Pode Chorar in Cuidad del Este!

Hello,

Today i am writing my blog from wonderful Cuidad del Este, Paraguay instead of the usual Encarnacion! The past week has been very eventful and the funnest I've had. I got a much needed spirtual reboost and felt a little more at home!  Well like i told you guys we went to Asuncion last saturday for a meeting. On the drive there was cool cause i actually was awake this time and got to see that there is a little bit of civilization in the rest of paraguay. We almost hit a heard of cows on the way there! There is a Big youth gathering this weekend and were helping planning it. So we spent the whole day planning and talking. It was pretty eventful! Once again i stayed in Asuncion an extra day and in the total of the three days i was there i ate Burger King and McDonalds a total of 5x. I couldnt get enough because it was the first time in months haha more like 3 weeks. We went running all over Asuncion, and i finally got to go to the Malls and do some shopping for some clothes. All the clothes that i have right now are too big for me so i had to buy some new ones. I also went to the movie teathers and watched two movies since we had nothing better to do. Everytime i go to Asuncion i learn more and more about the culture and the city itself. And slowly i realize that there is civilation here in Paraguay. while i was there i got some of the way people make money. When i went to the Market to buy clothes, the venders attack you as soon as you walk past thier shop! Its actually funny cause they things like "Que buscas" "Informame" which means "what are you looking for" "inform me" Its very funny cause they say it fast and sounds like they have a asian accent. I would laugh everytime they would ask me that. And the kids in the streets will do anything for money. It was so cute/sad/funny because there was on kid about 6 or 7 years old and he was in the middle of a busy intersection near the shopping mall. and every time there was a red light he would run out to the street and start doing kartwheels. But the thing was he couldnt do a kartwheel. I felt so bad for him cause he was trying so hard! I had to give him so money cause ive honestly never seen a kid do kartwheels in the middle of the street for money.

The next day i went back to Encarnacion because i wanted to rest a little bit on my vacation. But i had a really bad stomach virus or something cause i was throwing up and everything the whole day. I didnt eat anything for about three days straight. I was worried because i was suppose to be going to Ciudad Del Este the next day and i didnt want to be sick on my vacation. Thursday night i caught a bus to Ciudad del Este and there is an interesting story about the bus ride there. 

So the road to CDE is curvy and hilly and at night its pretty creepy. So about an hour and half in the trip the bus driver was driving like normal and all of sudden something came out of the woods and ran past the bus. The bus driver slammed on the breaks. Everyone on the bus is wondering what happened. And the next thing were in the middle of this dark road in the bondoocks and this lady on the bus starts screaming hysterically. Saying its the Devil, its the devil (No Lie). I look out the window and there is this thing i have no clue what it is. Its standing up like a human but more crouched and is just staring at the bus. Now i start freaking out and saying a prayer and the bus driver is like its just a deer or something. I never seen a deer stand like that in my life so i dont believe him. So the rest of the trip i couldnt sleep i was pretty freaked out. 

I stayed with the amazing Diaz family in CDE. I met Cecy and her brothers in January and keep in contact.   They are amazing! There so nice and loving and i felt like i was there own son!  Cecy was an amazing tour guide of her city lol and Mrs. Diaz is an amzing cook too! She loves to cook and makes the best orange cake ever! I really appreciate everything! 

If you never heard of Ciudad Del este you need to look it up! I was scared because i heard alot of bad things about it! I imagined people of the streets with guns, and gangs, and drugs everywhere. But once again i was wrong! I think i feel in love with Ciudad del Este! Its beautiful there. There life in the city and Diversity! Something i dont see much of in Encarnacion. I had so much fun there and did so many things! I got to go to Mcdonlads (again) haha i swear im not addicted, went to Itaphu Dam which is this huge water dam and its like the most powerful in the world! Got to go shopping in downtown! 

