Radio Show, House Visits, SVAC and Sopa Paraguaya

A lot has been happening this week and I am tired. So I am taking this morning to enjoy a hand brewed cup of coffee my sweet sister sent me and its a black cup of coffee kind of morning. Also I am enjoying what's left of the crisp air down here as we welcome spring this Saturday...hello primavera. Also it is a very special birthday on Saturday my lovely mothers 35th Birthday! More on that later! So here's what I've been up to in Paraguay-

Monday I had my first radio show...and it was a success. I struggled with a few words because who isn't a little nervous speaking a whole new language while it is broadcasted to hundreds of people? I was lucky to have a nurse with me that enjoyed my effort and we were able to laugh and joke about my mishaps. Also you know you have accomplished something when you can joke in your second language or third! We discussed how to have a safe and healthy pregnancy and what mothers can do for their babies during those 9 months. There is little education here for future mothers and this is a topic I plan do teach a lot on in the next 2 years. The show was about an hour long and we played music between takes. It was no Teen Talk, haha it was a bit more mature. But I do have to say there is less pressure with the radio, you can almost pretend its not real...but then when you get home and your neighbors comment on your program and your voice you jump back into the reality of it all!

Tuesday I went on house visits with the same nurses. I have a very active Health Post and because of that there is always something to do. We serve a very large community and there are constantly things to be done. On Tuesday we set out to take a census of a new part of the community and give a few vaccines. We walked all around -house to house. We took a census of the people living in each house, their health conditions, living conditions, martial status and job status. Then we gave vaccines to babies, well I didn't actually give the vaccine just helped. It was special. I enjoy the house visits, I meet new families and get to meet them where they are at. They don't feel threatened and I am not as intimidated. I am going to try and continue these house visits and helping out with my Health post as much as I can. Bright things for the future here!

Wednesday I made a famous Paraguayan food known as Sopa Paraguaya it's basically a corn bread but with cheese and onions and surprisingly delicious. Every house wife here claims there sopa is the best and whenever they make it they invite me to indulge. It is easy to eat half a pan of this and not feel bad about it. So I decided it was time to master a Paraguayan dish because I plan on making it when I am home for Christmas, gotta start some where! It was a success and I gotta say it was delicious. I shared it with my neighbors and they agreed we called it the Sopa Paraguaya de la Americana. This dish is a signature for Paraguay and is found at every big event and made almost every Sunday. To make this dish you will need-
Milk
Eggs
Corn flower
Paraguayan Cheese
Onions
Salt
Oil
I didn't put measurements because honestly I don't use them anymore, yes that sounds crazy! But I have learned to just guess and it always works out! If you would like to try this I will be making lots of it when I am home in December!

Finally, I have joined the Serving Volunteer Advisor Committee or SVAC. This is a committee made up of Peace Corps Volunteers from around the world. I am currently the Senior Advisor for Mentoring and will be helping with mentoring projects between different post. Here is a brief description of SVAC found on their website-

"The purpose of the NPCA Serving Volunteer Advisory Council (SVAC) is to create a regular two-way channel of communication between serving Peace Corps Volunteers and the NPCA, the nonprofit organization that connects the Peace Corps community at home and abroad.  SVAC’s job is to informally advise the President of the National Peace Corps Association on issues related to serving Peace Corps Volunteers who are currently in the field"

If you would like to learn more about what I will be doing you can check out the mentoring page here. I am very excited about this opportunity and will keep you updated on the projects I will be doing.  

Thats all for now, thanks for keeping up with me and reading about my endeavors. It means a lot to have people supporting me! This weekend I am going to a garden workshop and taking some time away from my site, it will be nice to change things up a bit and see some different parts of Paraguay! Ya'll take care and be well, thinking of you always. 

I never thought I would...

It seems that a lot of the time I find myself thinking....wow before Paraguay I never thought I would do this...insert weird peace corps habit... Well I decided these things should be written down, I imagine you will be entertained, maybe disappointed and definitely shocked. I know I was with most of these things when they first became a reality to me but like everything it seems so normal now. So before you freak out just put your self in my shoes for a hot minute and know that I am living in a complete different world then you so naturally the things I am doing down here are weird, strange and a bit questionable when compared to our western lifestyle! Enjoy! 

I never thought I would- 

eat so much meat, and love it 

crave more meat on sundays 

take 3 showers a day ( when its hot) and

3 showers a week ( when its cold) 

Master the art of cooking over a fire

become a master at waiting...for everything

Use a table cloth as a napkin ( this I am not proud of ) 

drink so much terere and buy my own thermo 

forget how to talk and write in English ( its a big struggle of mine) 

talk in so much spanish and guarani that when I try to talk in english it hurts my head ( fearful of Christmas vacation) 

make it out of training without getting back on an air plane 

become so okay with awkwardly standing in front of someones house clapping and yelling hola as if i’m just ringing the “door bell” 

live alone in a house all by my self in a foreign country ( not so foreign now) 

spend more time by myself then ever before and enjoy it, like really enjoy it 

drink after every person when offered with out any fear ( including water, wine, beer and terere) 

casual take walks with women while they are walking and breast feeding...talk about a multi- tasker 

cut my grass by hand using my machete 

drink beer by the liter and wine from a carton, always. 

hand wash everything I own 

take a bus everywhere and maneuver my way around a country 

speak a third language 

be able to joke in spanish 

not run for such a long period of time and be so content

be so happy!

