Algunos Observaciones

So I thought it might be time for a ¨Karen´s random observations¨post. Here goes.

--It is not winter here, really. It is warm. We´ve had a couple of chilly days/nights so far, but nothing crazy. Apparently it´s coming. Whenever you guys are the hottest in New England, that´s exactly when I´ll be coldest.

--My laundry set up is sweet. I bought the soap and a woman does my laundry at my house for free. But, she ripped a big hole in the leg of my only jeans. Nice. I did a very good sewing job, and I think they are able to still be worn...we´ll see. I do have a few other pairs of pants, so no worries...I won´t be wearing jeans in the heat of most of the year anyway, right?

--This country has a HUGE amount of patriotism. Considering the long and somewhat sordid history (for more info, read that post here), it is wonderful. As the guy from the American school in Asuncion who gave our history talk said, this is a country who´s history is based on on success but on survival (he´s Paraguayan and lived in the US for 16 years as a young person).

--There are not many birds. The number of stray dogs is bothering some of my companeros, but not really me, considering they are far less in number than in Asia. There are crazy dog choruses in the freaking middle of the night which are driving me nuts. I finally decided to sleep with the fan running in the corner in an effort to drown out the dogs. It´s working.

--The Spanish teachers really care about us. I talked one-on-one spontaneaously with Noemi today about my progress and although I told her I´m worried that I´m not doing well enough, she assured me I am. I told her I know it´s only the second week and that there´s still plenty of time and she agreed. She doesn´t speak English, so everything I need to convey I have to do in Spanish. So far so good. I am still scared to death of Guarani, but I will make an effort because it will take me far in my site if I do.

--Yesterday, we went to the chu-chi mall in Asuncion for a few hours. It was nice to be in a grocery store that had peanut butter and such, since you can´t really find it elsewhere. Remember me saying that you can go to Asia naked and with no bag and find everything you need there? Not the case here. I might even need to import OBs from home because you can´t even find those. Interesting.

--Food: lots of carbs. Not many veggies other than lettuce and tomatoes. Fruit in abundance, but so far, my family doesn´t eat whole fruit. I buy it on the street when I can. Lots of one-pot meals: soups, meat with rice, etc. Lots of frying. But because overall, food is less abundant in quantity, I have actually lost a little weight already. We´ll see. I´m looking forward to living on my own and cooking for myself again.

--Toilets. All western in cities. I have yet to use a latrine, which are mostly in people´s houses in the campo. It´s possible I could end up somewhere with one, but not sure yet. TP is not abundant, but not as absent as in Asia. Lots of soap. Parguayans care a lot about cleanliness.

--The sky is pretty. The streets are paved with huge cobblestones that aren´t flat, they are every which way, walking is a bit of a challenge. Lots of places don´t even have that, only dirt. Stores are tiny and have few things. Computers and internet are in towns and cities but not elsewhere. There´s a good chance that I´ll get a site where I only have internet once a week or less. I could have daily, too. You never know. There are amazing flowers and trees here. The flora is to die for.

--I have not taken a lot of photos. A few here and there, but as most of you know, I prefer to take things in first hand instead of from the other side of a camera. I promise to somehow get some to you. I haven´t figured out how yet.

--People stare. But not a lot. But, we are in Ita, where Cuerpo de Paz is very well known. They´ve had lots of volunteers in Ita in the past. When I go other places there is more staring. Yesterday on the bus, I was with three others and they were on the otherside of a VERY CROWDED aisle from me. I was totally incognito, not talking or whatever. Then, Jim yelled from the other side, are you looking where we have to get off? in English and I yelled back. So much for blending in...everyone stared after that! Hee hee.

All is well. Keep well, all. Love and missing.