Bienvenidos a Paraguay!

     So here we are in Itaugua, (pronounced both Ita-gua or It-agua) Paraguay. Week two, whatever that means, because and I am pretty sure I have felt a year’s worth of feelings already. One minute I will be walking in my new community thinking, “Yea, I got this”  as I say Hola to passerbyers- then five minutes later, I habitually flush toilet paper down the toilet and clog our bathroom; which leaves me feeling frustrated, embarrassed, and wishing for plumbing I am used to.  My mind cannot grasp the concept of Jess and I living in this little neighboring house of las Hermanas del Buen Pastor for an entire year, but here we are, taking it moment by moment.

     Two weeks in and what a whirlwind! A positively, constantly spinning, yet sometimes still, colorful, beautiful mess of a whirlwind.  Through these rollercoaster of highs and lows, we have our new home that is nestled beside mango, avocado, star fruit, and mandarin trees. Jess and I share this humble abode with a fellow GSV who is about to complete her time in Itaugua, Melissa. She is extremely helpful from her fluency of Spanish to her extensive knowledge of the work we will be doing to the best cookies to buy.  The three of us are residing in our casita that is compromised of a kitchen, a bathroom (which contains a shower head, toilet, and sink in one common area), a room with a sink and washing machine (which is an interestingly different machine than that in which I am used to, but easier than scrub cleaning everything), a living room area (which also doubles as a home gym), and two bedrooms.  Jess and I, beds side by side, share one room where we have been watching movies, journaling, and reading both to ourselves and out loud to each other.  We have a little concrete porch area in which we sit and drink some mate or terere. For those who aren’t familiar with the Paraguayian culture, mate and terere are Paraguayian drinks that are EVERYWHERE. Recipe: Yerba tea leaves in a wampa cup, add water, hot for mate cold for terere, stick in your bombilla straw and enjoy. Sip and pass to your neighbor. It is a very communal part of the culture here. Speaking of neighbors, we live about thirty feet away from las Hermanas. They have been patient with our lack of knowledge of the Spanish language and very hospitable. They have given us a list of rules and are inquisitive about our lives and our whereabouts; it is going to be an interesting relationship full of patience and acceptance on all parts. Behind them, live retired sisters of the Good Shepherd. They are so sweet and we plan on hanging around them, chatting, watching some Spanish soap operas. We are one big family here in Itaugua, including the local cats and dogs that roam the area and the community of people that we work with, which is a five minute walk from our door. Everything is nice and cozy here.

     We are definitely still adjusting and figuring out where we stand in all of this. The language, for me, can be very frustrating at times. I just want to be able to speak eloquently and not constantly confuse Italian words for Spanish words. I realize it will be a process, but now I want to have full knowledge of the language and while I’m wishing, their native language of Guarani would be helpful as well, because that is often thrown around and then I am completely lost. Two days a week, we travel to the capitol, Asuncion, for language class, to help this ‘problem’. The only other students are under the age of ten, and they are learning English. (Maybe I can transfer to that class; I may do a little better) Jess and I are at different levels with the language, so our teacher doesn’t really know how to productively work with us- but I hope we will get things figured out. It is a challenge, but this is what I wanted…right? In order to get to class, we have to take two buses. Buses that barely stop for you to get on or off, that shove as many people in as possible, and will pull over whenever, wherever a request is made. And I thought subway traffic was bad. 

     Another learning process is in figuring out what work we will be doing. Our days start at 7am, (usually we go to bed by 10 or 11pm, which is totally not my style, but hey this year is all about challenging old ways and adapting to new J) and then we head to the center. The center has various different offices. Medical offices, psychologists, adult learning center, community development, pharmacy, translation, a school for girls to learn different trades and crafts; I cannot keep track of all the helpful community projects that las Hermanas run here. Everyone has been very welcoming and they are dedicated people who I look forward to working more closely with. The one office that we are concerned with now, although we can work in other areas in the future, is the fair trade business Tekojoja Kuna Rembiapope. This translates to work for the justice of women in Guarani. We work with different artisanas who bring in their nanduti lace pieces that we pay them for at a justly wage. From there, it is sold to various Good Shepherd stores throughout the world. I love seeing the women and their work and knowing that someone in Australia, or Italy, or the U.S is going to buy and use their work in their lives. It is a really cool concept and the work is beautiful.  I’m sure I will come home with mariposas, paz purses, headbands- the nanduti works.

     There are moments of homesickness, but having each other here is such a benefit. We are big goofballs and are making fun out of everything we can. Some examples: We toasted Reeses for as long as the bag lasted that my mom bought for the voyage. We work out in our little living room area and jump around blasting our North American music, smacking ourselves in the face with some resistance bands along the way. We read The Help out loud to each other, in different character accents. We celebrate the little things like our first showers, our first walk to the corner store for cookies, our first meal cooked all by ourselves (because we have had women come to our home to show us how to cook and clean), our first batch of terere- it’s the little stuff that counts, duh.

     In summation, life in Paraguay is Paraguayianlicious. The best is yet to come; well, that is what we have been told. Sending love and sunshine to all my loves back home and in the world wherever you may be.

Just love.

P.S- I still have to continue to fundraise to reach the goal of $4,000. If you are feeling finically generous, have some spare money, or meant to but forgot to before- you can STILL donate! Thank you so much to those who have donated, it is very much appreciated every day. 

To Donate online: www.gsvolunteers.org

Donate Tab and  please put Krystina Monetti in the comment box 

P.P.S- Today Melissa, Jess, and I were the only ones left on the bus when the bus driver decided to take a small break at his house and leave us on there with it running. Can't get that in the U.S people.