The past year has been one full of many changes for me, full
of new places, culture, languages, and personal growth. I have decided to write this blog post to
remind myself and to share with you just how far I have come over the year and
the thousands of wonderful experiences I have had. So I have chosen 55 photos (I tried to get it
down to 50, but just couldn’t get there) as well as many of the quotes that
have helped me get through the past year. It is a rather long post but worth it I hope, and you might get to see some of your favorite photos from past posts, please enjoy the photos and quotes from here in Paraguay!
Unless someone like you cares a whole
aweful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
-Dr. Seuss
Chipa,
something I had never heard of until Paraguay but now is a staple of my diet
here in Paraguay when traveling.
The
bumper crop of watermelon last year, sadly this year many of the plants didn’t produce
much this year, but still a great memory and refreshing treat on a hot day.
Be a reflection of what you’d like to see in others. If you want love, give love. If you want honesty, give honesty. If you want respect, give respect. You get in return, what you give.
My
site presentation where my bosses came and introduced both me and Peace Corps
to the community.
My
cheerful and full of energy nephew Junior.
It has been so great watching him grow up this past year, and he has
been a faithful companion always visiting and keeping me on my toes!
My
adorable niece Rocio who has become my best buddy working in the garden, especially
with my flower beds.
You can bury a lot of troubles by
digging in the dirt. –Unknown
The
first day of school my first year in Yukyry with Rocio in the first grade and
Maribel in fourth grade, with Junior wishing he could be in school. Every day when I was in site I was able to
walk the girls (with Junior most days) home from school and had just a great
time talking and laughing with them.
My
first of many pique that I have pulled out of my feet here, I am now an expert
but at the time had no idea what it was, much less how to dig it out of my
feet!
Sometimes the best thing you can do is not think, not
wonder, not imagine, not obsess. Just
breathe and have faith that everything will work out for the best.
Romina
and I traveling last year down to Paraguay Verde, the national environmental
camp. It was a very long ~14 hour road
trip but totally worth it! If
you are interested in learning more or donating to help run this year’s camp
please visit: https://www.indiegogo.com/
Romina
and I standing in the river in Encarnacion looking over into Argentina.
A few of the thousands of beautiful and HUGE avocados that
are found in my community. Last year
living with a host family I was not able to use as many as I would have like
but this year I already have plans and recipes ready for all the avocados that
are getting ready to turn ripe!
Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when
you eat and when you sleep really to sleep.
Try as much as possible to be wholly alive with all your might and when
you laugh, laugh like hell, and when you get angry get good and angry. Try to be alive. You will be dead soon enough. -Hemingway
A
cooler day here in Paraguay (which I am wishing for right now as it is 100+
outside) with all of the dogs trying to stay warm underneath the cook stove.
The
sad and tragic death of fellow PCV Porter Knight and remembering him surrounded
by PCV’s, his Paraguayan families, and staff.
We will always remember Porter and his service here in Paraguay.
There are things that we don’t want to happen but have to
accept, things we don’t want to know but have to learn, and people we can’t
live without but have to let go.
The
old coleigo which became my house. This
is a couple of photos from when I first found it with all the dirty floors,
walls, broken glass, and thousands of stinging insects. Now after a lot of blood, sweat, and even
tears it has become my home full of very precious memories!
If we do not feel grateful for what we already have, what
makes us think we’d be happy with more?
My
sister Rosa with Junior making up chipa for Easter. I never knew Easter was celebrated with such
a force but we had a great time and such wonderful food celebrating this very
important day, which will be just around the corner again!
Christ has no body on earth but yours, no hands but
yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion
for the world is to look out. — Saint Teresa of Avila
My
room at my host families’ house filled with all of the new items that I had
been collecting for when I moved into my new house. I am very glad that I had slowly started to
accumulate things so when the time finally came where I could officially move
in, I was ready to go!
One
of the many photos taken when my friend Thad came down to visit. While he was here in addition to many other
things he helped me put in my garden which has been a huge personal success for
me.
When one door closes another door opens; but we so often
look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the
ones which open for us.
-Alexander Graham
Bell
The
finished garden which now has 7 raised beds and has provided countless
wonderful fresh veggies and now a wonderful herb garden!
My
completed house after living with host families for about 8 months I was
finally able to move out on my own. It
is just such a blessing to have my own space and I have learned so much about
growing my own food, cooking, baking, and just a lot more about myself!
May your choices reflect
your hopes, not your fears.
-Nelson Mandela
My first trip to Itaipu Dam located in Cuidad del Este which
produces more hydroelectric power than any dam in the world and is the second
largest behind Three Gorges Dam in China.
Salto Monday which is a very large waterfall located in
Cuidad Del Este.
My
completed community map which highlights all of the houses which correspond to
my survey I completed as well as natural resources and land usage. Even though I have been in my community for
over a year I am still learning more about my community and adding to my
map. Through all of the ups and downs
this past year this place I didn’t know existed a little over a year ago has
now become home.
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the
service of others.
Two
of my very regular visitors to my house Maribel and Marcial (I call them
M&M for short). They love to come
over and help me clean my house (almost on a daily basis) and we have also made
countless cakes, fresh bread, and so much more.
