Being on summer vacation in a country where the average daily temperature is 104ºF - forcing the locals into hibernation in their fanned (or if they're fortunate enough, air conditioned), dark bedrooms, televisions blaring from 10:00 until 17:00, at which point they peep their heads from behind their doors like groundhogs on February 2nd, and, depending on the number of degrees dropped, will venture out into el calle to pass around tereré and discuss whatever it was they watched that day, or dreamed about - is often suffocating. It is often hard to keep the mood up and feel chipper. But I've had a few truly wonderful moments and experiences that make the days well worth it:
One morning I walked into the kitchen to a headless, skinned beast - though it's claws were still graphically intact - bathing in a large cooking pot in the sink. It was an armadillo. Roberto, mi hermano, had brought it home from the Chaco. Ursu, Roberto's novia, whipped up a delicious meal of armadillo and sweet potato - a wonderful salty-sweet combination. It was the tastiest meat I think I've ever eaten. It was sort of pulled-pork-meets-corn-beef. Awesome.
Another day a bunch of us were wandering around Asuncion, where the streets are full of mangoes, and decided we needed to take advantage of the wealth of golden, juicy fruit - literally at our fingertips. So with the help of a very inventive Emerson (another AFSer), and some enthusiastic eaters (I was among that number), we managed a feast of yellow-skinned, stringy, sticky-sweet Paraguayan mangoes. Half of the excitement was the harvesting of them from a Chevy dealer parking lot, and devouring them fresh off the sidewalks. =] Unfortunately for me, I've discovered I'm rather allergic to Paraguayan mangoes (not to be confused with the smooth, creamy, peachy, purple-green-reddish Brazilian mangoes we enjoy in the states) and eating them resulted in a week of puffy eyelids, itchy-red face, and chapped lips. Doesn't look like I'll be enjoying those again anytime soon. =/ But it was fun while it lasted. =]
And then this week, Hannah ([www.hannahinpy.blogspot.com] a fellow Wisconsinite AFSer who I have been spending almost all my time with since mi familia up and left) and I were hanging out at my casa and decided it was time to try the coconuts hanging, like ornaments from their tree, over my driveway. With the help of Ursu and Roberto we managed to machete a couple open, filling glasses full of their greenish agua dulce and shaving the meat from the middle and dipping it into sugar. So wonderful.
It's sort of ironic all my little, fantastic, Paraguayan moments have been food-related, because I have been having a hard time digesting the local cuisine, resulting in some 10lbs of weight loss; maybe that's part of the excitement: finding something I can actually eat! =]
Other than that I have been trying to make the most of my "time off" with random bus rides, listening to music and swimming in Hannah's pool (and getting some wicked sunburns). I also chatted it up with some Mormon missionaries I ran into in Villa Hayes. That was... something.
La Navidad was uneventful for the most part. Living with a poorer family resulted in limited festivities and I was the only one who gave gifts (their receiver's appreciation was heart-warming and delightful). We did, however, manage to go through over 30 liters of Brahma (the "cerveza" they drink here... it's horribly watery) and sweat a lot. =] It was helpful, as far as homesickness is concerned, that it didn't feel a lot like Christmas. It was as if "Navidad" was a whole new holiday I'd never experienced before. It was excellent hearing all those assorted Crawford voices on the telephone - that was the best gift I could have asked for.
I have added some more pictures (under "y mas fotos") of the events described above and I hope you all continue to write me letters.
Besos
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Dia del Accion de Gracias
After all night (7+ hours) in el colectivo I finally arrived home after our three day viaje to Ciudad Del Este. It was above and beyond what I ever expected it to be:
Our first day we hopped off the bus and practically right into el Super to buy all our Thanksgiving ingredients. Our dinner (complete with 4 chickens (pavo - AKA turkey - is not a hot commodity around here), sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, "cooked carrots" (yes, that is what they are called), green salads, and bread rolls - not to mention postre of three homemade-from-scratch pumpkin pies (!!) and a pear cobbler with vanilla ice cream) came to a whopping 23,000 Guaranis each (~ $5.75!). If that isn't incredible enough, you should have tasted that feast!
The pre-dinner rituals were absolutely perfect: before we ate we all gathered around the table (in la casa de la familia de una Americana, Linny): 10 yankees and 5 Balbuenas (Linny's loving and amazing familia). Elizabeth, una otra Americana, gave a toast. After, we held hands and Andrea, Linny's hermanita, said a prayer; then we sang a rowdy rendition of "Johnny Appleseed" which was followed by silence and a passing of the squeeze. And, of course, Thanksgiving Dinner would not be complete without going around the table and sharing something we were thankful for. Needless to say, that was a bit of a tear-jerker. It was one of the most special Thanksgivings I have ever had the pleasure to be a part of, and it was so wonderful to be able to share it with the Balbuenas, who opened their home and kitchen to us so unhesitatingly.
The second day was spent gallivanting around el centro popping into shops and I possibly have acquired intestinal worms from ensalada de fruta de la calle - but that's just me being paranoid (knock on wood!). I bought some super flashy Christmas lights in the shapes of tiny oranges which thrilled me! We also took a stroll through "Country" - the gated community hidden among the tent-towns of CDE. It is all exclusive, all inclusive (they have everything down to their own Universidad and a GAP outlet!). It was very bizarre to walk around in the dark, safe, and completely paved streets and sidewalks lined with grass. It was utterly Stepford. It was too American. It made me realize what a culture shock it will be to return home again when this year is up. It never occurred to me before, but it is going to be a very strange sensation.
