disapprove of the new plan of course, but unfortunately because Paraguayans are such gossip folk, my host mother flat out refused to help us transport the suitcases. “Van a pensar los vecinos?”  (What will the neighbors think?) she asked, obviously concerned about what it would look like for us to be loading suitcases from another house into the back of her Volkswagon Golf. I was slightly irritated by this, but I understood. It’s possible she could have rejected our proposal altogether. So 1 block, 30 minutes, and 4 hefty suitcases later we made it back to my house sweaty yet relieved. And as a final thank you gift to my host mom, we offered to make a pizza for dinner later. Next we hit the house and peluqueria (hair salon) of a classmate to get a little something done to my hair lol. I got it washed and straightened for a steal but of course by the time we left it was raining and who was umbrella-less? You guessed it…me. Rose and I speed-walked as quickly as we could back to my house then started preparing dinner once we arrived. About two hours later, we were done eating and dressed/ready for bed. I voiced my ultimate “Buenes Noches” (Goodnight) to both of my host family members, then walked across the hall to my room where Rose and I talked until we fell asleep. Only a couple of hours later it felt like, we were up again. We got dressed, made-up our make-up, and did some last minute baggage arranging. My host mom wished us both “Suerte” and we skipped rocks all the way to the church. SIDE NOTE: Most streets in Paraguay (besides the rutas) are cobblestone, so when it rains especially there are literally mini pools of water every few steps. AND IN CASE YOUR FORGOT  FACT: Most Paraguayans have motos, so it’s really only Peace Corps volunteers who come across this problem. To avoid these mud puddles, the best solutions are to a.) try find dry land alongside the roads or b.) to be an olympic hurdler. Oh yeah….and NOT wear heels or shoes you care about. Rose and I usually come prepared but this of course was an exception since we were not informed what the schedule would be like exactly (what a surprise.. Peace Corps giving out minimal information, right?). Therefore we had no choice but to travel in our best clothes as we were simply told to dress to impress. Surprisingly, we made it to our designated meeting spot with minor grim and managed to arrive on time (Rose and I were both infamous for our tardiness lol). In the drizzling rain, all 23 members of both Education barrios (communities) waited huddled together for our ride. A little while later the bus drove up. Altogether we climbed on and found a seat despite the lack of energy due to restlessness; excited chatter began enseguida (immediately) and everyone perked up. Along the way, a member from Barrio Alegre announced that out of sheer boredom the week before, she and another volunteer decided to make superlatives for each of us. I was awarded “Most Likely to Do PR for a Modista; Pizza Guru” and Rose received a well-earned “PY Mom Survivor; Cheesiest Volunteer”. Not long after we arrived at the Peace Corps office where we met up with the Health volunteers and all secured our valuables in the office of the Health Director. Next, we went through a security check (metal detection), were divided into smaller groups of 6-7, and then guided into vans arranged into a linear formation. I later found out this was because any multiple vehicles destined for the U.S. Embassy must be bumper to bumper and no other can pass in between for further safety precautions. About 10 minutes later, we pulled up in front of the embajada (embassy) front lawn and hopped out. By this time, it was also pouring down rain and we all became even more anxious to get started (and eat). The rain fell harder, followed by thunder/lightning and in a matter of minutes we had all raised our right hands and were no longer trainees. Despite the hideous weather, (the first swear-in ceremony in Paraguayan Peace Corps history to take place during a harsh thunderstorm) we carried on celebrating into the adjacent room munching on hors d’oeuvres and eagerly eyeing the legendary chocolate cake whose presence was (accurately) foretold by volunteers before us. Congratulatory pronouncements were exchanged and pictures were snapped with one another, as well as, alongside both American and Paraguayan representatives whom held different positions in the Peace Corps organization. After savoring dessert, the party fizzled down and since it was still dreadful outside we were graciously given rides back to the PC office. Based upon further instructions, we were not permitted to retreat to our hotels until after both a cell phone and bank card were in our possession. Internet capability was optional, but most of us acquired USB sticks in addition. We received cell phones within the hour, but the bank representatives didn’t show until around lunch time. After emailing family back in the U.S., I had the grand idea to camp out in front of the administrative office and ended up being the first person to get my PY plata (money; silver).Naturally, Rose was second and afterwards we caught a ride on the bus with an older volunteer who happened to be staying in the same hotel as us. Shortly thereafter we checked into the retro “Hotel Zephir” where we became familiar with the moth ball perfume, ancient elevator, and a moody toilet. Nonetheless, Rose and I were content enough to be having  air conditioning, hot water, and cable for a couple of days, but we did end up switching rooms due to the lavatory issue. Did I mention complimentary breakfast was also included? And the concierge was kind enough to hold onto to our key for us when we stepped out since all come standard with an antique doorknob permanently attached (just another part of the Zephir 70’s experience lol). Listed below are a few golden nuggets of happiness Rose and I stumbled upon within our 4-day leisure leave:

--Mexican food (black refried beans, margaritas, cheese dip)      
--Movie Theater (We saw “No Strings Attached”)    
--Italian Gelato (aka better than ice cream…Corb would die!)
--ATM (most places don’t accept debit cards)             
--Sweet Green (aka Cesar Salad & Key Lime Cookies)
---Argentinean Humorist (also bartender at local pub)
--Falafels (with hummus; I’ve become a fan)  
--Flea Market (I bought a beautiful handmade purse)   

      

Sound like a fun-filled and appetizing weekend? Oh, it was. We commemorated the long awaited occasion differently each day because por fin (finally) WE ARE OFFICIAL PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS which was and still is the perfect cause for celebration. J

Lindsey & I (representing for Isla Pucu!)

                                         

   12 members of Barrio Lazarito

                                   

                                       Rose & myself eating THE chocolate cake

                                      

                                               @ the movies :)

Apple Pie A La Mode (gelato on top)

My new favorite cookies!

