Happenings

Lots of little victories happening around here, thank for the silver linings and little victories. When you in a rainy season like I seem to be right now-figuratively and literally... i'm taking it all and enjoying the little things.

To update you on my friend Mary who was shot. She is doing better. It is a slow recovery for her but it is looking on the up side for her. She is still in the hospital and not able to move much of her body. The bullet is still in her neck and it doesn't look like they will be able to remove it because it is too close to the spin. I went to visit her in the hospital, my 2nd hospital visit in Paraguay and it was hard. It was defiantly no Hopkins Shock Trauma trip... it was eye opening and humbling, as many of my experiences have been in Paraguay. But in all I was told she is in good hands and looking at a slow but successful recovery. Her sweet boyfriend flew in from Ecuador to be with her, and since has become a local celebrity/ hero in Paraguay, so theres her victory!

My attempt at rowing the boat.. fail! 

My friend and mentor came to stay with me last week for a few days and it was such a sweet time. I had been needing a friend, especially someone to really just understand me. I love my Paraguayans but sometimes I feel misunderstood and a lot of self doubt can come up from that... so having Michelle come was just what I needed. We cooked some really delicious meals, like out of this world or country, haha. She helped me with my garden and gave me just the confidence I needed to start planting and sowing. Michelle is just such a light, the kind that makes your soul feel good. I would have been fine just sitting with her all day but we got spontaneous and went to the Beach!

Michelle and I at the Beach 

The beach- Is on a lake and really unlike an actually beach that you would find in America but we enjoyed it! There was sand, shade, docks, row boats and water. We paid a little Paraguayan man to take us out on his row boat and it was so precious, he even let us try rowing which was nearly impossible. We drank ice cold tea and just took in the sun and the beauty. It was a fun getaway and so refreshing! After we went to a few art stores and I started my Christmas shopping! So crazy to think about but its coming up!!!!



Over the weekend- I had my english class. We are going strong! They are learning their colors, numbers, days, months and other fun phrases. Kids here never get the chance to be creative or color or think with their imagination. This is something I am learning from my class, I'm not sure why this is but they are lacking. I think if I had a coloring class they would sit for 5 hours and just color and color and color. So I am working on organizing an art club for just that purpose! The little victory comes after we play "go fish" and I watch them practice and struggle when they are trying to think of the number "four" and when they get it and scream "FOUR" I get the biggest smile on my face! My reply " No tengo, go fish"

The 5 of us enjoying the afternoon! 

I have really great friends here, I've been wanting to write a little about them. Ones 23 and her name is Carolina, the other is her daughter she is 1 and a half years old and her name is Paulina or I call her Paulie. The other two are Carolinas nieces. Monse is 12 and Valentina is 3. Carolina takes care of these 3 kids, yes she is 23 and is a fully time mom, aunt and sister. I would say her and Monse are more like sisters. Any way they all live together and are always together and when I'm not there Carolina is texting me wondering where I'm at! I love spending time with them, Paulie and Valentina literally melt my heart I seriously love this kids like they were mine. They each have such personality and character. I am usually at their house but sometimes they come to mine. Its always an adventure being around a 1.5 year old and a 3 year old...never a dull moment. They make my days lighter and fuller!  Here are just some of pictures that fill my library or the 4 of them!

This is Paulie and she always tried to touch my nose ring! Seriously how precious! 

One day I had them all over and we made a chocolate cake, then ate the whole thing! Probably the most American thing I have done with Paraguayans to date! 

This is the lovely Valentina, this girl steals my heart...
If you could spend 5 minutes with her you would know why! 

Heavy

This is a hard post, a lot of not so great things have happened this past week. I debated for a while about writing this...thinking it was too personal, would sound depressing and be too heavy. But then I realized a few things- my service is personal and yes, sometimes depressing and its real life down here too and that means heavy things do happen. So up until now this blog has been pretty mild with the occasional frustrations that come with living in a new culture but some real things happened that are affecting me and the community around me so if I'm being truthful in the purpose of this blog to inform you of the good, the bad and the ugly... here it is...

This is a picture of Mary. 

Cellphones. One of the first facts I read about Paraguay before coming here was that they have more cellphones then people...I had trouble believing this until I arrived. Pretty much everyone has a cellphone by age 14...and maybe even 2 cellphones. Yes people love their cell phones and they save all their money to get the nicest ones...and then they risk it being stolen every time they are on a bus...literally I know sometime about once a week who gets a phone stolen on a bus, sucks but you get over it... well this next story is a bit different and I'm having trouble getting over it.

I've been in shock, my thoughts are as follows- omg no this isn't real...over a cell phone...your kidding.. come on paraguay... and then the did I translate this right? yup, its still real...why her?

Today I went to the health post, there wasn't really any work to be done, but we all gathered just to be together. We shared photos we have of Mary...I think everyone was at a loss of words and just wanted to be together. I am starting to let go of all the voices that scream inside of me when there is silence, I've never been good at silence, ever. Here it is silent all the time and when that voice screams inside of me now I can handle it and tell it to just be silent.

