Sept 20, 2011
I wake up everyday. I make coffee or mate. Open my door and thank God for giving me the life I have. I sit on my front step, remind myself I'm living in Paraguay, South America. That I am in the Peace Corps. I have been in country for 8months basically. Yet I still am shocked that I am doing what I said I'd be doing. Paraguay is such a beautiful country. My sites are amazing. I walk or bike around to visit people and I can't believe I am so lucky. I have never seen so many beautiful birds and butterflies. All different colors, shapes and sizes. I lived in Arizona for4years the home of the Cardinal football team. Never once did I see a Cardinal bird... Every morning here, or while I wait for a bus I see more than one in a day. Its amazing!
Along with that though I feel like I am camping 60% of the time. The whole no running water, sleeping under a mosquito net, with a sleeping bag, not always having electricity and sometime building a fire out of wood or coal makes me feel like camping. A 2yr camping experience should make up for all times I didnt go camping during my childhood. I do miss luxury camping though ; )
I am currently working on my garden, small personal charlas, cooking classes with my neighborhood children and managing the commissions in my communities and trying to stay healthy. To add to the list of sickness, I just recovered from slight concussion. Don't worry it wasn't a big deal and I HAVE the BEST doctors. I basically got hit in my face with a soccer ball and fell backwards. I recovered quickly. So keep your fingers October I have no medical issues! I laugh about it all because as many of you know I am a healthy person. Paraguay is testing my limits and I won't let them get the best of me.
There are 65 days before thanksgiving mas o menos. At the end of Oct is my friends bday here and Halloween. For thanksgiving all the volunteers and Peace Corps Staff are invited to the south of Paraguay for a thanksgiving dinner weekend. We stay at a nice hotel with pools and hangout. The week before thanksgiving I plan on going to a training for HIV/AIDs than taking the bus down to the south to celebrate. Christmas I will be "alone" technically but prob spend it will one of my many host families and experience a PY Xmas. For the new year I'll be in Chile, South America. 4 of my volunteer friends and myself will be together. We rented a house on the beach and since it will be mid-summer we will enjoy the heat and beach to the fullest! I am very excited... And before I know it I will be sipping on Cider in the Fat Cat! (pub in Norwich, England)
So there you have it.. An update. My job is stressful, since I never know if I am actually helping. But when I find out someone has picked up on cooking more healthy or brushing there teeth it is once step closer. I don't clock in or get a huge pay check every month. I sometimes question what the heck I am doing.. THAN I play soccer with the kids or have a kid smile and I remember I am NOT here for me but for them. At the end of the day I am HAPPY and consider myself lucky to experience this life here in Paraguay!
I miss you all, but months fly by here.. And I hope all of you are doing well. Get skype credit or calling card and call me! I'd love to hear from you all! I have more letters to send out but low on funds and internet in my site isn't working! But every 3 weeks or so I go to a city. So keep writing emails or facebook msgs and I'll get back to you!
Adios!
Got bday gift from auntie sue! Love the shirt. Telling all the kids about grandad being a futbol player..they think that's why I am "good".
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Monday, September 12, 2011
27-7= 20mths
Sept 8,2011
For every peace Corp moment I seem to have several reality checks. I love being here & get such a high from helping people. I am so proud of myself for how I act and what I do it's crazy. I look back on my life a year ago, 5years ago even more and then look at where I am now. Of course I am still Alexandra D Murillo. But my mind and body now a days is almost unrecognizable. Besides the minor weight loss my body has been fighting for a normal healthy since I ventured out to site. As I've mentioned the common cold to minor accidents have occurred. Nothing to worry about, because not only do I have the best health team at my disposal but I have a great group of friends and bosses to call. Of course it is frustrating but I NEVER thought for a second I would be coming to Peace Corps Paraguay for a vacation. I came here to work. I came here to help. So a "couple" hiccups have happened in my road to success. I know I'll look back at my service time here in 2+ years and laugh. Actually that's were my mind is unrecognizable. I also NEVER thought I'd be able to laugh at myself. I thought I had a pretty weak mind, that i wasn't able to handle disappointment and failure. I thought maybe I would throw in the towel when things got rough. Maybe some of you at home think different of me?.... I always hear my friends and family telling me that they are proud of me. But very rarely do I tell myself that I am proud of myself. But I AM!
Example: yesterday after many years of my community never coming together to work. I had hand written 25 invitations in guarani to hand delivery to every house. I explained in Spanish and broken guarani to please come to a meeting on Wednesday at 3pm. So on Wednesday I drew a poster describing what it would take to start a committee. I walked from my house the half KM to our little chapel. At 2:55pm (EARLY for PY time, Super Early) 15 women from my community showed up.I lead the meeting in Spanish and got my point across of how a womens group works and the pros and cons. We voted for our president, vice,treasurer and secretary. At the end of the meeting I had a total of 17 out of the 25 women involved. Maybe this doesn't sound like a big deal.. But to me it's HUGE! After 4months of living in a community all the terere sessions and simple hellos I have been able to gain respect in my community. 2months ago I asked the same 25 houses plus another 25 in my other community to come to my site presentation. I had 5 people show up and 2 were from the other community as well as one being a host mom.