My Superlative hehe :)

Guarambarepe'

4/9/2011

Rose, Rosa (host mom), myself & our cake

Flowers in my backyard

My last week in Guarambare I had mixed emotions.    I was excited to begin my new adventure as a volunteer in Isla Pucu and no longer be a trainee, yet I was sad to leave behind friends, teachers, and others who grew to care about me. For those who know me best, sometimes I have trouble putting my feelings into words, but I found this time to be an exception. While on an afternoon camanita (little walk) with Rose is when I first realized I felt this way. We were passing Don Alfredo, one of my friendly neighbors from across the street whom I came to know by his ambition to teach me some Guarani. “Hola Don Alfredo” I said. “Hola, de donde van?” (Where are you all going?) he asked. “ Vamos a un caminata, no mas”, (We’re only going on a little walk) I responded. Don Alfredo let out his jolly, booming laugh then pointed at Rose replying “Ah, porque ella es gorda, verdad?” (Oh, because she is fat, right?) ….Ok so a horrible start to my list of things I shall miss, I KNOW. Believe me I was equally as baffled as Rose because Don Alfredo himself is at least 12 months pregnant. “Why don’t you come along with us?” I wanted to ask lol, but I held my tongue. And most unfortunately for poor Rose she had to face this encounter many a time with her own host family, as well as, a few neighbors (she even told a lady off because she was so fed up once!) So to end things on such a sour note with Don Alfredo was most inopportune. In Rose’s defense though she is NOT fat by any means, her hips don’t lie that’s all :), and here curves aren’t as appreciated :/. In mention of my dear friend, I shall definitely miss her. Rose’s site is in a city called Pilar. I’ve heard it’s gorgeous and right on the border, take a ferry ride and you’re in Argentina…but it’s about 5 hours away from Isla Pucu. No longer will we be able to walk a block and hang out at my house, go get ice cream, or hit the Supermercado (grocery store) to buy ingredients for a homemade dish later. I’ll miss our post-class popcorn sessions, laughing together with/about our crazy host families, and of course receiving delicious free queso from the fabrica (factory; conveniently also were Rose lived). Speaking of host families, I shall miss my host mom and brother. My host brother was very shy at first, but he eventually came out of his shell some. Likewise, he was kind enough to allow me to use his laptop to Skype my family in the U.S. every Sunday. My host mother was very caring and knowledgeable. She could be a little pushy at times lol, but all in all she was very nice (she allowed me to hang a hammock in my room people!) I enjoyed joking with her most and savoring her creative vegetarian dishes. I will also miss our beautiful backyard overflowing with flowers and fruit trees with perfect view of the cancha (soccer field) on the other side (there were soccer games every SundayJ). Our language teachers Pabla, Silvia, and Patricia I will miss as well.  Not only were they amazing Spanish/Guarani teachers, they are also very kind, supportive, and loving people. I dreaded waking up so early, but I fell in love with their classes. If Peace Corps would allow me to pack one of them along in one of my suitcases, I would do it! And who could forget my favorite ice cream place, “Franshop”? I do believe they have the best dulce de leche (caramel) in PY! I was a weekly regular and each time the owner was so patient with my indecisiveness in regards to flavor selection. SIDE NOTE: I have a hard time making small decisions sometimes lol. A couple of times he even gave me a discount! I will miss all the animals that greeted us along the way to school each morning….goats, dogs, chickens, etc.  Specifically, I will miss the huge black/white dog that lived directly across the street from me. When I was bored, it was a very entertaining sight from my bedroom window watching it exercise back and forth outside its house. Near my house as well, I will miss my other neighbor Cristina who very much looked forward to chatting with me as did with her, along with her warm laughter. Furthermore, I will miss “Zoe Boutique” where I found a few much needed (stylish) warm clothes not too ridiculously priced. The young duena (owner) was also very kind (and patient) with me. I will miss the mini park in front of the Catholic igelsia (church) where it was so relaxing to sit to people watch during the day and enjoy the fountain at night. Lastly, I can’t say I’ll miss training itself exactly lol, but I will miss our trainers at the Peace Corps Centro (center) and catching up with my colleagues during our daily lunch gatherings. Guarambare was the first town to welcome us newbies of G-35 into Paraguay with open arms and for that it will forever hold a special place in my heart!

Best ice cream in Guarambare!

Friendly baby goat :)

Welcome sign at Centro

I knew it! My food schedule lol

Isla Pucu (Long Island)