The third and final day was begun in an attempt to see the Foz de Iguazu. We made it far enough to land on Brazilian soil, but were forced back for our lack of paperwork. It was rather exciting/slightly disappointing. So to make up for that, we had another feast: this time to celebrate the cumpleaños of a German AFSer, Teresa. We followed up our thoroughly American meal with a thoroughly Paraguayan one. We made asado (Paraguayan BBQ). It was a hit - and we even made some more pumpkin pies!
It was a really fantastic bonding experience for all of us; getting to know Linny's familia, and spending time with each other. Us Americanos are a special crowd... I used to be concerned our spending so much time together was a result of ethnocentrism, but I've come to realize, and appreciate deeply, that we're just a very close-knit group and have been since our orientation in Miami almost four months ago. Only four months, and I feel as if we have all been part of each others' lives since the beginning. Que suerte.
I was afraid to come home, and go back to the fields, working alone and my "non-AFS AFS experience", having had a taste of what AFS is "supposed" to be... but having just spent the afternoon lazily watering la crotolaria y maiz so tall and glorious I got lost in it, standing on the path letting it wave around me like a crowd of people giving me hugs, and spending some time in a mango tree pretending to be Mr. Spingle Spangle, Esq. with his goolibas, I am happy. I am such a lucky person to be having this experience. I am truly thankful.
Our first day we hopped off the bus and practically right into el Super to buy all our Thanksgiving ingredients. Our dinner (complete with 4 chickens (pavo - AKA turkey - is not a hot commodity around here), sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, "cooked carrots" (yes, that is what they are called), green salads, and bread rolls - not to mention postre of three homemade-from-scratch pumpkin pies (!!) and a pear cobbler with vanilla ice cream) came to a whopping 23,000 Guaranis each (~ $5.75!). If that isn't incredible enough, you should have tasted that feast!
The pre-dinner rituals were absolutely perfect: before we ate we all gathered around the table (in la casa de la familia de una Americana, Linny): 10 yankees and 5 Balbuenas (Linny's loving and amazing familia). Elizabeth, una otra Americana, gave a toast. After, we held hands and Andrea, Linny's hermanita, said a prayer; then we sang a rowdy rendition of "Johnny Appleseed" which was followed by silence and a passing of the squeeze. And, of course, Thanksgiving Dinner would not be complete without going around the table and sharing something we were thankful for. Needless to say, that was a bit of a tear-jerker. It was one of the most special Thanksgivings I have ever had the pleasure to be a part of, and it was so wonderful to be able to share it with the Balbuenas, who opened their home and kitchen to us so unhesitatingly.
The second day was spent gallivanting around el centro popping into shops and I possibly have acquired intestinal worms from ensalada de fruta de la calle - but that's just me being paranoid (knock on wood!). I bought some super flashy Christmas lights in the shapes of tiny oranges which thrilled me! We also took a stroll through "Country" - the gated community hidden among the tent-towns of CDE. It is all exclusive, all inclusive (they have everything down to their own Universidad and a GAP outlet!). It was very bizarre to walk around in the dark, safe, and completely paved streets and sidewalks lined with grass. It was utterly Stepford. It was too American. It made me realize what a culture shock it will be to return home again when this year is up. It never occurred to me before, but it is going to be a very strange sensation.
The third and final day was begun in an attempt to see the Foz de Iguazu. We made it far enough to land on Brazilian soil, but were forced back for our lack of paperwork. It was rather exciting/slightly disappointing. So to make up for that, we had another feast: this time to celebrate the cumpleaños of a German AFSer, Teresa. We followed up our thoroughly American meal with a thoroughly Paraguayan one. We made asado (Paraguayan BBQ). It was a hit - and we even made some more pumpkin pies!
It was a really fantastic bonding experience for all of us; getting to know Linny's familia, and spending time with each other. Us Americanos are a special crowd... I used to be concerned our spending so much time together was a result of ethnocentrism, but I've come to realize, and appreciate deeply, that we're just a very close-knit group and have been since our orientation in Miami almost four months ago. Only four months, and I feel as if we have all been part of each others' lives since the beginning. Que suerte.
I was afraid to come home, and go back to the fields, working alone and my "non-AFS AFS experience", having had a taste of what AFS is "supposed" to be... but having just spent the afternoon lazily watering la crotolaria y maiz so tall and glorious I got lost in it, standing on the path letting it wave around me like a crowd of people giving me hugs, and spending some time in a mango tree pretending to be Mr. Spingle Spangle, Esq. with his goolibas, I am happy. I am such a lucky person to be having this experience. I am truly thankful.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Mi nombre es Zan, como "ZANahoria"
My favorite things to plant are, ironically enough, zanahorias. Not only are they so much fun to sprinkle down their little rows like glitter, but... have you ever smelled a carrot flower? It is the most amazing scent... tangy and mmmm. The seeds smell the same way (if not better) and it is an absolute blast for the nose. =] I am now going to try and learn how to extract the scent for a perfume... I can call it "Zan~ahoria"... or something like that. [Does anybody know about perfume making? If you do please share your knowledge!]