-------- Now i have to stop and explain about downtown! Ok apparently Paraguay has lower importing taxes and whatnot so downtown is like a huge China Town. There are people selling stuff everywhere! And they  have shopping malls with like 6 stories with nothing but dirt cheap electronics!!! I was so overwhelmed cause i love electronics!! They have computers that would cost about $1500 for only $600! Apple computers that cost $2000 for only $900! I was so shocked! There are people for all over the world there who come to buy electronics cause its dirt cheap! EVerything in dollars there too. Because its use as medium between all the countries and also when you exchange it to Paraguayan currency its alot! I also found some Nori which i love and brought alot of!! -------

Ok back to the story! I also got to go see Aventura in concert! I love Aventura but never got to see them when they were in Atlanta. The concert here a different then the one in the states! First off the concert didnt start till Midnight!! It was at a huge soccer stadium downtown. I got Vip section which was right in front for only $35! I had alot of fun! As the concert was ending it started to pour down. I got soaked and all the equipment was going shooting sparks and everything. Their were even fireworks. We didnt get back to the house till like 4 in morning. Which sucked cause we had to be up by 7:30am. 

Mr. Diaz listens to a talk show on the radio every morning of this Doctor. Some how the doctor on the radio started talking  about the Baha'i Faith and asking all these questions on the radio! So Mr. Diaz called and talked with the doctor for like 2 or 3 hours. He invited him to a BBQ at thier house to talk more. It was amazing. i was impressed because alot of times were going to people talking to them and teaching but this time he came to them. So that why i had to be up so early. 

funny little story #859834895 ...The doctor that came to the house knew a little bit of english so he was talking to me and asking me questions. He then askes me if its true that im related to Dr. Martin Luther King. I was confused cause i was trying to think back if i said that or if i had said something wrong to Mr. Diaz to make him think i was because the day before he was asking me about Obama and Dr.MLK. So me being very nervous and didn't know what to say was like YA!. I said he was my Great-Great Grandfathers Brother's Son. 

Well luckly i got to stay a few more days and i had alot of fun and met alot of new people. I feel in love with the diversity of the city, something i havent seen a whole lot of in Paraguay. Im am seriously think of Pioneering there. I dont know for school or after school. Everyone keeps telling me that everybody who comes Paraguay for service ends up staying! They are also looking for a Pioneer, so if anyone is intrested i highly recommend it!! 

I returned to Encarnacion to leave again for Asuncion for a National Youth Retreat. I didn't really wanna go because i was tired of traveling and wanted to do nothing and i remembered back in January and the Youth Training for Month of Service and i had to hardest time and didnt really know anyone and just didnt want to go. But i am so thankful that i did because i had the time of my life! Since my spanish is better i got to get to know people more and made alot of new friends!

The youth here in Paraguay are amazing!! The Baha'i Community here is practically ran by he youth. There was about 65 people who came and people from Argentina and Bolivia also came. It was amazing! I cant even explain how much fun i had. Me and Nidia were also i charge of a lesson to do. I was nervous but it worked out real well and lasted about 3 hours!

All in All i had an amazing time and Finally feel like i'm where i'm suppose to be!

I leave you with a song im obsessed with.

Pode Chorar - Aviões do Forró

Jai Ho

So when i went to Asuncion this weekend (which i will tell all about later) I got a 

chance to go to the Movies and watched SlumDog Millionaires. I am officially obsessed

It is a great movie and has made it to my top 5 list!

Yo Quisiera Ser tu llanto

Hmmmmm.......

I never really know how to start these blogs. I always say hey or hi, nothing interesting! Any suggestions on how i can have a interesting greeting? Well i am doing the entry early because tomorrow im going to Asuncion.. again! I swear we go there every other week! I dont know why we dont just live there. I'm kidding, i dont like Asuncion too much, well compared to Encarnacion. Asuncion is the capital and its like any other big city, CRAZY! I remember last time we were there, we were on the bus and i swear i never feared more for my life! The drivers are crazy! 

