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.