The last two weeks I have been in Obligado visiting some missionary friends. I met them back in MI and she invited me to visit them sometime this summer. Since I had no plans and it sounded like fun, I went. It was a nice break from Paraguay. Even though I was still technically in the country, I was living with someone from the US. So I got to enjoy Amerian food, English speaking, and just being in a more American enviornment. It was nice talking to my friend because since she too used to live in the MI we can talk about the differences between MI and Paraguay. Something that I can´t do with many people. It was such a blessing to be there and enjoy a wonderful time of fellowship and relaxation. I helped paint her sons bedroom. It took a really long time though because the walls are textured and it took some extra effort to get the paint in all the cracks. I also got to watch Anne of Green Gable, one of my all time favorite movies! We played this amazing game Bohnanza, I highly recomend buying it. It is a game where you have to plant been fields. It is like a more organized version of pit. I played the violin both sundays I was there. The first Sunday I played with Julie-trumpet, and her husband-Norberto. The second Sunday I played violin with another person on cello. It was really fun to get to play again, even if the violin was sort of broken. Everyone loved and wants us to play again. Too bad we both left. But hopefully I will be able to visit them again sometime, maybe for Semana Santa, holy week. We´ll see. Thank you so much Julie and Norberto!
Christmas is approaching rapidly and I still not really in the Christmas spirit. I think it is because there is no 24/7 Christmas music station, or snow, or family, or...well a bunch of other things that I associate with Christmas. Our family is going to Asuncion on Tuesday and will probablly leave on the 26th. It will be interesting to see how they celebrate Christmas, their traditions, and stuff like that. I have no idea what to get for my host family for Christmas, I think I´ll ask my host mom today. Then we are going to celebrate New Years at our home. That should be.. fun. It seems like New Years is celebrated alot more here than in the US, we´ll see. Merry Christmas ¡Feliz Navidad!
In January there is a Christian youth camp in Argentina that I would love to go to. I am going to get working on making those plans and all asap. I think I will also invite my host brother, I dont think he already has plans or anything. It will probablly be my only opportunity in my life to go to summer camp in January! Other than that, I don´t really have any other plans except maybe to visit some "family" in Asuncion.
The first day of school is February 15. I am going to try to change classes to the class where I have more friends. My classmates this year were nice enough, but the people in the other class are so much more fun and do alot more stuff together. I think it would be better to be in their class even if I do have to be in school for more hours per day. I am going to try to be a "normal" student this comming year. Now that my Spanish is 100x better and I´ll be starting from the begining of the year as opposed to just jumping in in the middle, like I did this year, I think I might be able to do it. All my good friends are not in my class, so I think it is better if I just change classes. One of my best friends here, Melody, is in Tawain now until February, so I won´t be seeing her for the rest of the summer :( But I have alto of other friends as well, so I think I´ll be just fine. But I will miss her!
I hope you all have a fabulous Christmas.
Erin
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
November flew be so fast! Now I have been here 4 months! Alot has happened this month, I guess I can give you the highlights.
Mi cumpleaños! My 16th birthday was November 20 and it was a very unforgetable day! I woke up, went to school and got zillions of happy birthdays and then went home around 9:30. I got home and just chilled. Then we ate lunch and I called my mom. My mom (the real one) and I talked for a reallly long time, so I missed nap time, so I sleepily helped my mom (the fake one) make sandwiches and clean up and stuff. Then I cleaned my room. After that I got ready to go to my brother´s confirmation. That was at 6. It was interesting to watch. Then we took some family pictures and went back home. We put out all the food and then people started to come, this was around 9pm. The last of my friends left around 3.
So basically all houses in CdE have a thing called a cincho. It is basially somewhere in the back yard or comming off the side of the house that has a huge grill, a table, and other basic kitchen stuff. It is sort of like the party-entertainment area that isn´t exactally in the house. Anyways...They set up a bunch of table and chairs and a sound system and food and everything! They had like a service come and do this all. This is not that rare of a thing here to have a party like this at your home. So since it was also my brothers confirmation, alot of the family and family friends where there as well. It was actually a really good thing that my bday was the same day as his confirmation because I didn´t feel like they were going out of there was TOO much for me, because it was sort of a co party with my brother. About 15 or so of my friends came and we just sort if hung out, talked, and ate. It was nice. Alot of my friends were not able to make it because they also had their confirmation as well and were celebrating with there families. It was a really fun time for everyone! I made a thank you card for my family rand they really seemed to like it. I really have an awesome host family!
Thanksgiving: I did...nothing. My mom has a Bible study and that night they were meeting in our home. She asked me to make some doughnuts for it, so I did. Then I talked to my family, and cousins with skype for over an hour. I did sort of feel like I was missing out, but there will always be more Thanksgivings, but ít´s not like I can just live in Paraguay anytime I want to, so I didn´t feel too bad. This year I have SO much to be thankful for. Especially my family. I appreciate them all so much. The only weird thing was that when I was telling my mom how thankful I am for her and our family, she was making this really disgusted looking face, I think it was because she couldn´t hear me well, idk. Before when I thought about my family, I would really miss them and feel like I was missing out on not being with them. But now, it is like I can think about what a great family I have and just be like"oh, isn´t that nice that I have great family, cool" I was talking to my friend from the US, who is here is py, about all the things that we have to do when we get back. It got me thinking about life in the US and just how different it is, and how glad I am that I am here and not there. Not that there is anything wrong with my life there, I love it. It is just that I REALLY like life here as well. Isn´t is funny that just a few months ago I was more like wishing that I had never even had the idea to come here. I mean, if you read my previous posts, you can see how different my attitude now is SO different then before. And it´s onlybeen 4 months. I think the hard part is over, for now. I am sure there may be some rough patches ahead, but I think I have pretty much gotten used to life here and LOVE it. It just took awhile to get out of my USA Erin mode, understand?
I sort of feel like a hiker when they have just finished hiking up a huge hill and looking back at where they have been. Being glad they are at the top, and relazing they would have never gotten there if they didn´t go through the hard work of actually climbing up. I still have quite a bit more climbing to do, but I am so glad to be where I am now. I don´t think I would change my life for anything! Luckily I still have more than half a year left. I am so glad I didn´t just come for a semester!
I am going to visit for missionaries. I am leaving this week and getting back on the 14 of December. I can´t wait to go. I can´t wait to leave. I have slept over my friends house the last two nights, but it is nice to be home. It is cool to have that "oh I´m HOME". I guess now I have two homes! Here, and in the US.
Thank you for all the prayers, they are SO appreciated.
Love you all friends and family!
Erin
Mi cumpleaños! My 16th birthday was November 20 and it was a very unforgetable day! I woke up, went to school and got zillions of happy birthdays and then went home around 9:30. I got home and just chilled. Then we ate lunch and I called my mom. My mom (the real one) and I talked for a reallly long time, so I missed nap time, so I sleepily helped my mom (the fake one) make sandwiches and clean up and stuff. Then I cleaned my room. After that I got ready to go to my brother´s confirmation. That was at 6. It was interesting to watch. Then we took some family pictures and went back home. We put out all the food and then people started to come, this was around 9pm. The last of my friends left around 3.
So basically all houses in CdE have a thing called a cincho. It is basially somewhere in the back yard or comming off the side of the house that has a huge grill, a table, and other basic kitchen stuff. It is sort of like the party-entertainment area that isn´t exactally in the house. Anyways...They set up a bunch of table and chairs and a sound system and food and everything! They had like a service come and do this all. This is not that rare of a thing here to have a party like this at your home. So since it was also my brothers confirmation, alot of the family and family friends where there as well. It was actually a really good thing that my bday was the same day as his confirmation because I didn´t feel like they were going out of there was TOO much for me, because it was sort of a co party with my brother. About 15 or so of my friends came and we just sort if hung out, talked, and ate. It was nice. Alot of my friends were not able to make it because they also had their confirmation as well and were celebrating with there families. It was a really fun time for everyone! I made a thank you card for my family rand they really seemed to like it. I really have an awesome host family!
Thanksgiving: I did...nothing. My mom has a Bible study and that night they were meeting in our home. She asked me to make some doughnuts for it, so I did. Then I talked to my family, and cousins with skype for over an hour. I did sort of feel like I was missing out, but there will always be more Thanksgivings, but ít´s not like I can just live in Paraguay anytime I want to, so I didn´t feel too bad. This year I have SO much to be thankful for. Especially my family. I appreciate them all so much. The only weird thing was that when I was telling my mom how thankful I am for her and our family, she was making this really disgusted looking face, I think it was because she couldn´t hear me well, idk. Before when I thought about my family, I would really miss them and feel like I was missing out on not being with them. But now, it is like I can think about what a great family I have and just be like"oh, isn´t that nice that I have great family, cool" I was talking to my friend from the US, who is here is py, about all the things that we have to do when we get back. It got me thinking about life in the US and just how different it is, and how glad I am that I am here and not there. Not that there is anything wrong with my life there, I love it. It is just that I REALLY like life here as well. Isn´t is funny that just a few months ago I was more like wishing that I had never even had the idea to come here. I mean, if you read my previous posts, you can see how different my attitude now is SO different then before. And it´s onlybeen 4 months. I think the hard part is over, for now. I am sure there may be some rough patches ahead, but I think I have pretty much gotten used to life here and LOVE it. It just took awhile to get out of my USA Erin mode, understand?
I sort of feel like a hiker when they have just finished hiking up a huge hill and looking back at where they have been. Being glad they are at the top, and relazing they would have never gotten there if they didn´t go through the hard work of actually climbing up. I still have quite a bit more climbing to do, but I am so glad to be where I am now. I don´t think I would change my life for anything! Luckily I still have more than half a year left. I am so glad I didn´t just come for a semester!
I am going to visit for missionaries. I am leaving this week and getting back on the 14 of December. I can´t wait to go. I can´t wait to leave. I have slept over my friends house the last two nights, but it is nice to be home. It is cool to have that "oh I´m HOME". I guess now I have two homes! Here, and in the US.