It's finally here!! My vacation!! I get the whole week off next week! I get to sleep in, explore, travel, play soccer/volleyball, and have some time to myself. I need time to think about what im going to do with my life when i leave here. I know im going to school but idk where. I wanna go to New york but idk if i wanna leave atlanta. Its hard! Im going to miss my activities but i do need a break! Im really excited though because i get to go to Cuidad del Este next week and visit some Baha'i friends for a few days! I can't wait for that. Cuidad del Este from what i hear is the place to go shopping! They have all the bootlegs and stuff there, so i am really excited for that too.

Service, the way i had imagined it, was this thing that shined in the light and this constant feeling of happiness and just all rainbows and sunshines. Well it has been far from that for me. I find myself struggling with myself a lot. To be a better person and to practice what i preach to others. Im trying to be positive and detach myself from myself (if that makes any sense) and not let my opinions or how i feel get in the way of the reason why i'm here. Me and Martin are deaf. acting more like brothers. Its funny because when i first met him, we were really cool. We got along great and we had no problems. That lasted for a week and then we got to know each other and or habits and everything, and there was period where we never talked. It was pretty bad. Vero and Amin even noticed and talk to us and it got better from there. We share the same frustrations and we both realize were in this together, for a whole year. were both on a spiritual journey just trying to find out who we are. We act jsut like brothers cause we argue, have disagreements, and flat out just want to kill each other at times, but for some odd reason i see it as a sign of progress.

This week went really well. We had a Pre-youth group in the high school on tuesday and friday and once again were making great progress. Im starting to like the 9th graders alot more because they are a little easier to work with. We did a debate in that classs about unity and if the world is truly unified or not. we made it up right on the spot and the youth did really good because in the end i think they all felt a little inspired and realize they have the power to make a change. It was really sad because we had some free time and we asked if they could change one thing in the world what would it be. One girl said that she would make sure all hospital had the right equipment and materials because her brother died because the hospital here only had one of something ( I didnt understand what she said it was) and they couldn't find it. I have a very soft heart so that was rough for me to hear. Tuesday was also the 500 anniversary of the foundation of Encarnacion! I got to see some traditional Paraguayan dances and hear the history of Encarnacion. It was pretty cool! The funny thing is there nothing here thats that old, nothing at all. Idk why but i find that pretty odd.

I told you guys how everyone here thinks im Brazilian. well now its getting worst and no matter where i go, people harass me. Not in a bad way of course (most of the time). Im always getting stopped in the streets and (no lie) whenever i go on the bus or somewhere with alot of people, people stare at me. Its the most awkward feeling in the world! Little kids are worst cause they'll stare at me in the face on the bus for a good 10 minutes before blinking. I feel like a celebrity. :-)

Hasta la Proxima!

Revelation!

Hello from Encarnacion, Paraguay..

Im pretty sure i do this blog to remember this cause im pretty sure not to many people read it but its cool cause its something i will be able to look back on. I've started writing a book about my year of service. I don't know what's going to be in it but i'm really excited about doing it and see what comes of it. 

So at last the fast is over and i must say it was a experience of a lifetime! It was very challenging but i felt it more, i felt more connected to the fast and i feel that now i understand the true meaning of why we fast! I dont know the feeling of when you do something just because thats what you were told you were suppose to do and then you discover the reason why for yourself, its an amazing feeling.

Since i was fasting i wanted to do as little as possible. So i found myself in my room most of the time going crazy! So i've had alot of time to think about things and i am convinced that god wants me to be a EXPERT at Jr. Youth groups. The jyg have been one of the hardest things to do here! And its just a coincidence that i happen to be involved in all the pyg here. See, me and martin have activities together and we have our own. He has no pyg except one which we both do and the rest our mind. And as i have said they have been extremely difficult to start and let alone in spanish.. But i have learned to not let my judgement cloud my mind. Cause i thought everyone of my groups would be impossiable but all it required was a little extra work. Once i gained the trust of the kids the groups were so much easier to do. Now i love going to them and i love hanging out with them and them seeing  me as a brother. They come to me when they have problems and everything. Just another reassures i am here doing the right thing

My goals with god

Pictures!

