Fun with Libraries!

The Book Mobile!

(Laura) Pin the tail on Clifford!

Johny coloring his Clifford name-tag.

A few photos from Mother´s Day!

Mother´s Day in Espajin, 3k outside of Horqueta

Just look at that cake!

Tally of the past year

This was inspired by my good friend and closest G-buddy, Mary Kennon Walker!

Number of bucket baths: 24

Number of charlas given: 6

Days attended the municipality: 235

Days something important happened at the municipality: 15-17

Number of pets owned: 1

Number of pets that died: 1

Number of boyfriends: 1

Visits to the dentist: 4

Number of seeds painted onto my house: 206

Letters written home: 21ish

Letters received: 40+

Packages received: 9

Monthly rent: 250.000 Gs or about $40.00

Electric Bills paid: 5 (ranging from 10.000 to 80.000Gs ($2.50 to $20.00)

Host families: 5

Number of languages attempted to be spoken: 3 (none of them well)

Hours of violin/English intercambio: 15

Trips out of Paraguay: 2

Number of times I have seen an airplane fly over my community: 2

Number of rides in cars: under 20

Number of times I drove a car: 0

Hours waiting or riding buses: 250+

Approximate number of hours spent on my bike:

Number of ice cream cones eaten: 38

Number of camera classes given: 10

Number of Photo exhibits held in Horqueta: 1

Number of times I was asked when I am getting married: 90

Number of American visitors I have received: 3 (will be 5 post mom and neal!)

Number of Bagel cravings: daily

Snow days: 0

Rain days: 8

Sweat your face off-hot days!: 200+

Greatest questions I was asked:

My six year-old host brother asked if my down vest was a life jacket.

How should I move my body in bed with my boyfriend?

Is that your airplane? (Referring to my sleeping bag)

Do all Americans use weird towels? (Quick dry camping towel)

Do you have parents?

Why are you here?

And what do you do?

How long should my mom cook Sopa Paraguaya in the microwave, it doesn’t say in the instructions? (Imagine cooking cornbread in the microwave…it wouldn’t work)

A year ago...TODAY!

One year ago today I got on an airplane headed to Miami for Peace Corps – Paraguay one year ago today. I have had many wild and wonderful things happen in my life! Each and everyone of them was a teachable moment. And while unfortunately I probably have not learned from all of them…I have learned a few things

things i have learned about myself since living in Paraguay:

Ø I have a strong hate of ants.

Ø I love growing my own fruits and veggies (this is still a work in progress…slow to germinate)

Ø I don’t mind picking my nose in public

Ø Siestas are good for me

Ø The girl scouts taught me to leave a place cleaner than I found it – I wish everyone had been a girl scout!

Ø I love having a compost pile

Ø I like company – and I really like alone time

Ø I am still the worlds worst speller

Ø I can learn to like almost any food

Ø I don’t mind hand washing my clothes….but I really love having a washer/dryer!

Ø I actually kind of like PDA

Ø I like being busier (I am a much happier person when I have a full schedule)

Ø It might actually be my life goal to have everyone love me.

Ø I still haven’t figured out how to be in two places at the same time

Ø I feel much better and like my life is under control, after sweeping my porch

Ø I love being with people even if I have no idea what they are saying

Ø I don’t like lazy people

Ø I love getting mail

Ø I love sending mail

Ø I show love in present giving

Ø I am happy as long as I have at least 2 pairs of clean underwear

Ø I don’t have any verguenza (shame) about paying someone to wash my sheets and my jeans

Ø I hate the night bus, but I still take it.

Ø I love taking pictures, but I don’t like showing people I have a nice camera

Ø I love soy meat!

Ø I can eat pancakes every night for dinner for a week and still love them!

Ø I want to do things in my life (like play the violin, row, speak multiple languages) but sometimes get lazy and don’t really like practicing.

Ø I don’t like having my toenails painted (even if its with blue sparkles)

Ø Kraft Mac & Cheese makes me really gassy (the kind you think might burn a hole in your underwear!)

Ø I want to be a good reader, and read a lot – but I get bored easily

Ø Regulating my temperature to be livable is one of my highest priorities

Ø I love popcorn with Lawry’s seasoning salt

Ø I have a low tolerance for people telling me they are going to do something…and then don’t.

Ø I really like physical activity

Ø I hate cat-calls

Ø I often would like to be invisible (being stared at a lot – is tiring)

Ø Art projects and baking have the ability to calm my nerves

Ø I love nailing things to the wall (kitchen utensils, nails for hanging clothes, garage items or desk supplies)

Ø I value hard work

Ø I realize how important parent involvement is in the raising of children

Ø I think I could be a campo volunteer on two conditions: I wouldn’t have to look at the maggots in the latrine and there would always be toilet paper

Ø I have so much respect for Paraguayan women

Ø I hate machismo

Ø I am not really a dog person

Ø I realized that every person gets to choose how lazy he or she wants to be, and the rest of us can’t really do anything about it!

Ø I actually like Minnesota weather, it just took coming to PY to figure it out

Ø I love long-underwear, down sleeping bags and beanies (this isn’t really a recent discovery)

Ø I have a lot of respect for homeowners; it’s a lot of work!

Ø I love making diadactic materials-I don’t want to be a preschool teacher, but I do want to make their teaching supplies.

I have learned I love making my own tortillas - look it looks like a cartoon bubble...what do you think I am thinking?