Out of all of the days, of course, today was the day I woke up early. I don’t know if it was because I was anxious about going back home tomorrow, or if it’s because the walls are thin and I could hear the guy next door snoring, but either way, I was awake. We all got dressed in business casual outfits and looked cute.
We got onto the bus to go to the Fundacion Paraguaya office. Most of us had no idea what to expect other than some sort of social entrepreneurship office. When we arrived, we all looked around the office. We were greeted by 2 people who work in the office and began our introductions, stating our names, why we decided to travel to Paraguay, and a fun story or fact that had happened during our trip. We were then introduced to “Poverty Stoplight,” one of their four programs. It is a methodology they created that can determine the different areas that people must improve on in order to eliminate poverty.
The best part is that it empowers the families themselves to better their conditions. They have various components or ‘indicators’ to it; water, shelter, food, education, income, and safety are just a few they spoke about. The way it works is a family takes a survey that asks questions about different indicators, and then at the end they show which spots are in the “red” light (which means there needs to be a LOT of improvement), which are in the “yellow” light (which means there are some good things, but improvement is still needed), and which are in the “green” light (which means they are okay). They also have different programs to help people learn about financing, entrepreneurship skills, and so much more. “Poverty Stoplight” has had a lot of success, and it was inspiring learning about their work. We had fun asking questions, using their platform and apps, and getting to know more about entrepreneurs in Paraguay.
Afterwards we went back to the hostel and had our “descanso.” Then, Domingo came… and ‘La Guerra’ began (joking – sort of!). He brought over our last lunch in Paraguay from Señora Ignacia. We were like piranhas devouring the food that the Señora had made us — it was so good! In addition to that, she had baked us a cake. Peniel would not be quiet about the cake because she wanted to try it so badly. Eventually, Ashley got the knife and cut it. We all enjoyed the cake and it was delicious. Afterwards, I was in the kitchen, minding my own business, about to clean my plate and all of a sudden, I felt a big swipe on my face and I saw Domingo (our Paraguayan guide) running away! I then realized that this man had put icing all over my face! This meant war! At first, it was just me and Domingo running around. I don’t know how this icing war spread through the hostel, but eventually everyone had icing somewhere on their face. I remember poking Omar’s eyes by accident, but it was HILARIOUS.
After cleaning our faces, we had a reflection. I don’t know if it was just me, but this reflection was different. We were all standing in a circle with our eyes closed. Two people were picked to go in the middle of the circle and they had to tap a person in response to a prompt read by the trip leaders. I was tapped on the shoulder multiple times. Each prompt was different. It was something like “Tap someone who impacted you” or “Tap someone who is a leader.” This reflection hit differently for everyone. It was more meaningful and heartwarming, and really brought us together. I truly feel grateful for every single one of my peers.
- Cecy, for always dealing with me and letting me bother her with no problem.
- Angelica, for making sure I’m okay and always putting a smile on my face.
- Lemoni, for making everyone laugh and for having that outgoing spirit that everyone loves.
- Robbie, for always giving those jokes that I never understand and for also asking if I’m okay.
- Peniel, for showing me dance moves that I never knew existed and being my go to girl when it comes to braiding.
- Ashley, for being the greatest friend and letting me borrow her sweater because I truly believed that the cold didn’t exist in Paraguay.
- Camilla, for being so understanding and for our small talks.
- Fabio, for letting me bother him at times and dancing his butt off in Tobati.
- Omar, for always making sure that I was okay and that I always had cough drops.
- Lishanelly, for the unforgettable facial expressions and for being the center of attention to most Paraguayans.
Everyone has so much potential, and I believe it truly showed on this trip. We formed friendships that I never thought we were going to make. We went from being awkward to cooking… which is something I actually have to go do now to prepare for our goodbye party! See ya!
Carolina T., Rockville High School