The heat here has become officially unbearable; we hit the 40sºC ( ~ 100sºF ) daily. I can hardly breath and stand still, let alone double dig and weed. I have never sweat so much in my life... it is pretty remarkable (this is where the perfume would come in handy). Watering is my favorite chore - especially when there are wet t-shirt contests involved. =]
I have kissed mi familia on both cheeks and sent them flying for Los Angeles; how odd to think of my Paraguayan family in my country without me. I am, however, enjoying the freedom to wander about at will and not feeling guilty about not being home enough. PLUS, once they return (in Febrero), Mom, Dad, and Bobbie have bought tickets to come for a quick visit in March! I am terribly excited to show everything to them... my need to share what I am experiencing here first hand is very strong. It will be nice to have people to know what I'm talking about when I return home with all my stories! Fide is excited for their visit too, and we've planned all sorts of delicious pastimes.
I am headed to Ciudad Del Este with los americanos on Monday for a belated Dia De Gracias celebration. I am very excited to see the Iguazu Falls and the Hydro-electric Dam. It should be a fun viaje.
This morning in the cool, breezy, pre-sun light, I prepared a bed for transplanting which I will execute this afternoon with melon, girasoles (sunflowers... the literal translation of "girasol" is Sun Wheeler, which I find absolutely superb) and some lettuces. Other than that the heat has us in an off-season (same as up North, only for the opposite reason...) and we've mostly got compost and carbon crops in - a key part of biointensive growing.
Before I return to the sweltering fields, I would like to quickly mention one thing: on this day of Thanks (and on all those other days in the year as well) I am ever so thankful to have each one of you in my life. I am an incredibly lucky person to know you all. I have received some incredibly touching, insightful and thoughtful emails/letters recently. I cannot express how helpful all your kind words have been during my time here. Thank you.
I miss you all,
zanahoria
The heat here has become officially unbearable; we hit the 40sºC ( ~ 100sºF ) daily. I can hardly breath and stand still, let alone double dig and weed. I have never sweat so much in my life... it is pretty remarkable (this is where the perfume would come in handy). Watering is my favorite chore - especially when there are wet t-shirt contests involved. =]
I have kissed mi familia on both cheeks and sent them flying for Los Angeles; how odd to think of my Paraguayan family in my country without me. I am, however, enjoying the freedom to wander about at will and not feeling guilty about not being home enough. PLUS, once they return (in Febrero), Mom, Dad, and Bobbie have bought tickets to come for a quick visit in March! I am terribly excited to show everything to them... my need to share what I am experiencing here first hand is very strong. It will be nice to have people to know what I'm talking about when I return home with all my stories! Fide is excited for their visit too, and we've planned all sorts of delicious pastimes.
I am headed to Ciudad Del Este with los americanos on Monday for a belated Dia De Gracias celebration. I am very excited to see the Iguazu Falls and the Hydro-electric Dam. It should be a fun viaje.
This morning in the cool, breezy, pre-sun light, I prepared a bed for transplanting which I will execute this afternoon with melon, girasoles (sunflowers... the literal translation of "girasol" is Sun Wheeler, which I find absolutely superb) and some lettuces. Other than that the heat has us in an off-season (same as up North, only for the opposite reason...) and we've mostly got compost and carbon crops in - a key part of biointensive growing.
Before I return to the sweltering fields, I would like to quickly mention one thing: on this day of Thanks (and on all those other days in the year as well) I am ever so thankful to have each one of you in my life. I am an incredibly lucky person to know you all. I have received some incredibly touching, insightful and thoughtful emails/letters recently. I cannot express how helpful all your kind words have been during my time here. Thank you.
I miss you all,
zanahoria
Friday, November 14, 2008
an update bigger than Paraguay
So. I'm at the point in my stay where the notorious AFS "mood graph" dips dangerously low. Luckily for me, I got over the whole "dangerously low" stage within the first two months of my stay and have been able to move on, though homesickness does sometimes still prevail. We're working on that.
There always seems to be so much to catch up on! Since I last blogged (so bizarre to use that as a verb) much has happened: the Biointensive course wrapped up (but not before an incredible viaje to VILLARRICA (always spelled in all caps) to teach Biointensive methods at a granja owned by a religious girls home there. VILLARRICA is without a doubt the most gorgeous part of Paraguay; filled with beautiful hills and valleys, lakes, trees and nurseries galore (it's known as the "land of nurseries")! I imagine it's what the Shire would look like if it were in a tropical location.) and Jen and everyone headed off to their respective countries; leaving me with the "responsibility" of our huerto. There IS a prof. here, named Sotelo, who's job description is to be head of both our research and big production gardens. Being Paraguayan, organization and execution don't come very naturally to him; though he's energetic, eager and excitable - which makes him fun to work with when he's around. But, because of his lack of actual facetime in our garden I am the one trying to keep things going. It's a challenge, but one I'm looking forward to accomplishing. I am learning/reading/doing a ton (I spent the other day in the garden from 6am-6pm - and that was only slightly longer than average). I'll be a regular ol' farm girl by the end of this.
