Tuesday, June 26 – On our way to the countryside (el campo), we stopped at the Mercado Cuatro, a market that continues on 8 city blocks in Asunción. The market stands were so close together that only one person could walk at a time. There were market stands for everything – jewelry, clothes, food, home supplies, baby supplies, pretty much everything one would need to survive. Hundreds of families were working to sell their merchandise to make a living. Children were waiting for parents to purchase goods, and some were working with their parents to sell them. We saw the passion and dedication of the people in Paraguay to ensure they have the best life possible. The Mercado Cuatro reminded me of home, of the street vendors in Washington, D.C. who also work hard to sell their wares. Before traveling to Paraguay, I was searching for a gift for my host family so my aunt took me to vendors near Union Market who were selling Washington, D.C. souvenirs. I am inspired by the hard work people both in Paraguay and in D.C. put into their crafts. I also can’t help but wonder about the story behind how they got to where they are today. The people of Paraguay’s creativity is amazing, and realizing the amount of time people spend to make items, such as beautiful lace cloths and leather bags, is truly wonderful.
After the Mercado, we continued on our route to Santa Rosalia and experienced what, I think, was everybody’s greatest fear on this trip – the home stays. We went into the day curious about the experience and what it would be like to live with strangers who speak another language. It was nerve-wracking to leave the people and the environment (our hostel) that we had gotten used to over the past few days. The nerves really kicked in once I got off the bus in Santa Rosalia. I was a nervous wreck to meet my family, especially since my Spanish isn’t as good as I thought it was. We all went and the students of Tobati’s school put on a wonderful performance to welcome us to their homes. Once the performance was over we finally reached the moment we had all anticipated: meeting our host families. One by one people were paired and much to everyone’s shock there were two families who could host two LearnServe participants. I was one of the lucky people who got to share my home stay experience with another group member. Once I met my host sister Milena we met the rest of the family, gathered our things, and headed to our home for the next 4 nights. Once we got here slowly things became more comfortable. Benni and I struggled to speak Spanish while our family struggled to understand. We laughed and joked to ease the tension between us. Soon I became comfortable with my family and realized that my nerves had been false. I was surrounded by friendly, loving people who wanted to make me as comfortable as possible. Today I learned that no matter how nervous you are to try something new, remain open minded and you may be full of surprises.
Drena S., Paul Public Charter School