The end of training...

E’a!!! (used in Guarani to indicate Surprise, one of my Faves..)

I am sitting on my bed in my host families sorting papers and books I need for my site now and ones I can keep in storage for a while…It is fun to reflect but at the same time very sad. Both my sister and well my boyfriend were helping me and looking through my papers and things while we talked about how fast these past 10 weeks have gone by…I have had a great training experience as a whole. My tech trainer is great and my language teachers are too. I wish I could have had more weeks of training with Guarani. I have only had 3 which is like maybe 5 classes because of all the stuff we had going on…I am a little worried about trying to teach myself Guarani from now on but I do have help from my contact family in my new site, Jose, possibly another contact that is a teacher in my community more or less. Again my biggest fear is language but then again It has only been like 2 months..and my language is WAY better says my family so that is good. I still have self-doubt with it but I definitely try every single day. I ask questions and correct myself and try to use Guarani and Spanish too. This experience so far has truly been a rollercoaster. I am happy to say I have had more highs than lows and I think that is just because I kept trying and didn’t give up. That is exactly what I am going to keep doing in my new site too. I have had A LOT of fun and laughter with the Beekeeper trainees, the Crop trainees and the Environmental Education. I have spent so much time with the 9 beekeepers I am going to miss them when I am flying solo permanently. Thankfully will have a phone so I can call them and keep in touch! I’m lucky that I will live so close to my training community so I can come back and visit in the future. I have said it once and I will say it again…..I am very lucky to have the family I have here. Paraguayan culture is really well guapo and tranquillo all at the same time. These families work soo hard but are also always calm and relaxed…I enjoy it and I feel that most all trainees do.

                So about my new site..I will be living on a Isla….yes an ISLAND! The agriculture that the community is doing there is great. The soil is soo rich and the people of course are super hard-working and they want to do beekeeping!! I have only met a couple of families who are pretty much brothers of one of my contacts..I have 3 months for the settling in to start. I also found out that I may have a house available for my use which is great because I am a first volunteer in my site which is great because I am not being compared to other Americans but it is also a heck of a lot of responsibility..My contact is pretty great though so I really think I will get things done in my two years of service. The Island is beautiful. My tech trainer told me that I need to keep calling everyone not on the island..main landers lol When I told other trainees about the fact that my new site was an island they were like “WHAT? And island? In Paraguay? How did you get that???!”..I would reply…”oh..I asked for the Florida plan…” lol I get a lot of broma (jokes/ teasing) about all my florida stuff..Gators or just Florida in general. I was looking at the stuff I brought here and its like the Florida Bookstore in Paraguay it’s a little insane but whatever…got to spread the spirit especially since Florida could use some spirit right now…lol My family says I am a Florida Fanatic..lol Which let’s be real..it’s true! Back to the site, it has electricity and running water (most of the time)…I think the electricity depends on the weather..I do have running water but for the time being I am using a latrine. This sucks when it is raining but otherwise you get over it.

                In relation to Beekeeping, I have learned A LOT claro que si..like I said my trainer is great. I think I have been stung a total of 12 mas o menos throughout my service which in my opinion is like nothing….some trainees had experience with some angry bees and just got lit up. I am talking 25 stings or 30 stings in one hive revision. That’s a lot of stings.. For me my hand stings were the worst because I couldn’t write..it was so annoying. Then again I wasn’t wearing gloves because I was trying to tie on comb to a panel during a trasiego (wild bee capture).  It’s difficult to do with the terrible gloves I have which I need to look into buying better ones in Asuncion…hmm. Anyways I really enjoy beekeeping its fun because literally everytime you do a trasiego or revise a hive its different, sometimes in a good way or sometimes in a bad way, so it is really never boring and they are Africanized bees so they are well less happy to see you than the Italian or Russian bee types in the States.

