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.)