"Fishing" with my friends Hugo and Fernando. We armed our bamboo sticks with fishing line and hooks, and walked for two hours to a supposed prime fishing spot. Turns out the stream had dried up and there was virtually no water, let alone fish. Paraguay is also in the middle of a devastating drought, and in my community no one can plant anything now.
A summer camp we planned with other PCVs around my area. It was an environment-themed camp with games and activities about reforestation and trash management. Fun.
Former Bolivia PCV Helen came to visit me in site, and brought along Kelley. I'm the ridiculous-looking hippie sitting next to the gorgeous brunette. Host brother Fernando is not as isolated as he seems in the picture, we were talking in Spanish all night, I promise. But his English is also pretty good, a rarity around here.
Making chipa, the famous Paraguayan cheesy cornmeal bread, with Don Valerio. A tradition during Holy Week. We made like 200 chipas, and ate virtually nothing else for 4 days. If that sounds rough, you haven't tried chipa. It's awesome.
First batch of the finished product cooked in the brick oven tatakua (Guarani, "fire hole.")
Killed my first chicken. This blog is slowly becoming filled with my various animal assassinations. I actually enjoyed it. I agree with Michael Pollan that, if you're gonna eat meat, participating in the killing of the animal is an essential part of the process. The dog, Cien, is hungry.
My pad. In Bolivia some PCVs were planning a "Peace Corps Cribs" video (for you geezers, Cribs is an MTV show which explores the gratuitous and disgusting wealth of pop culture icons. "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"-esque). The PCV equivalent would be rather humorous -- if you can't tell in the photo, my house is itty-bitty, about the size of the "family room" in our house in Louisville. It's cozy. I store my bike right next to the toilet.
Peace!
7 comments:
Mom's initial reaction: You are so skinny and your hair is so long, that girl is very pretty, and omg, you are killing your own food. ... how many more days before I get to see you?!?
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Robby and I are looking at your pictures. Robby says, "I miss you. I will be really happy when you come home." Me too. Lea
Careful sister. Robby might get ideas. You may blink and he will grow up and leave the country for two years.
Hi I just fond your blog. My father is Paraguayan and my Mother is British. I grew up in England but have visited Paraguay a few times. I am coming to Paraguay at the end of June to work as an English teacher for at least a year. I am also very interested in learning about beekeeping. I have 2 sets of cousins who own farms in Paraguay where there are hives but they are abandoned. I am keen to get them up and running while I am there. Perhaps we could meet up and talk?
Dude I miss being there so much already. Went from taking time to share tererere (sp) with folks at leisure to clearing out 300 emails, many which required immediate action. Jesus etc.
Happy Birthday Andrew! I met a delightful man from Paraguay right here in Philadelphia... he and I shared some terere and i thought of you. Hope you are doing well my dear :)
paz
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