June 30, 2015 – My mindset when I first went on this trip was that I was just going to come here, help a community and leave with a good understanding of life in Paraguay and poverty. Only about half of that was actually true. I came to Paraguay and fell in love with the small town of Carapegua because I made a second family. In the three days that I spent there I established strong bonds that usually take years to make. If there are words to describe how sad I was to leave than I don’t have them. And then I started thinking. That’s how families who lost their homes to the flood felt. Heartbroken and torn. I gained a different perspective on this trip and it helped me view clearly. I’ve been planning on joining Peace Corps but couldn’t decide on a country. This trip helped me choose. I definitely want to return. When we went to Santa Ana and helped at the soup kitchen, I was overwhelmed with emotions of sadness to see little kids living on the streets, fending for themselves. When I asked kids if they liked living here they told me they did. This lifestyle is all they know. It was eye opening to see kids fulfilled with the satisfaction of so little. It gets me thinking of how much us North Americans take for granted. We attach ourselves to our phones instead of each other. In Carapegua, everyone knows each other and where they live. They have verbal communication which is an aspect we have lost. Being here is very hard at times. There are many moments when I want to go home but I have to remember why I came here. Its a great opportunity for me to spend my birthday here. So I thought I would come here and give but I came here and took gratitude, clarity, relationships and perspective. The biggest thing I will go home with is Paraguayan pride. I uncovered my hidden love for Paraguay through LearnServe and I will be forever grateful.
Diana Echeverria, W. T. Woodson High School