So basically no matter what obstacles Paraguay will throw at me, for one hour of success it is all worth it to me. I hope my women's commission will work hard. Not for me, but for them! They are so guapa(hardworking) when it comes to how they live (carrying wood, getting well water, cooking on an open fire, washing clothes for families of 8+ people etc) but the projects we will work on is FOR THEM! Maybe a fogon ( brick oven) project so they don't have to inhale smoke nemore or a garden projects they can afford vegetables! Who knows! Keep ur fingers crossed!
I miss and love you all! I got a letter from Liz and Nigel, a package from dad and Laura, and bday card from kate and mark! Thank you ALL!
For every peace Corp moment I seem to have several reality checks. I love being here & get such a high from helping people. I am so proud of myself for how I act and what I do it's crazy. I look back on my life a year ago, 5years ago even more and then look at where I am now. Of course I am still Alexandra D Murillo. But my mind and body now a days is almost unrecognizable. Besides the minor weight loss my body has been fighting for a normal healthy since I ventured out to site. As I've mentioned the common cold to minor accidents have occurred. Nothing to worry about, because not only do I have the best health team at my disposal but I have a great group of friends and bosses to call. Of course it is frustrating but I NEVER thought for a second I would be coming to Peace Corps Paraguay for a vacation. I came here to work. I came here to help. So a "couple" hiccups have happened in my road to success. I know I'll look back at my service time here in 2+ years and laugh. Actually that's were my mind is unrecognizable. I also NEVER thought I'd be able to laugh at myself. I thought I had a pretty weak mind, that i wasn't able to handle disappointment and failure. I thought maybe I would throw in the towel when things got rough. Maybe some of you at home think different of me?.... I always hear my friends and family telling me that they are proud of me. But very rarely do I tell myself that I am proud of myself. But I AM!
Example: yesterday after many years of my community never coming together to work. I had hand written 25 invitations in guarani to hand delivery to every house. I explained in Spanish and broken guarani to please come to a meeting on Wednesday at 3pm. So on Wednesday I drew a poster describing what it would take to start a committee. I walked from my house the half KM to our little chapel. At 2:55pm (EARLY for PY time, Super Early) 15 women from my community showed up.I lead the meeting in Spanish and got my point across of how a womens group works and the pros and cons. We voted for our president, vice,treasurer and secretary. At the end of the meeting I had a total of 17 out of the 25 women involved. Maybe this doesn't sound like a big deal.. But to me it's HUGE! After 4months of living in a community all the terere sessions and simple hellos I have been able to gain respect in my community. 2months ago I asked the same 25 houses plus another 25 in my other community to come to my site presentation. I had 5 people show up and 2 were from the other community as well as one being a host mom.
So basically no matter what obstacles Paraguay will throw at me, for one hour of success it is all worth it to me. I hope my women's commission will work hard. Not for me, but for them! They are so guapa(hardworking) when it comes to how they live (carrying wood, getting well water, cooking on an open fire, washing clothes for families of 8+ people etc) but the projects we will work on is FOR THEM! Maybe a fogon ( brick oven) project so they don't have to inhale smoke nemore or a garden projects they can afford vegetables! Who knows! Keep ur fingers crossed!
I miss and love you all! I got a letter from Liz and Nigel, a package from dad and Laura, and bday card from kate and mark! Thank you ALL!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
A month of travel!
Sept 8,2011
For every peace Corp moment I seem to have several reality checks. I love being here & get such a high from helping people. I am so proud of myself for how I act and what I do it's crazy. I look back on my life a year ago, 5years ago even more and then look at where I am now. Of course I am still Alexandra D Murillo. But my mind and body now a days is almost unrecognizable. Besides the minor weight loss my body has been fighting for a normal healthy since I ventured out to site. As I've mentioned the common cold to minor accidents have occurred. Nothing to worry about, because not only do I have the best health team at my disposal but I have a great group of friends and bosses to call. Of course it is frustrating but I NEVER thought for a second I would be coming to Peace Corps Paraguay for a vacation. I came here to work. I came here to help. So a "couple" hiccups have happened in my road to success. I know I'll look back at my service time here in 2+ years and laugh. Actually that's were my mind is unrecognizable. I also NEVER thought I'd be able to laugh at myself. I thought I had a pretty weak mind, that i wasn't able to handle disappointment and failure. I thought maybe I would throw in the towel when things got rough. Maybe some of you at home think different of me?.... I always hear my friends and family telling me that they are proud of me. But very rarely do I tell myself that I am proud of myself. But I AM!
