Peace Corps Journals / Paraguay / all updates

My time has come

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:59:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Soul Searching Sudamérica Style)
Thats right people I am finally going to my new site Friday morning! These are all the facts i know right now: itś close to Asunción i am 2-4km from the main road where i can catch the bus its a ...
0 reads

Learning to become a Tour Guide

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:13:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Liz In Paraguay)
About a month ago Cynthia the woman whom I work with most closely told me about a course that was going to be offered here in San Salvador. It is called Informador Touristico she really had no idea ...
10 reads

pic captions!

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:55:00 +0800

(Paraguay / paraguay... que guay)
the first pic is me and my favorite paraguayan baby. his name is lexi and he is so fat! they call him gordi which means fatty. 2nd pic is my host mom Maria feeding the cat and dog in our backyard. ...
6 reads

Untitled

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:41:00 +0800

(Paraguay / paraguay... que guay)
1 reads

Thursday - Seed Plantin' Tennis Shoe Washin'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:29:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Send Me On My Way)
ThursdayAfter a good but long day yesterday today I sleep in until 7:30am. I get up get dressed eat breakfast and then start on my main task for the day – washing my clothes. Again. When you reg ...
6 reads

Some thoughts at last...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:41:00 +0800

(Paraguay / JClay in Paraguay)
I live in Paraguay. I am a Peace Corps volunteer. Sometimes you forget this while here. I have a job with little regulation huge goals and a contract that seems like forever and no time at all simul ...
27 reads

Wednesday - Fire House Meetin'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:27:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Send Me On My Way)
WednesdayOn Wednesday I headed to Carapegua a town that’s an hour away from Ybycui (my pueblo) by bus. I left the house around ten to 7am and due to the lovely road conditions for once I made it ...
1 reads

Vermont

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:27:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Adventure)
I just finished up my requisite three weekends in Vermont for 2010. And as always as I drove down the windy road through the woods headed for Route 30 and ultimately Route 91 in Brattleboro I felt s ...
0 reads

Untitled

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:18:00 +0800

(Paraguay / looking back to where I came from)
The good and the bad.Good story. After my two months of being here and my football career in the pueblo I have yet to make an impression to the dudes in town. Well last night that's exactly what we ...
1 reads

ChachachachaCHANGES!

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:11:00 +0800

(Paraguay / The Birds and the Bees)
I only have 4 months of Peace Corps service left and a lot of people are asking me what will become of Enrique and I. Paraguay has the highest volunteer/country national marriage rate in the Peace C ...
5 reads

Where in the World is Melissa?

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:57:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Melissa's Peace Corps Experience)
A vacation to Buenos Aires Christmas and New Years in Paraguay camps in Tati Jupi and Caacupe... its been months since she wrote a blog where could Melissa have disappeared to? Perhaps she went nat ...
9 reads

Untitled

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:31:00 +0800

(Paraguay / my grace is sufficient)
0 reads

Untitled

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:21:00 +0800

(Paraguay / my grace is sufficient)
0 reads

Untitled

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:08:00 +0800

(Paraguay / my grace is sufficient)
4 reads

Untitled

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:54:00 +0800

(Paraguay / looking back to where I came from)
Hugo and I got into some deep family conversation last night. He came over to share a beer while I made dinner our every once in awhile hanging out in the porch time. He's pretty open about his famil ...
7 reads

Jiffy-GUAZU

Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:27:00 +0800

(Paraguay / three days on a donkey)
While in Paraguay one of my favorite foods was Chipa-Guazu: a corn corn-meal cheesy delight. Since returning to the U.S. I have made an Amiercanized version of chipa-guazu. Here is the recipe - try ...
12 reads

Home Sweet Home

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:03:20 +0800

(Paraguay / Peace Corps Paraguay: An Environmental Educator's Perspective)
Peace Corps Paraguay requires all volunteers to live with host families during training and the first 3 months in site due to the myriad benefits of living with a family (e.g. learning the languages ...
26 reads

Now that´s what I call an ode to compost!

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:28:00 +0800

(Paraguay / ¡Jahakatu a Paraguay!)
The PeePooFor my own personal Ode to Compost
6 reads

A few pics to gander...