There are many more... but these are just a few reflections right now! Have a great weekend everyone! And a big happy birthday to Miss Lauren Hammond! 

Now a few photos from the week! 

My friend Carol and Valentina and I at a confirmation last Sunday 

Me drinking my terere like a boss under the mango tree 

Feeding the little baby!

This little girl Sarah spent every morning with me this week and we colored a lot! 

Kids Club

Hello blog world!

I had my first kids club last Saturday and it was a success in the making...as all things in Paraguay it needs some time. At first only 1 girl showed up. I was bummed and so where the 2 little girls who helped me plan it. But then I realized what I have been told all along...

Paraguayans have no concept of time and most events that have a start time will most likely start an hour later. And sure enough an hour into the club 5 young boys showed up and we began!

I didn't know what to expect so I didn't plan anything too serious....but we played some games with the frisbees and jump ropes my mom sent me ( these kids go crazy for toys) and we got to know each other. Then at the end I taught some English.

 It was fun but I was so tired after 2 hours straight with 7-9 year olds! I am planning on continuing this club every Saturday.





They all really want to learn English but I really want to teach them about health and hygiene
since that is a really big need here. So I am planning on doing a small lesson of English paired with different lessons on health.

I am very excited about this. It is easy to get intimidated here with the language barrier but with kids I am super relaxed and always have a good time. So I can be found every Saturday morning at 9am with the ninos in my community!

Also I have recently started a radio show.....Every Monday at 9:30 I will go to the local radio studio in town with a nurse from my health post. Each week we get to pick our topic. We discuss different health topics and play music... more to come on this next week. As excited as this is... it is equally as terrifying and will force me to practice my pronunciation more and more!  Buneno!!!

Awkward Stories #1

This is titled #1 because changes are there will be more.... 

I should start this post by informing you that there is no word in the spanish language that translates to awkward...this is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it is 100% accurate that when I think a situation is awkward the Paraguayans don’t. You may think this isn’t possible but really it is...they never feel awkward simply because awkwardness doesn’t exist to them....A curse because I feel awkward about 75% of the time and most every encounter with a Paraguayan is an awkward one and when they notice my discomfort I have no way of explaining it to them other then saying Me siento diferente o mal or I feel different or bad. So today reached a whole new level of Paraguayan awkwardness... and I had to share...keep in mind I love these people and have to daily fight for my right to be heard here and taken seriously.

This week I am starting a kids club in my community. There is very little open space in my community and I have to hold it in the yard of one of the community members, great no problem. Last week I asked this sweet family if that would be okay... they assured me no hay problema or No problem... So this week I made invitations to pass out to the community... simple stating the kids club, time, date, place and stick instructions not to bring your animals, because in Paraguay you need to be careful to leave your dogs at home...so I was told. 

Any who, this week was the senors birthday in which who's yard we are using for the kids club. Well his family heard about this “invitation” and thought I invited the whole community to their house for a birthday party this weekend...and to leave your animals at home because they have so many... and they were mad... I mean who wouldn’t be if you thought a norte ( me) self invited her self and 50 of the community kids to there house for a “party”....ahh this could not be farther from the truth. I was mortified and the awkwardness set in. 

I then had to explain that none of that was true and show them the invitation and read it to them... then I came to the conclusion that 1. Either gossip spread like rapid fire and this kids club got completely turned around or 2. They were unable to read the invitation....I am still working on those conclusions. 

But just imagine me.... trying to beg my forgiveness to this couple who thinks I just invited the whole neighborhood to their house.. in my half spanish/ guarani language... Afterwards i felt more awkward then ever... but could never begin to explain that feeling to the Paraguayans because there is no such thing. well bam. 

Doesn’t sound like much but it was and after the whole ordeal I wanted to be in America where the awkward turtle is real and understood. So for all you awkward people out there that feel like you don’t belong...there is a home for you in Paraguay! 

Also how awkward is it that Paraguayans think Ranch dressing is spicy and won’t eat it because so....words could not describe my reaction when my neighbors “tried” by tried I mean put I microscopic dot on their finger and said no me gusta es muy picante...I don’t like it, it’s too spicy......SAY WHAT?? so more for me, and I’m running out quickly so send.more.ranch. 

But whats totally not awkward are these wildflowers that I found on my walk home today!