Its official, I am allergic to bees.
Ironic, after about 75 stings during my first three months that all lead to no reaction. But yesterday they pricked my arm with only a 10 cc mixture of venom and it swelled and my face got hot. I am now allergic.
This means that I will no longer be a beekeeping volunteer down here, and will likely join the agriculture group. Luckily I know them all pretty well and am pretty amped about promoting green manures, gardens, and crop partnerings, so its not too sad. I will also move sites, to one where there are fewer bees and closer to a hospital. No sure news on where-abouts yet, but I will likely hear everything on Monday when my boss returns from vacation.
Its going to be sad to leave my community. Peace Corps will take good care of me and provide a car to take me down and gather all my things. I currently am working on my vocabulary to explain that I will not be there for a while. Not sure I can tell my sweet host dad over the phone that I will actually never live there again.
But despite the bump in the road. I do realize the irony of my situation, and the comedic nature of it all. And in the mean time I have gotten to live in a hotel (its not as great as it seems), eat salad, meet a lot of people from other training groups, and most of all, have gotten ready mentally to begin what I hope will be an excellent service.
I'll let you all know what's happening when I know more.
December 30, 2009
December 26, 2009
An interesting Christmas
Rain.
At home rain means run to the car, throw on a jacket, or take off your shoes and enjoy. In Paraguay rain means do nothing, and the world may or may not run that day. During training while we remained on the American mindset, we had to walk to class in the turrential downpours, while our brothers and sisters slept in. When it rains in Paraguay, there is no school. Unfortunately when it rains in several parts of Paraguay, there are also no busses.
I did my best to get back to site for Christmas. I awoke at 5am, got to the terminal quickly, purchased a ticket and waited for the bus to come at 7:30. Only upon trying to enter, when the bus driver laughed at my ticket, did I find out that due to rain there would be no busses passing my site. I was stuck.
So, no Christmas in site. But a campo Christmas was a must. Conveniently, my friend Kendall was placed in a site only 4 hours from Asuncion and with constant bus service, so a few days later I headed out to see her.
I arrived not knowing what to expect, beneficial as the night to come never could have been imagined in my mind. After greetings, a terere session, and quick bucket bath, the three americans in town headed to church. Finding a seat under a fan we struggled through an odd service, and Kendall and I headed to the house of one of her favorite families in town. We arrived at 8:30 and sat in a circle, talking, drinking Niko soda.... until 11:30, when, due to impending doom as demonstrated by a technicolor lightning show approaching, they decided to serve up the sheep they had killed that afternoon and grilled, with sweet potatoes and chipa guasu (a fresh corn bread).
I new it was delicious, and it felt like a celebration, and then it felt rainy. Two minutes into the meal the clouds broke and we sprinted inside, balancing plates of sheep ribs in our hand, and finished eating inside. At midnight we stopped eating, and all walked around in a circle and kissed everyone´s cheek to wish each person Merry Christmas. A traditionally awkward Paraguayan dance circle soon started, and right as we were getting into it the electricity went out.
Sitting in the dark, surrounded by pouring rain and dim candles it was impossible to not appreciate the moment. While it was not a Christmas I could have ever planned for myself, it was definitely a Christmas to remember. A last minute change of plans seemed to work out OK, and at the very least, got me excited for my future return to my own slice of campo heaven.
Medical Note: First blood test negative! This means that I might still be able to work with bees. Now I wait in the city until Tuesday for the skin allergy test. Lets hope they find something definitive and perhaps I can be back in site, or in a new site, by this weekend!
At home rain means run to the car, throw on a jacket, or take off your shoes and enjoy. In Paraguay rain means do nothing, and the world may or may not run that day. During training while we remained on the American mindset, we had to walk to class in the turrential downpours, while our brothers and sisters slept in. When it rains in Paraguay, there is no school. Unfortunately when it rains in several parts of Paraguay, there are also no busses.
I did my best to get back to site for Christmas. I awoke at 5am, got to the terminal quickly, purchased a ticket and waited for the bus to come at 7:30. Only upon trying to enter, when the bus driver laughed at my ticket, did I find out that due to rain there would be no busses passing my site. I was stuck.
So, no Christmas in site. But a campo Christmas was a must. Conveniently, my friend Kendall was placed in a site only 4 hours from Asuncion and with constant bus service, so a few days later I headed out to see her.
I arrived not knowing what to expect, beneficial as the night to come never could have been imagined in my mind. After greetings, a terere session, and quick bucket bath, the three americans in town headed to church. Finding a seat under a fan we struggled through an odd service, and Kendall and I headed to the house of one of her favorite families in town. We arrived at 8:30 and sat in a circle, talking, drinking Niko soda.... until 11:30, when, due to impending doom as demonstrated by a technicolor lightning show approaching, they decided to serve up the sheep they had killed that afternoon and grilled, with sweet potatoes and chipa guasu (a fresh corn bread).
I new it was delicious, and it felt like a celebration, and then it felt rainy. Two minutes into the meal the clouds broke and we sprinted inside, balancing plates of sheep ribs in our hand, and finished eating inside. At midnight we stopped eating, and all walked around in a circle and kissed everyone´s cheek to wish each person Merry Christmas. A traditionally awkward Paraguayan dance circle soon started, and right as we were getting into it the electricity went out.
Sitting in the dark, surrounded by pouring rain and dim candles it was impossible to not appreciate the moment. While it was not a Christmas I could have ever planned for myself, it was definitely a Christmas to remember. A last minute change of plans seemed to work out OK, and at the very least, got me excited for my future return to my own slice of campo heaven.
Medical Note: First blood test negative! This means that I might still be able to work with bees. Now I wait in the city until Tuesday for the skin allergy test. Lets hope they find something definitive and perhaps I can be back in site, or in a new site, by this weekend!
December 21, 2009
Site in Limbo
Last friday (the 11th of December) we doned our best and headed over to the embassy to swear in as official volunteers. Following various speeches, including an excelent speech and interactive game by our own Carlos, and munching down on delicious fried chicken and the infamous swearing-in chocolate mocha cake, swearing in weekend began. We all stayed in a great hotel downtown, and days were full of eating all our favorite non-paraguayan foods we could find, and lounging at the hotel pool celebrating the accomplishment of 11 weeks of language and technical training.
