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.
My host brother, Lucas, showing me the secret waterfall
For a week I was able to explore my community, get a feel for the landscape, and meet my new host family.
Don Clementino, my host father, works as a carpenter
My host cousins giving me the hourly hola
The rest of my host brothers upgrading one of the family motos
After our site visits it was back to the technical sessions and language classes
Showing the Sunday school how to make plastic bag bracelets
Running a camp at the local elementary school
Volunteering with WWF, and others to clean up Asuncion’s Bay
There were lots of lazy summer afternoons during the last two weeks
Feeding the fish in our nearby lake
Learning how to cook Paraguayan (we made Sopa, a cheesy corn bread)
Eating slice after slice of watermelon
Sharing care packages with my host siblings
During the final week I joined my family and another volunteer on a Pilgrimage to Caacupé. Over 1 million people walk to this city during the days leading up to December 8th to pay homage to the Virgin Caacupé.
Thousands of people were sleeping around the church and plaza
The morning mass
I had a few days to recover from the exhaustion and foot pain from walking 4 hours uphill and sleeping on the plaza (an experience I’ll never forget),
And then we swore in.
There were tears, laughs, and lots of pictures in front of the Peace Corps logo. And then it gradually sunk in, that AT LAST, we were volunteers!
I’ve been in site for a week, and right now the sun is shining, there’s terere to be drunk, clothes to be washed, and a whole community to explore. I think it’s going to be a good Paraguayan summer =)