Life in Paraguay

Home Sweet Home

Hey everyone! Well we only lack about 5 days until this wondrous fast is over! Don't get me wrong i have loved it because i have actually had the opportunity to deepen on the writing and stuff but it is one of the hardest things i have had to endure. Normally for me the fast is that hard, it usually a mind of matter thing, but here it near impossible. Luckily the weather is calming down because it becoming Fall here but still. I hardly ever have energy to do anything and we are constantly going places. It gets so frustrating cause all i want to do is sleep. And since time has change and went back an hour the soon leaves alot earlier at like 5:45 now which makes it easier. Then again i hardly ever wake up to eat breakfast so its kind of my fault too. 

So its almost the three month mark a time has flew by so fast! And i use to tell people when they ask me if i miss home, i would say no not now but in three months or so probly. Now its hitting hard! I miss home so much. At night its pretty bad cause i am alone in my room talking to all my friends and seeing what life is like back home and it makes me wanna go home just for a few days. I get jealous when everyone can go visit there families and frinds and i have to wait a good year. But who knows by the time its time to leave it will be the complete opposite. 

So this week was to eventful just the normal activities. Tuesday we had the py group in the high school and we showed them Couch Carter to try and inspire them and i think it worked more or less. They talked a little more but they still arent really giving us the time nor the day. But i will work my charm on them, i will make it happen. ;)

Friday was another busy day and we had our other group of py in the 7th grade. This group is full of life and character and they each have distinct personality. They are more like the groups you read in book5! But we also showed them the movie and they loved it and asked a bunch of question and i felt like they were inspired. Afterwards was one of the py birthday and they she had brought some club quality stereo  system and cds. Then the kids were dancing and i was pretty shocked. I mean i see dancing like that all the time in clubs in stuff but never with 7th graders in school!! Here its nothing but to me its kind of a culture shock! I think its latino culture in general. I found it very funny and shocking at the same time! 

Well thats it for this week. See you all later!!!

Hey...(pause)..... Oh your from America?......Well Heeellllooo ;-)

Hey, Hey, Hey

How is everyone? Me i am absolutely Great! I have decided that i will update every saturday or sunday so check for it ! Its actually funny when i write my blogs cause i have a playlist and everything to get me into the mood. haha

*When i say 'we' i am referring to Me and Martin (my YOS partner) *

 This week was a mixture of all sort of things! It was one of those weeks where things start off really ruff and then as the week ends things start to fall back into place again! So where to begin lets start with last Friday we started our Junior Youth Group in a school in a really rough neighborhood. I was very excited and nervous because well its a school and i have never actually taught in a school, let alone with kids in a different country. When we first got there the kids were running reckless! They made those kids on the Muary show seem like little angels. I was so scared because i knew they would eat me alive. Before school starts the kids have to line up outside and say a prayer and the national anthem in spanish and Guaranies. So we go into class and i swear it was different group of kids then before because they were all so respectful and clam (for the most part). I felt a little more comfortable because they gave us the respect as teachers. They all speak Jopara which is impossible for me to understand. So its funny cause now before the class i have to tell them to only speak in spanish. By the time i left the class i had a revelation that i these kids were no different then i was when i was younger in school. they were just being kids. I use to run around screaming and yelling and i remember i would always talk back as a child. When the teacher would come to class we would straighten up a little bit.

 

That night we watched The Great Debaters. That was one of the best movies i have seen this year and i highly recommend it to anyone! After the movie we took a bus to Asuncion, which is about 5 hours away, to help set up for a big youth gathering on sunday. We arrived in asuncion at about 5:30 in the morning. When we got there we were expecting a friend to be there waiting so she could take us to the National Bahai center. But with our luck she didnt show up and all we knew was that it was the Corner of peru and something else. So that mroning we ended up taking 2 buses and 3 taxis till we finally got to where we were suppose to go. One taxi guy dropped us off at a Birth Control Clinic. The get together was at the Bahai Roga, which is like a Mini Convention center type thing, and we were put to work as soon as we got there! They had us gardening, burning trees and trash, and last but defiantly not least Peel Yuca . Now if you dont know what Yuca is check it out. It is the worst vegetable to peel! And we didnt peel one or two, we peeled 30 kg worth which is about 5 big bags full of Yuca. i am sure my Grandmother would be proud! That night i slept with about 45 unidentified species of insects and bugs. I ended up sleeping with the blanket over my head hoping i didn't wake up in a Cocoon!