But after a long weekend, sites were calling. While the city was pleasant, I must admit I was anxious to head back to begin at my site. Myself and my neighbors headed out from the hotel at 7 am and were on our bus at 8, we arrived in Caazapa at 2:30, where we proceeded to wait 4.5 hours (getting to site was not meant to be easy I guess) and I was finally dropped at my cruze at aroun 9pm. I was greated in the dark by my community contact, a random teenager on a horse, my host dad and his moto, and my host mom to walk beside me.
Getting back to site was great. I had a short first night of greetings, slept well, and awoke with neighbors already visiting to say hi. I dropped my extra stuff at my future house since I will be moving around every 15 days, and then headed off to beekeep with Karai Carlos down the road (he had shown up at my house at 8 am to make sure I could work with him that afternoon!). We worked bees for 4 hours in the blazing heat, but towards the end of our second traciego the bees started getting annoyed, and a very common event happened, I was stung.
What followed unfortunately was not normal. I became unusually hot, and worried, and I ignored it for thirty minutes and helped out, feeling very strange. When I finished and pulled off my gear, I found that my head and neck were itchy, my ears red and swollen, and I was very spacey. I somehow excused myself from a terere session and walked home. That's when I noticed I could not take deep breathes either, and as I rested, they became more shallow. I took meds, called the doc, and we monitered everything very well until the reaction ended.
Soooooo, the danger of the potential situation is evident. I was sent back to Asuncion (my sweet little family woke up at 3:30 am to hike me out to the ruta to catch the 4am bus, and have proceeded to call every day), where I have been since thursday (its now monday). They couldn't do anything until today, and then they drew blood. Results will not be back until Christmas Eve, so there will be no appointment until at least a week from today. Thus, they are letting me go back to site for Christmas.
I head back tomorrow morning, though uncertainty still looms. I love my site, I love the people, I want to stay. Unfortunately if I am severely allergic to something, I may have to be moved to a location closer to a hospital (when it rains at my site you cannot go anywhere for 2 days, and the nearest hospital is about 3 hours away on the sketchy dirt road anyways). I am trying to stay positive about either option. After all, I signed up for this knowing that I would have little control. I am only finding it hard as all my friend settle into their two year futures, and I continue to wander, not knowing for sure where my home will be for the next two years. For now I will just have faith, so far Paraguay has treated me well, there is no reason to think that this situation will turn out any other way.
But after a long weekend, sites were calling. While the city was pleasant, I must admit I was anxious to head back to begin at my site. Myself and my neighbors headed out from the hotel at 7 am and were on our bus at 8, we arrived in Caazapa at 2:30, where we proceeded to wait 4.5 hours (getting to site was not meant to be easy I guess) and I was finally dropped at my cruze at aroun 9pm. I was greated in the dark by my community contact, a random teenager on a horse, my host dad and his moto, and my host mom to walk beside me.
Getting back to site was great. I had a short first night of greetings, slept well, and awoke with neighbors already visiting to say hi. I dropped my extra stuff at my future house since I will be moving around every 15 days, and then headed off to beekeep with Karai Carlos down the road (he had shown up at my house at 8 am to make sure I could work with him that afternoon!). We worked bees for 4 hours in the blazing heat, but towards the end of our second traciego the bees started getting annoyed, and a very common event happened, I was stung.
What followed unfortunately was not normal. I became unusually hot, and worried, and I ignored it for thirty minutes and helped out, feeling very strange. When I finished and pulled off my gear, I found that my head and neck were itchy, my ears red and swollen, and I was very spacey. I somehow excused myself from a terere session and walked home. That's when I noticed I could not take deep breathes either, and as I rested, they became more shallow. I took meds, called the doc, and we monitered everything very well until the reaction ended.
Soooooo, the danger of the potential situation is evident. I was sent back to Asuncion (my sweet little family woke up at 3:30 am to hike me out to the ruta to catch the 4am bus, and have proceeded to call every day), where I have been since thursday (its now monday). They couldn't do anything until today, and then they drew blood. Results will not be back until Christmas Eve, so there will be no appointment until at least a week from today. Thus, they are letting me go back to site for Christmas.
I head back tomorrow morning, though uncertainty still looms. I love my site, I love the people, I want to stay. Unfortunately if I am severely allergic to something, I may have to be moved to a location closer to a hospital (when it rains at my site you cannot go anywhere for 2 days, and the nearest hospital is about 3 hours away on the sketchy dirt road anyways). I am trying to stay positive about either option. After all, I signed up for this knowing that I would have little control. I am only finding it hard as all my friend settle into their two year futures, and I continue to wander, not knowing for sure where my home will be for the next two years. For now I will just have faith, so far Paraguay has treated me well, there is no reason to think that this situation will turn out any other way.
December 10, 2009
Brief Comments
So time has shortened, and swearing in is only a day away. In the mean time, I did manage to hammer my finger yesterday, and it did not break! So now it is just huge. red, hurting, and covered in a very large bandage, which may or may not end up in my swearing in photos...
anyways, i have some brief instances on why sometimes paraguay is great. The first is that due to the massive number of toads (kururu in Guarani and very fun to say) and frogs here, all along the streets of Paraguay there is a massive game of Frogger going on. Needless to say, the real toads and frogs are not nearly as smooth as my own hand at the computer, and as I step on, over or by around 20 dried toads smooshed flat on the ruta every time I walk home, I must say, Paraguay's motor invasion is totally kicking the local frogs rear behinds.
Another thing that always puts a smile on my face are the random English t-shirts that make it down here. The best two are as follows: first, on a girl my age in hooded, tank-top form "sun you buns... IN HELL" with flames and flowers adorning. Second, on a middle-aged very american looking older women who clearly had no idea what she was wearing around at her young child's school bash "FRESHMAN: the hookups of tomorrow."
OK, now its back to training for the last day. Swearing in this weekend with photos of my site and other updates to come.
anyways, i have some brief instances on why sometimes paraguay is great. The first is that due to the massive number of toads (kururu in Guarani and very fun to say) and frogs here, all along the streets of Paraguay there is a massive game of Frogger going on. Needless to say, the real toads and frogs are not nearly as smooth as my own hand at the computer, and as I step on, over or by around 20 dried toads smooshed flat on the ruta every time I walk home, I must say, Paraguay's motor invasion is totally kicking the local frogs rear behinds.
