The Visit

The simple blur that has been the past two weeks has made me realize how quickly the rest is about to fly on by.

After an incredible hostel stint in Buenos Aires for a few days (involving a Tango lesson--I'm rather good, an epic jam session that lasted until well into the next morning, and several beautifully scenic strolls through botanical gardens and dazzling painted streets), I headed over to the BA International Airport. I waited and waited and waited and then suddenly I recognized three blondy-brown heads bobbing through the double doors: Mom, Dad and Bobbie! =]

Their visit was really pretty phenomenal. I also think it heightened my experience (and Fide's, for that matter) over all. It was a really special thing to be able to bring together my two families and make them one.

Saying "goodbye" to them at the end of their stay made me realize I'm kind of at that point in my life where I'm starting to say "hello, goodbye" to my parents instead of just "hello". They're no longer necessarily home base. Intense.

But enough pensive reflection--the visit itself was a real blast. My family got a good taste of Paraguay, literally and figuratively. We ate so much food: Asado y sopa paraguaya; lomito arabe (one of my Mom's favorites, though she consistently referred to it as "lomalinda". "Can we please go get some lomalindas before we go?" I love her.); empanadas of every filling; ensalada de frutas; feijoada (the real Brazilian stuff stewed with random pig parts that you pretend not to recognize..); ñoqui (I love how phonetical it is) de batata; chipa; giant, fresh avocados; torta negra; Havana alfajores; liters and liters of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice; dulce de guayaba; homemade-from-scratch-down-to-the-pumpkin-even pumpkin pie... and of course, mate every morning (such a wonderful way to spend time with people and talk and talk for hours). =]

I made them ride SO many buses, and by the end of it Bobbie was almost in tears at the thought of another bumpy, sticky-hot ride. But, as I told her, "that's Paraguay".

We took a little viaje to Ciudad Del Este, staying once again with the ever lovely Balbuenas. Our first day there (after an all-nighter on the omnibus) we toured el centro and Itaipu Dam accompanied by my fellow AFSer friend Allison, and our Paraguayan buddy Ale. We took the free Itaipu tour (after a two hour wait because we got there at lunch/siesta time and everything was closed... you have to love South America) which was fascinating; as well as wandering around the Natural History Museum and Zoo. (Allison and I also invented a new Spanish translation for the English adjective "corny"; chocloso. Fabulous.)

The next day the family and I headed to Argentina to see the Cataratas--the Iguazu Falls. Travelling with parents is a very different affair than the low-budget stuff I've been practicing - we got to take the full day tour, complete with raft, motorboat and guided jungle tour. Impresionante (a word Bobbie claims I say far too often). Butterflies of every color in every direction; water spraying over the visitors as we leaned over the balcony to see the giant drop into La Garganta del Diablo; the water-filled air emitting personal rainbows for each onlooker. We wandered up and down through the trails, our mouths open in awe - snakes, furry things, giant bugs, birds--and everything was so green.

On the raft portion of our "Jungle Adventure," our guide, Juan, allowed us to go swimming in the Iguazu River once we were out of sight of civilization (swimming is not permitted, but I have a feeling that because we are such a cute family, and I am such a darn adorable, Spanish-speaking yankee, he made an exception) --we all jumped in fully clothed. Blissful.

The visit also helped my Spanish immensely, though I'm suffering from pretty severe hoarseness after saying everything double; once in Spanish and then repeated in English. =]

We had many adventures, too numerous to relate them all ... but overall it was a very, very special thing. Now my two families have been combined and we shall forever have this extended family to share together down here in Paraguay.

Tranquilo Pa

There's a Paraguayan philosophy along the lines of the African sentiment "hakunamatata" which the Lion King has made so famous. But this philosophy is unspoken, and really un-thought of. Maybe it is this lack of premeditation that really defines its nature. Tranquilo pa is a combination of Spanish and Guarani. (Actually, add "pa" to the end of anything and ta-da!--Instant Guarani!) It can be a response to the question "¿Como estas?", or it can just be something you feel or say out loud. There's no one definition, but my personal interpretation is "perfectly at peace," just chilled to the point of comfortably aware but hazy on the edges and not the slightest bit concerned about anything, because, well frankly, why worry?
The general tranquility of the Paraguayan lifestyle has really rubbed off on me. I never thought of myself as an uptight kind of person, but I have certainly always had a thing for being on time, making plans and rushing around in my mind instead of looking around in the moment at hand. Throughout this year I've slowly lost the need to BE somewhere... I am simply content with where I am, and, sure, look forward to being somewhere new/else--but that will come later. If I miss the bus? There will be another one. Whether in fifteen minutes or three hours from now, another one will indeed pass.
My focus on things has shifted slightly too... I sweep through a scene more broadly than before. Like this morning for example: as I walked down the road to my work (which I have done now countless times) I suddenly looked up and couldn't believe how beautiful it was in all ways. I opened my arms hoping that would help me perceive its beauty and grandeur a little easier. It sure made me feel bigger.
But this doesn't seem to explain it quite right... quite the way I imagine it. Then again, maybe this is how it is defined: by its indefinability.
Bueno, igual no más. Tranquilo pa.