 

We stayed in Asuncion till monday and we visited Martin's family in Ceritto. Monday was the first day of the fast and that morning when we woke up to eat breakfast they dont kid around with theyre food. They has empanadas, Asado(BBQ), all kinds of fried meats, everything! It was very starnge to me and i could not eat that kids of food at 5:30 in the morning. That was a mistake because as the day went on i understood why they ate such heavy food. It is so hot there! It is beyond imagination! The whole day i was just dragging along with no energy at all. All i wanted to do was sleep. Ironically Ceritto means "Little Hell" in spanish. We were both having a hard time because we were walking around everywhere and it was literally like 105 degrees. We both were determined not to drink water unless one of died then we would drink water. (Sorry Mom :-) ) But that night i got to go to Mcdonalds for the first time in like 5 months! HAHA even though i hate Mcdonalds it was a memory of home! How Sad!

We returned to Encarnacion tuesday and that afternoon we had another Jr.Youth group at the school. But today was with the 9th graders. Which was really difficult because they are only like 3 or 4 years younger then us and just won't give us the time of day. That a group that we will have to watch and see what happend! Prayer would be welcomed of course :)

Wednesday and Thursday were pretty routine. But the devotional gathering we have on Thursday at the house of the non-bahai is goin GREAT! She is an amazing person and she is full of some much love and heart and its true that the worst things happen to the best of people. She likes to give me weird fruit to eat or drink and i have so much fun there!

Friday went great with Pre-youth group at the school! We started with the Book Breezes of Conformation and they were all coming up to me asking questions and they were really into it. My other pre-youth group in Arroya Poya still is having its difficulties were trying to get in re-established but it going to take so more time. God has a great sense of Humor!

On to some GREAT news. After all the hard work me and Martin and the whole community have put in, we are very close to becoming a A cluster! We have worked so hard to start new children's classes, and py groups, and Study circles and home visits to help meet the goal! All we need is i think is 20 more people to complete book 1 by April! I think we can do, actually i know we can!! Its great to know that were so close!

Here is where i'll be posting all my pictures so you guys can look at too! I will also update it every saturday or sunday!

How easy it is!

Qué Fácil es Servir! from Mauxito Lemus on Vimeo.

Noche De Soltero

Hello one of these days i am going to write my entire blog in spanish but don't hold your breath! But anyways how is everyone! write me a message and let me know! I will put my address here in a few days so you guys can send me stuff si quieres! This entry going to be all over the place cause its been a while since i posted so the next one i promise will be a little more organized!

The last two weeks have been crazy day by day! Some days are very clam and easy going and others im constantly on the move and i running around the whole city doing stuff. We recently satrted doing regular home visits and they aren't exactly my favorite thing but who  said service was about what you like to do. I guess i dont like them cause they tend to be akward and sometimes boring. Fridays tend to be the most crazy day because we leave at about 8:30 and go visit a Bahai that lives by the river and then we walk to the Mercados house and have lunch and hang out with them. The i go all the way to Arroyo Poya to hang out with my pre-youth and help my childrens class. Then after that i go back home. It doesnt sound like alot but if you had to do all the walking and bus catching and soccer playing you would understand.

So this is the part where things start to get a little changeling. No more rainbows and sunshine, well there still is just a little cloud cover. When i started the pre-youth group in arroyo poya i was so excited and the pre-youth were full of energy and they were excited to start a pre-youth group. Being all pumped up,the first two meeting were great. I went up there one friday afternoon and we played soccer and volleyball together! It was great i mean there is nothing more fulfilling then being in South America Playing soccer and Volleyball with 12 spanish speaking 13/14 year olds! 

