When the Going Gets Tough… the Not So Tough Make Cinnamon Rolls

I’m sitting here in my down jacket with a cup of hot mate in my hands. It seems so strange to be experiencing winter in July! We have been finding creative ways to stay warm, dry, and in good spirits during the our first winter in Paraguay…

 

1. Make Cinnamon Rolls- they are warm and delicious and remind us of home! Also, after we remove the rolls from our small oven, we leave the door open to help warm the house as it cools. Also, holding the pan on our laps, warms our legs and helps the rolls cool more quickly. 

2. Suave Hot Water Bottle- Fill an empty shampoo bottle with boiling water, then carry it around with you or put it next to your cold parts. A great way to warm up those cold feet! Don’t forget to use a plastic bag as a gasket for the lid to avoid leaks- Mark’s handy work.

3. Rain Proof- We put a rain poncho on top of the mosquito net that covers our bed. This stops the rain that leaks from the roof from getting our blankets wet. Pots and pans work, too, though tend to slide to the center of the net.

 

4. Christmas in July Party- we recently got together with 17 other volunteers at a hostel in Asuncion and cooked dinner, wore ugly sweaters from thrift stores, traded Secret Santa gifts, and shared Christmas traditions from home. We had a great fun catching up about stories from “site” and spending time together!   A pirate on stilts even made an appearance, (“Who was that guy?!”).

 

5. Work With It- Try to make “steam rings” come out of your mouth, while drinking your morning coffee.

6. Good Old Physical Work- to get the blood moving. Whether helping our neighbors harvest mandioca, relocating baby Tajy trees for transplanting from an area to be burned; digging in the garden; or helping Paraguayan farmer clear brush before the tractor arrives.

7. Buy a Wool Blanket- The artisans in Arazape make amazingly heavy, beautiful handmade wool blankets! The one we bought keeps us toasty at night.

8. Go to a Festival, Wedding, or Celebration- In Paraguay, social gatherings are always accompanied by loud music and the opportunity to dance the night away- a great way to stay warm and have fun!

9. Wool Socks- Our first pair from Amber and Dave, then, Ashley and Eliot recently sent a pair to each of us. They are so soft and fluffy and warm, (the socks).

10. Getting Cards, Letters and Emails from Home- warms the heart, every time!  

    

    Our Family and Friends "Shrine"

    
    

Festival de Virgen del Carmen

Paraguayans know how to celebrate, and the festival of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of Arazape, was no exception. The festivities lasted for a week, then culminated in the grand finale that started at 7:00am and ended at around 11:00pm that evening. This is an event that the entire community looks forward to every year.

Mark and the kids wait for their turn

Tents were put up near the plaza, by a group of carnies, housing a hand operated Merry Go Round, games of chance, two shops selling trinkets and toys, three food booths, and three cantinas. If the tents didn’t catch your eye, the blaring music was certainly the advertisement that would ensure everyone would visit, at least once!

 During the week, The Virgen del Carmen, who is also the Virgin Mary, (long story), was carried from the church in a procession to each of the 11 barrios of Arazape, to bless the people and renew their faith.

Virgen del Carmen

On the last day of the festival, the final procession was made around the main square of Arazape, with everyone meeting at the church for a mass.  The fire for the “estaca” was reduced to coals and ready for the skewered meat, the beer and soda iced, with plenty of cana, (sugar cane alcohol), on hand for the day’s festivities. A traveling band provided music for the event, as well as groups with guitars and accordions.

The horse events, held in front of the church, took most of the morning. 

Grabbing the ring from the corncob

 The events included: pulling a ring from a corn cob suspended from a cross above the rider’s heads; horse jumping; and swooping to pick up a cana bottle, (an impromptu challenge by a member of the audience).

Taking a break between events

Lots of meat eating, alcohol drinking, and visiting followed near the church, including numbers and letters being announce for a Bingo fundraiser.

A make shift bullring, complete with bleachers was set up overnight in the soccer field, and the evening culminated in a “Torin” or bullfight of sorts. The bull was let into the ring, with a rider on his back. Three matadors with capes harassed the bull until it was tired and finally gave up. The best part was the clowns who entertained the kids and had everyone laughing. The next morning the entire set-up was dismantled and gone before the sun came up!

Diana and I at the bullfight

The event was a great time to connect with neighbors, whether during mass, over a bottle of cana, or snuggling to stay warm during the “Torin.” There was something for everyone, which brought with it a sense of community, all in honor of the Virgen del Carmen!

Wedding- Paraguayan Style

It was exciting to be among “only family” invited to Anibal and Claudia’s wedding, last night. It was a beautiful ceremony in the only church in Arazape, followed by a reception at their home. The wedding began at 7:30pm and the reception went well beyond 12:00am, (when we went home).

Felicidades Claudia y Anibal!

The vows were amazingly similar to traditional wedding vows in the states, other than they were in Guarani in addition to Spanish. Claudia wore a white dress with a fuzzy white jacket, a gorgeous bride, who skipped the long johns despite the freezing weather, (it’s winter here!). I know this, because at the reception, instead of the groom tossing the garter, he “transferred it.” Claudia wore ten garters, and one at a time, a single woman sat across from her, placed the sole of her foot against Claudia’s and Anibal transferred the garter from Claudia’s thigh to the other woman’s. The significance? I’m not sure- I still need to ask about this one.

Claudia- the beautiful bride!

There was a variety of genre of music blasting from 2 columns of 8-foot tall speakers! We all danced to a variety of music from traditional Guarani, to polka, to more modern Spanish selections. Imagine our surprise when Credence made their entrance with “Rollin” and “Stuck in Lodi, Again”!

“What about the food?” you ask. In a word, MEAT! Cooking meat for large groups is an art form here in Paraguay. A week ago, Mark and Teodocio went into the forest in search of “palitos,” long thin branches, carefully selected so as not to transfer flavoring to the meat, but also hard enough to withstand the heat from the cooking fire. Large chunks of meat are skewered onto the stakes, which are then hammered into the dirt in a circle around the fire. The meat is carefully turned and roasted in this manner for about 7 hours. Simmering along side the meat was a large pot of batiburillo, a specialty in Misiones. Batiburillo consists of all the internal organs of the recently killed cow, cut into small pieces, cooked in brown gravy, with a stick of mandioca on the side. Actually- quite delicious!

The MEAT!

The wedding cake looked much like a traditional wedding cake in the states, with one exception- it had 20 ribbons sticking out of the cake from the various layers. As the bride and groom began to cut the cake, the single women each pulled a ribbon out. The woman with the ribbon that had a ring tied to the other end will be the next to be married, as the tradition goes.

Teodocio and Mark Take a Break

Of course, the element that transcends the cultures was joy and happiness. Claudia’s voice wavered as she tried to hold back the tears during her vows, Moms and God Mothers cried, Anibal got lots hearty slaps on the back from his brothers, and the dancing and celebrating went well into the night!

Felicitaciones Anibal y Claudia!