Thank you for all the prayers, they are SO appreciated.
Love you all friends and family!
Erin
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Hey guys it's been awhile.
So yeah, I haven~t written for nearly a month. So right now we are in November which is the last month of school for the kids here. This means that the first hour of two of school is a test. I am not taking the tests so I have been doing a mix of things, I~ll get back to that later. Anyways, everyday for the rest of the month there is a test. That is because there are so many subjects, like 15. Tests are not given very frequently here. Normally in the US, you get one after every chapter or so, but here there are certain weeks in which you are given a test everyday until you have completed a test in all or almost all of the subjects. There are a few exceptions to this, but they are rather rare. So basically everyday my friends are studying for a test.
There an abnormal amount of exchange kids at my school, 7 or 8. Normally the schools have a maximum of 3 exchange kids. I am not really sure why are school has so many. But this doen~t affect me so much because I am still the only exchange kid in my grade. Anyways, none of us are taking the exams, so we are all trying to find stuff to do. The director of the school suggested that we help with the little kids, there really isn~t that much to do with them. I have gone to the first grade room the past days and in all that time I have, taken 2 kids to the office. I asked the teacher about this and she admitted that there really wasn~t that much to do. There are 3 other exchange kids helping with the really little kids, but they don~t need anymore help. So...the oter option is watching movies, which get boring pretty quick. I don~t know.
So I mentioned that there are alot of exchange kids at our school. This has turned out to be a bit of a problem. Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it. The exchage kids tend to clump together. For example, we have a 20 minute recess everyday and more often than not, there is a group or two of exchange kids talking in English. This is okay occasionally, but when it is basicall eveyday, I think there is a problem. They also hang out quite a bit after school as well. Some of these kids parents have told them that they are spending too much time with the other exchange kids, and not enough time making Paraguayan friends. The school even told us that we are not mixing in well with the other kids. I don't blame them for hanging out so much because honestly I would do the same thing if I wan't fore warned about this by my very smart and experience local volunteer in MI. I hope I am not to guilty of doing this, but I am pretty sure that sometimes am I, it's just easier.
I recently started playing volleyball at the local social club. I really like it and the coach speaks super clear Spanish, so I understand practically everything that she says! The practices are from 6-8 every mon, wed, and fri. I really like the people that practice there. I have also discovered that my friend who lives within walking distance has a piano which she said I can use any time. So it is almost like having a piano at my house. She also has a good amount of music, including a HUGE book of classic, I really like those ones. So yeah, I guess you could say that those are my afterschool activities. Finally I am not just sitting at home all day!
I have really happy news. I feel like I am finally starting to connect with my host brother. We hardly ever talked before, which really bothered me and made me more homesick, but I think this is finally starting to change. For example, this past Saturday, when no one was home except for us, he invited me to eat lunch with him, he totally didn't have to do that, but he did. Then we continued to have a rather normal and flowing conversation while we ate lunch! This made me really happy. We have started talking in the car more, like when he picks me up from my friends house or something like that. I really just want to be his friend. I mean, we are siblings after all. He has also invited to go a few places with him and our classmates, before he never did that. Over all, he just seems much more caring or friendly maybe. Not really sure how to explain it. So you may think that this is totally crazy that I have been living in this house with these people for 3 months and am finally getting a grip on things, but that's just how it is. If I would have read a paragraph of a blog like this, I would have thought that the person writting it was just rally unfriendly or had some weird problem with people, but after living through it, it doesn't seem so unreasonable. Understand...
Interesting thing... I was at my friends house this Saturday making an apple cake with her. I said that we need 1.5 cups of oil. They (my Paraguayan friends and my Swiss friend) thought it was really strange that I would use oil to put in a cake. Apparently they only use it to fry things. I was kind of funny how freaked out they were that I was putting oil in a apple cake. Hmmm, I never knew that not everyone used oil for baking.
So I want to visit some missionaries ffor a couple weeks the beginning of December, but first I need to find some form to fill out for AFS. I asked my host mom were it was and she said, in the house. So wish me luck looking for that.
My birthday is in 10 days! It is on the same day as my host brother's conformation. But maybe I can celebrate it a different day. But anyways, it'll be interesting to see what we are going to do for that.
Normally, I call my mom orr she calls me every week or so. I have asked the other exchage kids, and they say that that is about how often they call their families' as well. I think it would be better if I called them more like once a month or so. Basically alot less than I have been. It is hard, buti think I will get to not talking with them so much, and then I will miss them alot less. I can honestly say that I am not homesick now, but still. But normally after I call them I feel at least a little homesick. It is like during the week of not call them taking two steps forward, and when I call them, one step back in the adjustment process. The weirdest things trigger homesickness for me, or maybe I should say that I miss the weirdest things. For example, then last time I video skyped them, they were all wearing sweaters and I was sweating in short and a t shirt. For some reason I really started missing the cold and wearing warm clothing. I miss the seasons. I left in July, now it is summer here, so it is going to be like a super long extended summer. I love the seasons. Oh, I think it is just better to not think about hem all together. This reminds me of when I quit ballet. I didn't ever wan to look at anything ballet, or go to ballets, or watch ballet movies, because everything ballet just made me feel bad cause I missed it so much. But now it is like ballet, whatever. hmm, just a thought. But now I think I'm just going on and on.
So hopefully this rather long blog entry has made up a bit for my lack of writting this past month.
yes, my Spanish is better, basically everthing is getting better, and I'm happy :)
love you all friends and family,
Erin
So yeah, I haven~t written for nearly a month. So right now we are in November which is the last month of school for the kids here. This means that the first hour of two of school is a test. I am not taking the tests so I have been doing a mix of things, I~ll get back to that later. Anyways, everyday for the rest of the month there is a test. That is because there are so many subjects, like 15. Tests are not given very frequently here. Normally in the US, you get one after every chapter or so, but here there are certain weeks in which you are given a test everyday until you have completed a test in all or almost all of the subjects. There are a few exceptions to this, but they are rather rare. So basically everyday my friends are studying for a test.
There an abnormal amount of exchange kids at my school, 7 or 8. Normally the schools have a maximum of 3 exchange kids. I am not really sure why are school has so many. But this doen~t affect me so much because I am still the only exchange kid in my grade. Anyways, none of us are taking the exams, so we are all trying to find stuff to do. The director of the school suggested that we help with the little kids, there really isn~t that much to do with them. I have gone to the first grade room the past days and in all that time I have, taken 2 kids to the office. I asked the teacher about this and she admitted that there really wasn~t that much to do. There are 3 other exchange kids helping with the really little kids, but they don~t need anymore help. So...the oter option is watching movies, which get boring pretty quick. I don~t know.
So I mentioned that there are alot of exchange kids at our school. This has turned out to be a bit of a problem. Well, I guess it depends on how you look at it. The exchage kids tend to clump together. For example, we have a 20 minute recess everyday and more often than not, there is a group or two of exchange kids talking in English. This is okay occasionally, but when it is basicall eveyday, I think there is a problem. They also hang out quite a bit after school as well. Some of these kids parents have told them that they are spending too much time with the other exchange kids, and not enough time making Paraguayan friends. The school even told us that we are not mixing in well with the other kids. I don't blame them for hanging out so much because honestly I would do the same thing if I wan't fore warned about this by my very smart and experience local volunteer in MI. I hope I am not to guilty of doing this, but I am pretty sure that sometimes am I, it's just easier.
I recently started playing volleyball at the local social club. I really like it and the coach speaks super clear Spanish, so I understand practically everything that she says! The practices are from 6-8 every mon, wed, and fri. I really like the people that practice there. I have also discovered that my friend who lives within walking distance has a piano which she said I can use any time. So it is almost like having a piano at my house. She also has a good amount of music, including a HUGE book of classic, I really like those ones. So yeah, I guess you could say that those are my afterschool activities. Finally I am not just sitting at home all day!
I have really happy news. I feel like I am finally starting to connect with my host brother. We hardly ever talked before, which really bothered me and made me more homesick, but I think this is finally starting to change. For example, this past Saturday, when no one was home except for us, he invited me to eat lunch with him, he totally didn't have to do that, but he did. Then we continued to have a rather normal and flowing conversation while we ate lunch! This made me really happy. We have started talking in the car more, like when he picks me up from my friends house or something like that. I really just want to be his friend. I mean, we are siblings after all. He has also invited to go a few places with him and our classmates, before he never did that. Over all, he just seems much more caring or friendly maybe. Not really sure how to explain it. So you may think that this is totally crazy that I have been living in this house with these people for 3 months and am finally getting a grip on things, but that's just how it is. If I would have read a paragraph of a blog like this, I would have thought that the person writting it was just rally unfriendly or had some weird problem with people, but after living through it, it doesn't seem so unreasonable. Understand...
Interesting thing... I was at my friends house this Saturday making an apple cake with her. I said that we need 1.5 cups of oil. They (my Paraguayan friends and my Swiss friend) thought it was really strange that I would use oil to put in a cake. Apparently they only use it to fry things. I was kind of funny how freaked out they were that I was putting oil in a apple cake. Hmmm, I never knew that not everyone used oil for baking.
So I want to visit some missionaries ffor a couple weeks the beginning of December, but first I need to find some form to fill out for AFS. I asked my host mom were it was and she said, in the house. So wish me luck looking for that.
My birthday is in 10 days! It is on the same day as my host brother's conformation. But maybe I can celebrate it a different day. But anyways, it'll be interesting to see what we are going to do for that.