Example: yesterday after many years of my community never coming together to work. I had hand written 25 invitations in guarani to hand delivery to every house. I explained in Spanish and broken guarani to please come to a meeting on Wednesday at 3pm. So on Wednesday I drew a poster describing what it would take to start a committee. I walked from my house the half KM to our little chapel. At 2:55pm (EARLY for PY time, Super Early) 15 women from my community showed up.I lead the meeting in Spanish and got my point across of how a womens group works and the pros and cons. We voted for our president, vice,treasurer and secretary. At the end of the meeting I had a total of 17 out of the 25 women involved. Maybe this doesn't sound like a big deal.. But to me it's HUGE! After 4months of living in a community all the terere sessions and simple hellos I have been able to gain respect in my community. 2months ago I asked the same 25 houses plus another 25 in my other community to come to my site presentation. I had 5 people show up and 2 were from the other community as well as one being a host mom.
So basically no matter what obstacles Paraguay will throw at me, for one hour of success it is all worth it to me. I hope my women's commission will work hard. Not for me, but for them! They are so guapa(hardworking) when it comes to how they live (carrying wood, getting well water, cooking on an open fire, washing clothes for families of 8+ people etc) but the projects we will work on is FOR THEM! Maybe a fogon ( brick oven) project so they don't have to inhale smoke nemore or a garden projects they can afford vegetables! Who knows! Keep ur fingers crossed!
I miss and love you all! I got a letter from Liz and Nigel, a package from dad and Laura, and bday card from kate and mark! Thank you ALL!
For every peace Corp moment I seem to have several reality checks. I love being here & get such a high from helping people. I am so proud of myself for how I act and what I do it's crazy. I look back on my life a year ago, 5years ago even more and then look at where I am now. Of course I am still Alexandra D Murillo. But my mind and body now a days is almost unrecognizable. Besides the minor weight loss my body has been fighting for a normal healthy since I ventured out to site. As I've mentioned the common cold to minor accidents have occurred. Nothing to worry about, because not only do I have the best health team at my disposal but I have a great group of friends and bosses to call. Of course it is frustrating but I NEVER thought for a second I would be coming to Peace Corps Paraguay for a vacation. I came here to work. I came here to help. So a "couple" hiccups have happened in my road to success. I know I'll look back at my service time here in 2+ years and laugh. Actually that's were my mind is unrecognizable. I also NEVER thought I'd be able to laugh at myself. I thought I had a pretty weak mind, that i wasn't able to handle disappointment and failure. I thought maybe I would throw in the towel when things got rough. Maybe some of you at home think different of me?.... I always hear my friends and family telling me that they are proud of me. But very rarely do I tell myself that I am proud of myself. But I AM!
Example: yesterday after many years of my community never coming together to work. I had hand written 25 invitations in guarani to hand delivery to every house. I explained in Spanish and broken guarani to please come to a meeting on Wednesday at 3pm. So on Wednesday I drew a poster describing what it would take to start a committee. I walked from my house the half KM to our little chapel. At 2:55pm (EARLY for PY time, Super Early) 15 women from my community showed up.I lead the meeting in Spanish and got my point across of how a womens group works and the pros and cons. We voted for our president, vice,treasurer and secretary. At the end of the meeting I had a total of 17 out of the 25 women involved. Maybe this doesn't sound like a big deal.. But to me it's HUGE! After 4months of living in a community all the terere sessions and simple hellos I have been able to gain respect in my community. 2months ago I asked the same 25 houses plus another 25 in my other community to come to my site presentation. I had 5 people show up and 2 were from the other community as well as one being a host mom.
So basically no matter what obstacles Paraguay will throw at me, for one hour of success it is all worth it to me. I hope my women's commission will work hard. Not for me, but for them! They are so guapa(hardworking) when it comes to how they live (carrying wood, getting well water, cooking on an open fire, washing clothes for families of 8+ people etc) but the projects we will work on is FOR THEM! Maybe a fogon ( brick oven) project so they don't have to inhale smoke nemore or a garden projects they can afford vegetables! Who knows! Keep ur fingers crossed!
I miss and love you all! I got a letter from Liz and Nigel, a package from dad and Laura, and bday card from kate and mark! Thank you ALL!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Update!
I can't believe it's September 1st! What have I been up to...? Between VAC meetings (15 of us who live in this department meet to keep updated and work on other projects together) and getting my garden started it's been a fun couple of weeks. I enjoy living on my own and pretty much have adopted my neighbors dog to protect my house at night. He is a really skinny dog so when my dog passed away I started feeding him a bit and now he follows me everywhere and protects me. Pretty cool. Also every afternoon I've been playing soccer with the kids at the local field. It's pretty amazing because the sun sets and it's amazing view from the field. The next couple of weeks (September basically) are travel packed. Right now I'm heading to another volunteers house so that in the morning I can go to a special olymics meeting. I'm excited to help with that. The olymics will be at the end of the month. Next week I'll be traveling with a contact to a retreat center to learn about project management. Should be interesting but the problem is getting someone from my community to come with me. We shall see. Before I know it I'll be in OCT! It's getting warmer here.. As we head into Spring and Summer. I've lost 10lbs since I've been here in PY as well! (I got a letter from Liz)
All the best! I sent a couple letters out today! Hopefully I'll be setting up wifi in my house this upcoming week!
Adio!
All the best! I sent a couple letters out today! Hopefully I'll be setting up wifi in my house this upcoming week!
Adio!
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