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!