4/6/2011

Our meeting site, CAFASA

My Site: Isla Pucu; My Department: Cordillera

All trainees look forward to and lose sleep over exactly 2 events: site assignments and swear-in. Most trainees began fretting about future site placements back during the Staging process in Miami, others more recently during training. Either way, I’m almost 90% sure every one of us has pondered the following feos (uglies) at some point... Ugly Question #1: Will I have hot water? (gasp) Uglier Question #2: Will I have electricity? (jaw drop) and the Ugliest Question of ALL: Will I have to live in the campo-campo?? (faint) On Tuesday April 29^th, 2011, we finally received the answers to these questions. Por suerte, hardly any of us aregoing to the campo (countryside) of Paraguay, everyone has electricity, and most of us have hot water. Specifically, the name of my future site is  Isla Pucu, which is Jopara (mix of Spanish and Guarani) for “Long Island”. On April Fool’s Day (although this was no joke), we were divided into 2 large groups and Peace Corps drove us to another city relatively close to our sites to meet our “ community contacts” aka a Paraguayan local designated to look out for us and of course sign Peace Corps paperwork as needed. My group and I were sent to a place called “CAFASA”, a giant very casual yet very business-like two story lugar (location)containing several conference rooms, a cafeteria, and a spacious yard. We all dumped our stuff in a secured room and were each given name tags. About 20 minutes or so later, our contacts filed out of one of the conference rooms also wearing name tags, but with our pictures adhered. I found my picture attached to a woman named “Bernarda”. She is both the Apoyo (support) teacher and the librarian at Isla Pucu’s local “escuelita”(little school). Next, carts of juice, fruit, and tortillas were rolled out for breakfast and everyone chatted while they ate. It wouldn’t be Peace Corps-appropriate without a series of informative yet boring presentations, hence this is what followed. Lunch came soon after though, along with more presentations. The afternoon ended on a high note with you guessed it….more food. ;) On our way out the door, bags of bread, cake, juice boxes, and more fruit were handed to us. The other trainees and I collected our back-breaking bookbags, wished each other “Suerte” (good luck), then parted ways with our new contacts. From Asuncion (capital of PY), my site is about 2.5 hours away; however, from CAFASA, it’s only about 1.5 hours. Side Note: PC volunteers are generally placed in either “follow-up” or new sites. Both can have their ups and downs. For example: follow-up sites-welcoming smiles and less staring (up), more pressure to prove yourself (down); new sites- more staring, less accustomed (down), nobody to be compared to (up). I was placed in a follow-up site where I will be the 3^rd volunteer. BTW:  It doesn’t matter how long ago a site had a PC volunteer, somebody always remembers something about them…..”Oh, he lived there”, “Yes, she had a dog”, “It’s true, he/she was very guapo/a (hardworking).” etc. Anyways, as added bonus to my sweet “Long Island” deal, I happened to be placed in the former site of the new Volunteer Coordinator, Lindsey. She of course is also a previous volunteer, but Peace Corps gave her the opportunity to stay and help out us Education folk for one more year. So not only did I have a personal escort during my site visit (she didn’t have to come but she did! ..super nice, right?), but now I have someone that can answer my questions directly and specifically (if necessary) who just so happens to work in the Peace Corps office :) Upon arrival in my new town, we stopped by Bernarda’s home to talk, drink terere’ (official drink of PY, like herbal iced tea) and eat roasted mani (peanuts) while waiting for Lida (Vice Principal of Escuelita) to come and meet us. Lida and her family consisting of 12 people were kind enough to take in a 13^th (me) for a couple of days despite their lack of space and my peculiar food choices as a vegetarian. They also offered to allow me to stay with them for my first month in site (PC rule: once again we’re supposed to live with a host family for our first 3 months). Since Lindsey chose to accompany me, we had lunch together everyday at her old and my future home. I was fortunate for this because those lunches were only time I was able to eat foods with some nutritional value (Lida and her family ended up serving me cocido (tea with milk) for breakfast and dinner three days, as well as, chipa (famous Paraguayan corn bagel) and mandio chyryry (mandioca is like a long potato and “chyryry” is Guarani for fried) my last two days but only because I requested them :/. Lindsey (God bless her) drug me around all over the town introducing me to everyone she knew and showing me important places. By the end of the trip I was exhausted, but very grateful. I learned my site contains 4 schools:  Escuelita, Escuela Grande (big school), “Santa Lucia” (new school), and a colegio (high school). There are also: 2 comedores (soup kitchens), a group of Boy Scouts, a Radio Station, and plenty of people who want to learn English. Lindsey worked on a one-on-one basis tutoring 3 high schools students: Paola (17), David (16), and Lourdes (16) who were also her closest friends. We didn’t have much free time, but the minute we did I seized the opportunity to find out where the best heladeria (ice cream shop) was located. FACT: Ice cream is my stress-reliever here in PY! All in all it was a very exciting, event-filled trip and I really enjoyed it. I am very much looking forward to working and residing in Long Island, hey who wouldn’t? :)

In front of the Isla Pucu Welcome sign

Striking Oil

3/30/2011

Today we had our second “Tapeopovo” (treasure hunt). The first one was neither exciting nor fun, which is why I chose not to dedicate an entire blog to writing much about it. Pretty much Peace Corps divided us into groups of two, gave us two places to visit along with a list of questions, and oh yeah, sent us out to find the answers alone…our 3^rd week in PY. However on a less-frustrating note, this time we were given a choice as to with whom we wanted to travel and more importantly, where we wanted to go. I was a little hesitant to go after just re-cooperating from a horrible 5-day virus (including 1.5 days in the city hospital L), but I decided to go since it was meant to be super “tranquilopa” (calm in Guarani). Of course I went with Rose and we chose to go in search of sandals and shirts at “Mariscal Lopez Shopping”. However, first we stopped at a bookstore near by to not seem entirely obvious about our craving for air conditioning. The name of the bookstore we visited was called “Books”, why the American name I’m not too sure; however, it’s possibly because of the giant selection of current best-sellers, cookbooks, travel guides, and children’s books in ENGLISH. Unfortunately, reading isn’t exactly a valued pastime here. Newspapers are a luxury and children’s leisurely reads are usually their textbooks (and that’s only if the schools have enough for each child, and/or trust them to take home and return- which most schools do not). Plus what kid in any country would want to read the book they study from everyday let alone enjoy reading it?  So naturally, book prices in general are ridiculous, new book prices are even more ridiculous, and new/current American book prices: forget about it! This store “Books” did claim to have a “oferta” (sale) section which consisted of books with missing or torn pages yet “40% off” still cost 30 G’s. Rose and I booked it (pun intended) on out of there pretty quickly, especially since the store clerk wasn’t particularly friendly nor patient with our questioning. Afterward, we headed across the street to Shopping Mariscal where we roamed each of the three floors. Before entering, Rose and I made a deal that she would go with me to get ice cream if I went with her to find real coffee. Almost immediately we stumbled upon a Starbucks-like coffee shop in the middle of the mall. Rose ordered an espresso and I simply rested while enjoying the scenery’s scents (I’m no caffeine feign but the aroma is soothing). Twenty minutes later or so, we skimmed the other two floors. No luck for me, but Rose did finally find some sandals she liked and bought although neither of us appreciated the salesladies’ stalker-like approach to helping us. Next, we found the food court and since we share a love of culinary creativity, naturally we decided upon “Belini’s”. This pasta bar consists of customers selecting from behind  glass between 4 types of pastas, pointing to up to 8 ingredients, stating either “red or white sauce” and chefs on the other side of the glass preparing the meal right before your eyes….in OLIVE OIL. Rose and I were in heaven! I crafted an alfredo-based dish, while Rose assembled a spicy marinara-based one and we both cleaned our bowls with the free dinner rolls. The portions were huge and the meal included a drink only cost 25 G’s total…no wonder the line extended through half the second floor! Whoever thought of this idea is a genius because Paraguayans love it just as much, and PY is rich in fresh fruits and veggies so who wouldn’t appreciate ingredients from their own soil? This meal was by far the BEST non-Paraguayan dish I’ve had since I’ve been here (Sorry SUGU, but you’re a close second). To top of the day, we found my ice cream shop and both indulged in some atypical flavors: peach for Rose, and reverse turtle tracks for me (caramel outside, solid chocolate cookie drops instead of turtles inside). SIDE NOTE: I know it seems that most of my really amazing days involve food lol, and this is true. BUT, you have to understand that when you’re in another country and you find something familiar, you cling to it without neither hesitation nor lack of enthusiasm, period. So judge not people, judge not lest you yourself decide to embark on a journey similar as mine J

