Have you met Copper?

           After getting back from the wedding and spending a week at training (I don’t have the energy to write about training, it was nice to visit my first host family and see all my friends!), I made the decision to get a puppy! I knew that I wanted to get a puppy at some point during my service but I felt that I should wait until after I went home since I would be out of site for almost 2 ½ weeks.  When I was at training I found out that my neighbors (well they live about 40km away, close in Paraguay) found 4 little girl puppies that they were trying to find homes for.  I decided which of the remaining 3 that I wanted based on personality descriptions and a blurry picture. 

            On May 4^th I went to town to pick up my puppy.  She is adorable!  I eventually decided to name her Copper, after the fox and the hound.  She probably weighs around 8 lbs and is not going to be a big dog.  It has been really nice having a puppy, even though I have to wake up around 4 times a night to take her out.  She currently either sleeps in either a fruit crate or at the foot of my bed.  I am aware that some people might think this is gross because she could have fleas but she gets a flea bath twice a week.  Which reminds me, Mom if you are reading this would you mind sending me some front line? 

            Copper and I recently took our first trip back into town so she could get her first vaccines.  She managed to walk almost all the way to the route (a 50 minute walk) on her leash, which was very impressive.  She handled her shot like a little champion and everyone said how pretty she is! Although creepy men in town used petting her as an excuse to try and pet me, that did not fly with me. When I was ready to head back to site with the puppy it was around noon.  I had taken the Cardoza Hnos. (bus line) back to site the first time I returned with Copper and didn’t run into any problems. This time the driver’s assistant told me that if I wanted to bring the puppy on the bus she would have to ride below with all of the luggage - keep in mind she is an 8 lb puppy.  I said some very angry choice words in English to this man (which he didn’t understand which is lucky because the next time I rode the bus I got charged half price) and sat back down on the bench to wait for the next bus.  Thankfully the next bus driver wasn’t a jerk and Copper and I were able to ride back to site.  I also found out that for her next vaccine I could go into town with her “puppy book” and buy the shot from the vet so that she no longer has to come into town with me.  This will make my life much easier.  Copper won’t be traveling back into town until she goes to get fixed in September. 

            Copper also hates the town drunk! I am sure I have talked about Celso before but since my computer crashed I can’t check my old blogs to see (prepare yourself for some repetition).  Celso is around 36 years old and spends about 4 days a week obliterated.  After 4 years of college and working at a restaurant where I have seen grown men so drunk they try to pee on video games; I have never seen anyone get as drunk as the local drunks in Paraguay.  Since booze is so cheap here Celso spends 2 of his free days sleeping and recovering and the remaining day of the week working.  A liter of 80 proof sugar cane alcohol is about $1.75.   When Celso first met Copper he kept saying how pretty she was like her owner (he loves to tell everyone how pretty I am, and how I am “the queen of Paraguay”), Copper immediately started barking.  The hair on her spine even rose, which I have never seen before.  Copper also likes to spend her free time hanging out on my porch guarding it from people.  Although it can be annoying at times (she loves to bark) I have decided that in the long run it will be a good thing having a dog that will bark her head off if someone random comes to my house at night. 

            As of right now I am extremely pleased with my decision to get a dog. A lot of times Paraguayans kill female puppies or abandon them (which is what happened to Copper) so I think it will be a good example for the people in town to see that you can have a female dog without constantly having puppies.  I have also had a lot of people ask me if they can have her when I leave.  I have been responding that I am not sure if I will leave her or take her with me yet but it is nice to know that if for some reason she can’t come with me, people will be willing to take care of her.

Mom here is my address again for that frontline:

Maggie Flinn, PCV 258 
Cuerpo de Paz 
del Chaco Boreal 162 c / Mcal. López 
1580 Asunción, Paraguay 
América del Sur

Some people have been asking about packages getting to me.  I have been getting things eventually and I haven´t had any issues with things getting stolen from packages.  It takes between 3 weeks and 2 months for me to get packages.  I brought back a French press from the states so I would love some coffee, peanut butter is always good, cds, books, anything to help with the coming winter.  The sun sets around 5pm and I generally don´t leave my house after dark because the only people hanging out are people I shouldn´t be hanging out with. Bring on the movie marathons and charge up the kindle!