Then the next week there was some conflict within the group. Then slowly the py stop coming one by one. So now we have one person that comes regularly and the rest show up when they fill like it. This week class was testing because the whole time the py were cursing at each other, hitting each other, making fun of each other, and the day ended with two of the py actually fighting another py, three or four py running home crying, and me trying to understand thru all the screaming and fighting what was going on, because spanish sounds like german to me when people are screaming at each other.. And the whole time this is going on, there one pre-youth, named lucas who is the peace-maker in the group, doing the staying alive dance and other disco dances that remains me of john travolta. So im trying to be serious and lucas is just cracking me up. At first i was thinking that the group would be impossible to do and now as i reflect on it and i realize that they are just being kids. 

I remember how i was with my friends growing up and we were the same way! They just need a little more guidance. So i deiced to spend a little more time with them. They love me because of the whole Foreigner factor That i have!

So there is me and another youth doing the year of service in Encarnacion and i guess its a given when you put two 18 year olds together from completely different backgrounds, cultures, way of lives, there are bound to be some differences. So thats another little rain cloud i trying to push out the way! 

But all in all its the beauty of this all! The good, the bad, and the ugly its all apart of the program !

Here i've gained the reputation of the accident Prone person of the group. i have a saying " Siempre Yo" which means "Always me". I am always the one who trips, falls, knocks down stuff all of it! Right now is carnaval and i was walking down the street and people in the apartments stand on their balconies and throw water ballons at the people below. Well while i was walking past a apartment building the decided to step their game up and poured a whole bucket of water of me! Just like the movies :)

I leave you with one more random funny story. So me, Simone, and Nidia were in a store downtown. We were about to leave the store and i was the first one to open the door. So i as i was walking i saw a sign on the door that said " Tire" So i asked Nidia and Simone "why they had the word tire on the door" and at that moment i went to PUSH the door open and i ran right into it knocking myself down. Apparently "Tire" means PULL in spanish! :-)

Free Tattoo

I forgot to post about what happen with my lovely tattoo that i got for free!

Well it was beautiful, Paraguayan day and me, simone, martin, y marcelo were on the bus on our way to Pacu-Cua. So it was our stop and simone said get up it we got to get off. So as i began to stand up the bus driver slammed on the brakes and i went flying forward but caught myself between two seats. I stood up to readjust myself and at that blessed moment the bus driver decided to stop again and i fell and tried to catch myself on the window but instead i punched through the window breaking it and cut my arm open! :) Then afterward noone really knew what happen including me, all i knew was that i was bleeding alot and cut. Martin was laughing (""after he asked if i was ok"") cause he thought it was funny obviously, marcelo was lost and didnt knew what to do or what had happen, and simone was freaking out. All in all Paraguay gave me a beautiful gift!

Siempre Yo....

Some things never change..

Hecho en Paraguay

Transmitiendo desde tierras Guranis!!

Hola Amigos y Mi Familia!

So how is everyone doing? I’m going to start off by saying that I do miss home very much! Just not enough for me to leave this incredible place! At first it was very hard to adjust to my settings here! I never had to live with 9 other people who speak another language, in another country, for a month.  So all the adjustments I had to make and get use to the culture were done with everyone watching me. Privacy was very scares. So for the past month I served, played, ate, washed my clothes, and did everything with these 9 people and we became like a little family.  We had so much fun and I love these people so much. 

I am surprised at how much I have learned in the last month. I understand the Spanish so much more and I can now have conversations on my own. The only problem is that a lot of people speak Guaranies. 

Someone asked if I had grown spiritually. And I answered honestly not yet. The reason being is because I’ve been dwelling so much on the language difference that I miss the beauty in all the things I’ve been doing.

