July 27, 2015 – Everyone here in Caraparegua, Paraguay treats those of us from the United States as friends and family. It feels like I already know people when I meet them because they’re so warm-hearted and welcoming. I’ve gotten accustomed to the greeting of being kissed once on each cheek instead of the rigid hand shake and forced smile in my home of Washington, D.C. People look out for you here and expect the same. In place of petty one-upping and competition, there is love, appreciation and friendship. The skies are prettier and the community is closer. I love walking down the calles (streets) of Carapargua with my host brother and sister every morning and afternoon to and from school. We teach each other new words in our native languages (English or Spanish) such as “the moon” which is “la luna” in Spanish and discussing both how different and similar our lives are.
Today, on the third and final day, my sister and I sang “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie Titanic together in unison and used a google translator to explain certain words, expressions or ideas we couldn’t get across in Spanish because of my minimal speaking ability. We discussed our friends, families, and even traditions such as her culture’s celebrations of a diseased family member every 6 months (in this case of her grandfather).
I didn’t understand how important it is to share cultures until these special, rare moments with my second family. My sister Pamela has especially opened my eyes to a totally different world. She understands me better than some English speakers do. Despite the language barriers we have gotten to know each other’s likes and dislikes, aspirations, experiences, and feelings in the span of 3 days. As we shed tears and hugged, I felt a sense of safety in a totally foreign country. When I started to wonder if everything I’ve learned would disappear after returning to the U.S., I looked at the photos and my reflections and realized that this experience is changing my view on my own life and the global community and will continue to feed my curiosity about places outside of my little D.C. bubble.
Emily Epstein, Washington International School