This is a picture of Mary and I with another nurse
 giving a sex ed talk in the school. 

We do believe Mary will survive this and recover...in due time. Until then I am freaked out. With this accident and my last post about my friend dying last week my heart is heavy. I don't think I expected to feel so strongly for the people of paraguay but each one has become dear to my heart. With all of this all I can think about is how completely independent I have become... like I have to pick the pieces up, I have to walk myself home, make my dinner, tuck myself in and yes, I know I am 22 pushing 23 but some times you just want your Momma to love you and do those things for you. Since being here I am me, if I want it I go get it, I make it and i fix it. Thats the reality I am dealing with right now, as rewarding as it can be I some times feel stuck and very alone.

But I'm working with it, picking up the pieces, finding my silver linings and thanking the sweet Lord for his many blessings...being reminded that he gives and he takes away. Not to worry I am holding things down here and am very much supported by my friends and family of Paraguay. But please do keep sweet Mary in your prayers she continues to heal and recover.


On a different note- 
The Government Shutdown is making its presence known in Paraguay... the United States are never too far away and as of right now not to United as it seems. We have had trainings cancelled and other projects postponed. Here's the gist- Peace Corps reasons that sending the volunteers home would cost more then keeping them in sites, so they won't be sending us home. Given that they are keeping us in sites, they conclude that pretty much all staff is essential because we are dependent upon them for our safety and security. They will also continue paying us because we have no other source of income. We also cannot be furloughed because we are not actually employees and the money we are paid is not technically a salary.

To read more click here

So October hasn't been the best of months for you in the states or me down here... I'm picking up my pieces and marching on. Mary and I were supposed to start some projects this month but that will not be happening so I am taking this time to re-evaluate what to plan for the new year and continue with my kids club, which is going really well. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to hop on that plane tomorrow and jet set into the 410 NapTown but then I'm slapped by reality and will wait till december! Waiting, something I'm becoming so good at, as mentioned previously.

Hope all is well with your soul.

Sometimes

Sometimes I want to write but just can't... this would be one of those times. Hang in there, I am sure it will come back to me...so for now I will leave you with this- it was a sad day in Paraguay today. I had to say good bye to one of my first friends in Paraguay. Here is one of the only pictures I have of us together. This is back in April when another volunteer and I were helping him build a composting pit. He was great and was always smiling, and always helping and that is how I am choosing to remember him. Its amazing how such little time with someone can have such an immense impact.  Christian, you will be missed, te quiero mucho mi amigo!

Fiesta San Miguel

You know I've been busy when it takes me this long to post... I have so many things to share with you but for now we will start with my communities patron saint San Miguel celebration. A little history-

Every community in Paraguay has a patron saint, literally every one. That patron saint has a special day and there is always a celebration. It usually starts 12 days in advance with a rosary each night at the church and lots of loud fire works. The community spends those 12 days getting the church and the road of the church cleaned up, they plant flowers and hang flags and decorations. Then the night before the big day there are traditional dance performances from locals and from the children. The day of there is a mass and then everyone goes home for a big cook out/ lunch...then theres a big party/ concert with lots of dancing... its a pretty big event and if you wanted to you could go to one every weekend and just work your way around Paraguay. Each one differs but thats basically what a fiesta patronal entails.

So my community is San Miguel and it was this past Sunday the 29th. The 12 days leading up we had a rosary ceremony at the local chapel starting and ending with bombas or fireworks but really just annoying and extremely loud noisemakers.

Then on Saturday we prepared the streets for the celebration. We hung flags and banners and I helped my landlord clean, cut and de-weed my yard. Saturday night there was an awesome dance performance, I am sad because I forgot to bring my camera...but there were lots of kids in traditional dresses,  dancing and performing. There was also the very paraguayan traditional dance where a girl dances with 7 glass bottle stacked on her head. It was amazing, I was in awe, she twirled and spun and those bottles didn't move an inch. Next time I will not forget my camera.




Sunday morning started with another rosary followed by a mass. So many people came out for it, it was my first time really being around my whole community at once... I enjoyed it but it made me realize again just how big my community is and how small I am! After the mass there was a parade with a replica of the patron saint.

Then I went to a families house for a big asado or sunday cookout. We made sangria and ate a lot of meat! Then the longest weekend got longer and that night we went to the big concert/ party. It was your basic Paraguayan fiesta...a first everyone is sitting around drinking and talking then out of no where everyone starts dancing...and then we danced and had a good 'ol time.

When Monday came I didn't leave my house. I had been gone the whole previous week with peace corps business and I needed a day of rest or 5.... I will blog about last week later because it is very note worthy! So I survived my first fiesta patronal and will be going back to my first host families this Saturday for their fiesta patronal!

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!!!