Normally, I call my mom orr she calls me every week or so. I have asked the other exchage kids, and they say that that is about how often they call their families' as well. I think it would be better if I called them more like once a month or so. Basically alot less than I have been. It is hard, buti think I will get to not talking with them so much, and then I will miss them alot less. I can honestly say that I am not homesick now, but still. But normally after I call them I feel at least a little homesick. It is like during the week of not call them taking two steps forward, and when I call them, one step back in the adjustment process. The weirdest things trigger homesickness for me, or maybe I should say that I miss the weirdest things. For example, then last time I video skyped them, they were all wearing sweaters and I was sweating in short and a t shirt. For some reason I really started missing the cold and wearing warm clothing. I miss the seasons. I left in July, now it is summer here, so it is going to be like a super long extended summer. I love the seasons. Oh, I think it is just better to not think about hem all together. This reminds me of when I quit ballet. I didn't ever wan to look at anything ballet, or go to ballets, or watch ballet movies, because everything ballet just made me feel bad cause I missed it so much. But now it is like ballet, whatever. hmm, just a thought. But now I think I'm just going on and on.
So hopefully this rather long blog entry has made up a bit for my lack of writting this past month.
yes, my Spanish is better, basically everthing is getting better, and I'm happy :)
love you all friends and family,
Erin
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Today was has been one of the coolest days of my life and it is only 5pm. Let me tell you what happened...
Two of my friends in my English class are Chinese (well one of them is half Brazilian). They are so nice and invited me to go to the centro with them to look around and stuff. So at 8:30 this morning my host dad dropped me off in the middle of el centro (basically downtown CDE) where I was going to meet to meet up with my friend. I was a little nervous because I didn´t now exactally where I was and stuff but it didn´t take me too long to find my friend and then we were off to explore el centro. She hadn´t eaten breakfast, so we went to this cafe in the mall. There is a huge contrast between outside and inside of the mall. outside: loud, dirty, crazy, people everywhere trying not to get run over by motorcycles. inside: calm, beautiful, fewer people, clean and almost Americanish. So we went inside to look around. Then we went up to the 6th floor and got coffee. There was a pianist playing BEAUTIFUL music, like jazzy mallish piano. It was SO peaceful, I could have stayed there all day listening. Then he started play "The Girl from Ipanema". I remembered my mom always like flippin out when she heard that song cause it is so beautiful. The piano was a really pretty sounding piano and it was super jazzy beautiful. So I sat there sipping my coffee, listening to that song, and thinking about my mom. It is amazing how many memories I have connected to that song now that I think about it. I usually never feel like crying because of music, but I think because it brought back memories of my mom and it was so pretty, I ALMOST did. I didn´t because I didn´t want to freakout my friend.
Then later we met up with our other Chinese friend and went perfume shopping. I was amazed that I didn´t get a headache sniffing perfume after perfume, trying to decide which I like the most. After they all started smelling the same, I finally decided on one and bought it for $10. After that Adrienne had to leave to go help teach Chinese class, so I looked around somemore with Melody and then we went to her house, actually apartment. She plays and has a piano so I taugh her heart and soul and then we went to go eat lunch at a Chinese resturant.
At the resturant we met up with Adrienne again and two other friends. When the waitress brought out the dishes and silverwear, she brought everyone a plate, bowl, and chopsticks. I was the only one that got a fork and knife, and I didn´t even ask. But I used the chopsticks anyways. So here I am in Paraguay, in a Chinese resturant, all my friends are speaking Chinese, using chopsticks, it was quite the exerperience, it was like I visited China for a few hours. After we ate the main course, we got this really different dessert. It was in a bowl, on the bottom it had beans, jelly, pineapple, someother weird looking stuff, and covering that was shaved ice. Since there were a bunch of strange looking stuff in there, my friends were telling me that it was really frog eyes and stomach, I don´t think so ;)
Después we looked around more and more and more, it is like you can never look around enough. Eventually that had to go and do something for church so my brother picked me up. I had a really great time and got to meet some new people and try new things. I also found out that all those girls I hung out with are Christians. I would go to church with them, but they go to Chinese churches in Brazil. Maybe I will go sometime just to see what it is like.
I started this post by saying that this was one of the coolest days of my life, and how I explained it, you are probablly still wondering why, but that is because somethings that make a day good just can´t be explained. Sorry if I disappointed you ;)
(switch these paragraphs)
Then I came home and felt really homesick for some reason and just layed on my bed crying, I feel better now though. Then I talked to my host mom for awhile about what I had done that day and stuff. I have a feeling that she understands me just about as much as I understand her, lol. Now I am writting this for you all to read.
The other part of my week was really normal, so not much to report about it.
Okay then---untill my next post...
Love you all friends and family and hope you are doing well,
Erin
Two of my friends in my English class are Chinese (well one of them is half Brazilian). They are so nice and invited me to go to the centro with them to look around and stuff. So at 8:30 this morning my host dad dropped me off in the middle of el centro (basically downtown CDE) where I was going to meet to meet up with my friend. I was a little nervous because I didn´t now exactally where I was and stuff but it didn´t take me too long to find my friend and then we were off to explore el centro. She hadn´t eaten breakfast, so we went to this cafe in the mall. There is a huge contrast between outside and inside of the mall. outside: loud, dirty, crazy, people everywhere trying not to get run over by motorcycles. inside: calm, beautiful, fewer people, clean and almost Americanish. So we went inside to look around. Then we went up to the 6th floor and got coffee. There was a pianist playing BEAUTIFUL music, like jazzy mallish piano. It was SO peaceful, I could have stayed there all day listening. Then he started play "The Girl from Ipanema". I remembered my mom always like flippin out when she heard that song cause it is so beautiful. The piano was a really pretty sounding piano and it was super jazzy beautiful. So I sat there sipping my coffee, listening to that song, and thinking about my mom. It is amazing how many memories I have connected to that song now that I think about it. I usually never feel like crying because of music, but I think because it brought back memories of my mom and it was so pretty, I ALMOST did. I didn´t because I didn´t want to freakout my friend.
Then later we met up with our other Chinese friend and went perfume shopping. I was amazed that I didn´t get a headache sniffing perfume after perfume, trying to decide which I like the most. After they all started smelling the same, I finally decided on one and bought it for $10. After that Adrienne had to leave to go help teach Chinese class, so I looked around somemore with Melody and then we went to her house, actually apartment. She plays and has a piano so I taugh her heart and soul and then we went to go eat lunch at a Chinese resturant.
At the resturant we met up with Adrienne again and two other friends. When the waitress brought out the dishes and silverwear, she brought everyone a plate, bowl, and chopsticks. I was the only one that got a fork and knife, and I didn´t even ask. But I used the chopsticks anyways. So here I am in Paraguay, in a Chinese resturant, all my friends are speaking Chinese, using chopsticks, it was quite the exerperience, it was like I visited China for a few hours. After we ate the main course, we got this really different dessert. It was in a bowl, on the bottom it had beans, jelly, pineapple, someother weird looking stuff, and covering that was shaved ice. Since there were a bunch of strange looking stuff in there, my friends were telling me that it was really frog eyes and stomach, I don´t think so ;)
Después we looked around more and more and more, it is like you can never look around enough. Eventually that had to go and do something for church so my brother picked me up. I had a really great time and got to meet some new people and try new things. I also found out that all those girls I hung out with are Christians. I would go to church with them, but they go to Chinese churches in Brazil. Maybe I will go sometime just to see what it is like.
I started this post by saying that this was one of the coolest days of my life, and how I explained it, you are probablly still wondering why, but that is because somethings that make a day good just can´t be explained. Sorry if I disappointed you ;)
(switch these paragraphs)
Then I came home and felt really homesick for some reason and just layed on my bed crying, I feel better now though. Then I talked to my host mom for awhile about what I had done that day and stuff. I have a feeling that she understands me just about as much as I understand her, lol. Now I am writting this for you all to read.
The other part of my week was really normal, so not much to report about it.
Okay then---untill my next post...
Love you all friends and family and hope you are doing well,
Erin
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The big news of the week is that I went Brasil. But for people here that is super normal because it is like a 10 or 15 minute drive away. I went with my friend and her family. When we crossed the border, we didn´t even have to show ID or anything, we just drove on through. We were going to go to the movies, but we didn´t becuase it was too late (it is 1 hour over there). We went to the mall and walked around for awhile. It is a really pretty mall, with some really unique stores. Later we went to the food court and ate some pizza with forks (it just doesn´t taste the same with a fork). After that her family was nice enough to just drive me around Foz and show me different buildings and stuff. It was pretty interesting. It is amazing the difference between CdE and Foz. It was the first time I had seen stop lights in over a 2 months. In CdE they just have lots of huge speed bumps everywhere. I also noticed that the people there are different. In Paraguay a large majority of the women are really short and skinny, and have dark brown hair. In Foz I saw a larger variety in the way people looked. In Brasil they speak Portugese. Talk about having a double handicap. I can actually understand a few things in Portugese because it is so similar to Spanish. My friend has 2 younger sisters so it sort of reminded me of my normal family, just a little. It felt so good to be around a very warm and girlish family, even if it was only for a few hours. The dad even asked me about some questions about the US and stuff, I could actually understand him and answer his questions. I was happy about that. Some of the notions that people have here about the US are pretty interesting and sometimes I wonder how they get these ideas in their heads.
I had exams all this week. I only took the Chemistry, Physics, and English test though. They only have tests a few times a year, which I think is interesting. They were all really short too. So this week should be back to normal at school. I like school still. The last day is sometime at the end of November.
My week has been pretty normal. I went to the gym a few times. My mom´s friend from Asunion was visiting and she was really cute and tried to practice her English with me. So far she has been the first person to actually say something about my accent. When I ask people, they tell me that it is not too bad. I just hope I am not annoying people because when they try to imitate my accent, it sounds terrible! But then again they can´t exactally imitate English words without an accent either, so maybe they are just over doing it. That´s what I am hoping for.
Tonight I have an AFS party. I am looking forward to that, I love the AFSers here, they are so cool. I think I might start talking Spanish lessons this week. Oh and my friend invited me to take Korean lessons with her. Not that I really want to learn Korean, but it is something to do, it is practically free,I would meet more people, and it is with my friend. I think I am going to Foz to go to the movies again this Sunday. My other friend promised that she would take me to Argentina sometime soon, that´ll be cool. It has been I great week over all.