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:01:00 +0800

(Paraguay / "Sueño despertar en un mundo sin dolor")
So i have not updated my blog in awhile but I am in the process of writing about my happenings. Needless to say I have encountered many changes recently in everything I am getting involved in and n ...
27 reads

Untitled

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:38:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Today's Today _ Tomorrow's Tomorrow)
Ok so this is a really random post but I woke up this morning and there was an ox cart in the pation so I took a pictureThen later my sister came into my room and told me there was a monkey and I th ...
3 reads

The Wedding of the Year: Paraguayan Style

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:35:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Peace Corps Paraguay: An Environmental Educator's Perspective)
On Saturday February 20th I had the opportunity to attend my first Paraguayan wedding. And it wasn’t just any wedding; it was the Mayor’s daughter’s (Cati) wedding. Everyone in Nueva Colombia h ...
4 reads

Bucket bathing in the campo

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:29:00 +0800

(Paraguay / my grace is sufficient)
Last weekend all volunteers in training had to go visit a current volunteer at their site to see what the life of a volunteer is like. The trip in and of itself was quite entertaining as it ended wit ...
5 reads

That tasted like cow brain

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 18:26:00 +0800

(Paraguay / my grace is sufficient)
A day or two ago my neighbors killed a cow a very common typical event in Paraguay. Then they decided to roast the head for a few hours because Paraguayans tend to be quite resourceful. Although e ...
2 reads

Ndavaru who?

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 13:13:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Soul Searching Sudamérica Style)
I have been stuck in Lora’s site for a week now. I shouldn’t say stuck because I am not actually being kept here by rain or some other event that traps people in their sites but needless to say ...
5 reads

i picture you in the sun

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:59:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Paraguay!)
My procrastination is ending here...and it´s time to update! I don´t even know where to begin so here is my attempt at an organized format for my own sake. HOUSING: Right now I´m living with my 3r ...
3 reads

Untitled

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:45:00 +0800

(Paraguay / looking back to where I came from)
Last night was nice. Profe's birthday was a hit. Teamed with 9 dudes his colleagues from school a guitar beers and some singing. I had a great night. The music and the intimacy from these guys are ...
1 reads

Untitled

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:36:00 +0800

(Paraguay / looking back to where I came from)
I've been pending this next blog trying to come up with a better strategy or style to make it a little bit more interesting. In the end I think I failed. Again I choose to go the usual path and let ...
7 reads

Back from Argentina Building a House

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:05:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Justin's Blog)
02-26-10The Argentines wore me out. Seriously they will go out to dinnerwith their family at midnight and come home at 2 or 3 am. We caughtan early bus one day and at 6 am and people were still sit ...
13 reads

Asuncion and Caraguatay

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:20:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Today's Today _ Tomorrow's Tomorrow)
Asuncion is a really nice city here's what happened dung our trip:First we took a bus into Asuncion it's really hard to say where the country ends and the city begins its not really a city like you ...
29 reads

Photos & Olympia is Better Than Cerr ...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:24:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Paraguay Schmaraguay)
3-3-2010Here is a link to see a bunch of photos of a field trip to a park/zoo I took with the comedor kids and the two camps that I mentioned in the last blog. Take a look if you want. I’ve added s ...
8 reads

Pictures (Hopefully)

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:42:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Adventures in Paraguay)
The road to Nati´s site two days after it rained. Still very muddy.The store near her house had a baby toucan! It doesn´t matter that they´re endangered...Yes we are the world´s finest volunteers ...
43 reads

Chicharrones in the Campo

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:20:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Adventures in Paraguay)
(As a quick side note you should be able to comment now on posts) A lot has happened since I last wrote so if this gets incredibly long I apologize. I just got back from a 4-day PCV visit where we ...
16 reads

Untitled

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:14:00 +0800

(Paraguay / paraguay... que guay)
sorry for the million updates but ill post more pics later!! the first one is of my neighbors and one of the other volunteers named nicole. paraguay by far has the most beautiful sunsets!! the seconf ...
11 reads

Untitled

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 21:04:00 +0800

(Paraguay / paraguay... que guay)
3 reads

Untitled

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:57:00 +0800

(Paraguay / paraguay... que guay)
0 reads

an update por finnn

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:51:00 +0800

(Paraguay / paraguay... que guay)
Feb 10 2010This has been my first chance to write. I’ve either been unbelievably tired super busy schmoozing with the other volunteers or in meetings/orientations to get ourselves ready for servi ...
17 reads

