6 months!

Well today is the six month mark of my Paraguay experience. I look back and try to reflect on all that has happened in these past six months and I just have the same reaction in my head is ¨how has it already been six months?¨ I am slightly shell shocked. Though I do look back on when I was boarding my plane, saying good bye to my friends and family knowing that when I saw them again in a year that nothing would be the same. I remember having no idea what I was walking into then; walking into my first host families house, crying for five hours the first night just wondering what I had done.

                It all seems so close but so far away. I do not know if it is far away because I have become so much less attached to the memories or if it because I have become some much more attached to the new ones. After seeing that these past months have gone by I know the others ones to come will be challenging, but go so much faster than the beginning ones did.

                It is really perplexing to me how much I have changed over these past few months and also how I have gained a lot more insight on the people here. Though it is hard to see some of the things on my own my friends and father have helped me see a lot how I have. Some of the things that have changed about me are that I have learned to let go. I have learned to see how holding on to something’s, whether it be people, feelings or memories, needs to have an expiration date on the hurt or sadness it causes me. I have become able to let go of some of the things or people that were holding me back from being happy in the past. However, that is not to say that I have not also grown in the way of how I believe more than ever, that people need to be held accountable for what they do. I am not sure what promoted this change the most. It could have been the extreme corruption that is overtaking Paraguay. Or maybe it is the fact that the people of this country just sit by and watch. It makes me infuriated, therefore I am stronger in the opinion that all people need to own what they do. And no matter how hard it is to admit they were wrong or made a mistake they need to own their actions and face the repercussions. Or maybe owning what they have done could change the future of those two people or the country. Actions define character and sometimes a person does not do what is right. Wheatear it is for their country or for their family they must back track and sand over the splinters; if not they will be there bothering everyone and one day someone will step on them causing more pain that could have been prevented. But, the person needs to continue sanding over the patch, not just leave them again because people do not trust words they trust actions.

                Another thing I have realized about myself that is not very positive is that I have somewhat lost the path of studies I wanted to follow. Before I came here I was sure I wanted to study environmental issues and cultural aspects of those issues. The more time I am here the more I lose hope in people when it comes to the environment. Which is extremely ironic considering I am from the United States; I do know the U.S.A. is the highest consuming country in the world. However I AM AWARE OF IT, as are most of the people. And though our country could be doing a hell of a lot more to help our impact we are attempting. Paraguay however is useless. I would honestly say approximately 1% of the population is aware of the environmental deviation they are creating. And I am almost sure about 0% gives a damn. I have also learned that even more than ever I love and live by the words by Gandhi when he said ¨Be the change you want to see in the world.¨ though I try to live by those words. Paraguayans have never heard of them. They simply think, ¨What difference is it going to make if I only change my ways… therefore I should not change anything and just fit in.¨ another thing that I cannot get over is the thing they cannot seem to get over. Paraguay has a very intense history. They have had a very tough and oppressive upbringing. I understand this is very hard however; the people cannot get over it. They dwell on the past more than a dumped nerdy high school boy. I do not want to come off unsympathetic and non-understanding of their past because I do. I just think that the way they cling onto what has happened is gluing them to what happened and not what they could create for the future. Also, the same thing is occurring with the culture the way they hold on to it is great. However, they hold on to every part, the good and the awful. Instead of working on the things they are struggling in the simply put them aside and say the bad things do not need to be changed because it is part of their culture.

Another thing I have become much more aware of is family. Though I have always considered family important, while my time here I am realizing it is more than just blood lines, it is only the actions that matter. When my dad was here with my host family and me it really showed me how true that all is. This was two different sides of me. My dad who is probably one of the people closest to me in the world and I can always count on to have my back, and accurately tick me off with an answer or opinion that I do not want to hear. Along with my host family, who has taken me in and treated me as a new member of the family. I have three sisters that I totally love just about as much as I love my brothers (a thing I thought I would never say) but it is true. By having the two parts together it allowed me to become closer to both sides of my family and it was great.

Host family, with my dad when we all went out to a nice dinner. We did not reserve a table so they ended up giving us a private room :) <3

Trip to Encarnacion!

The red paintbrush shows where we visited i live in Asuncion . Sorry i used a paint brush I could not figure out how to draw a line...

