Our New Home
As we've learned, our new home for the next 2 years will be in the department of Caaguazu, about 5 or hours east of Asuncion. We will be moving to our site in mid December, will have cell phone service, electricity, and running water, (I think).
We are off to visit our new home on Wednesday and will be back on the following Monday. Wish us luck!
Chris here, (in his debut entry):
Greetings everyone out there! and Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone!
We have been here in Paraguay now for just a little over two months and I sure have learned a lot! My Spanish is so-so and my Guarani is flat out terrible. We are moving soon and are to become "official" volunteers within a few weeks. Our site is a non-descript local near the bustling backwater of Yhu in the Department of Caaguazu. Caaguazu, I have been told means "forest paradise" in Guarani, but I have been assured that none of its left. Thank goodnees I sure hate trees! So for those who know Paraguay it's east from Asuncion (about 2.5 hours) to the town of Caguaazu and then north on red dirt roads. Peace Corps staff has assured me that its full of rural charm. I asked for a place way in the middle of no where and I think they met me half way. It may sound real remote to people who only have to drive five minutes to the Albertsons, but here in Paraguay I am not nearly as isolated as others. Its just a short dusty two hour Micro (bus) ride to the internet and a small grocery store. I feel blessed... other folks can't get out of there site when it rains and i have been told that I can. Marissa says there's running water but I think she doesn't know what she's talking about. There is another married couple from Texas 7 km away from us and they will help us get started in the community. They are leaving in April and have told us that we can have some of there things. They have also invited us to a BBQ X-mas eve. They will be slaughtering a 130 kilo pig. For some perspective on this, I weigh around 87 kilos. We are going to visit the site on Thursday and will post something for everyone in a week or two.
On another more general note...
I have met a ton of wonderful people here and Marissa and I are very happy. Neither of us has gotten real sick nor real depressed from culture shock. Our host family here is really wonderful! They bend over backwards to help us and are very generous with what they have, and at times they are understanding of our peculiar ways. They have made our experience here very positive and I will miss them when we go campo in a few weeks. Now I will give a short wrap up of the past weeks events.
We went on two seperate trips last week. I went to a city to play games with children and Marissa went way down south to work with farmers. Lets just say that my experience and hers were entirely different. I really enjoyed the experience and learned a ton about working in Paraguayan schools. Marissa also enjoyed her experience but had incredibly rougher accomodations. I am thinking of a few people who will probably read this entry that would flip out if they had to endure a week of what she endured. After our foray into the Paraguayan campo/city we returned to our "suburb" outside of Asuncion for a short week of training. Last Wendensday I killed a Chicken. Thats right, I killed a chicken, with my bear hands. How barbaric, no? I can't say I enjoyed myself or that I look forward to killing more chickens but I think my new skill will suit me well in the campo. After bloody Wedensday we had a marvelous Turkey day with our new Peace Corps trainees. It was something resembling a potluck... my favorite contribution was Cincy chili. God bless the volunteer who brought it. For the Cincinnati crowd, yes, she's a westsider but who can really complain when Skylines on hand. It was delicious! Then after much delay and anticipation we got our assignment!
All in all we are very happy here. I will try and get more entries down in the future and I hope all of our friends and family who are reading this are doing well. Today is "Who Dey" day and I still only wear only orange and black. Although I have to say Marissa and the Paraguayans think it's a bit ridiculous at times. I am looking forward to the Monday night game against the Colts. It will be the last night before we head out to the campo. I have been assured by folks here in Paraguay that its on cable. I can't wait! Ocho cinco better not let me down. Who Dey and Love to all,
Chris and Marissa
We are off to visit our new home on Wednesday and will be back on the following Monday. Wish us luck!
Chris here, (in his debut entry):
Greetings everyone out there! and Happy belated Thanksgiving to everyone!
We have been here in Paraguay now for just a little over two months and I sure have learned a lot! My Spanish is so-so and my Guarani is flat out terrible. We are moving soon and are to become "official" volunteers within a few weeks. Our site is a non-descript local near the bustling backwater of Yhu in the Department of Caaguazu. Caaguazu, I have been told means "forest paradise" in Guarani, but I have been assured that none of its left. Thank goodnees I sure hate trees! So for those who know Paraguay it's east from Asuncion (about 2.5 hours) to the town of Caguaazu and then north on red dirt roads. Peace Corps staff has assured me that its full of rural charm. I asked for a place way in the middle of no where and I think they met me half way. It may sound real remote to people who only have to drive five minutes to the Albertsons, but here in Paraguay I am not nearly as isolated as others. Its just a short dusty two hour Micro (bus) ride to the internet and a small grocery store. I feel blessed... other folks can't get out of there site when it rains and i have been told that I can. Marissa says there's running water but I think she doesn't know what she's talking about. There is another married couple from Texas 7 km away from us and they will help us get started in the community. They are leaving in April and have told us that we can have some of there things. They have also invited us to a BBQ X-mas eve. They will be slaughtering a 130 kilo pig. For some perspective on this, I weigh around 87 kilos. We are going to visit the site on Thursday and will post something for everyone in a week or two.
On another more general note...
I have met a ton of wonderful people here and Marissa and I are very happy. Neither of us has gotten real sick nor real depressed from culture shock. Our host family here is really wonderful! They bend over backwards to help us and are very generous with what they have, and at times they are understanding of our peculiar ways. They have made our experience here very positive and I will miss them when we go campo in a few weeks. Now I will give a short wrap up of the past weeks events.
We went on two seperate trips last week. I went to a city to play games with children and Marissa went way down south to work with farmers. Lets just say that my experience and hers were entirely different. I really enjoyed the experience and learned a ton about working in Paraguayan schools. Marissa also enjoyed her experience but had incredibly rougher accomodations. I am thinking of a few people who will probably read this entry that would flip out if they had to endure a week of what she endured. After our foray into the Paraguayan campo/city we returned to our "suburb" outside of Asuncion for a short week of training. Last Wendensday I killed a Chicken. Thats right, I killed a chicken, with my bear hands. How barbaric, no? I can't say I enjoyed myself or that I look forward to killing more chickens but I think my new skill will suit me well in the campo. After bloody Wedensday we had a marvelous Turkey day with our new Peace Corps trainees. It was something resembling a potluck... my favorite contribution was Cincy chili. God bless the volunteer who brought it. For the Cincinnati crowd, yes, she's a westsider but who can really complain when Skylines on hand. It was delicious! Then after much delay and anticipation we got our assignment!
All in all we are very happy here. I will try and get more entries down in the future and I hope all of our friends and family who are reading this are doing well. Today is "Who Dey" day and I still only wear only orange and black. Although I have to say Marissa and the Paraguayans think it's a bit ridiculous at times. I am looking forward to the Monday night game against the Colts. It will be the last night before we head out to the campo. I have been assured by folks here in Paraguay that its on cable. I can't wait! Ocho cinco better not let me down. Who Dey and Love to all,
Chris and Marissa
posted by Marissa & Christopher Updike @ 5:44 AM
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