Capilla Cué: The Eden of Cordillera
My site is Capilla Cué, “the Eden of Cordillera.” It’s a small barrio found in the rolling hills east of Asuncion which owes its reputation to its nearby streams, waterfalls, and forest.
Give Us A Hint: PCV Site Visits
Just over three weeks left before we’re volunteers, and I have to admit, the PC Paraguay Training team has done a pretty good job making me feel ready.
Learning how to work with bamboo
Welcome to Paraguay!
Three weeks of photos, here is a glimpse of life as a Peace Corps Trainee.
We hit the ground running. Within a few hours of arrival we were bused to our host families.
Staging: Its Go Time
I’m heading off to Miami in just a few hours. The anticipation has been killing me and I’m starting to understand why patience is such a common theme in RPCV stories. One of my short term solutions has been going out on meditation retreats near Fort Collins. I think I’m starting to get the hang of it and I have actually found myself sitting for hours now just watching the clouds. Though I still have a tinge of guilt when I realize I’ve spent all day sitting around outside. So I’ve tried to be objective with this and play around with the timelapse feature on my camera.
Anyways, I’ve realized that I’m not a writer, not yet at least. And with the time demands of Pre Service Training coming up I think I’m going to push my focus to pure photography. Hopefully I’ll post some pictures soon!
The Endless Summer
There’s nothing like tubing down a river on a 95-degree day. Thankfully the Poudre is just a 30 minute drive away.
50 Nations
Time goes by so fast in the months leading up to staging! I’ve just been so busy practicing Spanish and getting final medical clearance (As a tip for new volunteers, go to a USA-ICD Dentist for a free dental exam and check your local VA Hospital to see if they offer a free physical).
In between doctor visits I’ve been reflecting on goal two of the Peace Corps, which is “Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.” How do I show Paraguayans American culture?
The Heart Of South America
Its amazing how quickly your motivation can change. One moment you’re mechanically going through another chapter of Rosetta Stone, the next your heart is starting to race as you realize that in less than four months you’re going to be 5000 miles away, learning how to speak two new languages so that you can help protect one of the last great wilderness areas left in the world.
Practicamos Español.. En Cuba
Last week I traveled to Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean and the only place in the Americas where communism still has a strong presence. I went under a people-to-people educational license and was bused around the country to experience the culture, rum and cigars (and of course practice Spanish!)
Nominated
Yesterday I was nominated to the Peace Corps! I’ve been recommended to the Environmental Sector and have promised my recruiter that I will better my Spanish. I’ve figured that this is a good time to start writing about the experience.