Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Site assignment
Well folks, I know where I'm going to be living for the next 2 years: the Department of Guairá. I go to visit it this Friday. I'll tell you more about it when I have a better feel for what I'm getting myself into. Chau!
Camila
There aren't many options, living in the campo. It makes people grow up quickly. Camila is in her mid-teens. She dresses nicer than any of her family. Each authoritative broom stoke she leaves on the orange dirt floor of her house counts the days down to her still unforseen wedding. They say here that if you sweep well you'll get a handsome husband. She's well on her way.
I stayed with Camila's family during Long Field Practice and felt a little child-like in her presence. Here was a woman, several years my minor, who looked as if any day now she'd be prepared to run a household and make babies. The maturity train must have skipped the Ptates and gone straight to Paraguay.
The last day I was there, her suiter made a house call. He was just leaving as I emerged from packing my things. Passing the family sleeping area, I caught a glimps of this Paraguayan beauty laying on her bed, sucking her thumb. Sometimes I wonder if the campo makes people grow up too fast.
I stayed with Camila's family during Long Field Practice and felt a little child-like in her presence. Here was a woman, several years my minor, who looked as if any day now she'd be prepared to run a household and make babies. The maturity train must have skipped the Ptates and gone straight to Paraguay.
The last day I was there, her suiter made a house call. He was just leaving as I emerged from packing my things. Passing the family sleeping area, I caught a glimps of this Paraguayan beauty laying on her bed, sucking her thumb. Sometimes I wonder if the campo makes people grow up too fast.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Well, its been a while. I find updating the blog to be a chore, but not because I don't want to keep you all updated, but rather because I have no clue what to write about. So much happens, and all I have time to write about is the frogs or the moon. Oh well, here goes.
This week we have Long Field Practice. In groups of 4 we go to a current volunteer's site and stay with families, help them with current projects, and generally see what its like to be in the campo (countryside). Side note to parents: remember when I was in 3rd grade and couldn't get the proper spelling of 'countryside' down? I still use the same ditty, you know, the one that goes to 'Camptown Ladies?' And I still remember that Concord is the capital of New Hampshire, thanks to that hampter and his silly fruit preferences.
In a week and a half we find out our site assignments. Throughout the history of Peace Corps training, this has been a major source of anxiety. For me, it's not really because I don't trust that they are going to put me into an appropriate site, but rather just the inability to plan and mentally prepare oneself. Like the states, Paraguay has many distinct regions that have their own way of speaking, traditions, ect. I'll be sure to keep you all posted when I find out.
Where did October go, anyway?
This week we have Long Field Practice. In groups of 4 we go to a current volunteer's site and stay with families, help them with current projects, and generally see what its like to be in the campo (countryside). Side note to parents: remember when I was in 3rd grade and couldn't get the proper spelling of 'countryside' down? I still use the same ditty, you know, the one that goes to 'Camptown Ladies?' And I still remember that Concord is the capital of New Hampshire, thanks to that hampter and his silly fruit preferences.
In a week and a half we find out our site assignments. Throughout the history of Peace Corps training, this has been a major source of anxiety. For me, it's not really because I don't trust that they are going to put me into an appropriate site, but rather just the inability to plan and mentally prepare oneself. Like the states, Paraguay has many distinct regions that have their own way of speaking, traditions, ect. I'll be sure to keep you all posted when I find out.
Where did October go, anyway?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
These are a few of my favorite things...
Sunsets
For lots of reasons (dust, burning, humidity, pollution), there is always a lot of sediment in the Paraguayan sky, so even if there aren't any clouds to speak of, there is always a brilliant splash of orange and yellow behind all those spikey palm trees.
Frogs
There is a wetland area across from my house where the frogs like to hang out. Some nights are filled with maybe a dozen calls. Some sound like cats, some bellow, most just sound like they came direct from an old science fiction movie. Paraguayans say that when the frogs sing, its going to rain soon. Oddly enough, they also say this when a cat washes its face.
The Moon
The moon here is slightly askew from what I'm used to seeing, but recently it's been a brilliant white pearl in the sky. I was walking home with my host mom on a normally very dark road that last night was dappled with the shadows cast by the trees in the moonlight. It was lovely.
For lots of reasons (dust, burning, humidity, pollution), there is always a lot of sediment in the Paraguayan sky, so even if there aren't any clouds to speak of, there is always a brilliant splash of orange and yellow behind all those spikey palm trees.
Frogs
There is a wetland area across from my house where the frogs like to hang out. Some nights are filled with maybe a dozen calls. Some sound like cats, some bellow, most just sound like they came direct from an old science fiction movie. Paraguayans say that when the frogs sing, its going to rain soon. Oddly enough, they also say this when a cat washes its face.
The Moon
The moon here is slightly askew from what I'm used to seeing, but recently it's been a brilliant white pearl in the sky. I was walking home with my host mom on a normally very dark road that last night was dappled with the shadows cast by the trees in the moonlight. It was lovely.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
A day in the life of me
Ok, here goes.
6:45-- get up, drink cosido, get dressed, brush the teeth and I'm out the door by 7:30.
7:45-- Intensive language class. We're talking 4 hours of Guaraní here. At least we get two recesses. Bring out the frizbee!
11:30-- Walk back home and eat lunch with my host mom.
1:00-- technical classes, some times language. Topics include Paraguayan soils, farming calendar, small animal husbandry, cover crops, agroforestry, etc. It's all pretty interesting
5:00-- Jaha che rógape! Go home, drink more cosido, chill, study, dinner and chatting.
10:00-- bed!
Well, this goes for most days, but pretty often we have breaks in the routine. Wednesdays we go to Guarambaré for the big meeting of all 4 sectors.