Another thing that always puts a smile on my face are the random English t-shirts that make it down here. The best two are as follows: first, on a girl my age in hooded, tank-top form "sun you buns... IN HELL" with flames and flowers adorning. Second, on a middle-aged very american looking older women who clearly had no idea what she was wearing around at her young child's school bash "FRESHMAN: the hookups of tomorrow."
OK, now its back to training for the last day. Swearing in this weekend with photos of my site and other updates to come.
November 25, 2009
Home Assigned
Last Wednesday was the big day: Peace Corps gave us the names and locations of the places we are to live and work for the next two years, and... I will be a follow up volunteer in a small rural town outside of Yuty, in the Caazapa department of southern Paraguay.
Understandably this means nothing to you all, as well as it pretty much meant nothing to me upon first hearing it. The name, the location, the hours that I will spend on a bus (7 from Asuncion sans traffic) are really minor details when it comes down to it, and so, what it came down to, what this post comes down to, are the three days I spent there to orientate myself, and to meet the people and see the land that I will call home for the next 24 months. However, it was important to learn that I will be close to two other volunteers, one only 7 kilometers away (and as you will see soon... I am pretty sure I am going to try to get a horse to make that ride feasible throughout the year).
Naturally, the visit was to be a reality slap. Fortunately it included a difficult, and yet fantastic arrival including the backs of several trucks, lots of walking, and many laughs. You see, my site is located off of a "ruta" that runs from Caazapa city to Yuty, and when it rains, that dirt Ruta becomes a massive mud slip and slide... and there are no Buses. Conveniently, there was a tremendous storm the night before we headed in.
The story could be longer, but lets just say that it resulted in a probably very dangerous, yet fun and mud-filled truck ride, a night with a random family in a town I could not ever get to again, and then thoughts of potentially walking 24 kilometers with my contact and neighboring volunteers, but fortunately hopping on a delivery truck and stopping at every small store on the ruta. But I made it to the cruce with my contact, and trecked the 3 Kilometers into site.
I am a follow-up volunteer to two other volunteers, who have both had successful projects, but there is more to be done. My town is very poor, and all Guarani speaking. Lucky for me they recently got running water (which means a spicket outside), but it is treated, and therefore chances of water illness are way down. I also have a house built for me already. Two rooms, wooden, electricity (most of the time at least), and a latrine and bath shack (for bucket bathing) located behind the house and the garden. I will most likely reroof it as soon as I get to site because water poors in right now, but it will come with a fridge, gas stove, bed, dresser, tables, chairs, and pretty much the main expensive things I would have to buy, so the allowance would cover it. I am excited to live alone, but will be close to neighbors who I will pretty much be living with, and therefore I should be safe.
For the first few months I will live with families. Since volunteers have been so successful in the past, I have a ton of offers, far more than I want, because I do not want to move around that much. I think I will strategize by sticking to central houses along the sprawling roads and houses with potential bee work (as I can do that with them even before my Guarani is perfect). But the people are wonderful, and I am excited to get to know them. Also, the community is big into growing oranges, and currently there are Peach trees galore, as well as mentions of avocados, mangos, and plentiful watermelon to come around Christmas time. Not very Christmas-y, but definitely a plus. I am sure more stories will come as I settle in.
Also, there is a refuge from the hard life in the town that is a 45 minute bus ride away (if its not raining) with a kind and well-off family that often befriends volunteers and allows them hot showers, internet, a bed, and pizza at the disco pub they own. While I am excited about site, I can already tell that I will appreciate the oasis. As far as I know, my site is one of the three furthest out of the sites from my beekeeping group, but I can tell that there is work to be done. It will be an adjustment for sure, and every ride in and out of site, not to mention every day in site, will be an adventure.
For now its back to studying Guarani (and preparing to be isolated by lack of language for a few months as I adjust), and enjoying simple things like showers, walking to the internet, and somewhat reliable busses, before I move out on the 15th of December.
Also, this means that as of now (since mail takes so long), I have a new address! Please do not send it to the old address, as the new address will be closer to me and should arrive faster (this is for anything new anybody wants to send)
It is simple:
Jessica Clayton
Cuerpo de Paz
Yuty, Depto. de Caazapa
Paraguay
South America
Photos of the land and the house to come as soon as I can figure out how to work Paraguayan technology. Now I must go to the supermarket to buy food to cook for a thanksgiving celebration at the Country Director's house tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Understandably this means nothing to you all, as well as it pretty much meant nothing to me upon first hearing it. The name, the location, the hours that I will spend on a bus (7 from Asuncion sans traffic) are really minor details when it comes down to it, and so, what it came down to, what this post comes down to, are the three days I spent there to orientate myself, and to meet the people and see the land that I will call home for the next 24 months. However, it was important to learn that I will be close to two other volunteers, one only 7 kilometers away (and as you will see soon... I am pretty sure I am going to try to get a horse to make that ride feasible throughout the year).
Naturally, the visit was to be a reality slap. Fortunately it included a difficult, and yet fantastic arrival including the backs of several trucks, lots of walking, and many laughs. You see, my site is located off of a "ruta" that runs from Caazapa city to Yuty, and when it rains, that dirt Ruta becomes a massive mud slip and slide... and there are no Buses. Conveniently, there was a tremendous storm the night before we headed in.
The story could be longer, but lets just say that it resulted in a probably very dangerous, yet fun and mud-filled truck ride, a night with a random family in a town I could not ever get to again, and then thoughts of potentially walking 24 kilometers with my contact and neighboring volunteers, but fortunately hopping on a delivery truck and stopping at every small store on the ruta. But I made it to the cruce with my contact, and trecked the 3 Kilometers into site.
I am a follow-up volunteer to two other volunteers, who have both had successful projects, but there is more to be done. My town is very poor, and all Guarani speaking. Lucky for me they recently got running water (which means a spicket outside), but it is treated, and therefore chances of water illness are way down. I also have a house built for me already. Two rooms, wooden, electricity (most of the time at least), and a latrine and bath shack (for bucket bathing) located behind the house and the garden. I will most likely reroof it as soon as I get to site because water poors in right now, but it will come with a fridge, gas stove, bed, dresser, tables, chairs, and pretty much the main expensive things I would have to buy, so the allowance would cover it. I am excited to live alone, but will be close to neighbors who I will pretty much be living with, and therefore I should be safe.
