A Trip Home

When I got on the plane for Peace Corps Staging in February of last year I thought I would not see my family, friends and dog for at least the next two years and three months. Lucky for me Dad travels a lot and he had accumulated enough frequent flier to fly me home for a visit. I boarded a plane in Asuncion on Monday morning and arrived in Buenos Aires a couple of hours later. After a long layover in BA I got on an overnight flight to Atlanta. On  my flight to BA from Miami as I was about to start my PC service most of the service was conducted in Spanish and I could barely understand a word, on this flight I spent the entire time conversing in Spanish with an Argentine headed for LA. What a difference a year and a half makes!

After landing in Atlanta I was quickly overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle of the airport, but being the good American girl that I am I got right in line at the Starbucks to start putting my money back into the economy, or maybe it was because its been a really long time since I had a Skinny Vanilla Latte! On the flight from Atlanta to Cleveland I had the pleasure of meeting a group who was returning from some missionary work in Ecuador. It was great to meet people who took some from their lives to help others. Unfortunately I also felt like they were very self-righteous and self-deserving. I am sorry but just because you spent ten days in Ecuador doesn´t give you the right to be a bitch to the flight attendant.

Another thing I immediately noticed on my arrival into Cleveland was that most of the service people with whom I spoke were unfriendly and did not appear to be happy that they are not amongst the millions who have recently lost their jobs. This seemed to be a common theme during my trip, so much so that when I went to a CVS in Bloomington, Indiana around 11 pm and the girl was super-friendly I almost hugged her! But the lack of friendliness is probably my only complaint from my trip and luckily it didn´t seem to be highly contagious.

Tuesday night, the night of my arrival, was definitely an exciting time! After a great Mexican-American lunch with Dad, Erin, Lauren, and Andrew, and a pedicure at Ladies and Gentlemen, I met my nephew Alexander for the first time and then proceeded to give my mom a huge surprise! Both she and Audra had no idea I would be home. For the big surprise my sisters, aunts and grandma planned a Ladies´ night in. And while they were preparing dinner I rang the doorbell. After complaining that she had to get up to answer the door my mom got a shock and immediately started crying and I think within a few moments there were very few dry eyes in the house, maybe Jay and Andrew. Nick had the pleasure of driving Audra around for awhile making random excuses and not telling her where they were going before they arrived for her surprise. It all went really well and I am so thankful that no one spoiled the surprise.

The ten days that I was home flew by. Of course I wasn´t able to do everything that I would have liked, but I was able to do a lot! I was able to visit most everyone in the family and get to know Audrey and Alexander a little. I got to go to the Vintage Ohio Wine Festival and sample different wines from Ohio as well as eat some great fair good and buy gifts to take back to Paraguay. I saw my sister Lisa participate in a triathlon and then headed out to Bloomington, Indiana to check out Indiana University and try to start thinking about what I will be doing next year, as well as spend some QT with Dad. Audra and I went to Pickle Bill´s where I got to eat lake perch. Erin made an amazing salmon dinner. I met Lauren´s man. And I got to see an Indian´s game. Although there was little time for rest, I got in my fix of the USA.

I was also able to do some work while I was home. The third goal of Peace Corps is to broaden the understanding of foreign cultures at home. I took home with me many examples of traditional Paraguayan arts and culture. Including Ñanduti, Ao po´i, a hammock, filigrana jewelry and of course the unforgettable terere!

My trip home was wonderful and amazing, it helped me to understand what it is that I am missing, like my family and changes within it, and that most things really don’t change that much, it´ll all still be there when I get back. Thanks to everyone for a great time!

Winter Vacation Mania

Every July the Paraguayan school system shuts down for two week for the "Vacaciones de 15" or Winter vacation. Last year I used the time to present a Geography camp to kids in 1st thru 6th grade at the community center. This year I helped out at a camp for teens for a few days and then attended a three day workshop in the capital where I learned about Youth Employment and Youth Counseling. The workshop was very interesting and I came home with all kinds of ideas for great projects, except that actually getting someone to listen and go along with the projects now thats a challenge. I woke up last Monday morning with tons of ideas in my head, but when I took those ideas to the city officials they just kinda laughed and told me my ideas won't work or they've tried that before and it fell apart. The problem here is someone to keep the projects going. So here I am again with all kinds of ideas and nowhere to go with them... frustration!

So then comes the announcement that the two week vacation will be extended to three weeks. Three weeks! Three weeks with no classes to teach. Sounds like a nice break, except if you are someone who always has to be active. So just why did they extend the vacation? H1N1. Yes that nasty flu has made its way down south. Although up there you guys are not hearing about it so much anymore Paraguayans can't stop talking about it. Many people walk around the streets with surgical masks and Purell has finally found its way into the market. So now the kids are at home for a third week and so am I. It has given me a chance to clean up though! And also the opportunity to get some long runs in, yes thats right I will be running another race! A half marathon in Asuncion August 2nd! Its less than two weeks away...