Okay, that´s it for now. I love you all friends and family :D,
Erin
I had exams all this week. I only took the Chemistry, Physics, and English test though. They only have tests a few times a year, which I think is interesting. They were all really short too. So this week should be back to normal at school. I like school still. The last day is sometime at the end of November.
My week has been pretty normal. I went to the gym a few times. My mom´s friend from Asunion was visiting and she was really cute and tried to practice her English with me. So far she has been the first person to actually say something about my accent. When I ask people, they tell me that it is not too bad. I just hope I am not annoying people because when they try to imitate my accent, it sounds terrible! But then again they can´t exactally imitate English words without an accent either, so maybe they are just over doing it. That´s what I am hoping for.
Tonight I have an AFS party. I am looking forward to that, I love the AFSers here, they are so cool. I think I might start talking Spanish lessons this week. Oh and my friend invited me to take Korean lessons with her. Not that I really want to learn Korean, but it is something to do, it is practically free,I would meet more people, and it is with my friend. I think I am going to Foz to go to the movies again this Sunday. My other friend promised that she would take me to Argentina sometime soon, that´ll be cool. It has been I great week over all.
Okay, that´s it for now. I love you all friends and family :D,
Erin
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Life is Good
I have been having alot of nice things happen to me lately so I thought I would share them all with you.
1. no school Monday or Tuesday
2. my friend Hilda came over
3. I walked to my friends house and now know where she lives
4. I took a HOT shower today, usually the shower water is slightly above freezing. What a nice surprise!
5. I got a 78% on my chemistry test. Usually I would be bummed out about that, but it is actually pretty good all things considered. I passed, and that is the important thing right.
6. I made coca cola chicken on Saturday and it turned out really great. I made it with my friend who of coarse had never heard of it before and she was amazed.
7. I got mac&cheese powder in the mail today from my mom. Thanks mom!
8. I went over my friends house yesterday. She has a really cool house. Like you can climb on the roof and there is a part with no tiles on it. When it is warmer outside we are going to sleep up there. It has an awesome view of the city.
9. Went over Vero´s house and ate some delicious yogurt and cereal
10. Slept a TON this weekend and still managed to sleep all afternoon today (that is good because I like sleeping ;).
11. Had a lovely conversation with my real mom on the phone the other day. Love you mom!
12. I am realizing that my Spanish is 100x better than when I first came here. -needless to say, I have a long way to go, but it´ll get there
13. Got to go to church on Sunday
14. Hung out with Mirian alot this weekend
I am sure there are a bunch more things that are happy about my life, but those listed above are the major things. I am also planning on having a great rest of the week too. I am trying to enjoy everyday for what it is. Enjoy the little things and awesome things alike. I also try to not let myself get pulled down if things aren´t working out as I planned. Being disappointed or stressed out doesn´t change anything, it just makes me feel miserable. It is just better to look for the happy things in every situation and hold out hope that tomarrow might bring something better and if it doesn´t, just live with it and enjoy what you have. Having a good week or day or a bad one doesn´t always depend on what happened to you or what you did, it depends on your attitude and what you decide you will feel like.
Now that I am away from my MI life, I am realizing how wonderful it was! Like everything about it from sledding, to having dinner with my family. I have SO many blessings there and I don´t really think I totally appreciated them before. I am going to make sure that doesn´t here. I don´t want to look over the smallest blessings that I have here because I know when I am gone I will realize how wonderful my life was in Paraguay. I will be going back to my wonderful life in MI in less than a year, but who knows when I will ever have an opportunity like this again, most likely never, so enjoy EVERYTHING while I have it! Get what I´m saying here?
Love you all fam & friends,
Erin
1. no school Monday or Tuesday
2. my friend Hilda came over
3. I walked to my friends house and now know where she lives
4. I took a HOT shower today, usually the shower water is slightly above freezing. What a nice surprise!
5. I got a 78% on my chemistry test. Usually I would be bummed out about that, but it is actually pretty good all things considered. I passed, and that is the important thing right.
6. I made coca cola chicken on Saturday and it turned out really great. I made it with my friend who of coarse had never heard of it before and she was amazed.
7. I got mac&cheese powder in the mail today from my mom. Thanks mom!
8. I went over my friends house yesterday. She has a really cool house. Like you can climb on the roof and there is a part with no tiles on it. When it is warmer outside we are going to sleep up there. It has an awesome view of the city.
9. Went over Vero´s house and ate some delicious yogurt and cereal
10. Slept a TON this weekend and still managed to sleep all afternoon today (that is good because I like sleeping ;).
11. Had a lovely conversation with my real mom on the phone the other day. Love you mom!
12. I am realizing that my Spanish is 100x better than when I first came here. -needless to say, I have a long way to go, but it´ll get there
13. Got to go to church on Sunday
14. Hung out with Mirian alot this weekend
I am sure there are a bunch more things that are happy about my life, but those listed above are the major things. I am also planning on having a great rest of the week too. I am trying to enjoy everyday for what it is. Enjoy the little things and awesome things alike. I also try to not let myself get pulled down if things aren´t working out as I planned. Being disappointed or stressed out doesn´t change anything, it just makes me feel miserable. It is just better to look for the happy things in every situation and hold out hope that tomarrow might bring something better and if it doesn´t, just live with it and enjoy what you have. Having a good week or day or a bad one doesn´t always depend on what happened to you or what you did, it depends on your attitude and what you decide you will feel like.
Now that I am away from my MI life, I am realizing how wonderful it was! Like everything about it from sledding, to having dinner with my family. I have SO many blessings there and I don´t really think I totally appreciated them before. I am going to make sure that doesn´t here. I don´t want to look over the smallest blessings that I have here because I know when I am gone I will realize how wonderful my life was in Paraguay. I will be going back to my wonderful life in MI in less than a year, but who knows when I will ever have an opportunity like this again, most likely never, so enjoy EVERYTHING while I have it! Get what I´m saying here?
Love you all fam & friends,
Erin
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
I got a keyboard! I walked into my room a few days ago after school and it was just sitting there. I was so happy I thought I was going to scream. I was REALY excited. I have really been missing my piano and getting a keyboard is just amazing. Luckily I brought some music with me so I have been having a blast! All the keys work and I love it.
Okay so I went to this wedding last weekend, and it was the strangest wedding I have even been to. First of all, the clothing. The bride wasn´t wearing a wedding dress. She just had on a nice dress, it reminded me of something you would wear to homecomming. Everyone else was just wearing jeans. I wore a skirt and thought I was going to be underdressed, I guess not. The ceremony was held at the country club type thing. It was pretty small and not too many people were there. She didn´t walk down the isle or anything. The ceremony was over almost before I realized it had started. Everyone just stood around a table while they and the witnesses signed papers. It was so bizarre. I was told that this is not normal, but I don´t know why they didn´t want to have a more formal wedding. Later we sat around and ate. The food was really good. There is always the same types of food at parties like that: Lots of meat, a million different types of salads and rice, chipa guasu, and sopa paraguaya. We didn´t stay for the cake (which didn´t look like a wedding cake) because it was really cold outside and my mom wanted to leave. That is one wedding that I will never forget.
All of last week we did nothing at school. When I say nothing, I mean NOTHING. There was the fiesta de la naciones so I guess that means the teaches don´t show up to class and the kids do whatever they want. There was dance rehersal, but that was only sort part of the day. I didn´t go to school on Friday because I was going crazy doing nothing at school. So I stayed home and gave the dogs a bath, slept, and cleaned. Totally better than school. There ended up being no fiesta de la naciones on Friday because of the rain. I have noticed that everything seems to stop when it rains. Some kids don´t go to school when it rains because they are afraid of getting the flu and it is annoying, or something like that. I got a few different stories.
It was my host dad´s 50th birthday on Sunday. They celebrate birthdays more here. Like everyone has birthday parties, not just kids. The party was just eating and listening to the live music, but it was nice. I liked it and the weather was really nice that day. Okay I need to make a note about parties. There is this thing here calles asado. It is where a bunch of people get together for whatever reason, birthday, futbol game, graduation, or sometimes for no occasion, and cook ALOT of meat. Everyone waits around for a really long time for the meat to cook and talk, relax, and eat sopa and chip guasu. Then after they are done eating they leave. The times of these things vary. But if you are going to have asado for dinner, chances are you aren´t going to eat until 10pm and no earlier than 9:30pm for sure. Dinners are really late here. I don´t really understand why because if you are going to eat so late, you might as well just wait until breakfast in the moring. But they eat hardly anything for breakfast, so maybe it´s like eating a really earily breakfast. I have no idea, I don´t understand the eating patterns of people here.
After the birthday party I went out with my church´s youth group. At least I think it was a youth group. It was a bunch of young people from church going out and doing something fun together, yeah, I guess that could qualify as a youth group. We went to the mall and played pool, then we went bowling, and then played more pool. It was SO nice to get out with a bunch of Paraguayan my age. I have been trying to find opportunities like that, so going out with them was really special for me. Even though I didn´t have a blast or anything, it was nice to just BE with people and make new friends.
The fiesta de la naciones was Monday night. It was like a dance recital with each class doing a dance from a different country. I didn´t dance because I was not able to make the practices, oh well. Then there was a patio de comida, which was like a food fair. Every class made a couple things from the country and sold them. The USA dance was really good and it made me miss the US a bit. My class had Beligium and we were going to have french fries and coca cola, and no I have no idea how that is Beligan. We ended just selling coca cola because we didn´t have electricity to fry the french fries. Yeah, our stand was probablly the worst. My class is generally very unorganized, so I wasn´t that surprised. Over all the event was really fun and interesting and I got to hang out with my friends from school.
Sometimes I feel like I am going to go crazy here because I have so little to do and my family is always disspearing. I am really trying to spend more time with friends after school and find activities to do. I don´t know how that is all going to work out or how long I will be able to keep that up because it takes alot of energy on my part. Like today I went out with my friend who doens´t speak any English, which really isn´t a problem except for when I am trying to get home and I don´t know how to explain anything or understand too well. I seriously though I was going to start crying I was so frustrated. I know I need to chill out, but when there is a person telling you something important and you need to understand them but can´t, it really starts to get to you. Luckily, that doesn´t happen too often, but still.
