by Matt

Children in Santa Ana

The living conditions are so bleak and the people are in such poverty, that the government refuses to acknowledge it (The town is not on the map of Paraguay). We were all told that the town would be bad, but I really was not in store for what Santa Ana had to offer. The roads were not well paved, the rain was not properly drained, and the buildings were not upheld properly. But the biggest shock for me was when our group stopped in a soup kitchen, or comedor. But it was not for homeless adults like I might have imagined. They were kids. Some kids were comfortable enough to say a quick “Hola” or “Ciao,” but most of the children had looks of blank desperation and hopelessness – a stare that I will never forget. Just the fact that kids could not be fully supported by their guardians really impacted me. There do not seem to be any child service laws in this country. That experience today stuck out at me, and it made me realize how fortunate I was as a child to have the basic necessities to get by.

by Matt

Carapegua: The most pleasant memories come from my host family whose children were so curious about everything American. The six year old boy saying, wheres the chica!!

Amy’s Birthday

I stayed awake long enough to be able to identify every musical artist we both knew as well and then switch to English which they wanted to practice with me and had tutoring lessons on the weekends. I loved how excited the people were to be from Carapegua and how they enjoyed showing us all around and especially celebrating Amy’s birthday together at the local pizza place.

On the day we left they were sad that we didn’t stay longer and as they put on a final show for them I realized they knew how to make us feel so very welcomed and appreciated. Lasting impressions: I especially enjoyed working with the teachers and showing them interactive games to do with the students and share classroom management techniques as well.

Our turn to perform

I felt so alive and like the world became flat-as if we were like neighbors sharing coffee or mate (their drink, its a strong tea)together. We spent most of the time joking and playing games!!

Finally: Asuncion: We will begin working with the volunteers tomorrow and go tomorrow to Santa Ana, a very impoverished neighborhood. My impressions as I was being introduced around the area by the teenagers were overwhelming. Walking around was like stepping into a Dali painting, so surreal, in terms of the depth of poverty they live in, it had absolutely no feeling of normalcy.

To be continued…….

Barbara R. Vasco

Malina with her host family

My family even had a maid. They thought that it was so strange that as an American I was so willing to help and clean.

The kids have digital cameras and everywhere you went there were kids texting on their cell phones. I was lucky enough to go to a quinceanera party in San Juan. I felt so out of place because everything was super fancy. It felt almost rude that I looked so… grungy. The girls have an almost European fashion sense and wear tons of makeup.

Homemade Chipa

It is such a difference between San Juan, Carapegua, and Asuncion. From the crazy driving everywhere in the city, to the lack of actual parental rules for children that Americans take for granted. For instance, there are little to no stop lights in any of the cities, kids drive at age 11 and 12 with no licenses, kids and adults drink together, nobody believes in seat belts… I could go on and on.

On a more serious note we visited Santa Ana today, a barrio that isn’t even 15 minutes away from the center of Asuncion. The poverty level itself wasn’t a shock but some little things did stick out. Little kids were walking around in flip-flops or barefoot in the rain, chickens were drinking dirty water from the stream, people rode in wagons drawn by donkeys, and yet in the middle of all of it there was a school with murals and computers and happy kids which just goes to prove that the LSP program really does make a difference with its donations and personal relationships. I also learned a little of Santa Ana’s history and about how it is ignored by the government so much so that it isn’t even on the map.

It’s crazy, but… I love Paraguay. I don’t want to come home… except to get some chocolate chip pancakes from IHOP!!!

By Catherine, student at C.H. Flowers