Celebrating Christmas- Paraguayan Style

Feliz Navidad!

Welcoming a couple of Nortes into their home for a Christmas celebration was a first observation of the hospitality and amistad of the Paraguayan people. It was interesting to observe the different ways the same holiday is celebrated, as well as the similarities. Here we go, Christmas, Paraguayan style!

The festivities began well before Christmas. Instead of a tree, a Navidad crèche is decorated outside of the family home. Our host brother and sister did a fine job!

As in the states, a feast is prepared. In Paraguay, a cow was killed for the celebration. Every part was used, from the stomach/intestines; to the head with horns, tongue, eyes in tact, (cooked whole); to the forelegs with hooves still attached; to the hide. Though some of these delicacies were not my favorites, (brain scooped from the spinal column in the back of the skull), I did appreciate the way the entire animal was used, leaving little waste behind.

The feast, which began at 11:00pm on the eve of the Navidad, also included a special fruit punch called “clarico.” A 5 gallon bucket was filled with about 20 pounds of chopped fruit, (brought in from Asuncion), bottles of red wine, champagne, and cana, (distilled sugar cane juice). It was hard to limit ourselves, fresh fruit is a rare treat here!

As 12:00 neared, the sound of "bombas" filled the air. The firecrackers, lit on a coal from the asado, were thrown with excitement by two 5 year-old boys. The countdown then began, and at midnight, hugs, kisses, and “felicidades!” were exchanged. There was talk of going to the Polidiportivo to join in the music and dancing, but we opted to stick close to home.

On the morning of the Navidad, the feasting, conversation, and time spent with family continued on into the evening. Gifts did not seem to be an important part of this holiday, as they are in the states- the people seemed just as happy, though.

Being so far from home and away from family and friends during the holidays was not easy for us. But, if we had to choose another place and family to be with, we were exactly where we’d choose to be. 

Feliz Navidad, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!!!

Just Where You Are- That's The Place To Start. -Pema Chodron

We have arrived in Arazape! 

We have settled in and are living with a wonderful family who have graciously invited us to spend the holidays with them. They have 11 grown children, grandkids, and lots of extended family members, so it should be a good-sized crowd! A cow has been "selected" for the feast. At the last family gathering we ate carpincho, (capybara), an endangered species? Argh!
We have located a house that we hope to rent, (in about 5 weeks), complete with inside bathroom and kitchen. Chuchi! The rent is 300,000 guaranis, (about $70 US dollars per month).                   
We have begun our work as Peace Corps volunteers, by starting to conduct a community needs assessment. What is this, you may be wondering? Well, we created 15 questions in Guarani and are visiting people in their homes to collect information that will guide the type of work we do during the next 2 years. Here's the challenge: first- pronounce the words in Guarani well enough, so our questions can be understood. Secondly- listen carefully, trying to decipher as much as possible, and get something written down. It's actually a pretty exhausting experience with our limited Guarani and Spanish. Fortunately, Paraguayans are very welcoming and patient, and are helping us to collect important information about the community, the strengths and needs.
I have also been brainstorming with our host sister about starting an environmental day camp for the jovenes. At this point, we're just starting to pull some ideas together.
As I am completing this journal entry, our Paraguayan family is putting the finishing touches on the Navidad creche; firecrackers, beeping motos, and Yeehas! celebrate the Olimpia victory, (Futbol), and music blares from the patio.
There you have it, our first 5 days in site as official Peace Corps volunteers.
:) Hasta luegomante.

Dear Maxwell Third Graders,

Through  Peace Corps World Wise Schools, I am corresponding with a third grade class at awesome Maxwell Elementary! This is just a sampling of some of our first experiences here in Paraguay, complete with photos, (now that I have had a little time to figure out how to post photos- thanks for the nudge, Ash).

  Dear Maxwell Elementary Third Graders,

I hope you are all happy, having fun at recess and reading every day! I miss you all and everyone at Maxwell, so I wanted to write and let you know that I am doing well and learning lots about Paraguay and the wonderful people who live here.

Did you know that I was going to school just like you? I just finished with 2 and a half months of Guarani language class and lessons about the environment and culture in Paraguay. I worked hard, completed my homework every night, and gave my personal best, just like you do every day at Maxwell.

I am sending some pictures to show you some of my daily experiences here in Paraguay. I hope you enjoy them:

This was my first home in Paraguay!

I help cook over an open fire in the kitchen.

I wash my clothes by hand in a scrub sink

I say "Mba eichapa nekoe" (good morning) to my neighbor every morning as he heads to work in the sugar cane fields.

I plant trees with kids and learn about reforestation.

I learn technical skills with other volunteers,

then walk about 2 miles to get home, enjoying beautiful scenery!

 Two days ago, Mr. Alves and I completed our training and swore-in as official Peace Corps volunteers. We celebrated with other volunteers and Antolina, the woman we stayed with the past 10 weeks.
In two days we will move to our new Paraguayan community, Arazape, to begin our our Peace Corps service. We are very excited to get started with work and service!

Keep working hard at school and I will do the same here in Paraguay.

Love,
Mrs. Alves

Queso Paraguayo!

Queso Paraguayo!

Many Paraguayans own a cow or two  for milk production for home consumption. A well-loved milk product is the ever-popular Queso Paraguayo, (Paraguayan cheese).  I had the opportunity to learn how to make this cheesy goodness and wanted to share this cultural experience with you. So, get your recipe cards out and let’s get started!

1. First, warm the milk up to a little warmer than skin temperature. (We cook over an open fire in our kitchen. The hen in the cupboard raised a healthy brood of 12 chicks, and the duck is setting on 6 eggs in the other corner. This is also a popular hang out for the family dogs.

2. Second, find a section of cow stomach/intestine, (cleaned), and submerge it into the warm milk. Next, lift it in and out of the pot of milk about 10 times.

3. Third, remove the milk from the heat, remove the cow stomach, and stir the milk with your hands. The curds will gradually begin to form and separate from the whey.

4. Fourth, lift the curds and place in a cheese mold, pressing firmly.

5. Fifth, allow the cheese to drain and remove from the mold in about three hours.

And there you have it! Paraguayans put cheese in many dishes to add flavor, including: soups, empanadas, eggs, corn bread, and chipa. Ah, chipa- chipa deserves a blog post all to itself, so stay tuned!