My host family is really awesome and my mom is super nice. I am so glad that I got put with such I great family. They definately aren´t perfect, but when I talk to my other AFS friends, I realize that it could be much worse. I just want to know how to express my thanks. In in the US when I want to show my mom I love her I DO something like clean or make dinner or something like that. Here there is a maid who doesn´t all that stuff. I am struggling wih finding a way to show my family and friends here that I appreciate them all so much. If you have any ideas let me know.
One little thing that I find interesting and slightly annoying is when people feel the need to tell me really easy stuff in English. Numbers is a big one. I will be having a conservasion with someone in Spainsh but then they will throw in some English words when they can. This confusses me even more because they generally have a really heavy accent and I am not expecting English in the first place. Then it takes me like 3 times to realize they just said something in English and another 3 times for me to understand them. I don´t really understand why they feel the need to do that. It is always super easy stuff. Like a Spanish sentence with a couple nouns in English, it´s really weird.
Okay I guess those are all the big things that have been going on. I just keep trusting God that there is a reason that I am here even if I can´t tell exacatly what it is.
Chau Chau,
Erin
Okay so I went to this wedding last weekend, and it was the strangest wedding I have even been to. First of all, the clothing. The bride wasn´t wearing a wedding dress. She just had on a nice dress, it reminded me of something you would wear to homecomming. Everyone else was just wearing jeans. I wore a skirt and thought I was going to be underdressed, I guess not. The ceremony was held at the country club type thing. It was pretty small and not too many people were there. She didn´t walk down the isle or anything. The ceremony was over almost before I realized it had started. Everyone just stood around a table while they and the witnesses signed papers. It was so bizarre. I was told that this is not normal, but I don´t know why they didn´t want to have a more formal wedding. Later we sat around and ate. The food was really good. There is always the same types of food at parties like that: Lots of meat, a million different types of salads and rice, chipa guasu, and sopa paraguaya. We didn´t stay for the cake (which didn´t look like a wedding cake) because it was really cold outside and my mom wanted to leave. That is one wedding that I will never forget.
All of last week we did nothing at school. When I say nothing, I mean NOTHING. There was the fiesta de la naciones so I guess that means the teaches don´t show up to class and the kids do whatever they want. There was dance rehersal, but that was only sort part of the day. I didn´t go to school on Friday because I was going crazy doing nothing at school. So I stayed home and gave the dogs a bath, slept, and cleaned. Totally better than school. There ended up being no fiesta de la naciones on Friday because of the rain. I have noticed that everything seems to stop when it rains. Some kids don´t go to school when it rains because they are afraid of getting the flu and it is annoying, or something like that. I got a few different stories.
It was my host dad´s 50th birthday on Sunday. They celebrate birthdays more here. Like everyone has birthday parties, not just kids. The party was just eating and listening to the live music, but it was nice. I liked it and the weather was really nice that day. Okay I need to make a note about parties. There is this thing here calles asado. It is where a bunch of people get together for whatever reason, birthday, futbol game, graduation, or sometimes for no occasion, and cook ALOT of meat. Everyone waits around for a really long time for the meat to cook and talk, relax, and eat sopa and chip guasu. Then after they are done eating they leave. The times of these things vary. But if you are going to have asado for dinner, chances are you aren´t going to eat until 10pm and no earlier than 9:30pm for sure. Dinners are really late here. I don´t really understand why because if you are going to eat so late, you might as well just wait until breakfast in the moring. But they eat hardly anything for breakfast, so maybe it´s like eating a really earily breakfast. I have no idea, I don´t understand the eating patterns of people here.
After the birthday party I went out with my church´s youth group. At least I think it was a youth group. It was a bunch of young people from church going out and doing something fun together, yeah, I guess that could qualify as a youth group. We went to the mall and played pool, then we went bowling, and then played more pool. It was SO nice to get out with a bunch of Paraguayan my age. I have been trying to find opportunities like that, so going out with them was really special for me. Even though I didn´t have a blast or anything, it was nice to just BE with people and make new friends.
The fiesta de la naciones was Monday night. It was like a dance recital with each class doing a dance from a different country. I didn´t dance because I was not able to make the practices, oh well. Then there was a patio de comida, which was like a food fair. Every class made a couple things from the country and sold them. The USA dance was really good and it made me miss the US a bit. My class had Beligium and we were going to have french fries and coca cola, and no I have no idea how that is Beligan. We ended just selling coca cola because we didn´t have electricity to fry the french fries. Yeah, our stand was probablly the worst. My class is generally very unorganized, so I wasn´t that surprised. Over all the event was really fun and interesting and I got to hang out with my friends from school.
Sometimes I feel like I am going to go crazy here because I have so little to do and my family is always disspearing. I am really trying to spend more time with friends after school and find activities to do. I don´t know how that is all going to work out or how long I will be able to keep that up because it takes alot of energy on my part. Like today I went out with my friend who doens´t speak any English, which really isn´t a problem except for when I am trying to get home and I don´t know how to explain anything or understand too well. I seriously though I was going to start crying I was so frustrated. I know I need to chill out, but when there is a person telling you something important and you need to understand them but can´t, it really starts to get to you. Luckily, that doesn´t happen too often, but still.
My host family is really awesome and my mom is super nice. I am so glad that I got put with such I great family. They definately aren´t perfect, but when I talk to my other AFS friends, I realize that it could be much worse. I just want to know how to express my thanks. In in the US when I want to show my mom I love her I DO something like clean or make dinner or something like that. Here there is a maid who doesn´t all that stuff. I am struggling wih finding a way to show my family and friends here that I appreciate them all so much. If you have any ideas let me know.
One little thing that I find interesting and slightly annoying is when people feel the need to tell me really easy stuff in English. Numbers is a big one. I will be having a conservasion with someone in Spainsh but then they will throw in some English words when they can. This confusses me even more because they generally have a really heavy accent and I am not expecting English in the first place. Then it takes me like 3 times to realize they just said something in English and another 3 times for me to understand them. I don´t really understand why they feel the need to do that. It is always super easy stuff. Like a Spanish sentence with a couple nouns in English, it´s really weird.
Okay I guess those are all the big things that have been going on. I just keep trusting God that there is a reason that I am here even if I can´t tell exacatly what it is.
Chau Chau,
Erin
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Alot happened this week. This week my brother, Gusti, left for Germany. The goodbye party on Tuesday was so sweet. They had a gathering with a bunch of friends and family. There was a time for the friends to stand up and say something nie to my brother infront of everyone. I knew just enough Spanish to appriciate what they were saying. Let´s just say I´ve never seen that many teenage boys cry in my life, it was really sweet. This week has been kind of crazy trying to get him all ready to leave. The airport he left from is in Asuncion, across the country. On Wednesday we left around lunch time. We road in the car for about 5 hours or so until we got to my grandparents house. They live in a cute house in Asuncion. I didn´t really know what to do there because there was no one around and I had never been to that house before. I did watch the soccer game between Paraguay and Argentina. Paraguay won!!!!! That was cool I guess. The next day I did more of nothing. Thursday night we had a little family get together for Gusti. It was nice.
The next morning we went to the airport early. Some of the family came too. We waited around for a really long time and then it was time for him to go. He seemed sort of emotional, but when I asked him how he felt, he just said good. I think people in Paraguay are always "good". But I think he was a little sad and nervose. His parting words to me were basically, good luck and learn spanish. That is good enough for me. I hope he will do well in Germany. He told me he doesn´t think it will be hard, I think he might change his mind in a few weeks. For me, the fact that I was going to be separated from my family for a year in a strange country really didn´t dawn on me until the third week or so. I wish all the best to him and will be praying for him alot. After literally watching his plane take off, I went off the the AFS office for my adjustment camp.
We sat in the office with a bunch of other kids for about 5 hours. The hotel we stayed in was really nice and the food was delicious. It was so nice to talk to all my friends and see how they are all doing now. I saw a repeating pattern of people not being happy because their parents do not let them go out by themselves. I couldn´t always tell how much people were exaggerating their stories, so I don´t really know how bad some of the kids have it. I have no problem with getting permission from my mom to go places. I asked her about it and she said that Paraguayans are generaly more protective of the girls in the family, and don´t let them do as much. Since my mom only has sons and is used to letting them go out by themselves, she said it is more normal for her to let me go out more. The other reason is because some of the other parents don´t like picking up their kids from parties at 5 in the morning, what kind of crazy parent wouldn´t want to do that. Another reason is because some parents don´t trust their kids, my mom says she trusts me and that makes me happy.
Families and schools were the main focus of the camp because they are such a huge part of the exchange experience. I really liked the camp.
I now have no more Spanish classes. Now I need to find something to do after school. I have a membership to the gym and I go there sometimes with my friends, but that is only like 5 hours a week or so. My mom says that there is a music place really close to the house and we can go there tomarrow and check it out. Hopefully I will be able to take so violin and piano lessons. I don´t think I will be able to find music teachers as awesome as my music teachers in the USA, but we´ll see. I have also heard that there is a youth orchestra in CdE. It would be like a dream come true for me to be able to be in an orchestra here. I really want to start doing more activitie without my AFS friends. I LOVE my AFS friends, but I don´t practice my Spanish with them and I want to hang out with more Paraguayans. Hopefully I will find some activities to do in which I will meet some good friends who are patient enough to talk to me.
SO, that is what is on my mind now and what is going on. I want to say one more thing about how amazing it is to have Christian friends. I never really appreciated my Christians friends that much before comming here. Now I only have 1 Christian friend and I don´t see her too often. But she said that she will introduce me to more Christians, I think that would be awesome if that happened. So to all my Christian friends who are reading this now, you are the best and I am so thankful to have you all as my friends. Christian family is another thing too. When I have a problem here there are certain people I suppose I could talk to but they do not take into account that God is incontrol of everything and other stuff like that. I am learning how to be directly connected and not depending on people so much to encourage me in my faith. I guess this could be a good thing. Christian friends and family are awesome but now that I don´t have them anymore I think I am strengthening my faith. I must depend on God for everything and just take life day by day with God always by my side.
