¿whats new and shakin´?

ladies and gentelmen! young and old! fat and skinny - (thanks the paraguay this has become a regular, very normal topic of conversation!)

How are things?
Whats been shakin?
Whats the down and dirty?
The stuff thats on the sly?

I have also gotten a few requests for updates on specific things and new questions! Ill do my best to answer them!

Well, let me tell you it has been a full few weeks!

I have had two excellent spills on my bike! One (i might have mentioned) gave me a scrape/scare that looks like the shape of paraguay! (Can you imagine my LUCK!) And then an even more fantastic wipe-out, over the handle bars, on a dark road. Luckily I was wearing jeans so I only tore a small whole in my (other) knee. And this one looks like Uraguay! Im only missing a few more countries to have the Southern Cone completed! What more could a kid ask for? I dont think there would be a more lindo recuerdo (beautiful reminder, souvenir) from paraguay, one that would stay with me always!

Tomorrow, my new house! (which has been found!) will be painted to look like WATERMELON! Dont you wish you were here to eat watermelon and paint my house to look a watermelon!
Ill be sending pictures!


Some questions, answered!
Is the river swimable: yes, but there are paranas!
Hows the library: Its kickin! It has become a teen hangout - which is not really what we are interested in and havent really figured out how to control it! Suggestions?¿?¿
My new favorite food: An ICE CREAM shop just opened up in the center of town and they have the most amazing cones! You should come test them out!
New Guarani phrase: Ndorogueroviai - it means: I dont believe you!
Funny thing: People dont angknowledge (sp?) or say thank you when you give them a birthday present!
Also - In the orchestra we are learning christmas songs - which is a really weird thing to do when its 110 degrees and you are sweating like its your job!


What do you do on a regular day:
I try to be at the Municipality by 7, but sometimes its 715 or 730.
I hangout and drink mate, talk about the weather, the latest gossip, but never really work.
I then usually have some excuse to hang out at the public library and work ond doing something that is worth while!
There are very often random adventures in which I get to participate! And there isnt really any way to catagorize them or explain them!
I work with the farmer´s market ladies on Mondays, Weds and Fridays (Fridays are the most fun! There are more vendors, buyers and wild food/meat products!)
I head home to eat lunch with my host family around 1145.
Then occasionally take a power nap.
I head out to visit with people or go work at the school garden that is close to my house!
M, Tu, F and Sat. I have violin practice with the orchestra at 6pm
I can usually find something to do putzing around after practice and then head home for a shower, and some alone time!
Thats the schedule! What it usually looks like!

¿?¿??¿?¿Other questions?¿?¿?¿?¿
let me know and ill do my best to answer them!

Thanks to a former travel buddy

Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change
that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.
- Miriam Beard

(keep ´em comin!)
thanks lisa!

I want to know who you are!!!

This is a test! I am interested to know who reads my blog! Because the thing is, is that it exsists in cyberspace but I have no idea who has contact with it! So if you are reading this now...will you PLEASE post a comment on the comment spot for this entry so I can know who you are??? I might be able to make it more interesting for you if I know who I am writing to!!

Also - I am collecting quotes - your favorite quote, your signiture quote or ones that speak to you. They can be in ANY language but if they arent in english or spanish could you please send me the translation too?
Send them on over to my email account! rachelknewby@gmail.com
I am going to be painting all of my furniture (lawn furniture and indoor) and id like to add some quotes to them!

thanks for your help!
I cant wait to know who ¨you¨ are!
-rachel

Me lovin´ it!

Here I am, eatin´ asado! Paraguayan BBQ! It doesnt get better than this!

When are you coming to visit?

MORE!!

Carvin a cow

Bringing home a whole cow in pieces in the back of your pickup is normal!

Host mom, uncle, grandma and dad!

My first paraguayan mango! (with my host brother Alvaro, 11)

My host dad, Don Ito (Mr. Little) the Paraguayan King of the Flame-who is the Paraguayan Michael Hutchinson!

Drinking Terere!

some pics!

My great grandmother celebrated her 78 birthday on Sunday!

These are yuyo (jujos - the herbs/plants we put in terere)

A bike that isnt going too far and a chair that would be a bit hard to sit in.

Hermalinda (my current host mom whose name means beautiful pretty) just getting our lunch ready...this was meat for about 15 people.

Cabra - goat