July 5, 2016 – Before we even left for Paraguay, we had been told that, unfortunately, we would not be staying with host families. This news brought a new wave of uncertainty to me, because I was looking forward to having my own Paraguayan “family.” Fortunately, we had the privilege to meet the members of Nueva Esperanza, at El Telecentro, located in the Viñas Cue neighborhood of Asuncion. And this community was our own Paraguayan Brady Bunch, that I now had the gift of being part of. We ate with the group leaders: Blas, Junior, Tadeo, and Ever, as well as the younger group members. Our food was cooked by Rosa, who seemed to be the second mother of anyone who walked through the door. I spoke Spanish with them all day, learning to add inflection to my speech and stray from ordinary monetary phrases. Most of all, I was able to build friendships and memories that I will be able to remember for the rest of my life. We walked around the town with them, and soon, I came to recognize where the streets turned into the center, and where some of the stray dogs lived. I had inside jokes with almost every one of the group leaders, and they helped me improve in my conversational spanish.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Our last day at the Telecentro was Friday, and I honestly cannot express the bittersweet emotions I’m feeling. On the sweet side, I am so grateful for the memories I was able to make with such an amazing group of people in only a week, and bitter because today could be the last time I would see their faces.
I didn’t want to say goodbye to the delicious food, the impromptu soccer games, the spontaneous nicknames, and I didn’t want to leave the center. It’s absolutely heartbreaking the level of connection I was able to form in only five days, with people who don’t speak my language, are not my age, and who I had just met. But there is something special about all of these factors that makes the relationships even more spectacular. The leaders, Blas, Junior, Tadeo, and Ever, did not present themselves to me as strict authority figures; rather, they were a band of annoying older brothers that I could joke with all day long and still have room for one more laugh. And the youth leaders became like twins to me. I had been adopted into this perfect Brady Bunch.
I know that with Facebook and snapchat and Whatsapp that we can all “stay in touch” online, but I know that it won’t be the same as spending a whole day in the sun with my Paraguayan family. Because of this, I promised myself that when I’m old enough, I’m going to return to the center to see my family again.