I hopefully won´t take such a long break before writting again. My interent here is really weird and this website doesn´t work for me. Love you family and friends!!!!!!!
Erin
The next morning we went to the airport early. Some of the family came too. We waited around for a really long time and then it was time for him to go. He seemed sort of emotional, but when I asked him how he felt, he just said good. I think people in Paraguay are always "good". But I think he was a little sad and nervose. His parting words to me were basically, good luck and learn spanish. That is good enough for me. I hope he will do well in Germany. He told me he doesn´t think it will be hard, I think he might change his mind in a few weeks. For me, the fact that I was going to be separated from my family for a year in a strange country really didn´t dawn on me until the third week or so. I wish all the best to him and will be praying for him alot. After literally watching his plane take off, I went off the the AFS office for my adjustment camp.
We sat in the office with a bunch of other kids for about 5 hours. The hotel we stayed in was really nice and the food was delicious. It was so nice to talk to all my friends and see how they are all doing now. I saw a repeating pattern of people not being happy because their parents do not let them go out by themselves. I couldn´t always tell how much people were exaggerating their stories, so I don´t really know how bad some of the kids have it. I have no problem with getting permission from my mom to go places. I asked her about it and she said that Paraguayans are generaly more protective of the girls in the family, and don´t let them do as much. Since my mom only has sons and is used to letting them go out by themselves, she said it is more normal for her to let me go out more. The other reason is because some of the other parents don´t like picking up their kids from parties at 5 in the morning, what kind of crazy parent wouldn´t want to do that. Another reason is because some parents don´t trust their kids, my mom says she trusts me and that makes me happy.
Families and schools were the main focus of the camp because they are such a huge part of the exchange experience. I really liked the camp.
I now have no more Spanish classes. Now I need to find something to do after school. I have a membership to the gym and I go there sometimes with my friends, but that is only like 5 hours a week or so. My mom says that there is a music place really close to the house and we can go there tomarrow and check it out. Hopefully I will be able to take so violin and piano lessons. I don´t think I will be able to find music teachers as awesome as my music teachers in the USA, but we´ll see. I have also heard that there is a youth orchestra in CdE. It would be like a dream come true for me to be able to be in an orchestra here. I really want to start doing more activitie without my AFS friends. I LOVE my AFS friends, but I don´t practice my Spanish with them and I want to hang out with more Paraguayans. Hopefully I will find some activities to do in which I will meet some good friends who are patient enough to talk to me.
SO, that is what is on my mind now and what is going on. I want to say one more thing about how amazing it is to have Christian friends. I never really appreciated my Christians friends that much before comming here. Now I only have 1 Christian friend and I don´t see her too often. But she said that she will introduce me to more Christians, I think that would be awesome if that happened. So to all my Christian friends who are reading this now, you are the best and I am so thankful to have you all as my friends. Christian family is another thing too. When I have a problem here there are certain people I suppose I could talk to but they do not take into account that God is incontrol of everything and other stuff like that. I am learning how to be directly connected and not depending on people so much to encourage me in my faith. I guess this could be a good thing. Christian friends and family are awesome but now that I don´t have them anymore I think I am strengthening my faith. I must depend on God for everything and just take life day by day with God always by my side.
I hopefully won´t take such a long break before writting again. My interent here is really weird and this website doesn´t work for me. Love you family and friends!!!!!!!
Erin
Thursday, August 27, 2009
So it´s been awhile. I would have written sooner but the internet has not been working to well this wee. So here are the highlights
1. Saltos Monday. Those are waterfalls that are really pretty and have absolutely nothing to do with Monday. Monday is a Guarani word. They were really amazing. I went there last weekend with the Spanish Class. It was a Saturday and we were the only people there. They were really amazing and I had an awesome time.
2. Pancakes and Cookies. There are neither of those things in Paraguay. Making the pancakes quite the challege. I don´t know the Spanish work for pancake flipper and I couldn´t look it up because I don´t even think that that is a real work in the first place. I ended up using a pie server to flip them. As you can imagine, they were not the prettiest pancakes ever, but they tasted good and everyone liked them. Homemade chocolate chip cookies are another food not found in Paraguay. Making them wasn´t hard. It was trying to get the ingredient together. I probablly spent at least 15 minutes trying to explain that brown sugar is not sugar that is brown. My mom thought that I was just trying to be super healthy and use natural sugar or something. I showed her pictures and told her that brown sugar is really just sugar and molassas together, but I don´t she understood. I ´m pretty sure that brown sugar is not common in Paraguay. The cookies were a hit, especially with my younger brother, Julio. Next on my list is coca cola chiken. I know I´ll be able to find all those ingredients with no problem.
3. My first test. Math test today, I don´t think I did well AT ALL. It was really simple trigonometry stuff that I understand really well but this it the thing. Sometimes instead of just drawing that triangle or giving coordinates and an angle, the problem would be about someone standing on a cliff looking down on a car. If the cliff is this high and the angle is this, how far away is the car? I just didn´t know how to set up the problem because I coudn´t understand the problem. I wrote a little note at the top in spanish that said I only understood the problems without many words. The teacher is super nice. The teachers here don´t really care how I do, they just appreciate that I took the test. I think they understand how I feel and how difficult school is for me. I don´t mind getting a terrible grade, I know I did my best and hey at least I probablly got something right. I can´t wait until I get Spanish down pat. I definately understand a ton more than when I first came, so I am happy about that.
4. This Saturday. Time to play interior designer. I am helping the maid type person who is my friend, redo her room. Now it is really dirty and messy, so we are going to organize it, clean it, paint the walls, fix the furniture, fix the door, remove all the marker writing from the furniture, and a bunch of other stuff that will make it pretty. I love redoing stuff and making it look prettier. I am for sure taking before and after pictures. I think it will be nice for Miriam to have a room that is nicer, cleaner, and prettier. Wish us luck. I´ll let you know how it goes. If you have any ideas for things that would make the room look cuter that are cheap or easy to make, let me know.
5. No school on Wednesday. I went to school Wednesday expecting a normal school day, that did not happen. Everyone just started leaving and at 9 my brother and I left as well. I found out later why. On Saturday there was a kidnapping in the area. When the family went to drop off the ransom money something went wrong and the guy (18) was killed. That happened Tuesday. On Wednesday there was a funeral, memorial service, and a march against crime, or something liek that. It is hard to get details because I don´t understand people completely all the time or I don´t know how to ask my question in Spanish. Don´t worry about me though, My house is really safe, and I never go outside when it is dark and I never walk outside alone. Pray for the family and friends of the kidnapped guy.
Well that is all I can think of at the moment. I am doing pretty well. I have been missing my family more than I did at first. I am not alone, I have God, and luckily he speaks perfect English ;)
My strength and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
-Psalms 73:26
Okay that is it for now,
Erin
1. Saltos Monday. Those are waterfalls that are really pretty and have absolutely nothing to do with Monday. Monday is a Guarani word. They were really amazing. I went there last weekend with the Spanish Class. It was a Saturday and we were the only people there. They were really amazing and I had an awesome time.
2. Pancakes and Cookies. There are neither of those things in Paraguay. Making the pancakes quite the challege. I don´t know the Spanish work for pancake flipper and I couldn´t look it up because I don´t even think that that is a real work in the first place. I ended up using a pie server to flip them. As you can imagine, they were not the prettiest pancakes ever, but they tasted good and everyone liked them. Homemade chocolate chip cookies are another food not found in Paraguay. Making them wasn´t hard. It was trying to get the ingredient together. I probablly spent at least 15 minutes trying to explain that brown sugar is not sugar that is brown. My mom thought that I was just trying to be super healthy and use natural sugar or something. I showed her pictures and told her that brown sugar is really just sugar and molassas together, but I don´t she understood. I ´m pretty sure that brown sugar is not common in Paraguay. The cookies were a hit, especially with my younger brother, Julio. Next on my list is coca cola chiken. I know I´ll be able to find all those ingredients with no problem.
3. My first test. Math test today, I don´t think I did well AT ALL. It was really simple trigonometry stuff that I understand really well but this it the thing. Sometimes instead of just drawing that triangle or giving coordinates and an angle, the problem would be about someone standing on a cliff looking down on a car. If the cliff is this high and the angle is this, how far away is the car? I just didn´t know how to set up the problem because I coudn´t understand the problem. I wrote a little note at the top in spanish that said I only understood the problems without many words. The teacher is super nice. The teachers here don´t really care how I do, they just appreciate that I took the test. I think they understand how I feel and how difficult school is for me. I don´t mind getting a terrible grade, I know I did my best and hey at least I probablly got something right. I can´t wait until I get Spanish down pat. I definately understand a ton more than when I first came, so I am happy about that.
4. This Saturday. Time to play interior designer. I am helping the maid type person who is my friend, redo her room. Now it is really dirty and messy, so we are going to organize it, clean it, paint the walls, fix the furniture, fix the door, remove all the marker writing from the furniture, and a bunch of other stuff that will make it pretty. I love redoing stuff and making it look prettier. I am for sure taking before and after pictures. I think it will be nice for Miriam to have a room that is nicer, cleaner, and prettier. Wish us luck. I´ll let you know how it goes. If you have any ideas for things that would make the room look cuter that are cheap or easy to make, let me know.
5. No school on Wednesday. I went to school Wednesday expecting a normal school day, that did not happen. Everyone just started leaving and at 9 my brother and I left as well. I found out later why. On Saturday there was a kidnapping in the area. When the family went to drop off the ransom money something went wrong and the guy (18) was killed. That happened Tuesday. On Wednesday there was a funeral, memorial service, and a march against crime, or something liek that. It is hard to get details because I don´t understand people completely all the time or I don´t know how to ask my question in Spanish. Don´t worry about me though, My house is really safe, and I never go outside when it is dark and I never walk outside alone. Pray for the family and friends of the kidnapped guy.