One of the events I had planned for me and my father to do was go visit another city called Encarnacion. One of the main reasons I went was to just see my friend Alex and also I knew there was a beach however I was surprised by how much more that Paraguay hotspot had to offer. After the dragging seven hour bus ride to that city for a huge fee of 60,000 Guarani (about $14). We arrived the first day and simply were lazy, ate saw the city and what it had to offer. Day two we got moving. We went to the Jesuit ruins. The ruins were a really cool place to go and taught me some of the history on Paraguay. The ruins are where the Jesuits came years and years ago to teach the Paraguayans about the message of god and also bring different types of crops and ways to grow foods to the indigenous people. It was only recently considered a place of history so the place is not in ideal condition.

Some of the ruins.

Some of the ruins

This is me and my friend Alex, he is also AFS from Ohio, he was out tour guide for the duration of out Encarnacion travels.

Also, while in Encarnacion we decided to do a quick trip to Argentina considering it is only across the bridge. We caught a bus and headed over, it took over 45 minutes considering Argentina is semi strict in who enters their country. However, on the other side of the bridge people were speeding along at 80MPH because Paraguay does not genuinely care about who enters their country. A majority of people on the bus were Argentineans because they go for the day to shop in Paraguay because items are cheaper here and they head back during the night, which is why it was so busy. Also, for Paraguay and Argentina they have an agreement that in order to enter each other’s country it is not required to have a passport if you are Argentinean or Paraguayan you simply show a form of identification that proves you are from that country; I personally think that is really cool. Once we arrived we walked the city for a little while. We were in the city called Posadas. Though it is considered a small city in Argentina I felt like it was New York compared to Paraguay. There were people exercising, less buses, clean streets, some of the simple things I simply do not see in Paraguay. We went into a supermarket and saw ice cream being sold in the kilo and me and my friend were shocked that they sold ice cream in the store because they do not in Paraguay. We both were imagining what it is going to be like once we go home to the USA. After walking for a little we went to the river’s edge and realized that Argentina got screwed with the view of Paraguay.

This is Paraguays view of Argentina, so pretty!

This is Argentinas view of Paraguay... Sorry Argentina.

After are evening stroll we headed to grab some dinner.

Our great dinner choice!

Me and Alex ordering because my fathers spanish is useless haha and my favorite waiter!

The family business

                Following the trip to the lake we went to tour the ceramic factory that my host mother’s family owns. In the factories they make bricks and shingles. They have three different factories which each employ one hundred and fifty people. This is just the kind of jobs that Paraguayans need. We went in and saw the entire process of how the brick was made from start to finish. Process is below:

First they get this type of dirt mixture. They add three different types in order to insure the correct product. Then in the machine in the photo the process the dirt inorder to make it easier to mold and process.

Once the dirt is processed and molded into form it is transfered into the drying area for 48 hours in order to get any excess moisture out of them before they are put into the oven.

once they are dried for 48 hours they are transfered into the oven which runs about 1740F  all day everyday . The reason it runs 24/7 is because to reheat the whole oven it takes days therefore they never turn it off.

the oven is heated with about 15 of these compartments that burn off of wood shavings. There are people always shoveling shavings into these ovens to keep them burning.

this is the company logo which also shows the finished products.

On the same property that they have this particular factory they also happen to have somewhat of a zoo of birds because my host grandfather loves birds. After the tour of the factory we went and saw some of the birds. 

 

This is a current endangered species here in Paraguay some of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen.

This is a current endangered species here in Paraguay some of the most beautiful birds I have ever seen. 

i just love these birds so much!


rare type of tucan here not quite my favorite but quite unique.

Seeing some of nature in Paraguay

Later last week my host parents, dad and i went exploring!  We went around seeing some of the sites of Paraguay and of what my family does.  We went to the ¨mountain¨ called Cerro. But, I am sorry I am from Colorado so I call it a hill. If it takes ten minutes to hike to the top and you can do it in flip flops, it does not deserve the title of mountain; though it was very pretty once we reached the top. According to my host father the rocks of this mountain can only be found in Paraguay and a certain spot in Africa. I do not personally believe it; nevertheless I need to report it because if it is true I can say I told you about it first.