For the first few months I will live with families. Since volunteers have been so successful in the past, I have a ton of offers, far more than I want, because I do not want to move around that much. I think I will strategize by sticking to central houses along the sprawling roads and houses with potential bee work (as I can do that with them even before my Guarani is perfect). But the people are wonderful, and I am excited to get to know them. Also, the community is big into growing oranges, and currently there are Peach trees galore, as well as mentions of avocados, mangos, and plentiful watermelon to come around Christmas time. Not very Christmas-y, but definitely a plus. I am sure more stories will come as I settle in.
Also, there is a refuge from the hard life in the town that is a 45 minute bus ride away (if its not raining) with a kind and well-off family that often befriends volunteers and allows them hot showers, internet, a bed, and pizza at the disco pub they own. While I am excited about site, I can already tell that I will appreciate the oasis. As far as I know, my site is one of the three furthest out of the sites from my beekeeping group, but I can tell that there is work to be done. It will be an adjustment for sure, and every ride in and out of site, not to mention every day in site, will be an adventure.
For now its back to studying Guarani (and preparing to be isolated by lack of language for a few months as I adjust), and enjoying simple things like showers, walking to the internet, and somewhat reliable busses, before I move out on the 15th of December.
Also, this means that as of now (since mail takes so long), I have a new address! Please do not send it to the old address, as the new address will be closer to me and should arrive faster (this is for anything new anybody wants to send)
It is simple:
Jessica Clayton
Cuerpo de Paz
Yuty, Depto. de Caazapa
Paraguay
South America
Photos of the land and the house to come as soon as I can figure out how to work Paraguayan technology. Now I must go to the supermarket to buy food to cook for a thanksgiving celebration at the Country Director's house tomorrow. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
November 15, 2009
Long Field Down South
No bad thing can come from riding in the back of trucks, and so that was the perfect way to end our trip last week. It was long field, and it was long, but went so quickly. We split into two groups (which was sad), and headed to completely different sides of the country. One group went to the site that I visited for my PCV visit, and I headed way down south to a little farm town called Isla Ro´y which means ¨cold island¨. It was exactly what I needed.The countryside has a calmness too it. (the first picture is the view from my window). Luckily, it also followed the trend and gave us some time away from the heat, and away from
the pressures of the routine life here.I also got an amazing family. I was placed with a young married couple, age 28 in a new house close to others. They are both professors at the local school, one in elementary school and one at high school. Also, about the school, kids come on horses, from up to 20 kilometers away to get there... finally, a legitimate reason to not have school when it rains.
Besides stories of the crazy situations the town has brought its volunteer, the week went smoothly and was a great idea of all the potential work we will have at site. We finally successfully captured a wild hive. It may have helped that it
was open and under a road stop rather than in a tree, but it was nice to end a traciago on a positive note, especially in a place where the bees will be utilized and provide additional income.Beyond bees, we got to give two charlas, utilize our Guarani, and teach the local kids to play frisbee. I also ate grilled Carpincho (everyone should probably google image what that is). And it was delicious.
My other two favorite activities of the week were the sunsets and fishing. For some reason, despite the flatness and lack of mountains or snow for the sun to reflect, the countryside here produces amazing sunsets (as you can see on the
attached foto).Fishing was also amazing. The long awaited trip began in the back of the truck (see the shadow foto) headed out towards the river, where the land had been flooded only a few days before. The truck ride out was amazing, as riding in the backs of trucks generally goes, until suddenly we stopped as the road went below water again. Take off your shoes and roll up your pants, said the choffer, and despite having seen my first extremely poisonness snake earlier in the day, I trudged through the mud with my shoes around my neck and began the two kilometer trek to the water´s edge. Besides a few pricks and very squishy mud between the toes, the walk was beautiful, and the arrival at the river buggy. But fishing with expired cow meat we caught 3 piranas and a catfish! Then trecked back through the mud pits as the sun faded, and went back to town to eat the cake my host family made to say goodbye.
The trip was great, and needed. In the everyday schedule here its easy
to forget why we are here, and the trip reminded me in every way. Paraguayans are what make this country; the beauty of the countryside, the chances to go fishing, the ample wild beehives, and everything else are just icing on the cake. There are still things here that will bother me, most likely for the next two years, but the trip confirmed that I want to be here.This is a good thing, considering I get my site assignment on wednesday! This wednesday I will be told where I will be living for the next two years. I will hopefully be able to post my location soon! After that its off for a future site visit, and I will keep you all posted on how it looks.
October 29, 2009
The Other Side
Time here both drags and rushes. Days either seem repetitive or brand new. As the newness and excitement wears off, life becomes life, and the wear and tear intertwine with the hilarious and the every day.
This week Peace Corps gave us a chance to express some of our difficulties about Paraguayan culture. While some people couldn´t think of some, mine were easy and were as follows:
1) the inability to be straight-forward. This goes both ways, first, when you ask for directions, people will make them up if they do not know, which means any question you have you must ask 3 or more people and balance the answers.. when busy, this sucks. Then, it comes the other way, if I say that I am not going to eat much of something because I am full, they take it as a non-straight-forward way of saying that I do not like what they are offering me. As a fairly blunt person, I find myself constantly stepping on toes while attempting to adjust to the Paraguayan waltz around the truth that they so elegantly manage.
2) the somewhat cruel way they treat kids conceived outside of marriage. they end up cooking, cleaning, and kinda of being treated like dirt by the families that adopt them. fortunately they seem to adapt well and accept cookies from me with sweet smiles. Also fortunately Peace Corps has a rule that we cannot adopt kids while in service... I think that probably derives from volunteers like me trying to save them...
3) Guarani is still hard. For example, the other night, rather than saying I am going to brush my teeth, which are rai, I said ra´y (the y is actually pronounced like a high pitched sigh and thus is very similar to an i) and thus told my host mother I was going to brush my testicles. Oops.
But, beyond the unfortunate things, I also recently realized, much to my hilarity, that my host mother pretty much thinks I can see the future. First, while she thought I would visit a volunteer near the city, I told her I would go far away and I ended up with the volunteer the furthest north. Then I told her that I was sure my first illness would not be a stomache problem, and when I came down with it this week it was indeed a fever. Addmittedly, she was freaked out. She mentioned my ability to sense things, and then, when I told her that rice in the salt would help it not stick together.... she whipped the rice out of the cubbored and had it in the salt shaker in 2 minutes flat.....
apparently now I need to be sure of any advice I give....
that´s all for now.