I cannot believe it is December…its crazy…Thanksgiving was really fun, the trainees went to the Directors house and we had turkey and stuffing and other fixings which were great. Also I was able to call Mom and Dad and chat with them for a bit which was great. I was little sad around the holiday thinking about home and my mom/grandma’s cooking but I did have a good distraction. I think Christmas will be a little tougher because I will be the only American with my site family who I don’t know too well yet but I think It will be a good experience! My training family has lights up on one of their windows. It makes me SO HAPPY, it’s like ridiculous how much those kind of things make an impact!

New site!

Wow..I don´t even know where to begin..my life is crazy good right now. This blog will be terrible for the time being because I havent had time! But here are the facts...I will be living on island about an hour away from the capital! so cool...also really close to the town I leave outside of now during training! My host family is still really great. Also my new site family is pretty great so I am excited for the future. Also... I have a Paraguayan boyfriend. LOL yes His name is José. So I am very happy in Paraguay :) I promise to tell you all more later! with pictures!

PARAGUAY!

Greetings from Paraguay!

I have so much to say that I have no clue how to start…As you can see I am living in Paraguay. Home of the tranquillo people and Terere! So much has happened here. I live with my host family who literally is my family here. They are great. I have a mama, 3 brothers, one sister and a nephew. Seriously, God is looking out for me. My sister is 22 and works with Americans in the capital so she knows some English vocab so she helps me a lot with my Spanish y Guarani.  All my family members do actually. My nephew is the only one who looks at me like “who are you?” “Why are you in my house?” “Why are you so pale?” Although these past couple of days he has been warming up to me. He calls me “Tia Tia!” By the way, in Paraguay my name is Victoria. Caitlin is too hard to say my Paraguayan village amigos...I was Cait and then caity….but sometimes it sounds like Cat-ee which that in Guarani is something to do with odor…So ya.. I changed it although I’m pretty sure all my PCT friends’ casa's know me as the redhead one so it’s no biggie. It’s really pretty here. There are animals all over and pretty friendly people. My house has trees, lots of animals and happy crazy three year old who rides his tricycle screaming “MOTO MOTO”! Vroom Vroom! He is pretty funny. He helps take the pressure of me. Although there typically isn’t any..my family doesn’t do the fishbowl thing..they are an experienced PCT family (I think I am their 3^rd). I have had only a couple of awkward moments but nothing really bad. Mi mama is wonderful. She is constantly telling me that she is happy to have me here and that my Spanish will get better day by day. My brothers and sister say this too. I’m pretty close with my sister. When I am around her I feel like I have known her forever. We talk and gossip in Spanish.  My PCT friends are pretty great too. In the villate that I live in, there are 9 of us beekeepers (Two guys and the rest girls). In my entire training class there are 3 sectors, Environmental Ed, Ag. Crop extension, Beekeeping extension. I can honestly say that I know all 46 volunteers, 47 including myself. We are a pretty good group. I got to know a lot of them pretty quickly. My good friend Tess (fellow bee) and I were discussing today that we think it’s because all of us took on this intense challenge together and bonded like right away.  Which is great since your friends and your host familia is like your rock here.  I got extremely lucky. I thank my host placement every time she asks me about my family. I really haven’t had too much of a shock yet in Paraguay. Sure, it’s got its developing country issues and I am not in America but it’s still pretty awesome. I went to an anniversary fiesta for a local futbol team here and it was pretty fun. My sister took me and we met up with other beekeepers families (all of whom I have met).  The view of the sunset is fantastic. I will be sure to capture a picture. I know that I am in the honeymoon stage of training...adjustment wise but I am pretty happy. Even though , training is intense...no joke. You are trying to learn 2 languages, a new culture all while trying to fit in to a family, a village and hell a lifestyle and try to get ready to make that end of the tunnel.  I think the first day when I was like omgosh...what am I doing was when I wrote an email to dad the other day. That was the first time I even thought about technology or wondered what I was missing at home.  Obviously I am missing people but it wasn’t as intense until the other day. I am thankful that training is so busy with idioma, PCT stuff and host family. It allows me to be focused on the task at hand. Let’s just say that I have been in such a Paraguayan mind set...that I forgot that the Bama game was this past Saturday… ya...ya... I know...intense.  It has already been a life changing experience and I have only been here for a week…slightly ridiculous sure….but absolutely true. Sorry for the rambling or grammatical errors. Estoy MUY cansada. I love ya’ll and miss ya! Talk to you soon!

