4/15/2011
After returning from site visits on Monday April 11th, 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)
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