Rose & I before our Asuncion Adventure!

Carpinteros in Caacupe

3/17/2011

Rose, Silvia (our language prof.) and myself

Trip Numero 2 is called ¨LFP¨ (Long Field Practice) and usually involves visiting yet another city or town in Paraguay BUT together with your language class and teacher. My class and I went to a city called Caacupe, which is a pretty big city. It´s located right along the ruta (highway) which has it´s ups and downs. For example: Easy access to Asuncion= Up; School on one side of the ruta, playground on other =Down. We met up with another volunteer named Alyssa who is going to swear-out (finish her 2 year service) this month. Our schedule pretty much consisted of either going to the local elementary school and reading a story with a different grade level or going to the colegio (local high school) to play a dinamica (dynamic game) with the students. We had a lot of fun, yet in the lower grades like kindergarten-2^nd most of the kids only spoke the local language (Guarani), so to communicate with them our language teacher had to step in. The trip in itself was a LOT of work. Before visiting the schools, our time was spent planning our lessons for the day, and after visitations our time was spent in language class. It was nice to have a change in setting for language class, but frustratingly enough the days were planned out to be just as long as if we were back at the training center. Also we all fell in love with the “carpintero” (carpenter ) family and were partly anxious to spend more  time with them. For each of these trips, the Peace Corps volunteer we go to visit must find a “host family” for us to stay with. Indeed these families are always reimbursed for our usage of food, water, and electricity yet sometimes it’s still not an appeasing offer for whatever reason. Por suerte (luckily), this particular group of woodworking families were kind enough to take us in for a few days, and they turned out to be THE nicest people I have yet to meet in PY. I ended up staying with Rueben and his family, Rose stayed with A and his family, and our other classmate stayed with the parents of these two men. SIDE NOTE: Of course our language teacher Silvia was put up in the city’s nicest hotel, despite her jokily telling those we encountered that she too was an American, specifically from Los Angeles). I was boarded up in a room with Rueben & Emmi’s 4 children: 3 daughters-Mari (butterfly ), Adi (+), Monica ($), and the only son- Abel (a bell ). Big families here are very common so to help me remember everyone’s names, I created a word/symbol for each person (as seen in parenthesis above).  As well there was Sandra, Emmi’s niece who hangs out a lot at the house and is clearly best friends with Mari, but doesn’t live with the family. Also roaming freely were two dogs, a puppy, a mama cat that gave birth to kittens in the backseat of the family’s idle Volkswagon and who could forget… “Abuela” This loving elderly woman and mother of Emmi, had a small apartment behind the family home and could consistently be found either busy making the sweetest Guava jelly you could ever imagine or insisting on conversing in Guarani with me. Adi (+) loved to pass us by while giggling “Grandma, she doesn’t understand you.”, and although she was right Abuela always shooed her away and carried on with our chat. I’ll admit I still have no idea til’ this day what we discussed lol, but I know it was surely pleasant because afterwards I was always given a big wet kiss on the forehead. On our final day in Caacupe, instead of the usual lunch with our families, we were instructed to pack the night before so that after visiting the schools one last time we could leave to have lunch in the city. I attempted unsuccessfully to have the plan changed so that we could enjoy one more lunch together with our families, but thankfully we were given some time for goodbyes. Abuela gave me another kiss for the road, as well as, some of her delicious marmalade. All of the girls wrote me notes which I found in my bag later, and Emmi handed me her phone number with tears in her eyes insisting that I call anytime and better come back to visit. How could one not adore such a warm and welcoming family? After hugging them all and slipping notes into each of their hands, I reassured them I would at least make a special trip back for Mari’s Quince (15^th birthday) in May and then my group and I all had to leave. Our last stop in the heart of Caacupe was SUGU; a German owned and run Swiss café. The owner spoke fluent Spanish, French, English and obviously German. He served us a full 3-course meal: salad, entrée, and dessert for 20 G’s (Guarani is also the name of PY money). This cost converts to about 5 U.S. bucks therefore well worth the price and the walk. The salad was drizzled with vinaigrette dressing, the pasta had fresh basil atop, and the dessert was delightful peach sorbet. The restaurant décor and not to mention the meal itself had us all forgetting what country we were in. All in all, it was a great trip, amazing people, and a fantastic meal to end on, wouldn’t you agree?