There always seems to be so much to catch up on! Since I last blogged (so bizarre to use that as a verb) much has happened: the Biointensive course wrapped up (but not before an incredible viaje to VILLARRICA (always spelled in all caps) to teach Biointensive methods at a granja owned by a religious girls home there. VILLARRICA is without a doubt the most gorgeous part of Paraguay; filled with beautiful hills and valleys, lakes, trees and nurseries galore (it's known as the "land of nurseries")! I imagine it's what the Shire would look like if it were in a tropical location.) and Jen and everyone headed off to their respective countries; leaving me with the "responsibility" of our huerto. There IS a prof. here, named Sotelo, who's job description is to be head of both our research and big production gardens. Being Paraguayan, organization and execution don't come very naturally to him; though he's energetic, eager and excitable - which makes him fun to work with when he's around. But, because of his lack of actual facetime in our garden I am the one trying to keep things going. It's a challenge, but one I'm looking forward to accomplishing. I am learning/reading/doing a ton (I spent the other day in the garden from 6am-6pm - and that was only slightly longer than average). I'll be a regular ol' farm girl by the end of this.
I've already started to think like a farmer - weather is no longer just "weather": too much sun dries things out, and when it pours things drowned. Temperatures are a big deal and time of day is everything.
An average day for me consists of:
5.30 - Pull on some dirt-y (working in a garden I've come to appreciate the difference between "dirty" and "dirt-y") jeans and mosey on out into the garden to look about, listen to the birds, weed/check on everything.
7.00 - Bell for breakfast of white bread rolls, dulce de leche (made at the school) and mate cocido con leche (I usually just down 2 or 3 mugs of cocido. It's delish. But then I feel ill because of all the sugar and no substance. Every morning - you'd think I'd learn.)
7.45 - Back out to the garden to prep beds, weed, and generally cuidarse las plantitas, maybe watch a toucan or two fly overhead.
9.00 - Bell for media-mañana snack (usually their homemade yogurt - WOW - or a hard boiled egg or something) and then back out to the field.
11.00 - End of morning shift and half hour to almuerzo - usually I write letters or sing songs, etc.
12-13.00 - Siesta (much needed)
13.00 - Garden time (watering, more weeding, harvesting and the occasional devouring of papaya)
16.00 - Merienda of cold cocido or yogurt, plus, if need be, yet again out to the garden for transplanting and seed sowing.
Needless to say I am usually in bed before 8pm which is when the bell rings for their dinner.
My current favorite crop we have in our little, 52 bed garden is la batata (sweet potato - and I'm not talking yams - these are white, creamy, delicious, sweet potatoes). Not only is it one of my favorite foods here (Fide, my host mama, and I made gnocci de batata the other Sunday for lunch - boy was that tasty!), but the plant itself is pleasing to look at and is rather wondrous. It pokes up out of the ground with stunning fall-like features (everything looks/feels/is summer here), delicate three-pointed, dark green leaves with purple/maroon edges. I also love the excitement of digging them up - like finding gold - especially in beds where they were previously planted and are still hiding out to surprise you with their bulky reddish brown secrets.
Other than all the time I spend in the garden (I've been living at the school lunes a viernes instead of my two hour commute everyday) things are mostly low-key. I've spent some weekends in Asunción going out on the town with the other AFSers (in borrowed clothes because Zan only owns work gear) and spending lazy afternoons at home con mi familia sipping tereré and listening to Fide tell gruesome tales. Though she is the sweetest darling in the world she has a fantastically morbid streak which makes her that much more endearing. =] I also love watching her cook - she's an excellent chef.
I'm getting ready to say "Ciao" to them next week. They're headed off to the states to visit Fide's daughter (who lives in LA) for 3 months. Another first-life-experience for me that is happening in Paraguay: living on my own. Yet another challenge that I am looking forward to growing from. I'm going to be ever such a big girl when I return.
Hmm.. What more can I say? I could honestly not ask for a better, more opportunity-giving experience than what I have here. I am learning a wealth of information about sustainable agriculture from doing/reading/watching; I have a lovely familia whom I expect to continue being in the honeymoon-stage with since they're leaving and when they return it'll start all over again - so no worries there; not to mention I am becoming more fluent by the day in español (I think in Spanglish) - though the guarani is slowing me down somewhat.
I am still loving all the letters I am receiving (mail is my biggest expense!) and please if you haven't already (and even if you have) write! I will hopefully post pictures of the Biointensive course soon.
Abrazos a todos, y cuidate, Zan
Thursday, October 16, 2008
GROW BIOINTENSIVE
life is a classroom.
so this month i have been swept up (mostly by accident and pure dumb luck) into a three week course on the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Method - a method of sustainable farming/growing designed by Ecology Action (check out the link, it's really amazing).
a Californian, Jennifer, is teaching us: a select few students from each year at my school, a few outsiders from other organizations/people interested in sustainable farming, and me. Jennifer has been really helpful/generous in sharing information with me about sustainable gardening; she gave me a awesome book called How To Grow More Vegetables and today she gave me another booklet called The Sustainable Vegetable Garden, (which is a guide to starting your first veggie plot) after she found out i am interested in trying to start feeding myself by garden in college! i am also enjoying the fact that we only speak in Spanish, which is great.
the big book How To Grow... is fascinating and full of knowledge:
i'm so thrilled to have all this to learn, and i look forward to becoming more involved with the organization when i get back to the states.
