The unexpected the beautiful

My days in Paraguay are unexpected... when ever I think I have the perfect plan for my day and I let the american planner in me take control the unexpected will still happen, every time. Something I was warned about but still find my self learning, daily. Its a good time, I like the unexpected its means there is always something happening. Before Paraguay I was fearful of the unexpected and was content with the confined daily plan of my routine-we will call that life pre peace corps... but now I wake up in the morning seeking the unexpected activities the day holds and I LOVE it. 

So yesterday I had a perfectly planned day. I woke up drank my coffee (starbucks via my amazing family gracias again!) read, watered my plants, made my smoothie and planned my day. I went into my community and invited 6 little girls over to my house for an afternoon of coloring, baking, hula hooping and doing all those things little girls like to do. Like questioning me of why I have so many headbands and realizing it is actually ridiculous that I have 15 headbands, like for real? I don’t even wear half of them... but anyways I went along with my planned day. Then afterwards I was going to Romina’s house to paint our nails and drink mate ( hot tea). A pretty average day for my Paraguayan life. 

Then the little unexpected details of life happened, as I was walking back from my house after walking the girls home I ran into a group of ladies- 2 moms each with their 3 daughters. They were collecting plastic bottles to recycle and exchange for money. As soon as I said hello I knew there was a new friendship formed... I invited them into my house to get my plastic bottles but so much more happened. We all sat down in my little patio chatted, shared stories, laughed, hula hooped and talked like we were old friends. During that visit I thought 2 things- 

1. This is how it is supposed to be, fluently conversing in the local language naturally and I’m doing it, I’m really doing it. They understand me and I understand them- AWESOME. 

     2. I love these people and I have literally known them for 5 minutes, is this real life?

The next morning ( today) they came by my house before I was even out of my pajamas, but in Paraguay pajamas can also be considered regular clothes so in the end that detail didn’t matter. (but still funny) Anyways they invited me to their house. So I went in my pajamas, walking hand in hand with my new friends that instantly felt like family. I spent 6 hours in their house today. 

We talked, exchange stories and recipes, looked a pictures, sat in their beds and played with their toys, chopped vegetables, ate lunch ( 2 lunches actually because both families wanted me to try their food) painted our nails, played with my hair , they taught me new words in guarani and I taught them words in english and much more. As I sat in their home with the sun to my face and my new family surrounding me I thought a few more things-

1. My life is full right now and I am more in love with my life here, right now then I have even been with anything in my whole life.
2. These are the nicest people I have ever met and I don’t even know their last name or for some their first names.
3. I am lucky and blessed and there really is a bigger plan set before me and although its unclear and unexpected, I can’t wait to see what that is! 

So that was today and I will be going back tomorrow. New friends are my favorite. I  love the potential of what I can teach them but even more what I will learn from them... its a good life down here and I have a good feeling about these next 21 months. I would recommend anyone to come check it out, its only been six months and my life is forever changed, I imagine yours would be too! 

Then the unexpected happened again... I found little honeysuckles budding in my yard and my heart leaped. Honeysuckles remind me of being young and free and that is what I feel like here as well... and they smell just as good as they taste! Oh heavens! 

my beautiful honeysuckles!