Love Notes from my adoring (and adorable)  host sisters 

The Great Debate

Unlike American culture, MOST of the people of Paraguay are VERY blunt. If someone thinks you're fat, ugly, have an unusual eye shape, or whatever- they say something about it. (Side note- I  do find it comical that MANY Paraguayan men have unibrows  but I have yet to meet someone with such a nickname, despite it's palpability lol) It's also very common for these comments to become your potential nickname. For example, I got into this rough conversation with my host brother about this part of Paraguayan culture and how it's very hard for Americans to hear/accept because we find  it very offensive. I asked him if Paraguayans ever got offended and he said no and even used himself as an example..."They call me hairy boy for a reason" he said as he proceeded to lift up his shirt to caress his bear chest. OK. The point is NOT whether or not these comments are true, the point is it's not always necessary or very nice to point out a person's flaws. I also found out that some Paraguayans are straight up cruel and make comments saying they DO like something... "You look pretty today" or "I like your nails" when they are really poking fun. My host mom isn't the type to point out my flaws per say but she is quick to pull at the sides of her eyes when referring to an Asian volunteer or stretch her arms out wide when an overweight person is nearby. I also made the mistake of asking her if/where I could get my eyebrows done in Guaramabare and ever since she gave me directions, she's been asking when I'm going to go. THANKS. Somedays she tells me I look pretty and I just stare at her because I can't tell if she's going to laugh afterwards if she sees I took her seriously. I simply shake my head. What could I  possibly say to someone who has been taught that it's culturally acceptable to make these sort of comments and gestures? Exactly, NADA. And I dread the day that someone makes a comment about my weight especially. I know I will probably lose it, but funny thing is when I'm angry I speak better Spanish so I doubt I would have trouble communicating my true feelings lol....I think weight in general is a very sensitive subject for women period, I don't care what culture. Let's all just hope that my future nickname is a pleasant one or maybe I should make up my own and spread it around before anyone else gets the chance to make one up for me? Sorry to disappoint but "Brown girl" isn't gonna cut it, friends. AND I don't think I will gain much weight while I'm here since I've already lost 5 lbs, but if I become known as a little "gordita" (fatty) someone is gonna get hurt!

B.W.E. (Best Weekend Ever)

3-12-2011

So far this has been the best weekend I´ve had here in Paraguay. Friday got off to a rocky start because I was a grouch (super hot + hungry + and lack of sleep= IRRITABLE). I´ll admit I was ready to go home not to mention I felt like my time was being wasted at this particular training session just playing "dynamicas" aka games for prizes which I may also mention mine was the ONLY re-gifted gift, a pamphlet about PY...normally I´m no complainer but with a day already going mediocre, this was just another irritant if you know what I mean lol. I did attempt to shake it off and I went home, had my usual after class snack "pororo" (popcorn), chilled in my hammock and read my book. `PERFECT. Later, Rose (my best friend here) swung by and we planned our shopping list for our Saturday shindig. I got to sleep late on Saturday til about 11:30am (really people it doesnt take much to make me happy lol) and when I woke up I decided to organize my music for later. Rose came over around 3ish and I was still in my PJ´s lol but I got ready quickly and we went with my host mom on a bus to this local supermarket called "BoniMar" -it´s kinda chuchi because it has a bigger selction and A.C. :) and we bought the goods for our "reunion" (small get together). We left and went back to my house to beginning prepping everything. Rose made this AMAZING salsa that tasted just like it was from a Mexican restaraunt in the States and I made apple empanadas. (We both would like to open a restaraunt one day). My host mom helped us make "chips" for the salsa (basically empanada dough cut up and fried) and Rose´s mom (aka the Cheese Lady) gave us some free cheese and some Sopa Paraguaya (tastes a lot like cornbread). AWESOME! Everything was delicious and we also made wine spritzers with Sprite Zero and had one a pìece (my host mom finished the bottle but thats another story lol). The only 2 boys in our group couldnt make it because one got sick and the other sprained his ankle pretty badly, so it ended up being a girls game night with 4 of us total. The other girl left around 9ish (one forgot to tell her family she didnt need dinner and had to leave early, but next time she knows because we ALL got full with just snacks). Rose ended up staying longer and we played Spoons (fail, I need to brush up on the rules again lol something was off but we couldnt figure out what) and the LONGEST game of Uno ever known to man lol literally an hour and a half with my host mom and brother. It was SUPER (they use this word a lot here too and its comical) fun and everyone had a great time. I was especially glad my host brother got to hang out because he works and goes to classes everyday and hardly has a day off or energy for fun, kinda sad. Sunday the weather was cool and overcast all day and  it was perfect lazy weather. I pretty much chilled all day and Rose stopped by during lunch to say "Hi" and afterwards I showed my host mom some pics on my computer. Rose and Sherita both came by later and we all listened to music while planning our schedules for the following week. Then, we all went to Sherita´s house to use the internet (her family has WIFI!) and I updated my Blog. Rose met up with another volunteer to run and we met back up again afterwards. Sherita´s mom gave us all some hot tortillas (my fav) and on the way walking home there were LITERALLY fireworks...real ones like US style which is rare here because they are kinda expensive but it was the PERFECT way to end and already amazing weekend!

Rose's homemade Salsa &chips

Garlic goat cheese & crackers (courtesy of the fabrica)

My homemade Apple Empanadas :)

