Pondering in Paraguay

Pondering in Paraguay
Questions, Comments, and Connections on my crazy new life abroad

Monday, February 22, 2010

I Learn GUARANI

Due to the fact that I am "spanglish" speaking gringo, I often find myself in comical situations. On one particular afternoon I was sitting around with my host family and visiting relatives.(Everyone in our town is somehow related to one another.) In an attempt to speak Spanish I frequently substitute English words for Spanish words beyond my capaciity. Somehow the subject of tattoos and peircings came up. I asked Walter (who is Oli, my host sister´s, boyfriend)if he had a tattoo. Here is a recollection of the following conversation;

Sam: Tienes (do you have) a tattoo?
Walter: No, but Oli does!
( Meanwhile everyone is dying laughing)
Naturally Stephanie (another volunteer) and I believe that this reaction is the result of an embarrasing and funny tattoo that Oli has.
Stephanie: Oh come on, just let us see it.
(There is more laughing, which confuses both Stephanie and I.)
Oli: Tattoo just so happens to translate into a Quarani word.
Waltur: Yeah it means vagina!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

A Little Time, A Lot To take in

I made it! Well, so far.. . I wish I had some witty and clever things to say, but its hot out and I`m multitasking, which is inhibiting my creativity. I don´t think it´s quite sunk in that I´m here. I was assigned my host family a couple days ago, and got really lucky. Meanwhile other volunteers are eating rice and maybe some bread, I`m chowing down on meat dishes, fresh fruits and salads. The host dad said that Americans are seen eating salads on T.V. and therefore I have been served salads despite the fact that Paraguayans don´t eat them. I don´t want to glorify the situation becuase the house I live in is very modest, but I do have some perks. I have a pool; in the sense that I have a body of water in a cement slab out in the yard. But the water is clean, so I´ve been using it. The sheep also seem to like drinking out of it. I also have a ceiling fan, which is key to my happiness. It´s been HOT to say the least. During the day the water in the pool is too warm to use, but in the late afternoon it is cool enough to play in. There are always people playing in the yard. I´m under the impression that they´re all cousins or aunts or something along those lines. The girls play in the pool, meanwhile all the boys play soccer. Everyone else chills and drinks Terere. It`s kinda the thing to do.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

I Haven't Left Yet

I'm Packing my bags and trying to figure out how blogging works.