for now i'm just gobbling up all i can, listening and watching and doing and smiling and trying to share it with everyone i know!
i think anyone who's interested in growing their own food should check the book out - it's got super-detailed how-tos and everything.. it's fabulous. the best part is they are very efficiency conscious in time/money/land + water use/everything!
so that's my infomercial for today.
i'll post more pictures this weekend! =]
so this month i have been swept up (mostly by accident and pure dumb luck) into a three week course on the GROW BIOINTENSIVE Method - a method of sustainable farming/growing designed by Ecology Action (check out the link, it's really amazing).
a Californian, Jennifer, is teaching us: a select few students from each year at my school, a few outsiders from other organizations/people interested in sustainable farming, and me. Jennifer has been really helpful/generous in sharing information with me about sustainable gardening; she gave me a awesome book called How To Grow More Vegetables and today she gave me another booklet called The Sustainable Vegetable Garden, (which is a guide to starting your first veggie plot) after she found out i am interested in trying to start feeding myself by garden in college! i am also enjoying the fact that we only speak in Spanish, which is great.
the big book How To Grow... is fascinating and full of knowledge:
that's, in a nutshell, Ecology Action's basic mission - to have everyone working sustainably... and they have a lot of information on how to do it! anyone can really. =] they have a ton of literature so all their current knowledge is at your fingertips."...Gandhi observed that '...to forget how to dig the earth and tend the soil is to forget ourselves.' ...Voltaire ... 'The whole world is a garden and what a wonderful place this would be, if only each of us took care of our part of the Garden!' Each of us is needed. Building a truly sustainable agriculture is an essential part of building sustainable communities. As we build soils, we also build a culture made up of healthy living and effective farming, as well as enduring communities."
i'm so thrilled to have all this to learn, and i look forward to becoming more involved with the organization when i get back to the states.
for now i'm just gobbling up all i can, listening and watching and doing and smiling and trying to share it with everyone i know!
i think anyone who's interested in growing their own food should check the book out - it's got super-detailed how-tos and everything.. it's fabulous. the best part is they are very efficiency conscious in time/money/land + water use/everything!
so that's my infomercial for today.
i'll post more pictures this weekend! =]
Friday, October 10, 2008
a perfect moment:
sitting in the seedling house made of shade fabric
circled up each with papaya in hand
scraping away the spotted green/yellow skin with my tiny penknives
breaking open the sunrise surface and digging into the seed-filled fruit
slurping and eating and enjoying.
[i was finally able to download some pictures - check out the links. more will be posted soon]
circled up each with papaya in hand
scraping away the spotted green/yellow skin with my tiny penknives
breaking open the sunrise surface and digging into the seed-filled fruit
slurping and eating and enjoying.
[i was finally able to download some pictures - check out the links. more will be posted soon]
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Asuncion
so i've been spending some of my weekends exploring Asuncion
taking the bounding buses back and forth over El Rio Paraguay.
the AFSers in the city and i run around like sweaty white blobs,
getting lost and loving it.
last weekend we rambled all over the city looking at this and smelling that.
after a morning of investigation we made it to Lido Bar. i'd read about it in a book by a Brit who'd done some travelling in this country known as the Heart of South America.
Lido fulfilled all of my expectations: fantastic empanadas, positively stuffed and enormous; scarlet ceiling fans; waitresses' sturdy bodies are slid into orange creamsicle 50's diner-meets-willy-wonka uniforms (complete with striped fez) like lovely lady sausages; diners are packed elbow-to-elbow along the lone, long, winding orange bar that slithers its way through the entire length of the restaurant.
fabulous. i loved every minute.
the four of us gringos bus hopped, toting our tereré (iced mate that Paraguayos thrive on) thermoses, guampa, looking rather local, or so we thought, until a street musician sang to us - delightfully off-key and loudly: "Los americanos tomando tereré..."
i guess we stick out a bit.
as we wound our way through skillful entertainers and mercantes we became increasingly sunburned and sweaty.
though that's the funny thing about the Paraguayan sun: it doesn't burn me. i'm used to becoming as red as tomatoes, singed and whimpering...but not here. though they claim it's stronger, my skin is either becoming more resistant or i'm becoming more Paraguayan, because i am just burning browner and browner. my hair, too, is darker, which seems a little counter- intuitive.
but then again, this is Paraguay, and here things just don't make sense.
taking the bounding buses back and forth over El Rio Paraguay.
the AFSers in the city and i run around like sweaty white blobs,
getting lost and loving it.
last weekend we rambled all over the city looking at this and smelling that.
after a morning of investigation we made it to Lido Bar. i'd read about it in a book by a Brit who'd done some travelling in this country known as the Heart of South America.