-Jess
This week Peace Corps gave us a chance to express some of our difficulties about Paraguayan culture. While some people couldn´t think of some, mine were easy and were as follows:
1) the inability to be straight-forward. This goes both ways, first, when you ask for directions, people will make them up if they do not know, which means any question you have you must ask 3 or more people and balance the answers.. when busy, this sucks. Then, it comes the other way, if I say that I am not going to eat much of something because I am full, they take it as a non-straight-forward way of saying that I do not like what they are offering me. As a fairly blunt person, I find myself constantly stepping on toes while attempting to adjust to the Paraguayan waltz around the truth that they so elegantly manage.
2) the somewhat cruel way they treat kids conceived outside of marriage. they end up cooking, cleaning, and kinda of being treated like dirt by the families that adopt them. fortunately they seem to adapt well and accept cookies from me with sweet smiles. Also fortunately Peace Corps has a rule that we cannot adopt kids while in service... I think that probably derives from volunteers like me trying to save them...
3) Guarani is still hard. For example, the other night, rather than saying I am going to brush my teeth, which are rai, I said ra´y (the y is actually pronounced like a high pitched sigh and thus is very similar to an i) and thus told my host mother I was going to brush my testicles. Oops.
But, beyond the unfortunate things, I also recently realized, much to my hilarity, that my host mother pretty much thinks I can see the future. First, while she thought I would visit a volunteer near the city, I told her I would go far away and I ended up with the volunteer the furthest north. Then I told her that I was sure my first illness would not be a stomache problem, and when I came down with it this week it was indeed a fever. Addmittedly, she was freaked out. She mentioned my ability to sense things, and then, when I told her that rice in the salt would help it not stick together.... she whipped the rice out of the cubbored and had it in the salt shaker in 2 minutes flat.....
apparently now I need to be sure of any advice I give....
that´s all for now.
-Jess
October 22, 2009
In practice
A quick note;
today David and I had our first actual dia de practica (or a day to practice finding and making work for ourselves once we get to site). We are working at the public high school teaching about trash and recycling and the like. We started off today with teaching the decomposition time of trash (who knew that a cigarrette butt takes 4 years to decompose?) Anyways, it went really well! I love working with teenagers, they were hilarious, as in the states.
Beyond that things are going well, though repetative. First Guarani interview on Friday... a bit scared, but we´ll see. Also, family is good, although this morning there was no water because of a storm last night and my host mom said, ¨now God is punishing us, the end of the world is beginning¨ . . . I laughed, and she turned to me and said, ¨no, seriously¨. Hopefully the domesday (sp?) sentiment ends before I get home for lunch!
today David and I had our first actual dia de practica (or a day to practice finding and making work for ourselves once we get to site). We are working at the public high school teaching about trash and recycling and the like. We started off today with teaching the decomposition time of trash (who knew that a cigarrette butt takes 4 years to decompose?) Anyways, it went really well! I love working with teenagers, they were hilarious, as in the states.
Beyond that things are going well, though repetative. First Guarani interview on Friday... a bit scared, but we´ll see. Also, family is good, although this morning there was no water because of a storm last night and my host mom said, ¨now God is punishing us, the end of the world is beginning¨ . . . I laughed, and she turned to me and said, ¨no, seriously¨. Hopefully the domesday (sp?) sentiment ends before I get home for lunch!
October 17, 2009
Apensa ha fotos
Its funny when cultures start to blend, when normal is suddenly questioned and the unexpected or previously interesting becomes the every day. I would say that after about a month, my reality has more or less become Paraguay. I wake up and only have an interest in a hot cup of whole milk coffee with bread. Though throughout Guarani class breaks I joke around about the carb-heavy meals so common to Paraguay, come lunch time I happily dive into my pasta with a potato sauce, and then catch myself scanning the table for sweet potatoe fingerlings to complement the meal. As I slipped out of bed this morning I realized that I had forgotten how strange it would appear to an outsider that I army crawl under a tucked-in mosquito net to get out of bed. These idiosyncrysies that left my jaw dropped for the first few days are now my comfort blankets, the little normalcies of Paraguay I now appreciate.
I no longer an shocked at how the red dirt from the road cakes on, nor at having to dive to the side of an oncoming bus. I forget when I last washed my underwear anywhere but in the shower, and have willingly begun to sling spanish and Guarani back and forth throughout my english with friends. And while I understand that I am not nor will ever be Paraguayan, I am now comfortable with the idea of living as one, albeit one that is more white and speaks Guarani not so well, for the next two years.
Back in Costa Alegre, the schedule of class and lunch and more class and studying has already become repetitive (something big for me to say considering my love for schedules) still I have noticed recently that I am absorbing the information. I only hope it stays long enough to work once I get at site for the next two years! OK, now the long-promised photos. Enjoy! First is my house from the front with my cool dog Jango out front. Next is my kitchen, and then my bathroom (notice, there is no curtain, so after you shower everything is wet and you have to dry it off again, which sucks). Next is my family holding down the baby cow to cut off its balls. Then the group when we first got our gear, in the apiary checking a kenya top-bar and finally Kendall with a frame from the top bar hive!
Jajotopata-
Jess
I no longer an shocked at how the red dirt from the road cakes on, nor at having to dive to the side of an oncoming bus. I forget when I last washed my underwear anywhere but in the shower, and have willingly begun to sling spanish and Guarani back and forth throughout my english with friends. And while I understand that I am not nor will ever be Paraguayan, I am now comfortable with the idea of living as one, albeit one that is more white and speaks Guarani not so well, for the next two years.
Back in Costa Alegre, the schedule of class and lunch and more class and studying has already become repetitive (something big for me to say considering my love for schedules) still I have noticed recently that I am absorbing the information. I only hope it stays long enough to work once I get at site for the next two years! OK, now the long-promised photos. Enjoy! First is my house from the front with my cool dog Jango out front. Next is my kitchen, and then my bathroom (notice, there is no curtain, so after you shower everything is wet and you have to dry it off again, which sucks). Next is my family holding down the baby cow to cut off its balls. Then the group when we first got our gear, in the apiary checking a kenya top-bar and finally Kendall with a frame from the top bar hive!
Jajotopata-
Jess
October 12, 2009
En el Norte
I am currently in Concepcion, about 7 hours north of Asuncion, where I searched out a special internet cafe that could handle uploading photos.... and where, upon insertion of my usb falsh drive, the computer detected a virus and deleted my photos. Yes, they are still on my camera, but this means none for you yet. (sorry Laura, I was really trying to make your request about my blog come true!)
