major update – with pictures!

welcome back to paraguay! (photo was taken in San Bernadino)

Hello friends and family! Excuse my absence. Life took over. Since my last update…

I completed my painting class.

My review of this is mixed. And mostly it’s a personal critique of how I had planned the classes. I realized early on that the students (young and old) just wanted to paint and have a final product to show off. It wasn’t about learning technique. Or learning that red plus blue equals purple. And that’s OK!

Furthermore, I couldn’t ask the students to purchase fabric and paint that they were going to use just to experiment with different brush techniques, washes, mixing colors or what not. So…it was more folks painting, with me offering help and guidance as the students needed it. The students were also more geared toward quantity rather than quality. My initial plan was that each student would have one or samples of their work at the end of the class. Some had four and five.

Secondly, the art class is a secondary project. It doesn’t fall within the Community Economic Development sector of which I’m a part (IT, Family Finance, Civic Education, Small Business). I’m still looking for that primary project in the community that needs my help. I’m crossing my fingers that there is an interest in the community for a municipal library.

On the plus side, as always with anything I do in the community, I was able to meet some new people. And that’s a win.

I practiced my hand at leatherwork.

This takes some explaining.

I’ve mentioned Paraguay’s beverages…terere (iced) and mate (lava hot). Well, folks drink these beverages on the go, and while sitting around at home alike. But when you’re on the go, you have to pack your equipo. An equipo is the set of supplies you need to partake…there’s the termo (thermos), guampa (cup), bombilla (filtered metal straw). And then of course you need yerba (the dried herb leaves) and water.

Well, termos come in all varieties…to show support for a futbol club, to promote a business. It can be personalized with your name or city, etc. But the most lindo termo (prettiest thermo) in my opinion is leather-covered, and either carved or burned with a design. This is an important artisan craft in Paraguay. The city of Atyra is famous for the leatherwork, for example.

Well, socia y amiga Ña Ede took a course in leatherwork a while back, specifically in covering termos. So for an end-of-the-year money maker, our woman’s group got to work. I learned from the master herself!

ña ede and her work

front of my termo (sold for 110.000Gs)

I attended a municipal library inauguration.

During training around July, I spent a week (aka Long Field Practice) in Altos with other trainees and volunteer Julie. We stayed with host families and while working helped plan a few things for an on-going project of Julie’s: the municipal library. Back in mid-November, we celebrated its opening. Julie worked super hard to get book donations, computers, printer, projector, furniture, whiteboard and prepare un rincon de historia – a history corner, that would display maps and photos of Altos through the years. While on Long Field Practice, we helped plan that corner. Here’s my original drawing from our discussion back in July.

the blueprint

And here’s what it looks like now! (Mom, this should remind you of Candice Olson on HGTV…)

el rincon de historia

the peace corps contingent (arandu raity means something like "knowledge nest" in guarani)

I celebrated Thanksgiving with my g-mates and PCVs.

turkey in the backyard (he lived)

I spent Thanksgiving night with my g-mates in General Artigas (way down south in PY), hosted by friend and PCV Mario. We had a delicious meal of pesto pasta, baked chicken and salad, plus brownies, and spared the turkey that lives in the backyard.

After dinner, we drank homemade Sangria, gave Mark a haircut (it was also his birthday) and had a latenight dance party (the unofficial DJ parked his car in the front yard with his trunk full of speakers). So that was excellent.

turkey v. hen

The following morning, Mario goes outside to feed his turkey pet. Turkey is now accustomed to coming to the back door, pecking at it, and then Mario opens to door and tosses out some bread or whatnot. Let me rephrase. Mario is now accustomed to going to the back door to throw out table scraps when the turkey comes a-knocking.

Well this particular morning turkey was pissed off. A hen had invaded his territory. And despite Mario’s throwing bread at him, he would not eat it. He continued to scratch the ground with his feed, and fluff his shoulders up with his wings around him. I’m sure he got over it.

Friday morning we headed down to the south of the country to Encarnación to meet up with about 100 other volunteers. It was a super time to relax poolside, eat a turkey dinner and get caught up with friends for two days and nights.

the chu-chi upper pool (there were 3!)

family dinner!

I attended our training “re-connect” in Guarambare and Villeta.

Sunday I headed to Villeta (former training community) to stay with my host family through Wednesday afternoon and attend a training “reconnect” in Guarambare. Host family is doing great! They’re always happy to see me because we can talk now. Honestly. It’s like we can get to know one another now!

I studied Guarani, we revisited some topics about development work, talked about some challenges we’re facing, and the good stuff, too. We also heard from our PTO (I don’t even know what that acronym stands for, but she’s like the second in command in the PC administration in Paraguay). She gave us great words of wisdom as we’re hitting the 6-month mark in-country (and often times hitting walls) and getting used to our new communities still.

That’s all folks! Stay tuned for an update from Caacupé. I will be walking the pilgrimage route today from my site to the basilica.

Love and peace,

Emily