Lido fulfilled all of my expectations: fantastic empanadas, positively stuffed and enormous; scarlet ceiling fans; waitresses' sturdy bodies are slid into orange creamsicle 50's diner-meets-willy-wonka uniforms (complete with striped fez) like lovely lady sausages; diners are packed elbow-to-elbow along the lone, long, winding orange bar that slithers its way through the entire length of the restaurant.
fabulous. i loved every minute.
the four of us gringos bus hopped, toting our tereré (iced mate that Paraguayos thrive on) thermoses, guampa, looking rather local, or so we thought, until a street musician sang to us - delightfully off-key and loudly: "Los americanos tomando tereré..."
i guess we stick out a bit.
as we wound our way through skillful entertainers and mercantes we became increasingly sunburned and sweaty.
though that's the funny thing about the Paraguayan sun: it doesn't burn me. i'm used to becoming as red as tomatoes, singed and whimpering...but not here. though they claim it's stronger, my skin is either becoming more resistant or i'm becoming more Paraguayan, because i am just burning browner and browner. my hair, too, is darker, which seems a little counter- intuitive.
but then again, this is Paraguay, and here things just don't make sense.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
confident
so here i am wandering around below the equator lookin' like Bob Dylan
got the Southern Cross over my shoulder
toucans and snakes and monkeys swinging from the branches above
colors erupting from the ground
tropical birds filling my ears
and i'm thinking: hey, wow, look where i am.
look what i'm doing/seeing/feeling/being/hearing
i'm hiking along a trail that i've never been down
i'm talking to people i will never talk to again
i have opened a door to a population i couldn't know before
lots of firsts here.
it's hit the point where you hurtle - full tilt - into it. i'm here and i'm content.
well-rounded and excited
exploring what's out there.
today i saw a green snake with a greener head, winding its tense, meter-long body up a tree.
you don't see that everyday.
i am finally comfortable here.
i am really very comfortable... well, besides the heat.
but even that, my skin is adjusting to, turning dark to keep the rays off
soon, though, i expect i will melt
be molded right into the burning asphalt.
part of me will get stuck here.
funny thought.
you get a lot of funny thoughts in Paraguay,
like thinkin about how maybe when you're older you'll dream bigger
or maybe you should just go ahead and buy that truck tire
or something like that.
that's how it is here,
at least,
that's how it is here,
for me.
got the Southern Cross over my shoulder
toucans and snakes and monkeys swinging from the branches above
colors erupting from the ground
tropical birds filling my ears
and i'm thinking: hey, wow, look where i am.
look what i'm doing/seeing/feeling/being/hearing
i'm hiking along a trail that i've never been down
i'm talking to people i will never talk to again
i have opened a door to a population i couldn't know before
lots of firsts here.
it's hit the point where you hurtle - full tilt - into it. i'm here and i'm content.
well-rounded and excited
exploring what's out there.
today i saw a green snake with a greener head, winding its tense, meter-long body up a tree.
you don't see that everyday.
i am finally comfortable here.
i am really very comfortable... well, besides the heat.
but even that, my skin is adjusting to, turning dark to keep the rays off
soon, though, i expect i will melt
be molded right into the burning asphalt.
part of me will get stuck here.
funny thought.
you get a lot of funny thoughts in Paraguay,
like thinkin about how maybe when you're older you'll dream bigger
or maybe you should just go ahead and buy that truck tire
or something like that.
that's how it is here,
at least,
that's how it is here,
for me.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Paraguayan Circus: An Ode To Paraguay
This country is a Circus, to put it simply.
The tent was designed by none other than Dr. Seuss himself - the plant life is utterly whimsical: There are bushes with fluffy pink "monkey tails" protruding from them, pompom trees, and the scale of everything is cartoon.
The acts in this circus are as exciting as any:
- a herd of horses chasing a stray dog around the neighborhood
- an albino ostrich hanging out, blinking up at you with its beady eyes
The personalities are just as spectacular:
- "El Loco" who wanders the streets barefoot, walking his imaginary pet
- or the gym-class teacher transvestite, which in itself not necessarily noteworthy other than the interesting fact of being genderless in a culture which every single word has a gender
- or how about the dare devil moto drivers and their death defying stunts - zipping through traffic of buses 50x their size?
In this place it's hard to believe in any other reality than that which is Paraguay. Its timing - comic or not; its paradoxes and sheer randomness keep the mind thoroughly occupied.
I am slowly beginning to realize that, though I may sometimes be under the illusion that I finally may be getting what is going on, I don't.
This country, though, is not interested in being understood necessarily, so much as just being itself, which it achieves beautifully. Full marks for originality and uniqueness.
To the country who for all the abundance of the Garden of Eden doesn't like its fruits or vegetables; who insists on drinking boiling hot beverages in body heat temperatures, so hot the rabbits give up breeding.
To the country where construction workers work barefoot, but you always have to wear flip flops inside because the floors are too filthy.
I am slowly adjusting to dogs with testicles and monkeys in trees...
Question marks are a must in Paraguay. Perhaps that is even why the Spanish language includes two: ¿? One just wasn't enough.
It is a fantastic place, and the more comfortable I become here, the more idiosyncrasies I come to treasure. There is nothing quite like this. Not even Barnum and Bailey could boast Paraguay's oddities.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
"When you see the Southern Cross for the first time/"
Hmmm hmmm.
I have begun my work as a farmer in South America.
Physically it is the most rewarding thing to do. I love the hard, dirt-y, work... hoe-ing (which, being the only English speaker for miles, I find quite funny), pulling up love-carrots intertwined together in their gloriously orange bodies, shaking the dirt off the lechuga, and picking the blossoms of the chamomile flowers for seeds... the list goes on.