Day Off.. I love Paraguay

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:12:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Marianna in Paraguay)
Day OffToday is my half day off in CAACUPE!took the 6am bus here got here at 730 atm visited the basillica or Cathedral and looked at view brought veges and stuff for my kitchen ( i saw a teflon p ...
14 reads

We Are All Jake Sully

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:34:00 +0800

(Paraguay / ¡Jahakatu a Paraguay!)
Katya and I were discussing science fiction movies the other day when she happened to mention “Avatar.” I recently had a chance to watch the movie (in 3-D!) here and I really liked it. Of course ...
13 reads

A 9 year olds birthday

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:40:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Soul Searching Sudamérica Style)
After my meeting in Asuncion a few of us volunteers decided to head back to Guarambare to visit our training host families. Because I had lived so far away it was my first time back and I was a litt ...
8 reads

Being a Gypsy Part 2

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:40:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Soul Searching Sudamérica Style)
After another set of meetings in Asuncion I headed out to the Department of Paraguari which is sort of in the middle of the country. I went to visit Lora another Envi Ed volunteer who lives in Cara ...
4 reads

Bees Wasps and Getting Stung….

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:39:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Soul Searching Sudamérica Style)
One last anecdote about Dan’s site: I love stingless bees and hate wasps. I have struggled with a fear of bees for many years. Well it’s more like I am utterly confused by bees. An avid lover of ...
10 reads

Being a Gypsy Part 1

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:38:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Soul Searching Sudamérica Style)
Since the decision was made to change my site I have been living out of a suitcase. I feel like a gypsy as I’m travelling around from place to place never having anywhere to call my own. I am eag ...
9 reads

Plastic Bags in Paraguay…A love story

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:21:00 +0800

(Paraguay / A Palanchi in Paraguay: Memoirs of an Environmental PCV)
I must write about something that I deal with daily Paraguayans and their love of plastic bags. The more plastic bags you can put around individual things the better! Every time I go to the supermar ...
10 reads

Febtober

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:13:00 +0800

(Paraguay / A Palanchi in Paraguay: Memoirs of an Environmental PCV)
The schools have started. I’ve been in my house for a month. I still am figuring out what my role will be here. Being a third time follow up volunteer has its advantages and disadvantages. Pretty m ...
1 reads

Photos from the Car

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:24:00 +0800

(Paraguay / The Birds and the Bees)
Mirna and SamiEnrique and I Paraguay gas stationParaguay church/plazaParaguayans have motorbikes like we have cars. I've seen up to 6 people on one of these little motor bikes!storethe countrysideI d ...
7 reads

The Right to Work

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:19:00 +0800

(Paraguay / The Birds and the Bees)
I never understood the working should be called a right. Who wants to work? I guess those were the days I still had mom and dad’s debit card in my pocket. Since I’ve come to realize that work ...
9 reads

A glimpse into what I call life...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:40:00 +0800

(Paraguay / Life away from home)
Hello guys!!So I’ve only been in Paraguay for three weeks and I already feel at home. It’s weird by the second day most of us felt like we had been here for months. The families have gone above ...
1 reads

Fundación Visión

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:47:00 +0800

(Paraguay / David's Peace Corps Adventure)
This past Saturday I organized for an organization called Fundación Visión to come to my community and do eye checkups for people living in my community and the other neighbor communities. I had hea ...
3 reads

I think our bus definitely almost just h ...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:21:00 +0800

(Paraguay / my grace is sufficient)
So I know a lot of people say that LA drivers are crazy. Let me correct you: LA drivers generally safe drivers who know how to get where they are going fast and follow the laws; Paraguayans are craz ...
1 reads

A Dark Field a Cattle Truck and a Pit ...

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:31:33 +0800

(Paraguay / Gone South)
In order to explain how many times I have found myself in a situation here in Paraguay where I wished I had my camera with me I will have to try out my best Carl Sagan impression and simply say: Billions and billions. As the events of last friday night were unfolding my first reaction [...]
17 reads