There is a family that lives in the barrio above me, and I go there every Thursday and Saturday. I love this family because first there are 3 of the little kids and they are like the three musketeers. They do everything together and they are always with each other! They asked if I wanted to join them. Now I  am the fourth musketeer. Norma the owner of the house is not a Baha’i but her mother is and they are so nice and sweet and have been through so much in their life. We have devotions  there on Thursday and by the end of the last devotion we had on Thursdays, I was crying. Norma lost two of her sons and 2 or 3 years apart and Norma’s mother  said maybe 10 prayers in a row and I was just so moved and appreciative. Then on Saturdays we have children’s class there and I was so moved again because Norma’s mother has never done activities in her 30 years of being a Bahia and she was nervous and she was doing it straight out of the book and it was spiritually uplifting to see God’s plan in action.

So now I have officially started my year of service here in Encarncion, Paraguay! There so many stuff going on and a lot of stuff that will be going on. I am so excited for it! There is pre-youth group we are starting right outside of Encarncion which I am also very animated about! (Pun Intended). We met today and they are fascinated I can speak English. They wanted me to call them by their English version of their name. The funny thing is that most of their name are the same in English just without an accent. But it was nearly impossible for them to say it. We started out wit 4 Junior Youth, by the time we finished talking to the parents 5 more jr. youth signed up. The cool things is that they all WANT to do this! Junior youth are becoming my favorite. Study circles are cool, Devotionals are interesting, Fireside are intriguing, but Junior Youth Groups are were the party is at! I am convinced.

Last Sunday I finished tutoring book 7 with 2 Baha’is in the community. It was difficult to tutor a book in another language but it was funny because the participants were very understanding and patient. Simone helped me out a lot too! It is really hard for me to get to know personally because of the language difference here.  But I still have made some great friends and met some amazing people. I’ve noticed that a lot of people are fascinated  by me because:

I’m from the United States

I’m dark 

Since I’m dark I am Brazilian

I don’t speak Spanish and I’m Puerto Rican

I know English

I have been extremely tired lately. I have been at it non-stop Since I got here. I am so exhausted. The schedule has been like this for the last month. Wake up at about 7:00 in the morning. Breakfast at 8:00. Leave at 9:00 to do some activity either children’s class, study circles, devotional, home visits. Then lunch at 12:30.  Free-time until 2:30. Then we go out to do the same. We get back at about 6 and at 7:00 we study The advent of Divine justice for two hours. Then dinner and then bed. 

Now to the fun stuff! I am truly having a blast here! So right now here in Encarncion is Carnival. Which is like Mardi Gras. Encarncion Carnival in famous in Paraguay! But here every weekend for the next three weekends its like a huge water fight in the city. Nobody is safe for the watering. You could randomly be walking down the street and kids will attack you with water balloons or water bottles! Saturday got ambushed twice, once by a random group of kids and the second by simone. The second one cause an all out street war because I wasn’t going to be the only one getting wet any more! The entire street was a war zone! I think this is a tradition that needs to continue in the states.

So I finally have my own room now! Its actually very nice and pretty big for one room. I have nothing in it at the moment but a mattress a chair and my luggage but it great because its mine! 

This is Latin America my Friend!

Hello once again!

I hope everyone is doing  good! So the past  two weeks have been unexplainable! I haven’t had internet for the last week or so because the place I’ve been staying didn’t have internet. So Thursday the 8th at midnight  we caught a bus from Asuncion to Encarncion which is about 5 hours away right on the border of  Paraguay and Argentina. 

You can see Posadas, Argentina across the river and it just like a city in the United States. 

So we arrive to Encarncion at about 5am in the morning and I have all my luggage  and I have to drag it up a hill for about a mile at 5am in the morning. It was just like those story I hear people tell me about their year of service. (Majority of the roads here are either dirt roads or cobble stone). 

So that was my introduction to my new home! 

That afternoon we went into town to go grocery shopping. We got lost, of course, and after an hour walking around in the hot sun we got to the supermarket. Then we had to carry about 25 bags through 2 buses and walk up the now infamous hill. 