I spend six hours a day in the bright, heavy, Paraguayan sunshine gathering vegetables for the cocina or their little store stationed at the bus stop along the Trans Chaco Highway, or taking care of the gardens/fields as needed. I have also begun practicing what I refer to as "Garden Yoga". =] Isolating my muscles as I work in the garden... it helps the back and legs and arms, and I'm not sore, like I was in the first week of physical labor.
Linguistically I am understanding 99.7% of the Spanish, and coming up with some lovely phrases in return - though the local vocabulary isn't very broad... I think this is a result of not many literary resources as well as a fluency in both Spanish and Guarani, leading to a sort of Sparani - "spar"ce being the key sound. They say "que te gusta mas" instead of "tu favorito", for example.. but this makes my job easier, since I don't have to know as many words. I am still, however, developing a bigger vocabulary through my Spanish books/dictionary (I am in love with words), and hopefully soon I will be reading novels in Spanish!! This is my goal, anyways.
Emotionally I have realized some things:
I was at a party another AFSer living in Asuncion had this weekend... and after talking to the other kids here I noticed "this one is not like the other" - as the song goes. I thought something was wrong with me mainly for two reasons: I have been experiencing some serious loneliness and I have not had any "culture shock".
What I've realized is that most people are not as blessed as I am in their friends/families. This is their opportunity to branch out and become/be who they are. I do that already, so now the question is: What is this experience for me? I am still pondering this and have yet to come to a decision. I have decided, however, that I am going to make the most of this. I am one month down, ten more to go!
I am still enjoying my family immensely, and I loved getting those letters from everyone back home! Please continue to send me mail - I will write back I promise!! =]
todo de mi amor
ZZ
I have begun my work as a farmer in South America.
Physically it is the most rewarding thing to do. I love the hard, dirt-y, work... hoe-ing (which, being the only English speaker for miles, I find quite funny), pulling up love-carrots intertwined together in their gloriously orange bodies, shaking the dirt off the lechuga, and picking the blossoms of the chamomile flowers for seeds... the list goes on.
I spend six hours a day in the bright, heavy, Paraguayan sunshine gathering vegetables for the cocina or their little store stationed at the bus stop along the Trans Chaco Highway, or taking care of the gardens/fields as needed. I have also begun practicing what I refer to as "Garden Yoga". =] Isolating my muscles as I work in the garden... it helps the back and legs and arms, and I'm not sore, like I was in the first week of physical labor.
Linguistically I am understanding 99.7% of the Spanish, and coming up with some lovely phrases in return - though the local vocabulary isn't very broad... I think this is a result of not many literary resources as well as a fluency in both Spanish and Guarani, leading to a sort of Sparani - "spar"ce being the key sound. They say "que te gusta mas" instead of "tu favorito", for example.. but this makes my job easier, since I don't have to know as many words. I am still, however, developing a bigger vocabulary through my Spanish books/dictionary (I am in love with words), and hopefully soon I will be reading novels in Spanish!! This is my goal, anyways.
Emotionally I have realized some things:
I was at a party another AFSer living in Asuncion had this weekend... and after talking to the other kids here I noticed "this one is not like the other" - as the song goes. I thought something was wrong with me mainly for two reasons: I have been experiencing some serious loneliness and I have not had any "culture shock".
What I've realized is that most people are not as blessed as I am in their friends/families. This is their opportunity to branch out and become/be who they are. I do that already, so now the question is: What is this experience for me? I am still pondering this and have yet to come to a decision. I have decided, however, that I am going to make the most of this. I am one month down, ten more to go!
I am still enjoying my family immensely, and I loved getting those letters from everyone back home! Please continue to send me mail - I will write back I promise!! =]
todo de mi amor
ZZ
Monday, August 11, 2008
Soy Paraguaya
So... here I am.
I feel the overwhelming need to share every crazy detail, but I shall settle for a quick update:
My family is incredible, friendly and welcoming... luckily they've hosted before, so they are familiar with the exchange student drill.
The Spanish part is really fun, though thought consuming... and I am speaking/listening in Spanish practically 24/7 - except when I'm hanging out with Kai and Sarah, the other AFSers here in Villa Hayes. I'm learning really quickly and am at the point where I understand practically everything... though responding is still a little rough. Give me a couple months, though, and I'll get the hang of it! =]
I have not yet begun working at the Farm School yet, but I start tomorrow and I am BEYOND excited. I had a chance to visit it last week and ohmygoodness. It's positively amazing, and far more amazing than anything I could have dreamed/hoped for!! =]
As you walk down the dirt road leading to the gates its deliciously green and beautiful... then there's the soccer field on one side, the vegetable garden (and chicken house behind it) on the other side. There are bee hives, a large animal barn, and the yellow-orange buildings of the school dot the landscape. It's simply breathtaking, and hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures soon.
Otherwise things have been really relaxed... hanging out and getting to know mi familia. Mi Mama showed Sara, Kai and me how to make "dulces" (fruit jams) out of guava and banana/orange... they are mmmmmm rico! =] I shall post the recipe at a later date - I think it's an important thing for one to have on hand... you never know when you may need to dulce-up your life!
