15 de agosto

Right now there are large quantities of fireworks going off downtown. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: Paraguayans love fire. Tomorrow is a National Holiday here, because Asunción was founded on the 15th of August. Incidentally, the name of my street is 15 de agosto. So happy 15 de agosto to all! Some items of note…

--My new location: My roommate Marlene is great. Always looking out for me. I love being able to buy my own groceries and cook my own food. My diet has improved significantly since I am now consuming what I consider to be a healthy amount of vegetables. (I will also admit that I have embraced hard-boiled eggs and the widespread use of mayonnaise as an all-purpose condiment.) I am still exploring my neighborhood but feeling more comfortable here all the time.

--Hobbits: I have decided recently that Paraguayans are kind of like hobbits. Tranquil, easy-going, friendly, talkative, family-oriented, short, and they love a good story. I am serious about the short thing. While I am generally considered short in the United States, I am above average here. A nice change of pace to be the taller one for once.

--Los Monitos: At the Hogar there is one room downstairs where about twenty of the littler boys sleep. They are all between the ages of 4 and 11. I have taken to calling them “los monitos” (little monkeys) because one day last week I witnessed a remarkable demonstration. Two of the little boys were teasing each other by imitating monkeys with hilarious accuracy, complete with eating lice and throwing poo. Some things just transcend the language barrier…. Later that same night, after they had stopped throwing imaginary monkey poo, I got to sing them bedtime songs. If you have never had 20 adorable little boys staring at you, grinning and fascinated, I highly recommend the experience. Pretty special. They remind me a bit of the Lost Boys from Peter Pan.

--Learning Spanish: More necessary than ever now that I am without my American friends. I have started borrowing novels from the Hogar. Right now I am reading a Roald Dahl book in Spanish (El Superzorro), writing down all of the words I don’t know. So far I am on page 21 and I have a list of words that is three pages long. Slightly depressing, I suppose, but I am learning. Sometimes the process is hard and no fun. Being in a group of Spanish speakers requires all of my attention if I am going to understand and follow anything. So much so that I sometimes forget to speak at all because I am so intent on listening. I think this will get better with time. Let’s hope.

--Mosquitoes: For real, yo. It is just barely warm enough for them to be out and about, and they are already a force to be reckoned with. I keep bug spray by my bed and apply it regularly. I have never gotten so many bug bites in all my life. Perhaps I taste exotic to them.

--The Internet: Is slow. I think I have mentioned this before. It tries my patience on a regular basis since the internet is the primary way that I am able to communicate with all of y’all. I am so spoiled in the United States, and I miss it.

--The Heat: It is only just beginning, and it is not looking good. It is still technically winter, but you wouldn’t know it by the weather. There isn’t really air conditioning here either, so that should be interesting. Now I am starting to understand why Latin American women wear such scanty clothing—it is effing hot. Keep in mind, too, that three nights ago I went to bed wearing tights, two pairs of pants, two shirts, a hoodie, and the thickest socks I have here. I come from Germanic stock, and my people survived long cold winters. Put simply, I am not built for this sort of heat.

--Lice: So far I am clean, but it seems inevitable that I will get them at some point. For example, today I was cuddling with 5 year-old Luicito for a good 30 minutes practicing writing his name and learning numbers in English. Afterwards he shot upright, and exclaimed that his head itched. Oh boy. The Hogar wages a constant and vigilant battle against the pests, but new children arrive all the time, often with such unwelcome guests. So now Jon and I do regular lice checks when we meet. It is sort of a bonding experience I suppose.

--Laundry: I had my first experience this week of doing my laundry by hand. Thus far I had been taking it to the lavanderia, where they wash, dry, iron, and fold it for me. Love it. But it is an expensive thing to keep doing, so I decided to do what most Paraguayans do: hand wash and line dry. Turns out this takes a long time. Good thing I don’t have a job yet.

--Speaking of Jobs…I have had several interview experiences without finding a situation that really seems like a great fit. I have another one on Friday, a second interview actually, and I am hopeful about this one. It is with ADRO, the Adventist Development and Relief Organization. As you may be able to tell from the English name, it is an International organization—really well coordinated, organized, and dedicated. We’ll see how it goes, but they seemed excited about my English.