Anyways, it is my last night on my visit to a current Volunteer. I spent the weekend with Nina, a current beekeeping volunteer, and as I thought I would have to go far, the volunteer that is the furthest north they will place anyone in Paraguay beyond going in the Chaco.
The visit has been great. First we trainees got to go to a ´chuchi´(which means fancy or nice in Guarani) restaurant in Asuncion where Kendall and I split fajitas, however, we did drink until a little late, and got to the bus terminal about 30 minutes later than planned, switching the available busses to ones that took 2 hours longer, and so we arrived in Concepcion at around 9 am on saturday morning. I then got on another bus, which took me far into the countryside, where I got off and started hiking the 3 kilometers into my volunteers site with a dude that only spoke Guarani. I managed to exchange my name, learn his, talk about liking the countryside, name a few animals and express my hapiness in Paraguay amidst many lost phrases on his part, and then ran into Nina coming towards us.
We spent the weekend gardening, and visiting families to meet them and drink terere, terere, and more terere. I also bucket showered with tree frogs and am pretty sure I killed a baby tarantula. It was fun, calm, and a much needed break from the intense studying that will commence again on wednesday.
Since Nina´s site is so far in the campo, we came in to the city today so that I could make the bus tomorrow morning. All the other volunteers hosting trainees will come in throughout the day, and we´re all staying at a sleezy yet charming hotel available both by the hour and the night... Benefits include the 4$ cost and the fact that tonight, the bar downstairs hosts a Kareoke contest! Omarcha!
Stories and a purely photo post to come as soon as technology stops defeating my own capabilities. Now I will attempt to post stolen fotos from the internet to show examples of the countryside I am experiencing.
Jajotopata (see you later)- jess
Anyways, it is my last night on my visit to a current Volunteer. I spent the weekend with Nina, a current beekeeping volunteer, and as I thought I would have to go far, the volunteer that is the furthest north they will place anyone in Paraguay beyond going in the Chaco.
The visit has been great. First we trainees got to go to a ´chuchi´(which means fancy or nice in Guarani) restaurant in Asuncion where Kendall and I split fajitas, however, we did drink until a little late, and got to the bus terminal about 30 minutes later than planned, switching the available busses to ones that took 2 hours longer, and so we arrived in Concepcion at around 9 am on saturday morning. I then got on another bus, which took me far into the countryside, where I got off and started hiking the 3 kilometers into my volunteers site with a dude that only spoke Guarani. I managed to exchange my name, learn his, talk about liking the countryside, name a few animals and express my hapiness in Paraguay amidst many lost phrases on his part, and then ran into Nina coming towards us.
We spent the weekend gardening, and visiting families to meet them and drink terere, terere, and more terere. I also bucket showered with tree frogs and am pretty sure I killed a baby tarantula. It was fun, calm, and a much needed break from the intense studying that will commence again on wednesday.
Since Nina´s site is so far in the campo, we came in to the city today so that I could make the bus tomorrow morning. All the other volunteers hosting trainees will come in throughout the day, and we´re all staying at a sleezy yet charming hotel available both by the hour and the night... Benefits include the 4$ cost and the fact that tonight, the bar downstairs hosts a Kareoke contest! Omarcha!
Stories and a purely photo post to come as soon as technology stops defeating my own capabilities. Now I will attempt to post stolen fotos from the internet to show examples of the countryside I am experiencing.
Jajotopata (see you later)- jess
October 7, 2009
Mbaéchapa
OK. So, below is a blog I wrote a few days ago.. wanted to post it before I go visit a current Peace Corps volunteer in their site this weekend. I could be as far as 10 hours away from my current host family! However, last night my host dad cornered me to try to get me to convert to evangelicism, so leaving will make things likely less awkward. Today we are in the big city and about to go to the peace corps office, so i have to go. But I hope you all enjoy!
Mba’echapa!
-Jess
October 3, 2009
Soon to come...
So today went by faster then I thought.... and therefore there is no blog post. Sorry! But I will work on it and try to upload one tomorrow or Sunday. Also I forgot to bring my camera chord... so it´ll be better if you wait anyways!
September 27, 2009
A hole in the wall and other stories
So not much has happened so far. A few funny experiences to recount though...
First, I asked if my room was done at breakfast yesterday and they said no. They then point at a wall and tell me that they have to tear it down so that I could have a door from my new room into the kitchen. They are tearing their house apart for me. Nice but funny. We´ll see when its done...
Also, my two brothers also still do not talk to me. But, one has now walked in on me on the toilet, so, maybe he will talk to me soon? After that I had a very awkward lesson with my mom about how to lock doors...
Finally, my parents are evangelical, that I knew, so I asked if I could go to church to have a cultural experience. Little did I know how much this could change things... luckily a few other people are in the same boat. Essentially it is a new age christian church that is very very very active and a bit pushy, and it turns out my mom is the band´s singer and my dad is the co-pastor. Needless to say, God has entered my life. Literally, everything they talk about now is about God, and they are constantly telling me that they prey for a good site for me that is close so I can visit them after I leave for site. It is all very nice, though slightly overwhelming at times,like this morning, at church again, when they had all three of us volunteers go to sunday school with the teenagers where a 15 year old told us how to rid ourselves of carnal emotions and have a good marriage...
luckily all of this is padded by delicious cold mate with herbs to sip on as a group. Now we sit and wait until drinking straight out of the faucet makes us sick...
until later,
love,
Jess
First, I asked if my room was done at breakfast yesterday and they said no. They then point at a wall and tell me that they have to tear it down so that I could have a door from my new room into the kitchen. They are tearing their house apart for me. Nice but funny. We´ll see when its done...
Also, my two brothers also still do not talk to me. But, one has now walked in on me on the toilet, so, maybe he will talk to me soon? After that I had a very awkward lesson with my mom about how to lock doors...
Finally, my parents are evangelical, that I knew, so I asked if I could go to church to have a cultural experience. Little did I know how much this could change things... luckily a few other people are in the same boat. Essentially it is a new age christian church that is very very very active and a bit pushy, and it turns out my mom is the band´s singer and my dad is the co-pastor. Needless to say, God has entered my life. Literally, everything they talk about now is about God, and they are constantly telling me that they prey for a good site for me that is close so I can visit them after I leave for site. It is all very nice, though slightly overwhelming at times,like this morning, at church again, when they had all three of us volunteers go to sunday school with the teenagers where a 15 year old told us how to rid ourselves of carnal emotions and have a good marriage...
luckily all of this is padded by delicious cold mate with herbs to sip on as a group. Now we sit and wait until drinking straight out of the faucet makes us sick...
until later,
love,
Jess
September 25, 2009
First Few Days in Paraguay!