Once, Twice, Amor

If you plan to visit me here in Paraguay, all I'm gonna say is at least ONE of us needs to either a.) know without a doubt where we are going or b.) have an amazing sense of direction lol. I say this because it's typical for Paraguayans not to be direct especially when it comes to locations. Nobody really knows how many blocks, names of streets, or addresses. If you're on a bus (and you're lucky) you'll be told to "get off here" by a friendly native who knows what they're talking about. If you're not so lucky, you'll be told the same thing by another native who has NO idea but just HAS to tell you something. It's true. "Excuse me sir, do you know where this street is?"...."Ok so this is the right direction just keep walking straight and it'll be on my left?"...."Great, thanks so much"...and you'll end up doing a full 360. It's  just something about Paraguayans hardly any of them will tell you the truth, "I'm sorry, I really don't know" this is a rare gem of a phrase if I've ever heard one lol. And you can't pull out a map because that's equal to wearing a target on your back and that's assuming you don't stand out already being an "American" aka White or "Brazilian" aka Black or "Chinese" aka Asian. Pretty much, know your stuff here in Paraguay if you want to have fun/survive. Slight subject change: We have the cutest little magnets here on the fridge in my host family home. I was curious and decided to point to a grasshopper magnet I didn't know the name of in Spanish and ask my host mom what it was. My host mom's response "Oh I don't know, a big ant." Really? No it's NOT an ant, not even close and thankfully I understood the word for ant and was able to argue. Another Paraguayan thing is they make wild excuses/comments like it's no big deal. "Ok why is there a crazy man driving really fast on a moto with a machete strapped to his back?".....don't panic he is just a gardener. "Sometimes this creepy older man drives by our house multiple times and stares into my bedroom window".....don't worry he's just curious. Lol these are encounters that will take me a VERY long time to get used to, if I ever accept them at all. One last thing before I go, sneezing here is also a common sport. If you sneeze once it means you're probably sick lol, if you sneeze twice it means money is coming your way and if you sneeze three times it means love is in the air- and don't be shocked if you're encouraged to sneeze 3 times, it happens to me all the time and it's strange but hey, it's Paraguay.

Gestos

Just like all other countries, Paraguayans have their own special "gestos" or gestures. Minus the ones that my host mom uses with me to communicate....despite my complete understanding of her words, there are quite a few special to only Paraguay. For example, you know how we use filler words while listening, such as: "yeah", "uh-huh", or "right"? Well instead of using words, Paraguayans usually grunt at you. When I received my first PY grunt I was confused, I thought: "Was that her stomach or mine?" Then I was taken aback and thought: "I may have offended you with my poor Spanish but hey that's no reason to get loud and rude." Now I know better, note to self: PARAGUAYANS GRUNT ON PURPOSE! Lol. Now most of the gestures I've seen are pretty universal: thumbs up, thumbs down, middle finger (yep, lol), money rub BUT the Top 10 most unique and entertaining Paraguayan gestos I've seen are as follows:

-"I dream of Genie" Double Blink translation "I'm broke, friend"
-Simple wink translation "We're dating" (NOT that we share a secret or understand one another lol)
-Nose Wrinkle translation "Something is up"
-Chin Chop translation "I've had it"
-Bull horns translation "You're spouse gets around"
-Engine Rev translation "Time for some action" (usually NOT referring to the actual riding of a moto here lol)
-Hand Rake translation "Come on over"
-Hand Slice translation "You're in trouble" (literally or jokingly)
-Shoulder Salute translation "Step off, sir"
-Palm/Elbow Smack Down translation "You're a cheapskate"

Keeping Up With Kevin

On Monday February 22nd, 2011 I embarked on my first solo journey through part of Paraguay. My desitination was ¨Fernando de La Mora¨a small city within the larger city or capital ¨Asuncion¨ to visit Brett )an EYD volunteer and 1 year Paraguayan). I´ll admit the journey started off a little rough thanks to my host mom. The day before, Peace Corps was kind enough to lend me a cell phone to use while on my 3 day visit but failed to inform me that the phone was only for ¨emergencies¨. Unfortunately, I had already made 2 phone calls and sent a text to Brett to indroduce myself and coordinate our first meeting spot when I made this discovery. Somehow, I was able to get in touch with a PC staff member who instructed me to buy a mini-carga )temporary phone card) so that I could use the phone again when I needed it, since I could only receive calls now rather than make them. I communicated this need to my host mom and together we walked to the nearest despensa )store), but they were out. I then asked my host mom if I could borrow her phone to give Brett a quick ring to update him on my phoneless-ness. She brushed off my request and said we could buy a mini-carga in the morning before I had to meet up with Brett at 9am. SO, 8am monday morning rolls around and I´m already a little tense-anxious, yet I remember I need to buy the phone card. I asked my host mom which store I should try and she ONCE AGAIN brushes off me off insisiting ¨I don´t need one¨and ¨I´ll be fine¨. GREAT. Then, I spent the next 30-45 minutes waiting for a specific bus number )written on my detailed instructions from Brett) that didn´t exist. I finally got some ayuda )help) from a police officer who happened to be standing nearby. For those of you who know me best, I HATE to get lost, yet it happens to me ALL the time. With this being said, already furious, frazzled and now hungry...Brett must have called at least 8 times. I know he was trying to help me, but the bus was louder than the rooster-crowing competitions that take place here every morning. I could barely hear myself think, let alone hear him talking. I could make out a few instructions....¨ask the bus driver where you are....look for the college....I live close to the really huge Supermarket Selemma and the Super Real¨. I asked the bus driver where I needed to get off and he told me ¨In about 10 minutes¨-Paraguayans are awful with directions by the way but that´s another story. I watched the stores we passed by like a hawk and saw Selemma. I nearly leaped off the bus the minute it stopped and right on cue, Brett called again. I realized I got off a little too early but I still wasn´t far. Brett wasn´t too pleased but he volunteered to walk towards me until we met. About 10 minutes later, I saw him on the other side of the street and flagged him down. I eased up a little and he gave me the low down on our schedule for the day- 1.) Drop my stuff off and have a quick intro with the host family 2.) Take a bus to get acquainted with a new school, 2.) Have lunch with a friend´s family nearby, 3.) Get acquainted with another new school, 4.) Go home relax a little 5.) Go out to eat for dinner. 6.) Go to a friend´s bday party. This was pretty much how my first day went, BUT the friend´s bday party didn´t commence until around 11ish and by then it was pouring down rain and I was exhausted. Brett asked if I wanted to go and I could barely  hold my eyelids open, the next thing I knew he was out the door and said he would wake me up in the morning....what a gentleman, huh? I was too tired to care but I was a little taken aback, I´ll admit especially since he left me in the living room with the host family I had just met hours beforehand. So.....Day 2 the plan was to go talk to the mayor, but I was given the option to sleep in a little longer since this activity really didn´t relate to me much. C´mon now, of course I chose to sleep in! Brett warned me to knock before using his bathroom because ¨the shitter and quitter¨- his words not mine lol aka an old family friend who comes over just to stink up the bathroom EVERY morning may be in the process of completing his daily routine. I attempted to stifle my laugher, but Brett was serious. He said he would swing by to pick me up about 2 hours later and we would walk together to ¨Dequeni¨-the place where he works and also teaches English classes to a few students. I helped out which was pretty easy since I´m fluent in English but not yet fluent in Spanish lol. After a few hours of tutoring, we went home for lunch which wasn´t too bad....some beans and tortillas and chilled out again. Later we went to another friend´s house for dinner which was the best meal I´ve had since I ´ve been in Paraguay...a veggie tart which was delicious and fried potatoes with cheese on the side, yum! Not that my host mom isn´t a good cook, she´s great but this lady´s profession was cooking meals for other families...that´s gotta say something right? Anyways, we ended up staying there so late that we had to be driven back home because the buses weren´t running anymore, it was worth it! Day 3.......RAIN and the most rain I ´ve seen since I´ve been here these past 2 weeks. It was peaceful and lucky for us Americans when it rains really hard, Paraguayans don´t go ANYWHERE because most have to walk. I was relieved because Brett is some kind of Superman and I didn´t think I had the energy to keep up with him and all of his projects- 7 total by the way...can you imagine what a week would have been like shadowing him? Aye Aye Aye! ) Brett later confessed he was relieved also because he hasn´t had a day off in a while, I was glad he finally got one.) We ended up hanging out with the host family again and having lunch where I witnessed the 9 year old daughter wipe her face on the couch after eating. I´m sure I looked shocked, but nobody else seemed to be. I was also informed later by Brett or ¨Kevin¨as his host family calls him, there was a ¨cucaracha¨ in the queso used to make the pasta we all ate for lunch. I then informed him in return that I would not be eating any more meals at that house. We walked to the Super Real and bought the green apples I´d been trying to find....then again later for supplies to make pizza. Overall, it was a pretty good trip. I learned a lot and I definitely saw what life can be like for a volunteer- with a host family or not, busy or not, really it´s up to me and I don´t plan to try and be a superhero like Brett, but I do hope I make at least one of my projects a success....we shall see!