My room is very big, and I feel almost guilty about it... I have the biggest single bedroom in the house. My familia are spoiling me! They put a TV in my room!! I don't even know what to do with it. =]
But the favorite part of my house is the outdoor shower... mmmm it's wonderful. I shower every morning as the sun rises in these "dark winter months" (it's consistently in the 70s and 80s except when we had that crazy electric storm... mmm mi mama and I just sat out and watched it pour... =] it's nice to have a person who loves rain as much as I do)... it's so beautiful here.
Hmm... are those all the answers to the questions?
I am doing okay missing-wise... I haven't had too much time to miss, thankfully - though sometimes the nights do get a little lonely.
Letters are about $2 a pop, but worth it, so please write - I will respond.
My mailing address is:
Zan McKenna
La Familia Romas
Mcal. Lopez 106 c/ Costanera
Barrio Cerro
Villa Hayes
Paraguay - South America
I love you all, and will update again soon - hopefully with pictures!!
x0ox0ox0xo0xoxo "Sam" (I don't know how to say my name anymore... now I can sympathize with Ekin =] )
I feel the overwhelming need to share every crazy detail, but I shall settle for a quick update:
My family is incredible, friendly and welcoming... luckily they've hosted before, so they are familiar with the exchange student drill.
The Spanish part is really fun, though thought consuming... and I am speaking/listening in Spanish practically 24/7 - except when I'm hanging out with Kai and Sarah, the other AFSers here in Villa Hayes. I'm learning really quickly and am at the point where I understand practically everything... though responding is still a little rough. Give me a couple months, though, and I'll get the hang of it! =]
I have not yet begun working at the Farm School yet, but I start tomorrow and I am BEYOND excited. I had a chance to visit it last week and ohmygoodness. It's positively amazing, and far more amazing than anything I could have dreamed/hoped for!! =]
As you walk down the dirt road leading to the gates its deliciously green and beautiful... then there's the soccer field on one side, the vegetable garden (and chicken house behind it) on the other side. There are bee hives, a large animal barn, and the yellow-orange buildings of the school dot the landscape. It's simply breathtaking, and hopefully I'll be able to post some pictures soon.
Otherwise things have been really relaxed... hanging out and getting to know mi familia. Mi Mama showed Sara, Kai and me how to make "dulces" (fruit jams) out of guava and banana/orange... they are mmmmmm rico! =] I shall post the recipe at a later date - I think it's an important thing for one to have on hand... you never know when you may need to dulce-up your life!
My room is very big, and I feel almost guilty about it... I have the biggest single bedroom in the house. My familia are spoiling me! They put a TV in my room!! I don't even know what to do with it. =]
But the favorite part of my house is the outdoor shower... mmmm it's wonderful. I shower every morning as the sun rises in these "dark winter months" (it's consistently in the 70s and 80s except when we had that crazy electric storm... mmm mi mama and I just sat out and watched it pour... =] it's nice to have a person who loves rain as much as I do)... it's so beautiful here.
Hmm... are those all the answers to the questions?
I am doing okay missing-wise... I haven't had too much time to miss, thankfully - though sometimes the nights do get a little lonely.
Letters are about $2 a pop, but worth it, so please write - I will respond.
My mailing address is:
Zan McKenna
La Familia Romas
Mcal. Lopez 106 c/ Costanera
Barrio Cerro
Villa Hayes
Paraguay - South America
I love you all, and will update again soon - hopefully with pictures!!
x0ox0ox0xo0xoxo "Sam" (I don't know how to say my name anymore... now I can sympathize with Ekin =] )
Monday, July 28, 2008
'Twas the night before Paraguay, and all through the house...
So here I am, packing and preparing, and laundry-ing and buying.. and goodness who knew there were so many things one uses in a year.
I found out about my host family: I'll be living in Villa Hayes, which is about 30 miles outside of Asunción. There is "Mom" and "Dad" who are actually the abuelos of my host siblings (a 17 year old boy, and a 12 year old girl). So it should be interesting getting to know them. Makes me think of Nilo and Ekin... =]
My project sounds amazing - I am posting the website so you can check it out. I'm working at the "Farm School", which is a place where they bring high school aged kids and teach them organic and sustainable farming... right up my alley. I am not sure what I specifically will be doing, yet, but I'm hoping something with the farming part.
Hopefully I'll be able to update this with some regularity... I'm not sure about the Internet situation in my town. I'm pretty sure my family doesn't own a computer. But I do have a mailing address, and would love letters.
I'm going to miss you all an awful lot, but a year isn't so long, and I'm going to experience some crazy things.
Hugs and kisses to all,
Zanny
I found out about my host family: I'll be living in Villa Hayes, which is about 30 miles outside of Asunción. There is "Mom" and "Dad" who are actually the abuelos of my host siblings (a 17 year old boy, and a 12 year old girl). So it should be interesting getting to know them. Makes me think of Nilo and Ekin... =]
My project sounds amazing - I am posting the website so you can check it out. I'm working at the "Farm School", which is a place where they bring high school aged kids and teach them organic and sustainable farming... right up my alley. I am not sure what I specifically will be doing, yet, but I'm hoping something with the farming part.
Hopefully I'll be able to update this with some regularity... I'm not sure about the Internet situation in my town. I'm pretty sure my family doesn't own a computer. But I do have a mailing address, and would love letters.
I'm going to miss you all an awful lot, but a year isn't so long, and I'm going to experience some crazy things.
Hugs and kisses to all,
Zanny
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