So I made it to Paraguay after a brief overnight in Miami, where we stayed at a great hotel, and I got my fill on my last few American meals and beers! The flights were long, and as per normal, I could not sleep, but, they were successful... including all of my luggage making it!
Things have been surreal thus far. I guess I should admit to myself that I am probably in the euphoric stage of adjustment, but I can barely wipe the smile off my face. I met my host family yesterday. I have a mother, father, and four siblings, one of whom I met on the cell phone as she studies at a university in another city during the week, but will come back this weekend so I can meet her in person. I am staying in her room for the time being, but the exciting news is that my family is building an entire extension on the house just for me! I will be located right next to the three cows in my own little room with a large window overlooking the garden! (pictures will come soon, I promise... I at least have to wait for it to be built!) Besides 3 cows, we have two dogs (one of which is named doggie). So far I have little to say about my siblings, because they are too shy to talk to me, but my mom is hilarious and very kind.
The last 24 hours have been good. But I must admit little has happened. I spent the evening last night showing pictures I brought to my mother, and then crashed after a grilled cheese for dinner with some tea and slept until 6 am, when I woke up, ate two breadsticks and walked with everyone to the bus stop. Training is going well. I was forcefully stung by an africanized bee today (they got them angry, then layed them on our arm until they stung us) and I am not allergic. However, it did burn and scream, and I am mostly nervous about having to explain the angry words that come out of my mouth whenever I am stung to the farmers I work with...
Also, we are diving straight into Guarani lessons. It is a super cool language, and besides sharing a few words with Spanish, sounds nothing like it. Beekeepers are required to reach an intermediate level (which pretty much means fairly fluent) by the end of the 11 week training session, so I have to get studying!
Sorry this post has not been uber-interesting, but I am sure a funny story leading from an awkward situation will come soon. This weekend plans include making tortillas and terere tomorrow morning, and afternoon soccer with the women of my community on sunday. Tuesday I will have my first official beekeeping training session-- more tales to come.
PS. In the case anybody ever sends a package they suggested today that we tell everyone to be sure to tape them closed very very very well because there are noses that pry. Also, don´t include anything valuable, as although it will make it to paraguay, it will likely not make it to me. Finally, use USPS, because the others are expensive and USPS makes it in about 2 or 3 weeks.
much love.
-jess
Things have been surreal thus far. I guess I should admit to myself that I am probably in the euphoric stage of adjustment, but I can barely wipe the smile off my face. I met my host family yesterday. I have a mother, father, and four siblings, one of whom I met on the cell phone as she studies at a university in another city during the week, but will come back this weekend so I can meet her in person. I am staying in her room for the time being, but the exciting news is that my family is building an entire extension on the house just for me! I will be located right next to the three cows in my own little room with a large window overlooking the garden! (pictures will come soon, I promise... I at least have to wait for it to be built!) Besides 3 cows, we have two dogs (one of which is named doggie). So far I have little to say about my siblings, because they are too shy to talk to me, but my mom is hilarious and very kind.
The last 24 hours have been good. But I must admit little has happened. I spent the evening last night showing pictures I brought to my mother, and then crashed after a grilled cheese for dinner with some tea and slept until 6 am, when I woke up, ate two breadsticks and walked with everyone to the bus stop. Training is going well. I was forcefully stung by an africanized bee today (they got them angry, then layed them on our arm until they stung us) and I am not allergic. However, it did burn and scream, and I am mostly nervous about having to explain the angry words that come out of my mouth whenever I am stung to the farmers I work with...
Also, we are diving straight into Guarani lessons. It is a super cool language, and besides sharing a few words with Spanish, sounds nothing like it. Beekeepers are required to reach an intermediate level (which pretty much means fairly fluent) by the end of the 11 week training session, so I have to get studying!
Sorry this post has not been uber-interesting, but I am sure a funny story leading from an awkward situation will come soon. This weekend plans include making tortillas and terere tomorrow morning, and afternoon soccer with the women of my community on sunday. Tuesday I will have my first official beekeeping training session-- more tales to come.
PS. In the case anybody ever sends a package they suggested today that we tell everyone to be sure to tape them closed very very very well because there are noses that pry. Also, don´t include anything valuable, as although it will make it to paraguay, it will likely not make it to me. Finally, use USPS, because the others are expensive and USPS makes it in about 2 or 3 weeks.
much love.
-jess
September 21, 2009
Adios to the familiar (and contact info for Paraguay!)
I leave tomorrow. I leave tomorrow. I leave tomorrow. No matter how many times I run it through my head it does not sink in. I have what I think my life over the next two years should consist of (in material terms) packed (or stuffed) into a roller duffel, a backpack, a small duffel and a shoulder bag. I am loading my iPod with the most up-to-date music that I actually like, knowing that in 2 months I will no longer have any concept of the US top 40. Granted, by then I will be able to make a mean cow's head soup, concoct a perfectly sweetened terere (cold mate), and hopefully have a handle on one of the only indigenous languages in the previously colonized world that is also the current countries official language. The emotions I experience now are nowhere near as complicated as the random thoughts I have, and the random fears, and specific excitements... as well as the sadness that I have no room for my own homemade zucchini bread...
I spend tomorrow night in Miami. Maybe a good place to practice spanish. So, for those of you who might want to talk to me before I go, the cellular will be with me and on until I ship it home via the USPS at around 3 pm eastern time on the 22nd. For those of you who do not want to talk to me tomorrow, or those others who have asked for my address time and time again, here it is:
Jessica Clayton PCT
Cuerpo de Paz
162 Chaco Boreal c/Mcal. Lopez
Asuncion 1580, Paraguay
South America
Airmail is suggested, as it takes like 8 days and has about an 85% success rate. I must admit that I would love anything that is sent to me. I love letters! And anyone that writes will receive a response. If you do want to start a letter chain, be sure to number your letters in the order you send them, that way I will know if I miss any. (this is Peace Corps advice, although I must admit that if I do find one is missing, I will have absolutely no way to claim it or find it, so I am not sure what good it does). but...