The next two days we made invitations for the 2 children’s classes we will be doing. I was nervous about doing the classes because I did not know how they would be. Would they harasses me about my Spanish?

But when we went to hand out the invitations and I saw the kids  I would be working with I didn’t care what language I would have to speak I fell in love immediately. Tuesday we were suppose to start the first class but it was raining and thundering all day and the kids wouldn’t come if it rained. 

That night everyone that was over 18 (you have to be 18 to cross the border) went to Posadas, Argentina. I was excited to travel a bit more and see what it was like. I was expecting the city to be a lot like Encarncion but it was like stepping into a whole new world. I have never seen such a dramatic change in environment, atmosphere, people in my life. The people are different, they are of all colors and race. You can tell that the people here have more money and a higher standard of living. It was really sad and eye opening for me. 

Quick story about the trip, we went to an ice cream shop and we were getting ice cream and there was a little boy in there and he was telling people he would work for an ice cream cone. It broke my heart cause everyone was ignoring him and just walking by him. The kid might have been a professional and knew how to work people for ice cream cause I gave in within two minutes and brought him one! He was so happy!

On the way back we took the last bus from Posadas to Encarncion and didn’t know it and ended up waiting for about an hour at the border until we realize that we would have to walk home which is about 13 miles or more. Once again more walking. But it was ok because we caught a taxi about half way there and got home not too late.

That night at dinner we talked about the mysterious things that have been occurring at the house.

The  two night before two of the girls slept in the living room and at 3am in the morning they woke up to find the front and back door wide open.

So the next night it was raining so we brought all the clothes that were drying inside and made sure both doors were properly locked.

The next morning we wake up and find all of the clothes outside in the yard and both doors open.

We were all freaked out and did not want to sleep in the house another day. So we all decided to sleep in the living room together and barricade the doors with the table and the couch.  It was pretty funny cause we were all sacred. But nothing happen so the case is still unsolved. 

The next three days children’s classes and I love these kids! They are so much fun and they don’t care or know about my Spanish so they talk to me like anyone else. I cant even describe the kids. If I don’t come back they are the reason. 

The next two days consisted of getting on the wrong bus and going to the middle of no where again, drama that ended in us moving houses to where I will be staying at for now until we get our own place.

I end this entry with a few points about my service so far:

• People here speak two or three languages
  
• My English is getting worst because I tend to talk English like I talk Spanish.
  
• Here we take showers to get dirty
  
• Mosquitoes love me!
  
• Bread everyday for breakfast
  
• They eat too much for me here 
  
• I don’t know how to wash clothes by hand because all my clothes smell dingy.
  
• The answer to every question is “This is Latin America my friend.
  

That’s all for now! Miss you all and love you!

Paraguay!

So after months and months of planning i am finally in Paraguay! It is beautiful here! It was nothing like i expected! There is so much to write where do i start? The trip there was pretty bad. Here is why:

1. Every flight that i had, i sat all the way in the back
2. I sat down in a space about the size of a small desk in between too very big people for 8 hours
3. I was uncomfortable beyond reason
4. Flight got Cancelled from Miami to Sao Paulo 
5. I got lost in the airport in Brazil and no one would help me
6. When i left atlanta it was 40 degress when i get here its a million and one degrees

 But the country is beautiful! It is so different from the United States and its not like i imagined at all. Its so beautiful. There are mango trees everywhere! I pick them right off the tree and eat them.

The ideal i had when i got here was 2 or 3 people i would meet and i know the language barrier would be somewhat hard but i was wrong. I was greeted at the airport by about 10 girls and some spoke english so i was relieved and overwhelmed at the same time. I get to the house i will be staying at till tomorrow and there are like 50 youth here! I broke down the first day here because i was so overwhelmed that i wasnt able to speak to people and they werent really talking to me and when they did it was in spanish and really fast. After being depressed at my own will  i prayed for assitance and the very next day i broke out of my shell and jumped right in it! They were very eager to teach me.