Where in the world is Horqueta?

I wanted you guys to have a better idea of where I am living, working and playing! My cities name is Horqueta! It is located in the northern part of the eastern half of Paraguay. (Does that make sense?) It is just east of Concepcion, which is on the river! (Should you come to visit, we will go to Concepcion and take the 24 hour boat ride into Asuncion!)

Let me know if you have any questions!
-r.

not quite 3 days on a donkey

You will laugh (or at least smile) when I tell you that the duration of the trip to get to the internet is much shorter than I originally imagined and worried about. It is not three days on a donkey. In fact, a donkey is not needed at all! My municipality has internet access on every computer! This means that everyday that I come to work...I can check my email! So as one of my main concerns, my mind has been put at ease. I will be able to communicate with the outside of Paraguay world!

My adventure is wonderful! I have lived in my official home since last Tuesday night - so almost a week now. My work is still up in the air. Paraguayans are much more concerned about person to person relationships than getting work done - which means I have done a lot of hard work socializing. It is actually kind of tiring work! But wonderful!

I learned when I arrived that my contact (the person I am to work with in the Muni) is moving to Italy in less than a week! Which is very exciting for her! She lived in Italy for 10 years before and has always wanted to return! Which is excellent that she has the opportunity - however it makes me a little nervious about who I will be working with! But I have a meeting with the Mayor tomorrow to clear up my future in the crystal ball! (I also shared a beer with the Mayor on Saturday night - so we are buds!)

It is chilly again. But last week it was in the 80s. And today its probably in the high 40s and rainy! I am still pretty nervious about dying of heat come september/october!

I get to see lots of Americans! There are a number of other volunteers that live close to me - so there is more socializing than I expected! Which has been great for support and inside information!

I was on the radio twice last week - which is really fun! Its crazy - speaking a foreign language, in a foreign land and trying to be funny - imagine that!
Jill (the urban youth volunteer who lives in Horqueta) and I went to the radio station this morning to see if there was a way to continue our Wednesday night program. It is possible and we have another meeting next week to discuss the details.
So cross your fingers that they will be able to keep our program on the air!

I am headed home (to my host familys house) for lunch and to study my guarani. I continue to realize how much I still need to learn! Ane´ése guarani! (I want to speak guarani!)

I hope you are all well! I havent heard from most of you in quite a while! So you could email me...(enter peer pressure!)

More to come - let the adventure continue!
-r.

Change of latitude, change in attitude…

Hello!

I am now officially a Peace Corps Volunteer, the adventure can start and the real work begins. We took our oath yesterday. We had the opportunity to meet the international PC Director Ron Cheedar and his wife Nancy who are on a South American Tour and are in Paraguay for the 40th Anniversary party on Monday. We also got to meet the American Ambassador to Paraguay.
We are celebrating this weekend in Asuncion with really hot showers and comfy beds! Its wonderful! (and we went out for Mexican food last night = amazing!)

I will be moving to Horqueta on Tuesday! I have a new address! Please note the change!

Rachel Newby
Barrio Las Palmas
Horqueta, 8820
Paraguay

(As you can see above – I don’t have a street address or a house number. It isn’t necessary. You can just send letters, care packages and sweet sweet lovin to my neighborhood – and ill get it! Believe it or not!) It is much easy for you to send things to this address than to the Asuncion address. This way I don’t have to take a 6+ hour bus ride to pick up my mail! So if you would be so kind - please send mail to this address! THANK YOU! AGUIJE! GRACIAS!

There has also been a lack of news filling up my email...so email me!
Many thanks to Bons, Claire, Neal, Grandma, Martha, Mom, Maddie and the Nation Clan for sending snail mail! It makes my day!

Blogging

Here are a few updates – as well as an abreviation dictionary. I have heard that sometimes it’s a little tricky to read my entries because I have moved into the PC (Peace Corps) world of alphabet soup!

G-24 – (a letter and a number) This is the title given to my group of fellow trainees (soon to be volunteers) it signifes that we were trained in Guarambare (G) and we are the 24^th group to be trained their. It is a way to keep the groups of volunteers separated and know how long someone has been in country.

Swear-in: The ceremony at which we pledge to server the Paraguayan people and defend the US Constitution to enemies both foreign and domestic. This will be happening next Friday, August 17^th at 10:20am. This is when I switch from becoming a Trainee to a Volunteer.

COS: Close of Service – when a Volunteer completes their two year commitment they ‘close their service’ and swear-out.

PY: Paraguay

PCT: Peace Corps Trainee

PCV: Peace Corps Volunteer

Please let me know if there are others that would be helpful to know!! (Thanks!)

Updates

Polisapo: My new town – Horqueta. Has a statue of Polisapo – a frog that wanted to be a police officer. It is a children's book/play about this frog who was from Horqueta who wanted to be a non-corrupt police officer. SO. The Lions Club came to Paraguay and decided that Horqueta needed a statue of this frog to commemorate its goodness. So they put up a big chunk of money. And now we have a huge statue when you enter town of Polisapo. You will see it (and have your picture taken with it) when you come to visit. Its just too bad that the city didn’t decide to spend the money on paving roads instead.

Lovin’: My host family gave me a pair of slippers (they are grover-blue). They are wonderful! I feel very loved!

The other kind of Lovin’: My host mom has sworn that she is going to find me a Paraguayan husband. I came home one night and told her I needed a massage which only fueled her fire/desire to find me a boyfriend. She told me that there would be one waiting for me in my bed when I got home from school – but so far (fortunately or unfortunately?) she is all talk.

Exercise: I can run…except…it is on cobble stone (not brick but rocks) and its not socially acceptable and there is very little extra daylight for it to happen during. so --- no not much running. (and the deep-fried goodness is leaving its mark-damn.)

Lots of Lovin'

I just might be the luckiest kid in Paraguay!
Yesterday was my lucky day! I recieved a box of a 100 Clif bars from the Nation family! And a pair of new slippers from my paraguayan host family!

It is sunny and beautiful here - the cold may have passed again!
We are in Asuncion today learn abotu all of the administrative PC stuff!

I am almost a real volunteer!
Until soon!
(pictures to come!)
rachel

I LOVE LIFE!!!

This past week has been filled with exciting news of all kinds!
I recieved my site placement last Friday and met my site contact on Tuesday. I just recieved pictures of Ann Clover´s new baby= also exciting! One of my favorite cousins is getting married on Saturday. And Fran is turning a year younger on Saturday! There was a terrible bridge accident in Mpls. I just got to Skype w/ camera and talk to Claire in Chicago! And I LOVE HORQUETA! Hoga, ducle hoga! (Home sweet home!)

While most of the news is quite possitive - it is unfortunate that when I introduce myself now people know where Minneapolis is because of the bridge. I would rather be from an unknown location that people think is always cold!

My site contact, Isidora Ruiz is AMAZING! She is 33 lives with 2 other ladies, isnt married and doesnt think I need to be! She is super guapa (hard working) and is way excited to have me. She is introducing me to everyone. She tells everyone i want to work and speak great spanish - which is exciting! I met her at the muni this morning and there was this meeting with an NGO called GTZ from Germany that works in PY. They come once a month and do a review of what every department is working on so that everyone is on the same page. It was the luckiest introduction to my city! it was amazing! And there is lots of action at my muni! The family i am staying with is super wonderful.

Life is amazing!
Many paraguayan hugs!
rachel