Random things I have learned/discovered/admire/find ironic:

--In Paraguay lots of people listen to music from their house so you can hear it when you walk down the road. Well in my house, my brothers really like to listen to music too. Let’s just say when I was coming home from class at my  school (two room, tiny school for my village of PCTS) I heard Lady GaGa  and some other American pop  songs. Bottom line…Gaga is everywhere.

--I have liked every food I have had (starch, meat, fruit..pretty much).  I drink café every morning with some pan (bread). Lunch is the biggest meal (coincides with the siesta).  

--I love love love Terere. It’s like yerba mate but its ice cold water.  It’s a social drink. It’s very crucial to Paraguayan tranquil life.

--I try to journal everyday so I don’t forget what happened during that day.

--They have fireflies here. Like a lot.

--There are motos (motorcycle) everywhere! There is an average of 23-28 moto accidents at day in hospitals. It’s like ridiculous because of the lack of enforced regulation and the cost effectiveness of the moto. It’s pretty dangerous.

-- The harp is a very important instrument in Paraguayan traditional bands. They play it like (as my friend Becca says) they are Jimi Hendrix. They pick it up. Move around with it and even turn it upside down. You would think it’s an electric guitar. They get really into it.

--I  say Ciao every single day

-- Everyone has a phone pretty much here. My family has cell phones. My sister texts all the time.

 -- There are animals everywhere. Vacas (cows), chickens, cats and especially dogs. Most of the dogs are not something you would choose to get close too.

--The dirt here reminds me of North Carolina.

--My Spanish is getting better all the time.

"I can't believe you are leaving!"

Well believe it! Although sometimes I am finding it hard to believe myself. This past Labor Day weekend I spent some time organizing (by this I mean "grouping") all the items I have that will be going with me. Let's just say I am far from being done...Lucky I still have some time!

These past couple weeks have been interesting. I have felt confident about my impending journey to Paraguay but I think never as confident as I have felt today.

Sure I get sad thinking about the family and friends I am leaving behind but what is important is the support. I am seriously at a loss as to how PCV can handle preparing for such a trip without that extra boost of love from family and friends! I think these past couple of weeks have been testing me to prove to myself that this journey is what I really want deep down...Once again I have answered yes..

I spent time reflecting on how it all started...

I had been thinking about joining PC since I was in high school and learned what it was all about. I always thought it would be a great thing to participate in and hopefully make a difference even if it is a small one...

In college I had thought about the idea a couple of times. I even went to a meeting at the International Center on campus just to see if it was something I really wanted to pursue... I wasn't sure yet about whether this volunteer life was for me...but I figured that if this was something I was meant to do...then there would be a sign...

Well, I would sure call it a sign....Amy (my wonderful PC recruiter at UF) came into one of my classes (the one I hated the most in my whole college career by the way) to speak to FRE (Food Res. Econ) kids about how there were many opportunities for AgBusiness. She explained what a great opportunity especially for us to utilize our degrees to  expand our cultural knowledge, to be a part of something bigger than ourselves and to really try to make a difference...let's just say I was sold!

After that I setup a meeting with Amy and the rest is history...Even through all the worrying and anxiousness of the many various steps...I MADE IT! 

Paraguay PCT September 2010
Beekeeping Extension

This is where I am suppose to be in my life. This is where I am meant to go. :)

AHHHHHH!! It finally happened! I have been invited to Paraguay and have GLADLY accepted! I leave September 29th. I am very excited and also extremely nervous! It is going to be a great journey :)