This is me and my dad on the top of the Cerro ¨moutain¨ the lake behind us is where we visited next

                After the mountain we continued to go to the lake that you can see from the top of the mountain. There is a major issue currently with the water because it is contaminated with a toxic algae. If you all know anything of algae, is it grows off of phosphates, like wild fire spreads. This algae is causing the lake animals to die because the algae takes away all of the waters oxygen, therefore suffocating the fish. In this lake it is prohibited to swim consider the water effects are unknown. The majority of phosphates come from fertilizers used in agriculture and soaps to wash dishes and clothing. The water from the sinks and washing machines are directly put into the lake water causing this issue. The environmental section of Paraguay has only out laws 3X phosphate levels in soap from being imported, meaning you can still use phosphates and double the phosphates (for all of you who do not know most all states in U.S.A. have outlawed phosphates to be used in soaps). Also, they will not do anything to clean it up they simply think that with the rain it will eventually go away. Which I do not think will happen, I believe that the whole ecosystem will need to be completely devastated before anyone realizes it is an issue.

This is us at the lake ypacarai

Saying goodbyes

After New Year’s Eve I had to wish my farewells to my friend Autumn from Canada because her six months in Paraguay was up. Though it was sad we still went out with a bang and all went to the club together for one last time. It was weird for her to leave this place; and also funny to look back and me and some of my friends earlier thoughts. In the beginning the majority of us were slightly judging the people that were only staying for six months. Saying things like ¨oh why would you do all this and pay all the money and not get the full experience.¨ In the end we are realizing that the joke is on all of us because they were the people that have a better concept of how long six months really is. Though I am extremely glad I am not leaving yet because I am just getting more comfortable in my city and with my Spanish it makes me laugh on how when I was leaving I had no concept of what I was getting myself into. But, I could not even imagine having to leave right now. Though I have many push and pull factors in my life I have to say I have made better friends and experiences here in less than six months than I did in almost seventeen years back in Colorado. Being here has taught me how to live.

This is a picture of my friends not everyone, and i do have a better photo this one just describes us so well when we are together that i could not share it.

This is me Emily (middle) and Autumn (right) at the club. They are my North America support most of the time because when we go out it is mostly people from Belgium. Autumn is the one who left on January 6th! 

                               

New Years Eve

                Though I had a good Christmas I had a great few days after. My daddy came to see me! He came bearing gifts, thanks to my wonderful step mother, which me and my host family really enjoyed! My American friends and I are going to have a Kraft mac & cheese party, I cannot wait! 

The first full day my dad was here I think I could have gone to the doctor and they would have diagnosed me with melted brain syndrome. I spent approximately eight hours translating for English to Spanish for at least 5 days about topics like: politics, health care, the right to bear arms, tourists, the ceramic process of how to make bricks and water pollution. It is the most annoying thing to go from Spanish to English and back to Spanish. There are times where I start speaking Spanish when I am supposed to speak English and vice versa. And though my Spanish is improving a lot it is still hard to have hard topic conversations. It is even more frustrating when you have two men that do not understand how hard it is to translate from one language to the other. And when your host father will not stop speaking or you go to defend a point and he will not listen to your point of view.

                Anywho! After my father arrived it was New Years Eve! Which brought another late night of family and food! We ate drank and were jolly. When the clock struck twelve we all clinked our glasses, ate our grapes and shot of the fire works. 

Some of the different things they did here for that night was eat grapes. Yes sounds weird. We put twelve grapes in each glass and when the night struck twelve you eat all the grapes to represent the past twelve months and the upcoming.  Just as Christmas as well everyone congratulated everyone. However, this even was more emotional for many and people were crying not really sadness just happened. They also walked a empty suitcase across the street individually in hopes of traveling for the year to come. It made me think of all the things that I have done and accomplished in the past year. How just a few months ago I was walking class to class in the East High halls dragging along with my life just getting though each day and how now I am living though each one. Though it is very weird to see how many my opinions and thoughts have changed as well over the short period of time. But, sense it is the new year it astounds me to see how much time has gone by though I say short when I look back at the beginning there are many days that go so slow. But, I know I have six months left and after that I may not ever have this type of adventuress life again. However, if I have my way I will. 

Me and my cousins and my grandparents (fathers parents) on New Years Eve.