They are a huge fan of coloring and we are now working on multiplication
tables and division.
Basilio,
the principle of my school, and I during one of the two trainings held by
PC. This one was project design and
management where we came up with a project plan and brought it back to the
community.
Don't ask what the world needs. Ask
what makes you come alive, and go
do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
-Howard Thurman
My
adopted cat Sam from another PCV who left.
He has provided me with much comic relief, kept me warm on cold nights,
and helped control insect/rat populations in my house. He is the only animal here that is truly mine
even though I also have another cat and dog that pretend to call my house home
as well.
A
picture of some of my wonderful students during my conservation and English class
that I held throughout the school year.
On this day we made a wonderful compost pile that I then later used as
fresh compost for my garden.
People may not remember what you said or
did
~but~
they will always remember how you made them feel.
All
of us that attended the biodigestor training of trainers. We had a great few days and learned a lot
about biodigestors. I am currently
working on writing a small manual of a step by step guide to help future PCV’s
and Paraguayans alike.
My
coldest birthday on record celebrating with my wonderful host family and the
yummy German chocolate cake I made.
When you try to control everything, you
enjoy nothing. Relax, breathe, let go,
and just live.
The
last training we had as a large group with our community contacts was more technical/
hands on training. This is just a few of
my g-mates and other PCV and technical trainer right before we planted some
trees.
My community contact and I after we finished the training at
the beautiful facility.
When people walk away, let them. Your future is not about the people who walk
away. It’s about the people who stay in
it for the ride.
The
very fun and successful recycled art day which was put on my some great VAC
mates (the other PCV’s that live around me).
Each of the kids went home with 5 new recycled art items and even now
kids are still collecting the “trash” and turning it into many fun new
things.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and
precious life.
After
many months of waiting, many shopping trips into Caaguazu for materials, and
over a week of work my bathroom was finally built. In addition I got running water for an
outdoor sink which has made my life so much easier!
The
glass bottles we cut and fish we painted while my mom was here visiting from
the US.
Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your
future.
My
mom and I at Itaipu Dam in Cuidad del Este.
Visiting
Iguazu Fall in Argentina for the first time.
It is just magnificent and takes your breath away, such a great and fun experience
to be able to share with my mom!
Sometimes our fears keep us safe, and sometimes they keep
us from ever doing the things God intends us to do. We mustn’t hide ourselves away while life
passes us by. When God calls we must
listen and respond. Don’t let fears keep
you hidden from life.
Me beginning
to explore my community more with my new friend who has showed me many new but
beautiful spots in my community that are a little tucked away but so worth the
walk.
A
few of my g-mates and I swimming one hot afternoon in Asuncion during Ahendu
weekend. It was a great weekend to just
reconnect with friends and have fun together!
No one ever really chooses their way of dying, but they
do choose how to live.
One
of the beautiful borrowing owls that we have in my community that live just
right across the street from me.
FIND A PATH THAT CAPTURES
YOUR HEART AND FOLLOW IT TO THE END.
Me
working on the eco-bench with the hard work of my students collecting and
making the bottles as well as the wonderful PCT’s that were visiting my site
for long field practice.
Our
completed bench!
I'd rather regret the things I've
done than regret the things I haven't done.
~ Lucille Ball
A
relaxing trip to the waterfall after the hot morning of work.
The
view from the plane headed up to the Pantanal and just the harsh realities of
deforestation here in Paraguay.
Chilling out by the Rio Negro one afternoon journaling.
The
beautiful and unique landscape of the Pantanal.
But those who hope in the Lord will
renew their strength. They will soar on
wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be
faint. –Isaiah 40:31
The
trees which remind me of those found in the movie The Lorax.
A
beautiful sunset looking out over the river.
Pray as if it all depends on God, for
it does. But work as if it all depends
on us, for it does.
–George W. Bush
Picture perfect skies!
Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges obstacles,
and less than perfect conditions. So
what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow
stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident, and
more and more successful.
-Mark Victor Hansen
My
garden in production mode before the summer came with my marigolds growing like
crazy with lots of fresh onions, garlic, carrots, beets, tomatoes, and
cucumbers.
My
new summer class consisting of art, cooking, English, and conservation
classes. This is after we painted the
eco-bench one morning.
My
students who just blew me out of the water with their knowledge about trees and
their benefits and art skills to create such a masterpiece!
Christmas
cookie day where Annie and I made a bunch of traditional Christmas treats and
then invited some kids over and we decorated sugar cookies. A fun experience for all!
My
Christmas tree and decorations to help celebrate such an important day.
I just hope and pray that my next year that I am here will
be just as full with such rich and fulfilling experiences, and that I am able
to make a small difference here in the lives of those in my community. A couple of my favorite quotes/ songs I just
thought belonged here at the end.
In the blink of an eye, everything can change. So forgive often and love with all your
heart. You may never know when you may
not have that chance again.
I'm
begging for forgiveness, I wanna make a difference
Even in the smallest of ways
I'm only one person but I can feel it working,
I believe in better days
That's why I pray.
-Big and Rich