Random Thoughts

• This week I have worn both thermal underwear and shorts and a tank... this weather is a bit crazy.
• Why is it that every time I take out a book to read people think I am reading the Bible? Do I look religious or is the Bible the only publication worth buying in Paraguay?
• Why do people become teachers if they don't want to teach?
• You know its cold when the water coming from the faucet felt freezing yesterday, but its suddenly warm today.
• Why is there no such thing as a direct response? Everyone always just talks in circles.
• My youth group had a really successful soccer tournament last week, however the girls were in the kitchen making panchos while the boys played... they start young here. 
• Why is PDA not only acceptable but encouraged while couples behind closed doors forbidden?

Freezing in June...

So its been awhile, again. Its not that I don´t have anything going on and not that I have too much going on and no time. I just dont know what to write. I have been in Paraguay one year and four months now and I am in the middle of my service. I have been busy ever since school started but I still managed to take a vacation to Chile in May. Chile, lets start there. I love Santiago! It´s beautiful and clean! There isn´t trash everywhere and there are nice big sidewalks to walk on. I got to eat Dunkin Donuts and drink delicious wine. I absolutely loved it there! Then I came back to Paraguay where there is no Dunkin Donuts and delicious wine, but there the people here are soooo much nicer! People in Paraguay go out of their way to help when you´re in need. They make an effort to make everyone feel welcome. They are happy people! So although Chile is cleaner and has yummy food, I was happy to be home again.

In terms of work I am continuing to do much of what I was doing before. I am teaching computer classes in the elementary school and doing activities with the high school kids about self-esteem, values and life skills. I am now working with two youth groups at the community centers and we are trying to get a new women´s group going, since the last one fell apart. I also continue to lead an exercise group three days a week with a group of women and I am working with my neighbor on a World Map at the high school in her community. I have also been elected the President of the Gender and Development Committee which is a volunteer run comittee working to explore gender issues and promote gender equality in Paraguay. So its been a pretty busy time for me... Its also super cold here. While all of you up north are enjoying bbqs and pinics, I am bundled up in a scarf and gloves, even inside my house! I am also attempting to train for a half marathon in August... we´ll see how that goes! Wish me luck!

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley
After a month long journey through the mail Flat Stanley came to visit me in Paraguay. Paraguay, where is that? It is in South America. A small land locked country about the same size as California. Paraguay has a population of about seven million inhabitants. They speak two languages here, Guaraní and Spanish, so it was a Little bit tough at first, but Flat Stanley managed just fine!

Because Paraguay is in the Southern Hemisphere Flat Stanley arrived at the beginning of the fall, which is actually more like summer. There are still days where the temperature gets to be over 100 degrees and it is usually sunny. Soon the weather will change though. It will be much cooler and rainy, with gray skies like Cleveland, but here there is no snow!

During his trip here Flat Stanley was able to hang out with kids at the community center for their group activities. He got to visit my old host family and play Uno with the kids. He went to school and participated in computer classes. And most importantly he got to hang out at home and drink tereré. Flat Stanley definitely enjoyed his trip to Paraguay, he enjoyed it so much that he just might stay around a bit longer!

The Itsy bitsy spider…

Friday night I was in Asuncion, it had been just under a week since I ran “La Carrera de La Mujer” (Women’s Race) at Nu Guasu Park in 100 degree heat and I decided to remind myself how much I actually love to run in that park when I am not feeling the effects of heat exhaustion. I went around 6 pm just as it was starting to get dark. The park is well lit with police and lots of evening runners. From my Ipod blared my newest running playlist as I began the 6k loop at a nice brisk pace. I was feeling pretty good, losing myself in my run, forgetting about the stress of the previous few weeks, when I looked down and noticed a not so itsy bitsy spider hanging out in the middle of the path. The tartantula was just chillin on the asphalt. I quickly veered to the right to avoid stepping on it and continued with my run. Wow, I thought, good thing I saw that before it was too late, and before I could finish my thought I saw another and a few meters later another. Before Friday night I had never seen a taratantula outside of a glass aquarium, but that evening I spent my run trying to dodge them! It was pretty amazing to see so many in one place out in the open. I am constantly being exposed to new things in Paraguay!

Things here have been super busy over the past few weeks. School started at the end of February. I am teaching in two different schools this year. At the elementary school I teach computer classes to kids in preschool to ninth grade. At the high school I am working with the Community Project Class to teach about Self-esteem, Values and Decision Making to seventh, eighth and ninth graders. Last week I hosted Long Field Practicum in my site. Three of the new trainees came to my town to observe my work and also present some activities as an introduction to life as a volunteer. They stayed with different host families in my town and were able to get a break from the monotony of trainee life. I really enjoyed having them visit. We were super busy, but had a lot of fun too! Having them here reminded me where I was a year ago. Its hard to believe I am already almost halfway through my service! The time is flying by. The new group swears in at the end of April on the same day that the old group swears out. I will be really sad to see the old group go, but I am going to meet up with some of my friends from that group in Mendoza and Santiago during the first week of May. Yea vacation!!! I am definitely ready for it!