13 Days Until Christmas...

(Our buddy Bo, me, and Chris doing some beekeeping last weekend)

And it's about 100 degrees or so at least here today, and it's so miserably hot! Not even sweating helps, but I know that everyone in Ohio is already used to this... Chris and I are tying up some loose ends, as we prepare to swear-in as official volunteers on Friday at the U.S. embassy. We will be staying in the city afterwards, enjoying some creature-comforts until we leave for the campo on Tuesday morning. We hope to be receiving a cell phone on Monday, but will not yet be sure that we can call from it for a while. We ARE however, planning to call family on Sunday (and maybe on Saturday sometime) to catch up before we leave, probably sometime in the afternooon.

Chris and I were having a semi-horrible day today because we couldn't sleep last night. Our ceiling fan broke about 5 days ago, and no, it won't be fixed because we are leaving on Friday morning, and it's just not a priority. We thought about buying a floor fan, but imagine having to lug that around on very busy, hot public transportation while you carry other heavy bags. So, I think we'll have to suffer for a few more days. Maybe I'll just take 2 anti-histamines instead of one, so that it knocks me out and I can get some sleep.

In other news, Chris and I have been trying to learn about building latrines and basic masonry so that we may be of aid if we are going to have to build a house. The houses in our site are little more than wooden huts with metal or straw roofs. And while this and of itself sounds charming and rustic, the fact is, that when two pieces of board do not sit together flush against each other, bugs get in. Also, straw is extremely flammable, and metal roofing (especially at a height not much tall than Chris' head) feels like an oven in the middle of an equatorial summer. The only house available for rent that we feel we can work with also does not have shade, water, or a latrine. Latrines are not hard to build, but water is another thing. If we wanted our own water source, we'd have to dig a well. Or else, we'd have to walk across to the neighbors and haul it back and forth across the road. That is, if we even have to option of renting said house. The owner, a young man of about 30, apparently built it with the intention of marrying and moving into it. However, he has yet to even have a girlfriend in his entire life, or so says my host mom. Whatever the issue, we're just afraid that if we move in, he'll find someone, end up marrying, and then want to move in before our time is up.
The other houses we've seen for rent are simply not do-able. Thus, we are left with the possible outcome of building our own house. We do not want to deal with taking out loans, hauling materials in from the city, or having to pay someone to build. Nor do we want to live with a host family any longer than we have to. But we'll do it if there's no choice. I haven't given up hope yet though as we haven't seen much in the neighboring community where we also have the option of living. I've even heard of families willing to actually move into different housing just so that they can make money off of the rent! We shall see what happens, and I'm sure it will be nothing less than interesting.

Other than that, our future site is beautiful. There are gently rolling hills and lots of forested areas left. We have several arroyos (streams) where we can go cool off, and the people there are really friendly and very generous. We went to a wedding anniversary party while we were there and they have just killed a pig for the celebration. The food was good, and we even danced a bit (even if it was just to a Paraguayan polka). We see lots of potential for good work to be done both in the fields and in the schools. We will even be schooled in beekeeping once we finish our service as there are lots of people with honeybees. They are also starting to do work with piscicultura (fish farming) and there are a few very progressive farmers who want to work with me, and are open-minded. Which is nice, considering that Paraguayan culture is very machismo and often times, women just aren't tolerated--whether working alongside men in the fields or telling them how to increase production.

I had better wrap this up for now and give someone else a chance to get on the computer. I believe we already received our Christmas present from Sally and Jim and the girls, so THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! We love you and all of our family and friends too!!!! We will be calling shortly, so be on the lookout!

Love,
Marissa and Chris