heeeelllo MOTO

So...
For those of you who didn't know Paraguay is the 2nd poorest country in South America...sad but true. With that being said, obviously there aren't as many modes of transportation as there are in the US. Here, you can risk your ^belongings OR sometimes your *life lol by taking a "cole" or bus. (Side notes: ^Theft risk high because the biggest crime in PY is pick-pocketing and it happens the most on buses...*Life risk because the bus drivers not only receive AND give change while driving a massive stick-shift machine, they also drink Teree' as if after a crash the medical examiner can say.."Well at least the bus driver wasn't thirsty.") The "chu-chi" or well-off people usually have cars, so the cheapest way to get around here is...you guessed it MOTORCYCLES. Now at first, the idea of riding on my own moto seemed very dreamy, I'll admit it. However, the Peace Corps will not allow it and if caught you're sent packing, no joke. This of course lowers one's interest drastically, but if not completely, I'd like to share a few observations I've made to convince myself (and hopefully a few others) that although Motos are VERY Paraguayan, they are not as secure as one would think.
Observation #1: Nobody wears a helmet unless in Asuncion (but only because it's worse than NY madness in the city)
Observation #2: Anybody can buy one, you don't really need ID here because the laws aren't enforced (Aubrey could buy one, no problem....forreals)
Observation #3: There are no stop, caution, or speed bump signs and speed limits only exist on the "rutas" or main highways (folks in the neighborhoods: hide your kids, hide your wife)
Observation #4: The people themselves: I've seen 8 year olds ridin solo; I've seen 8 people sharing a Moto (ok not really lol, the most I've seen is 5 though. Yep, 5. A 2 year old, like 4 year old, two grown women AND a man was driving); I've seen 2 parents with a sleeping kid dangling in between; I've seen a family of 3, mom craddling baby (this one always makes me cringe); I've seen 2 parents with the mom breastfeeding the baby (ok not really, but would you really be shocked? Lol I wouldn't); I've seen a parent (or sometimes 2) with the kid riding in front; I've seen 2 girlfriends riding together; I've seen 2 homeboys riding together, (this is actually the most common I've seen. No big deal here, but in the US..who knows?); I've seen 2 girlfriends riding together, the second not holding on and texting; I've seen 2 homeboys, the second pouring a little Teree' and passing it up to his buddy; I've seen an obese woman with her child holding on (or trying to) for dear life behind her; I've also seen a guy pick his nose with one hand while steering his Moto with the other..... And you would think the "tormentas" or thunderstorms would slow a person down right? WRONG. People drive in the rain, thunder, and lightning here like it's regular day. I asked my host mom why this was and her response was: "Because it's so much cooler". I've seen a guy driving in the rain and talking on his cell phone; I've seen the driver wearing a helmet and his passenger not (ok so make sure you're good, but don't give the memo to your amigo? Nice.); I've seen a guy in the back wearing a helmet, but the driver not (this one baffles me, the passenger is smarter than the driver, yet who would probably die first? lol); And my personal favorite, when passing by a church I've seen people "cross" themselves. Yes, risk your life more by taking your hands off the wheel to ask for more protection, brillant.
Now would anyone like to solve the puzzle as to what the #1 cause of death is in Paraguay? Hmmm....I wonder why lol

