Much to do about chipa

Much to do about chipa

Another HUGE activity in Semana Santa in Paraguay is making chipa! Chipa already in Paraguay is a HUGE part of the culture. They have the chiperos (the men and women who sell chipa on the streets everyday) that are always present, along with all the supermarkets filled with fresh chipa 24/7. The chipa making day is inspired by the no meat Friday, in general it is the entire Passover period, however here they generally just do it the last Friday with no meat. Therefore, while not eating meat they eat tons of chipa! My family is the only house out of all my family, that has the special oven to make the chipa so they all came to my home and made chipa. It was somewhat of a contest to see whose was better because they all have ¨secret¨ recipes. 

these people are everywhere the chiperos selling chipa about $0.50 for a chipa in the streets.

First part is mixing the pig fat so that it has a ¨delicious smell¨ (this never happened for me personally) the mixing takes about twenty minutes of fast churning with your hand.

then you mix the flour, eggs, seasonings, and corn flour into it.

once it has the perfect consistancy you kneed it until it is firm and shapable.

then you continue to try to make cool shapes that all fail and you just make circles because they are easy.

repping for PARAGUAY

after all the dough is formed you cook it in the oven

it all is placed into banana leaves to add flavor and prevent burning

then you sit around, eat chipa and drink terere with the whole family :)

Semana Santa

Well this week is Semaña Santa (all saints week) which is a big deal here in Paraguay. In most schools it was worth of a week off. The week was just normal as any other up until last night. The very religious people did the Stations of the Cross which were set up by most of the neighbors on the corner of each street, each station included two lit candles. The group of people all carried candles and as they walked sang a song. Each time they reached a station they would say a prayer, kneel, then be on their way to the next station. I do recall the stations of the crosses back in USA where they walk around the church; however I think the Paraguayan way wins considering you have the people personally involved and you get some exercise. It also pulls together the men, women and children.

 

The group completing the stations

our station

my little cousin Miha walking the stations with my grandmother

Attempting school…round three.

                Well today is the T – 99 day mark before departure to United States. I am not counting because I want to leave I am counting to make sure I can squeeze every last trip, experience and friendship in before I have to go. In order to make the most of my time I went against every teenage instinct I have and I decided I wanted to go to school.

                Going to school in Paraguay before my current school situation, is considered unsuccessful… in the least of the terms. It was a disaster. Wasting away hours, simply sitting in the classrooms: talking, eating and to be honest, doing every activity but, learning. So I took a slight leap to enter the school of my host sister Saida and go to a high end private school called Colegio Del Sol. I knew it would be different considered it is widely known throughout the country. However, it was a tough choice because it is an hour and a half commute every morning and it is from 8am to 3pm which is very uncommon in Paraguay, most of the schools end at noon. Therefore, my friends are all having fun without me. However, I decided this would allow my Spanish to progress immensely, along with make new Paraguayan friends.

                I entered the school on a Thursday, and just as the other Paraguayan schools I entered the classroom to find the boys on one side of the room and the girls on the other. Not because it is mandatory it is just the way of the students; they are all friends but they simply separate when the time for learning, quite strange. However, one thing that was lacking was the hideous clothing of all the students! This is a none-uniform school!  (In all honestly %50 of why I picked the school was no uniforms other %50 is because there is air conditioning.)

                I was instantly greeted by a flow of my classmates and questions, which are always fun. However, the best part of it all is not that I have fantastic classmates, an actual opportunity to learn, but that I can understand! Considering all the differences from the past schools to the present this was the biggest change. I am able to sit in class, take notes and answer questions in class. Being able to follow along in ALMOST any context and talk about life and goals with all my classmates, using complex worlds and full sentences. It is the best feeling in the world. Though I cannot say my Spanish is perfect, it is far from perfect; it has come so far and has opened up so many new doors in just these past days, I can only imagine what it will do in the future.

                But, though rite now all is fun and games between school and birthday parties with friends, me and all the other AFS students are being haunted by the return date. It is unimaginable what it will be like to go back. I personally think it will be harder to adjust in the states than it was here. Simply because of the mentality of the people that have not seen the things I have seen or experienced the things I am experiencing. Though, at the same time, it seems as if I will never leave, because this is my new life. The hardest part will be saying good bye to my friends because we have gone through all of these times together. Nevertheless, the time will come and my family will welcome me with open arms that I will fill. Because I miss them more than anything in the world. 

eating lunch with my classmates! not exactly my usual Chipolte off campus lunch.