Well that is all I can think of at the moment. I am doing pretty well. I have been missing my family more than I did at first. I am not alone, I have God, and luckily he speaks perfect English ;)
My strength and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
-Psalms 73:26
Okay that is it for now,
Erin
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Embuscada
This past weekend the family and I went to Asunion. Well, more like that area of the country. We wen there beause the city in which my mom grew up in was having there celebration. Apparently every city in Paraguay has some sort of celebration. We stayed at the grandparents house. They have a little farm with chickens, pigs, cows, and fruit plants. It was a very cute area.
The drive across the country was very interesting and it was cool for me to see more of the country. Paraguay is not very populous, so at least seventy percent of it was driving through nothingness. But nothingness is pretty cool to though. Paraguay isn´t the prettiest country, but I enjoyed seeing all the interesting houses and shops.
My friend, Miriam, came along to to visit her family who live in Embuscada, by Asuncion. I went with her to see her house. It was really small and run down. I met her dad and two sisters as well. I went to a birthday party with her for a little baby turning one. I met a bunch of really nice friends of Miriam. We all sat in a circle just talking and laughing at me trying to speak Guarani and them trying to speak English. I am telling you that getting people to say my name correctly in an activity in itself. I think it is because of the R part of it. As usual, no one could say it, but I got a kick out of listening to them try. It was funny for both sides. Then I french braided about five girls´hair. For the party we ate some cake and drank some chocolate milk. There was a piñata for the younger kids. The kids were all so cute.
I really liked visiting because I got to see a different side of Paraguay not found in Ciudad del Este. You can actually walk around Embuscada because it is not dangerous. I have definatley been having a lack of exercise because you can´t walk outside my house. It is so different having to be so extremely aware of danger. My house has an iron gate all around it, barbed wire on the top of that, bars on all the windows and doors, and locks too. My house in MI has...locked doors.
I started Spanish classes last week. I think that they may be doing more harm than good becuase I talk to all my USA English speaking friends there and it takes me out of the Spanish zone. I guess they would be more helpful if no one spoke English or something. I have to say that it is really fun hanging out with my fellow AFSers.
I can understand more of my schoolwork and such. I actual answered a couple of homework questions on my own! But reading is way easier than listening and speaking.
I am learning to be a much more flexible person. Like people just tell me what is going to happen, and it does. I figure that if I can manage this type of spur of the moment type thing here, why couldn´t I do that at my real home. I am learning how to opporate with a sort notice life and it is great!
That is it for now,
Erin
The drive across the country was very interesting and it was cool for me to see more of the country. Paraguay is not very populous, so at least seventy percent of it was driving through nothingness. But nothingness is pretty cool to though. Paraguay isn´t the prettiest country, but I enjoyed seeing all the interesting houses and shops.
My friend, Miriam, came along to to visit her family who live in Embuscada, by Asuncion. I went with her to see her house. It was really small and run down. I met her dad and two sisters as well. I went to a birthday party with her for a little baby turning one. I met a bunch of really nice friends of Miriam. We all sat in a circle just talking and laughing at me trying to speak Guarani and them trying to speak English. I am telling you that getting people to say my name correctly in an activity in itself. I think it is because of the R part of it. As usual, no one could say it, but I got a kick out of listening to them try. It was funny for both sides. Then I french braided about five girls´hair. For the party we ate some cake and drank some chocolate milk. There was a piñata for the younger kids. The kids were all so cute.
I really liked visiting because I got to see a different side of Paraguay not found in Ciudad del Este. You can actually walk around Embuscada because it is not dangerous. I have definatley been having a lack of exercise because you can´t walk outside my house. It is so different having to be so extremely aware of danger. My house has an iron gate all around it, barbed wire on the top of that, bars on all the windows and doors, and locks too. My house in MI has...locked doors.
I started Spanish classes last week. I think that they may be doing more harm than good becuase I talk to all my USA English speaking friends there and it takes me out of the Spanish zone. I guess they would be more helpful if no one spoke English or something. I have to say that it is really fun hanging out with my fellow AFSers.
I can understand more of my schoolwork and such. I actual answered a couple of homework questions on my own! But reading is way easier than listening and speaking.
I am learning to be a much more flexible person. Like people just tell me what is going to happen, and it does. I figure that if I can manage this type of spur of the moment type thing here, why couldn´t I do that at my real home. I am learning how to opporate with a sort notice life and it is great!
That is it for now,
Erin
Sunday, August 9, 2009
My Weekend
So this is my weekend:
On Friday I got home from school at 12:30 and ate lunch with my family. My host mom told me that I was going over Rebe's (my host counsin). I just chilled out in the house until her mom picked me up and then told me I was sleeping over. Rebe's other friend was also over. We just chatted for awhile, watched part of a movie, and then fell asleep. In the morning I was driven home and then my host brother, Ricar, and my host dad took me to el Centro. Basically it is like the downtown of Ciudad del Este. I needed to buy a cell phone. I looked at a few and finally settled for a cute Nokia, I like it alot. Then we went to some other place to get a chip for it. But hold on, I have to tell you more about the centro. In Paraguay you can sell whatever whenever. That is why some people have like little stores in their frontlawn and their are tons of people selling stuff everywhere. El Centro is like a big combination of all of those things. It is sort of like a condensed mall or something like that. It is hard to explain. I didn't take a camera and even if I did, I wouldn't have taken any pictures because I would have probablly gotten run over. Yah, I was pretty impressed that Ricar didn't get us lost.
Later that day Rebe picked me up again and we went back to her house. I got to call my family on Skype from her house and we used video cam. It was nice to hear from my family and see them. I little latter we went to worship practice. Rebe plays the guitar, I play the piano. It is pretty interesting. Even though I didn't understand the song's too well, I could still follow along pretty well. It was nice to have the opportunity to help out that church in any way. We got home pretty late, then ate, watched part of a movie, and then fell asleep.
The next morning we went to the church early to meet up with another family to take donations to the orphange near by. When we got there all the kids were happy to see us. One of the older kids played the guitar and they sang a few songs with us. I didn't know the songs, but I could still clap! The kids there have quite a sense of humor because when one of the little boys, not more than 6 years old, was asked his name, he replayed, Fernando Lugo! (that is the president of Paraguay). Everyone got I good laugh from that. Later I asked Rebe if there were alot of orphans, she told me that some of them didn't go to orphanages because they stay on the street and try to get money for their family. There are about 40 or 50 kids at that orphange. Please pray for them that they will grow up strong in the Lord. The orphanage we visited is the only Christian orphanage in Paraguay. I would like to learn more about the Paraguayan orphans and how they what happens to them. When we got back we had the church service, since it was all in Spanish, I just read my Bible to myself. After church we had a couple from church over for lunch, then nap time. I just woke up.
I have been away from my host home alot this weekend, and I actually miss it a little. It is kind of weird to think of missing something that is not really my real home.
Okay, that is it for now. I appreciate the emails from friends and family by the way. I would love to answer any questions you have about basically anything. Keep praying for Paraguay.
Erin
On Friday I got home from school at 12:30 and ate lunch with my family. My host mom told me that I was going over Rebe's (my host counsin). I just chilled out in the house until her mom picked me up and then told me I was sleeping over. Rebe's other friend was also over. We just chatted for awhile, watched part of a movie, and then fell asleep. In the morning I was driven home and then my host brother, Ricar, and my host dad took me to el Centro. Basically it is like the downtown of Ciudad del Este. I needed to buy a cell phone. I looked at a few and finally settled for a cute Nokia, I like it alot. Then we went to some other place to get a chip for it. But hold on, I have to tell you more about the centro. In Paraguay you can sell whatever whenever. That is why some people have like little stores in their frontlawn and their are tons of people selling stuff everywhere. El Centro is like a big combination of all of those things. It is sort of like a condensed mall or something like that. It is hard to explain. I didn't take a camera and even if I did, I wouldn't have taken any pictures because I would have probablly gotten run over. Yah, I was pretty impressed that Ricar didn't get us lost.
Later that day Rebe picked me up again and we went back to her house. I got to call my family on Skype from her house and we used video cam. It was nice to hear from my family and see them. I little latter we went to worship practice. Rebe plays the guitar, I play the piano. It is pretty interesting. Even though I didn't understand the song's too well, I could still follow along pretty well. It was nice to have the opportunity to help out that church in any way. We got home pretty late, then ate, watched part of a movie, and then fell asleep.
The next morning we went to the church early to meet up with another family to take donations to the orphange near by. When we got there all the kids were happy to see us. One of the older kids played the guitar and they sang a few songs with us. I didn't know the songs, but I could still clap! The kids there have quite a sense of humor because when one of the little boys, not more than 6 years old, was asked his name, he replayed, Fernando Lugo! (that is the president of Paraguay). Everyone got I good laugh from that. Later I asked Rebe if there were alot of orphans, she told me that some of them didn't go to orphanages because they stay on the street and try to get money for their family. There are about 40 or 50 kids at that orphange. Please pray for them that they will grow up strong in the Lord. The orphanage we visited is the only Christian orphanage in Paraguay. I would like to learn more about the Paraguayan orphans and how they what happens to them. When we got back we had the church service, since it was all in Spanish, I just read my Bible to myself. After church we had a couple from church over for lunch, then nap time. I just woke up.
I have been away from my host home alot this weekend, and I actually miss it a little. It is kind of weird to think of missing something that is not really my real home.
Okay, that is it for now. I appreciate the emails from friends and family by the way. I would love to answer any questions you have about basically anything. Keep praying for Paraguay.