Chistes/Gossip

2-13-2011
Paraguayans love to make and hear jokes, a quality I share with them. I love laughter period. Whether I am participate or the subject, it doesn´t really matter. My host mom for example, loves it when I mess up sometimes AND correcting me when I use the wrong word during conversations with her. The reason I always know I´ve said something wrong was because she laughs at me....hard.
Examples of my incorrect word usage-
mejor-better, I said mujer-woman
libre-free, I said libro-book
companero-classmate, I said ¨I would like you to meet my cuaderno-notebook, Rosa¨
AND MY HOST MOM´S PERSONAL FAVORITE-
trasero patio-backyard, I said ¨We have a big trasero here, right¿¨ trasero-butt
I still get words mixed up sometimes, but now that I can talk a little better I was able to tell a joke rather than be the ¨trasero¨of one lol. I told my host mom that I can´t function without something sweet. I told her my heart and my blood need sugar or I will die....she thought this was hilarious and the next afternoon she told me to come into the kitchen because she had a surprise for me. I was a little skeptical, but it turned out she made me a huge bowl of flan-like pudding or ¨crema¨and told me ¨it was for my heart, so I could live.¨


Whatever you´ve heard about Paraguayans gossiping, it´s true. Everybody knows everybody...and everything, literally. ¨The oriental lives there¨....¨The fat girl speaks good Spanish¨....or in my case ¨The brown girl got lost yesterday¨. It´s a both a blessing and a curse. It´s a blessing because you´ll never TRULY get lost, somebody knows something about your family and-or your house. Yet it´s a curse because if you get lost before dinner, everyone in your barrio- community will know by breakfast the next day. Unfortunately, you are remembered here most for your wrongdoings, not for your accomplishments. It´s also a curse because if you need to vent or you make a new observation- like I´m pretty sure my 14 year old neighbor has a little crush-crush for example... all you have is your host family and if you say something, more than likely at least one person will get told. I´m still getting used to biting my tongue at times, so my 3 new journals are very helpful at times like these...so special thanks for those!

Another Ejemplo- Example of volunteers´ first meeting- ¨Hey mom this is my friend So and So¨...Hello So and So, Nice to meet you. ¨She lives in this neighborhood too¨...I know she lives with Fancy and her 3 sons. ¨We go to the same school¨.....About 4 blocks from here near the cornfield. ¨We aren´t in the same class¨¨....Hmm mm but Paula is her teacher. I have some pororo-popcorn for you since I know you like it....¨Yes, thank you I would love some, how did you know that¿¨ Oh it´s nothing! My cousin´s neighbor sells you some in the Super every week.

I might be exaggerating a little bit, but I´m really not and of course it´s said in a much nicer way. I only said it like this to get the point across, but Paraguayans are very blunt and it´s also true that somebody is always somebody else´s uncle´s goddaughter´s grandfather´s cousin´s niece lol. My new favorite game is def Six Degrees of Random Gente-people lol

Eat. Pray. LEARN.

2-12-2011

Everyday is a headache...but in a good way. At the end of each day I am tired both mentally and physically but that´s how I know I am doing something right. It´s only been a week and I don´t even need my dictionary at the lunch or dinner table anymore. I´ve discovered that the way I think in my head doesn´t always have to be spoken exactly the same way in Spanish. And if I don´t know a specific word, I´m able to describe the color or the usage or the location to the person I´m talking to and get them to say it for me, thus learning the new word and practicing my Spanish at the same time. If I haven´t said it before, I´ll say it again the language of Spanish sounds so beautiful to me...now I understand why it´s considered a love language. I´ve also discovered about myself how much I truly love learning since I´ve been here. It´s almost more like a thirst, I always want to know something new AND remember it and I love it! Anyways, so one thing that does annoy me is I brought a lot of shirts, dresses, and shorts but I´m not allowed to wear them in school because they are very conservative here. So, I told my host mom I needed some more skirts and she took me to buy tela-fabric and see a modista-seamstress. I got 3 dresses and 3 skirts made for about $6 each and they turned out nicely...so nicely in fact that 3 other volunteers in my school asked me where I got them from, and when I told them I had them made they instantly wanted in on the modista club lol. My modista ¨Norma¨ is soooo azucarado- sugary sweet lol or muy muy amable- super nice and I want to keep buying fabric for her to make me clothes just for this reason! BTW- I had the grand idea to make sweet empañadas...which I made the mistake of assuming exisits in most if not all Spanish speaking countries, but apparently not. I am going to get my host mom to help me. We are going to use her same exact recipe, just change what goes in the middle....pretty brilliant idea right I know! Lol.

compliments of Norma :)

Negregito

2-12-2011

Negregito's Usual Spot

So for those of you unaware, in Paraguay I am considered a vegetarian because I don´t eat red meat. So far, I haven´t had anything that I don´t like and-or refused to eat. My host mom is soooo nice and a really good cook. Usually she makes me a ensalada (salad) with some kind of main dish to go with it like papas (potatoes) or soja (soy) empanadas or vorivori´- a dumpling like soup my fav! Anyways, keep this in mind.....also in our patio-aka backyard the pet bird is kept and his name is ¨Negregito¨. For some strange reason, and I do plan to ask one day lol, my host mom moves Negregito and his cage a LOT. Sometimes he is in the tree, sometimes near the outdoor firepit- used for burning trash, and another time somewhere else. Well, one day I came home from school on my lunch break, went outside to the patio and didn´t see Negregito anywhere...which I thought was even stranger. I thought..where could a caged bird possibly be put inside our house without me seeing-knowing it! So....for lunch this very same day I am given my usual salad and main dish, this day it was rice on veggies in a soup like sauce with wait for it......pollo (chicken) resembling a small bird. Of course I immediately thought, "OMG I´m eating the family pet this is wrong, this is cruel, and this may be a cause for reason to leave Paraguay on the very next flight". BUT, I didn´t panic lol I actually forced myself to eat some of it so that my host mom wouldn´t look at me funny and want to know why I didn´t finish my ¨chicken¨. My Spanish is mediocre and the thought of having to explain why I didn´t like my comida (food) would have been awkward for the both of us. In the process of figuring out what to do, I quietly excused myself after the meal and returned outside to think and guess who was there to greet me *aside from relief that is* lol NEGREGITO

Negregito's Yardwork Spot

Negregito's Rainy Day Spot