My living situation: I live mostly with my host mom. My host sister, who's 20, comes home from Asunción on the weekends, and is really fun to hang out with. My host dad shows up when he feels like it/ when he's not traveling for work. My host mom is probably the sweetest lady I know. I know its in 2 months still, but I hope I can visit her regularly when I go to my site. She's also a great way to get to know the community since she's lived here all her life and knows pretty much everybody.
Mail: It makes me sad when I don't get letters when the post arrives. An email is dandy, but its not something I can hold and take with me to the campo. Write me letters!
6:45-- get up, drink cosido, get dressed, brush the teeth and I'm out the door by 7:30.
7:45-- Intensive language class. We're talking 4 hours of Guaraní here. At least we get two recesses. Bring out the frizbee!
11:30-- Walk back home and eat lunch with my host mom.
1:00-- technical classes, some times language. Topics include Paraguayan soils, farming calendar, small animal husbandry, cover crops, agroforestry, etc. It's all pretty interesting
5:00-- Jaha che rógape! Go home, drink more cosido, chill, study, dinner and chatting.
10:00-- bed!
Well, this goes for most days, but pretty often we have breaks in the routine. Wednesdays we go to Guarambaré for the big meeting of all 4 sectors.
My living situation: I live mostly with my host mom. My host sister, who's 20, comes home from Asunción on the weekends, and is really fun to hang out with. My host dad shows up when he feels like it/ when he's not traveling for work. My host mom is probably the sweetest lady I know. I know its in 2 months still, but I hope I can visit her regularly when I go to my site. She's also a great way to get to know the community since she's lived here all her life and knows pretty much everybody.
Mail: It makes me sad when I don't get letters when the post arrives. An email is dandy, but its not something I can hold and take with me to the campo. Write me letters!
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Oh Paraguay, you're so funny.
Well, I literally just got back from visiting a volunteer at her site, which generally rocked. The moment I got there I was thrown into the celebration party regarding the chicken coop project that the volunteer helped with. Then more social activities, tereré and dinner. I slept almost all of Saturday and on Sunday we did a river walk in a very jungley area, which made me feel like I was in South America or something. Today I got up at 4:00am to catch one of the two busses into town, then to Asunción, then to Guarambaré. In all, a lovely getaway from then intensity of training, and nice look into my future reality.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
*Gross! I Just kicked a frog.
Well, it's back up near the 100's again, but it's not so bad. That good ol' north wind keeps things warm around here.
So there's this insect here that likes to lay eggs in peoples' feet that they call a pique. It's quite painful, and it actually feels good to dig into your toe to get it out. The only draw back is that there's a small hole where it was. I feel so hard-core!
I walk everywhere here; its about a mile to the community where I spend most of my days with the 11 other crop extention people, and about 2.5 miles to Guarambaré where all 42 of the training group meet. The roads are made of sand and are speckled with flattened, dried frogs. *See title
I also got my mosquito netting this week, which is awesome since now I can sleep in a somewhat naked state and not have to worry about being eaten alive. Plus, its a great place to dry recently cleaned underwear. Rock!
My host sister celebrated her 20th birthday last night and nearly all the crop people came. Birthday parties here consist of a ton of meat, sopa paraguaya, soda, beer, and more meat. Oh, and Cumbia played so loud that you can't have a proper convirsation. But they're pretty fun if you can get away from the speakers. People always dress up for parties.
As far as my studies go, this is the week where they really start pushing us out of our comfort zones, which is what training is all about. Wednesday we travel to Asunción in pairs and have to do a sort of scavenger hunt, then find the Peace Corps office by ourselves. Thursday we have a day of practice which involves working one-on-one with a community member, and this weekend we visit a current Peace Corps volunteer at his or her site. Uuuf! Must. Learn. Guaraní. I don't even get siesta during training.
But! I do like Paraguay. Despite the machismo attitude that manifests itself in weird ways and the lack of trash collection, things make sense here: you want chicken? You go out to your yard and butcher one. Milk? Antonio down the road has a cow, go buy some. Things are simple here.
So there's this insect here that likes to lay eggs in peoples' feet that they call a pique. It's quite painful, and it actually feels good to dig into your toe to get it out. The only draw back is that there's a small hole where it was. I feel so hard-core!
I walk everywhere here; its about a mile to the community where I spend most of my days with the 11 other crop extention people, and about 2.5 miles to Guarambaré where all 42 of the training group meet. The roads are made of sand and are speckled with flattened, dried frogs. *See title
I also got my mosquito netting this week, which is awesome since now I can sleep in a somewhat naked state and not have to worry about being eaten alive. Plus, its a great place to dry recently cleaned underwear. Rock!
My host sister celebrated her 20th birthday last night and nearly all the crop people came. Birthday parties here consist of a ton of meat, sopa paraguaya, soda, beer, and more meat. Oh, and Cumbia played so loud that you can't have a proper convirsation. But they're pretty fun if you can get away from the speakers. People always dress up for parties.
As far as my studies go, this is the week where they really start pushing us out of our comfort zones, which is what training is all about. Wednesday we travel to Asunción in pairs and have to do a sort of scavenger hunt, then find the Peace Corps office by ourselves. Thursday we have a day of practice which involves working one-on-one with a community member, and this weekend we visit a current Peace Corps volunteer at his or her site. Uuuf! Must. Learn. Guaraní. I don't even get siesta during training.
But! I do like Paraguay. Despite the machismo attitude that manifests itself in weird ways and the lack of trash collection, things make sense here: you want chicken? You go out to your yard and butcher one. Milk? Antonio down the road has a cow, go buy some. Things are simple here.
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