New Years and A Typical Conversation in Paraguay

Since Christmas was so awkward and uncomfortable a group of volunteers and I decided to bust out of site and spend New Years in Asuncion.  We decided to go in on 12/30 since it was my friend Lauralee’s birthday and stay through the New Year.  I told my site that I wouldn’t be spending New Years with them and they were sad and talked about how fun Christmas had been but I honestly think I might gone a little crazy if I had stayed.  I had an awesome time in the capital.  Seriously, it was everything I dreamed it could be! We ate food that wasn’t fried and although we were stared at a good bit no one watched us eat and made fun of our language skills! I love my site and I am having a really good time getting to know all of the families but this is pretty much how every meeting goes (translated from a mixture of Spanish and broken Guarani):

Paraguayan: Hey, how are you?

Me: I’m good! My name is Maggie and I am the new Peace Corps Volunteer! Mind if I come talk to you for a little?

Paraguayan: Come in! Take our good seat! You’re from America? Do you know Tara? She was the volunteer before.

Me: No, Tara is from Maryland and I live in Georgia; we have never met.

Paraguayan: That is so weird because you are both from the states. Have you met Jose?

Me: No, I have never met Jose. The United States is pretty big. The same number of people lives in Atlanta as in all of Paraguay.

Paraguayan: Wow, that is big! Still I can’t believe you don’t know them.  You are very pretty. What color are your eyes?

Me: I don’t know exactly what color they are but they are very light.

Paraguayan: You have blonde hair. Tara was black. Is your mother blonde?

Me: Yes my mother is blonde, but my dad has black hair and brown eyes.

Paraguayan: Seriously?!

Me: Seriously. I am mainly going to be doing agricultural work here. Do you have a garden? If you have any plans to do work let me know and I would love to help!

Paraguayan: Are you going to date a Paraguayan?

Me: (internal sigh) I am currently dating an American.

Paraguayan: Where is he?

Me: He is another volunteer. He also works in agriculture.

Paraguayan: Is he blonde?

Me: Yes, with blue eyes.

Paraguayan: Oh, I guess you’ll never leave him for a Paraguayan since he is beautiful. When are you getting married?

Me: I am planning on living in your community for the next two years so I won’t be getting married for some time.

Paraguayan: When will you start having children? You will have beautiful blonde babies.

Me: Thank you but it is a little early for that.

Paraguayan: Does he know Tara?

Me: No, he does not know Tara.

Paraguayan: Would you like to drink terere?

And then we drink terere and we don’t really ever talk about agriculture. Just when I plan on settling down and getting knocked up. Hopefully we can move past this quickly so I can start working with them.

I have also done some other cool things like make chipa and mango marmalade.  Most of the women I am supposed to work with are far more interested in gossip than talking about actual work.  However, my contact who I currently live with is the most guapa woman around so I am hoping if I stick with her we can get things done!

I also got my vacation days approved so I will be coming home in April for Sydney’s wedding! Unfortunately I have a Peace Corps reconnect the Monday after the wedding so I might have to leave late the night of the wedding or early the next morning but this is way better than when I was told I couldn’t go.  It was the cause of my first emotional breakdown in Paraguay back in November.  Luckily that has also been my only breakdown but since I have only been here 3 months I am sure there are more to come.

Also I feel like it is important to add that I did not make up a boyfriend just to keep the Paraguayan women from throwing their sons at me (although I have two women that are very pushy about me spending time with their 19 year old sons, a little young in my opinion).  He exists and is another volunteer. That being said if you were single in Paraguay I would 100% support the decision to make up a boyfriend.   The people here are very into Americans and are not subtle in their attempts.  In my situation it does not help that the volunteer prior to me, Tara, dated a Paraguayan for her 2 years of service.  Plus if you decide you do like a local Paraguayan you could always fake a nasty breakup with your fake love interest.  Then everybody wins!