18 November, 2007

An exciting time...

I got back from my Long Field Practice on Friday and am finally getting a chance to write about it! It was AWESOME! I stayed with an aguelo and aguela (grandma and grandpa) and just had the best time with them! They were so sweet and the Blanca (the grandma) even cried when we left- and I cried too! It was adorable and I definitely plan on going back to visit!! I got to help with the cows, milking, etc. One time they just stuck a mug under the cow, filled it up and handed it to me and my friend Lauren. We just looked at each other and were like, "Well, who wants to go first?" I also got a chance to visit a farmer and see his fields and the house that he grew up in that is more than 100 years old (as well as all these cool artifacts inside it, it was like stepping straight into Paraguays past!). This is such a beautiful country and I´m finding that more and more as I get the chance to travel around. It is Spring time here so it´s lovely! Sometimes it´s a little hot and other times we have CRAZY storms. Last week while we were gone they had hail so big in Provenir that it tore through roofs and ruined a bunch of crops; unfortunately, the people here don´t have insurance or the kind of financial ability to handle hits like that so we´ll see what happens! We could use your kind thoughts!
I could also use your thoughts for the coming week, it´s going to be wild! Tuesday we are giving our presentation for Dia de Practica and are summarizing the natural pesticide project we have been working on with a local farmer. Then on Wednesday we are taking a day trip to some locations of our choice (guitar shop- that´s where I want to go!) because in the afternoon we receive our PERMANENT SITES! I´m super excited and nervous at the same time! We´ll be traveling there solo next week to check them out too so I will DEFINITELY have a report after that! Then Thursday we are having Thanksgiving at our training spot. I´m really sad I´m not going to be home for that but we have some fun stuff planned (like a pick up game of American football! I´m so excited, I can finally not look like a crazy woman like I do trying to play soccer!) Anyways, there´s a lot coming up and it´s all really exciting but it´s going to go really fast too- before we know it we´ll be swearing in and I´ll be officially starting my service! I hope all is well on the home front and I want you to know that I miss you all very, very, very much! I will be thinking of you ALL on Thanksgiving and I want you to know how EXTREMELY grateful I am to have you in my life!

6 comments:

locomocos said...

i especially liked it when you said, 'I know how to shit' in Guarani. That was priceless! haha!

E Hogeboom said...

So, in reference to my dear friend Cassie´s comment... I was giving a presentation on planing seed beds to a group of women. Naturally, I used the word "grow" but unfortunately, for me, it is awfully close to akakakuua, which means, I know how to crap. So, you can imagine the uproar that that caused. Only in Paraguay...

lindsey said...

mrah! Good luck with your site visit! Oh my, I DO have a story for you about Itá after y´all left. Thank you aristocrata.

sneakypie9 said...

Hi Erin. I am Cassie's mom in Kansas City. She posted your blog on her site. I really like your blog. You have helped me appreciate Paraguay and the work you are doing. I am happy knowing Cassie has a friend like you.

Anonymous said...

Erin, It's always good to read your blog and see how things are going in Paraguay. You're very insightful and valorous and humble. I for one wish I'd had the stones to get out of myself at your age and do something as difficult and selfless as the endevour you've set yourself to. I'm sure the people there love you as much as all your friends here. You are missed but certainly admired and prayed for. God bless you on your journey. My best to you, Roy

Anonymous said...

I just imagined you doing your famous Hogeboom embarassed giggle that you have hopefully not out grown! I wished I could have been a fly on the wall when that happened!