Packages will surely be welcome as well, as well as photos! But, if you send a package declare it to be worth like nothing, and don't send anything too valuable, as it will probably be opened by a customs officer and taken as compensation for their work. So, send them airmail via UPS, FedEx, or USPS with a declared value of no more than 100$, hide the valuables inside kangaroo pouches, and keep it in about a shoe-box size. Then we'll be all good, and I will be very very happy and send a beautiful postcard in return.
Now I must get back to pretending that I will remember everything, and that I will be able to sleep tonight... Keep in touch. I know my adventures may seem exciting, but I can promise that stories from home will keep me content for hours, days, and maybe even my whole time there if I can get them often enough!
I spend tomorrow night in Miami. Maybe a good place to practice spanish. So, for those of you who might want to talk to me before I go, the cellular will be with me and on until I ship it home via the USPS at around 3 pm eastern time on the 22nd. For those of you who do not want to talk to me tomorrow, or those others who have asked for my address time and time again, here it is:
Jessica Clayton PCT
Cuerpo de Paz
162 Chaco Boreal c/Mcal. Lopez
Asuncion 1580, Paraguay
South America
Airmail is suggested, as it takes like 8 days and has about an 85% success rate. I must admit that I would love anything that is sent to me. I love letters! And anyone that writes will receive a response. If you do want to start a letter chain, be sure to number your letters in the order you send them, that way I will know if I miss any. (this is Peace Corps advice, although I must admit that if I do find one is missing, I will have absolutely no way to claim it or find it, so I am not sure what good it does). but...
Packages will surely be welcome as well, as well as photos! But, if you send a package declare it to be worth like nothing, and don't send anything too valuable, as it will probably be opened by a customs officer and taken as compensation for their work. So, send them airmail via UPS, FedEx, or USPS with a declared value of no more than 100$, hide the valuables inside kangaroo pouches, and keep it in about a shoe-box size. Then we'll be all good, and I will be very very happy and send a beautiful postcard in return.
Now I must get back to pretending that I will remember everything, and that I will be able to sleep tonight... Keep in touch. I know my adventures may seem exciting, but I can promise that stories from home will keep me content for hours, days, and maybe even my whole time there if I can get them often enough!
September 9, 2009
A Taste of Summer
Here are some shots composing a summary of my ventures this summer as I said goodbye to people and places in the US.
Climbing the mountains of Colorado Springs
2 Amazing weeks in Hawaii with Chris
Exploring East Coast beaches
Successful whale watching with beautiful sunsets
Visiting Middlebury People
Nannying two sweet babies in Shelter Island
And spending time with family (especially my niece and nephew... photo to come).
I head out in 2 weeks. Now begins the attempt to pack, much less even think, of all the things I will want and need for the next two years that will fit into my 80 lb. luggage limit!
Climbing the mountains of Colorado Springs
2 Amazing weeks in Hawaii with Chris
Exploring East Coast beaches
Successful whale watching with beautiful sunsets
Visiting Middlebury People
Nannying two sweet babies in Shelter IslandAnd spending time with family (especially my niece and nephew... photo to come).
I head out in 2 weeks. Now begins the attempt to pack, much less even think, of all the things I will want and need for the next two years that will fit into my 80 lb. luggage limit!
July 14, 2009
Unplanned summer to prepare
So many of you may have heard the story, and others maybe not. To make it short, strange and unforseen circumstances combined with an official acceptance as a Peace Corps volunteer to make for a very interesting beginning to my summer. Instead of Costa Rica, I will be gracing Colorado with my presence for a while, and I will also have time to see my people and my family before heading out to new strange circumstances, for which I hope to be prepared.
I confirmed about 3 weeks ago as Peace Corps agrobusiness and beekeeping volunteer in rural Paraguay. While the job description attempts to give me a broad idea about what my life will be like for the next 27 months, I know little beyond the fact that I will be working with aficanized bees and teaching other Paraguayans to do so in an attempt to promote sustainable business. My first three months I will be training an hour outside of Asuncion, and after that, I will be placed in a site I will call home for the next few years. It will be hard, it will be scary, it will be exciting, new, fantastic, and I have basically decided to not really think about it. The best things come when you have no expectations before beginning them. Lucky for me, I know little to nothing about Paraguay, making expectations a difficulty to form.
My staging date is on or around September 21st. So I am doing what I can to make the most of my summer. I have been exploring the rockies, and will continue to do so until the 30th of July with a good friend from LA. After that its off to Hawaii, and then Boston on the 12th of August. The last week in August I will be working in NY on Shelter Island. Then back in Colorado until I ship out. I have already had to say goodbye to a few people, but the rest of you should know that if you are near where I will be, I will hunt you down. I want to say goodbye before I begin what will inevitably be a hilarious and awkward life adventure. After it begins, I will post the crazy stories that tend to follow me here. I hope you enjoy, and I will miss you all.
P.S. I was serious about you all starting blogs (you know who you are), so get them started and send me a link. It never hurts to be reminded that lives go on and awkwardness ensues despite my being abroad.
I confirmed about 3 weeks ago as Peace Corps agrobusiness and beekeeping volunteer in rural Paraguay. While the job description attempts to give me a broad idea about what my life will be like for the next 27 months, I know little beyond the fact that I will be working with aficanized bees and teaching other Paraguayans to do so in an attempt to promote sustainable business. My first three months I will be training an hour outside of Asuncion, and after that, I will be placed in a site I will call home for the next few years. It will be hard, it will be scary, it will be exciting, new, fantastic, and I have basically decided to not really think about it. The best things come when you have no expectations before beginning them. Lucky for me, I know little to nothing about Paraguay, making expectations a difficulty to form.
My staging date is on or around September 21st. So I am doing what I can to make the most of my summer. I have been exploring the rockies, and will continue to do so until the 30th of July with a good friend from LA. After that its off to Hawaii, and then Boston on the 12th of August. The last week in August I will be working in NY on Shelter Island. Then back in Colorado until I ship out. I have already had to say goodbye to a few people, but the rest of you should know that if you are near where I will be, I will hunt you down. I want to say goodbye before I begin what will inevitably be a hilarious and awkward life adventure. After it begins, I will post the crazy stories that tend to follow me here. I hope you enjoy, and I will miss you all.
P.S. I was serious about you all starting blogs (you know who you are), so get them started and send me a link. It never hurts to be reminded that lives go on and awkwardness ensues despite my being abroad.
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