Erin
Thursday, August 6, 2009
I am having an awesome time here in Paraguay. The girls in my class are so nice to me and help me with my Spanih alot. I am amazed how much I can understand if they just speak slowly. Everyday I learn a few new phrases and words. In Paraguay there is something called Jopera. Jopera is a mix of Spanish and Guarani. Most people in Paraguay mix in Guarani words with out even knowing it. My friends at school are also helping me to learn some Guarani. Everyone is very interested in my life in the States and they ask me so many questions. Some of the questions I got today were what to girls in the US do when they are mad at eachother, are all cheerleaders mean (I laughed at that one), why did you decide to come to Paraguay, what do you call your host mom, and other questions like that.
I am currently taking these classes in school: life science, history, literature Castellano, English, ethics, cutural arts, economics, math, physics, chemistry, guarani, phycology, anthropology, and gym. You might wonder how you would take all these classes in one day. Well, you don´t. In my school the classes are either 40 or 80 minutes, and there are never more than 5 classes during the day. You only have the classes once or three times a week. That was sort of confussing for me at first.
Today we had gym class. Normally I hate gym class, but I loved this one. We went out side and took a walk to a lake and sat there for awhile. Then we sort of had a free for all acrobatics show. If you knew a trick, you could do it and the others could try it too, or not. It was so funny watching people try to do ridiculous things. I had a cartwheel race with my host brother Ricardo. I won! It was very enjoyable and the weather was so nice.
Yesterday I went to the Catholic church with my host mom and little brother, Julio. We went there for a baptism. It was really interesting even though I didn´t understand anything. One thing that was different was the armed man standing in front of the iron gate of the church. After, we went to someones house for dinner and I tried a whole bunch of new food. The food in Paraguay is really unique.
When people ask me my name I tell them Erin. After I my name they usually want me to write it down or spell it for them. I have given that up because I have yet to find someone who can pronounce it correctly. Now I just say "eydeen". Well that is it for now
Erin
I am currently taking these classes in school: life science, history, literature Castellano, English, ethics, cutural arts, economics, math, physics, chemistry, guarani, phycology, anthropology, and gym. You might wonder how you would take all these classes in one day. Well, you don´t. In my school the classes are either 40 or 80 minutes, and there are never more than 5 classes during the day. You only have the classes once or three times a week. That was sort of confussing for me at first.
Today we had gym class. Normally I hate gym class, but I loved this one. We went out side and took a walk to a lake and sat there for awhile. Then we sort of had a free for all acrobatics show. If you knew a trick, you could do it and the others could try it too, or not. It was so funny watching people try to do ridiculous things. I had a cartwheel race with my host brother Ricardo. I won! It was very enjoyable and the weather was so nice.
Yesterday I went to the Catholic church with my host mom and little brother, Julio. We went there for a baptism. It was really interesting even though I didn´t understand anything. One thing that was different was the armed man standing in front of the iron gate of the church. After, we went to someones house for dinner and I tried a whole bunch of new food. The food in Paraguay is really unique.
When people ask me my name I tell them Erin. After I my name they usually want me to write it down or spell it for them. I have given that up because I have yet to find someone who can pronounce it correctly. Now I just say "eydeen". Well that is it for now
Erin
Monday, August 3, 2009
School: do whatever you want
Today was my first day of school. I woke up with only 20 minutes to get ready, but it was okay. I got to school at 7:00am. I talked to the director a little bit. Then the director introduced all the exhange students, 4, to the whole school. When I came into the class room everyone was just staring at me. But the girls were very very nice and talked to me alot. One of the girls speaks English, but she told me tomarrow that she won´t because everyone wants me to learn Spanish. So there is almost no comparison between US school and Paraguay school. US school: desks in rows, teachers talk and students don´t talk, ask before you leave the room, you must pay attention, when a teacher isn´t there, there is a substitute. In Paraguay, it is a completely different story. You can literally sit where ever you want to. Some of the kids said, "So I here in the US the kids are quite and listen when the teacher talks". I couldn´t help but laugh at a few differences. I would ask what I should be doing and then someone would give me some options but then say, "but you can do whatever you want". I had the feeling that if I wanted to color on the walls it would be okay. At least 50% of the day is free time. I left school at 12:30pm. We will see what happens tomarrow. I am still trying to figure out these crazy schools. Everyone was SUPER nice and I had a good time. Today I had science, history, literature, Engish, and Ethics.
I had a very pleasent afternoon and I pretty tired, infact I have been tired alot lately.
Buenos Noches,
Erin
I had a very pleasent afternoon and I pretty tired, infact I have been tired alot lately.
Buenos Noches,
Erin
Traveling and Arriving
The trip to Paraguay was VERY long. My parents and I pulled out to the drive way at about 3:40 am. I got on my flight to Chicago and got there safe and sound. I missed my 8:40am flight to Miami. I waited in the Chicago airsport until 8:20pm. I get to Miami and after getting my luggage and catching the shuttle, I arrive at the hotel at 12:40pm. Wake up the next morning and have some more orientatioin. Then the group of student going to Paraguay, 18 of us, leave the hotel at 6:00pm and get on our plane at about 11pm (it was delayed an hour). We arrive in Santiago, Chile in the morning and wait around just sitting and exploring the Santiago airport til 4:00pm. We get to Paraguay a few hours later. It is now Friday. We stay at camp til the next day where we do even more orientation. The orientations were mostly about rules and then in the afternoon they taught us a little Gurarani (unfortunately most bad words), and taught us some Paraguayan body language. It was interesting. They don´t high five here, they "feed" each other. It is kind of hard to explain. Then at 4:00pm I get on a bus to go to the bus station. I get on the bus from Asuncion to Ciudad del Este at 6:00pm. I FINALLY see my family at 12:40am on the morning of Sunday. They met me at the bus station, we didn´t really talk that much, but I felt very welcome. My host mom speaks just enough English help when communication is very important.
Sunday morning I woke up at 8:40am. I didn´t see that anyone was home except for Julio and his friend Miriam. I then took a freezing cold shower because I didn´t know how to work the hot water and my host mom was not awake. Then I just sort of hung our until lunch time, it was a bbq outside on this awesome grill thing. The family has 4 dogs and then are all so cute.
That night my my host mom talked to me a little bit about school. I got to talk to Miriam more. she is 14 years. She and Julio were looking at all my stuff and asking questions. I told her I had a book in English and Spanish, the Bible. She read some out loud in Spanish and asked me to read out loud in English, the Spanish. It was very interesting, we read from Acts 1. She was VERY patient with me and she taugh me a couple pharses and words in Guarani. I think she is the maid helper or something. She goes to school in the afternoon so I don´t see her til around 4:00.
Paraguay is an interesting place and I am exited to see more of it.
Sunday morning I woke up at 8:40am. I didn´t see that anyone was home except for Julio and his friend Miriam. I then took a freezing cold shower because I didn´t know how to work the hot water and my host mom was not awake. Then I just sort of hung our until lunch time, it was a bbq outside on this awesome grill thing. The family has 4 dogs and then are all so cute.
That night my my host mom talked to me a little bit about school. I got to talk to Miriam more. she is 14 years. She and Julio were looking at all my stuff and asking questions. I told her I had a book in English and Spanish, the Bible. She read some out loud in Spanish and asked me to read out loud in English, the Spanish. It was very interesting, we read from Acts 1. She was VERY patient with me and she taugh me a couple pharses and words in Guarani. I think she is the maid helper or something. She goes to school in the afternoon so I don´t see her til around 4:00.
Paraguay is an interesting place and I am exited to see more of it.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
I am Outta Here
Well today is the big day I guess. I can't believe this day that I have been thinking about for months now has finally arrived. I am so excited to see what new adventures wait for me in Paraguay. After some last minute shopping last night, and tying up a few loose ends, I am finally ready to leave. I'll be heading out the door any minute now. I feel like I have already grown and learned so much from this whole experience and I have not even left yet. That makes me even more excited to see how God will use me and also to see what He will teach me in Paraguay this year!
I am not really worried about anything, but that is partly do to the fact that I have no idea of what to expect. Well I need to head out the door pretty soon here, and yes it is 3:30AM :)
Please keep me in your prayers, I'll need them,
Erin
I am not really worried about anything, but that is partly do to the fact that I have no idea of what to expect. Well I need to head out the door pretty soon here, and yes it is 3:30AM :)
Please keep me in your prayers, I'll need them,
Erin
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Who, What, When, Where
Hey,
My departure date (July 29th) is approaching fast. My Paraguayan year is in sight. So let me tell you a little bit about my host family, city, and school. The name of the school is Colegio Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus. I saw pictures of the school on their website and it looks pretty big and nice too! They have uniforms: gray skirts, white shirts, and black shoes. I am pretty excited to start school there. My host family has a mom, dad, and three brothers. They seem like a pretty nice family. So far I have emailed them and written them a letter about myself and asking questions about themselves. The city I am living in a suburb of Ciudad del Este called Colonia Yguazu. I have seen a picture of the house and neighborhood and it all looks pretty peaceful, pretty, and nice.
I bought presents for my family today. I got them chocolate chips (something they don't have there) and dried cherries (from MI). Hopefully they will like it.
I can't wait to go and find out what God has instore of me in Paraguay :)
My departure date (July 29th) is approaching fast. My Paraguayan year is in sight. So let me tell you a little bit about my host family, city, and school. The name of the school is Colegio Santa Teresita del Nino Jesus. I saw pictures of the school on their website and it looks pretty big and nice too! They have uniforms: gray skirts, white shirts, and black shoes. I am pretty excited to start school there. My host family has a mom, dad, and three brothers. They seem like a pretty nice family. So far I have emailed them and written them a letter about myself and asking questions about themselves. The city I am living in a suburb of Ciudad del Este called Colonia Yguazu. I have seen a picture of the house and neighborhood and it all looks pretty peaceful, pretty, and nice.
I bought presents for my family today. I got them chocolate chips (something they don't have there) and dried cherries (from MI). Hopefully they will like it.
I can't wait to go and find out what God has instore of me in Paraguay :)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
I started my blog
Okay, so I got my blog up and going even-though I'm not leaving for another month or so. I have no idea how often I'll write, we'll see. I am so excited to be leaving in such a short time, I'm sure it will go by quickly.
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