MY COMPUTER WORKS! I´ve been having trouble with the mouse and charger, and it´s been a big head ache, but since I bought a wireless mouse, it´s working! :)

Other than that, there´s not much to update on. Things continue to get better with time, because all of the volunteers that I live with (including me) and improving our spanish, and speaking more of it.

This week on my waz back from work, I took a seat on the bus next to an older lady. At the next stop, the lady got off, and I moved to sit near the window. I looked down, and saw the lady, but this time I saw a PARROT on her shoulder! Too bad I didn´t notice it on the bus! :) Oh the things zyou encounter in Paraguay... It´s always an adventure! :)

Wow, it's so much fun to see who all is checking out my blog! :)

August 20th marked a month in Paraguay! (And I haven't written much at all! I'm so sorry about that!) So far I still love it, granted I'm still in the honeymoon stage- everything is an adventure still! (When ISN'T it, in Paraguay!?)

The past week, I spent in the Chaco, in Loma Plata, at the Expo (aka. fair). Except for the German spoken, it was like I was right at "home" in TX! (Not home, but it's the states!) There's dust everywhere, a big sky, country music, ranches... Today I even saw a TX license plate in Asunción! Back to the Chaco, Mennonite World Conference had a booth there, and we passed out fliers and explained all about the upcoming conference. This was all in spanish, which wasn't a problem for me (Or maybe, those of you following this blog from Paraguay, can comment otherwise! haha) until I would come across people who only speak German, at this point other MWCers who speak German would step in and save me. :) All in all, the Chaco was a good experience, but I think I'll leave it as that, there's WAY too much dust for me! :)

Here are some photos from the Chaco...
From left to right: Ellie Toews and Alexa, Ryan Toews, Arnold Voth, and myself. (I work with Ryan and Arnold).
Bienvenidos al Chaco! :)

In Asunción, there are two major rival soccer teams: Cerro and Olympia. I went to their game today (they played each other), and they have the craziest fans ever! The entire time, they're jumping and singing (whole SONGS, with VERSES) , and it's nothing to have a couple of fights and arrests between the fans. After Cerro won :) there was someone with an Olympia shirt that ran in the Cerro section right behind me, and started a fight. And this is a normal occurrence at these games!

Well I need to get going, the house parents are going to lock up the computer room soon. But hopefully I'll update more often!

ps. pray for my patience. My spanish is fine, but my german is lacking (to put it lightly).

"Hablas español?"

Week three comes to an end, and I'm beginning to question myself why I learned Spanish instead of German.

Reflections of my first 2 weeks...

It's already been 2 weeks!? Wow, it seems like I just got here! I'm learning so much, but yet there's STILL so much more to learn!

First, I'll give the scoop on my work so far. I'm working for Mennonite World Conference, I'll admit it sounds pretty cool, but really, so far my title could be the local art lady. Not that mind, someone needs to do it! And I said that I would help where ever needed. Really, I'm helping prepare for a fair (It's called the Expo Treble) in the Chaco, the 2nd week of August. So I've been blowing up pictures and posting information on these colorful squares that will be hung up at our booth. Work is pretty fun, it's a challenge with Spanish (I get by, and I'm always learning more!) and knowing where exactly I fit, but you'll have that the first week anywhere you go! There's 10 people in the office in Paraguay, and all but 1 (the National Coordinator), are pretty young! (Probably below 30.) It's a really fun group to work with, and everyone is easy to get along with! Here's a few pics from the office, I'm sorry there's no pictures of the staff, they refused. :( I have to warn them a day ahead of time they said. :)




As far as my housing arrangements go, I live in a dorm setting with a bunch of other youth who work in 1 of 3 different places (with me being an exception, which is why, I was put in the guest house for the whole year, apart from the rest of the girls in the door here. But I'm making friends none the less.) Everyone here is so nice, and there will be a big turn over of volunteers in around 5 months, because their service term will be up, which makes me sad that I won't have a whole year with them. Even the "parents" (which are more like RDs), are leaving in December. So far it's been really good here in Asunción.

Here's a few pics. from the CD (the name of the place that I'm staying)...




These are a few of the people that I'm living with right now! From the left they are: Marcos, Baola, Claudia, Veronika, me, and Mich (I don't know how to spell his name, sorry!) There's many more, but it's my only good picture, but hopefully it will help you put names with faces in my stories! :)