I have been emancipated
Trip Start
Feb 06, 2008
1
7
9
Trip End
Ongoing
Caaguazu,
Paraguay
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
As far as appliances go, the family lent me their 20 year old gas stove, and another family lent me a bed and a table. We brought my refrigerator from the local town, caaguazu, last Monday which cost 250 dollars used (a months pay), and new they are upwards of 500. We came across a neighbor in the town who prefers to ride in the back of trucks which he said was "Brazilian style." He was responsible for making sure that my refrigerator didn´t tip over, which gave me a lot to worry about when I looked back through the window watching it sway as we went around curves. You cannot imagine how inconvenient it is bringing stuff like this into our sites. Practically nobody has cars and the one or two that do want to charge you a lot of money to do the favor even if they are already going town.
I built a fold out shelf and a book shelf from scrap wood and then varnished them. They both turned out well. I inherited 2 chairs, silver-wear, plates, cups, a mattress, and a few other things from the past volunteer. Everything is in order and I still have not spent my first night there. That will have to be this Friday.
Right now I´m in Asuncion again getting ready for a meeting with the health group that came in last year. We are going to discuss things that older group has done so hopefully we, the younger group, don´t have some new ideas, and my not have to jump through the same hoops as the older group. After the meeting my group will go back to our training community again in guarambare for 2 and a half days of language training. I´m not really looking forward to it, but it has to be done. As far as an update on my feet, the skin peeled and now they are like new.
The garden is growing alright. A few issues with cabbage worms and a few things like celery just don't seem to want to grow. I transplanted the tomatoes last week and have 36 plants now. only two varieties because the 3rd died out due to bugs. the peppers are germinating very slowly and just don't seem to get enough water. Everything else is growing well, but harvest is going to be about another month away for most things.
My fields are still waiting to be plowed. I think I will get to them by next Monday. I have been practicing my plowing skills in the hopes that I will plow my own fields. It is not very complicated, but pretty difficult for me make straight lines, and the plow is heavy to lift. You use 2 oxen connected by a wooden collar, chained to the plow. The familie´s oxen are young and still not very strong, so we have to use the neighbors. They are named bello and lindo, in English both these words mean handsome. When you want the oxen to go you say "Hale!", when you want them to stop you say "SSH", when you want them to back up you say "chu, chu" when you want them to turn you say "Vuelta!", call out the name of the ox on the inside of the turn, and gently pull the rope tied to its ear. To manage the plow you have to do something like counter steering. You hold bicycle-like handles attached to the plow along with the ropes, and when you want to straighten up you have to steer the opposite direction of the one you want to go. Ill try to get some pictures in on the next entry.
The fields will be used to make test plots of different green manures that the farmers can be using. Green manures are plants grown with or without the crops that improve the soil, some adding nitrogen and organic matter, and other breaking the hardpan for better access to nutrients and water. A few, my host father included, don´t really practice crop-rotation and don´t use green manures, and the soil in many parts is degraded from poor management and cotton.
The school garden is going well. The kids have been watering it regularly and seem to relish their ownership of garden. In the next couple of weeks I am going to propose a community garden for about half of the community. The governor of the department has offered to give enough money to purchase the equipment needed for the pump, fence, and watering system, but the community has to agree to do there part. We are going to write the petition to the governor soon.
I am going to get serious again with the dental lessons, but this time targeting the mothers, because I know that I probably wouldn't have any teeth if not for my mother. This week I am going to teach the women how to make dish detergent and am going to tie it to the dental talks. The women really want to make this detergent, but really don´t care much for health related talks, so tying the two together will bring a lot more women. I have still been working on rebuilding the brick-oven fogones. Last week I got two more done, and this next week I´ve got at least one on the list. Hopefully I´ll get some more pictures up in the next couple of weeks.
Comments
wow!
Tom you amaze me once again!
paul
Hola Tomas
Te encontré google-eando 'St. John's coals/ Paraguay' tratando de acordar de algunas cosas...
Fuí profesora de arte para cuatro años en un colegio internacional ahí hace siglos (en Asuncíon)y tambien tocaba musica en un conjunto con unos voluntarios del Cuerpo de Paz. Viajabamos a muchas partes tocando musica. A darned good time!
It was so cool to read your blog.
Ojalá que sigues con buen trabajo y buenissima experiencia en Paraguay.
Un gran abrazo de
liza
website: www.lizamyers.com
blog: www.elizabethmyers.vox.com
We want to know more
Hi Tom, We were turned onto your blog by the Ettingers (Bill Ettinger at Gonzaga). Our daughter, Zan, is in Villa Hayes for the year doing community service at a teaching farm. Our daughter and Bill's son, Ryan, were born on the same day. We have enjoyed reading your blog and we think Zan will particularly. We have noticed that you have not written since July and we want you to know that we are very interested in hearing more about your experiences! Keep the blogs coming!! Sincerely, Tom & Sara from Wisconsin
oikoite la blog TOM
Encontre este blog buscando en goole informacion sobre chanchos.Soy un paraguayo y actualmente vivo en los Estados Unidos,pais que amo mucho al igual que mi Paraguay.
Conoci un dia a una Voluntaria de Cuerpo de Paz con la quien estoy casado hace casi 6 anos y muy feliz por supuesto,siempre le digo,ustedes son muy vale!!!
Bueno...tengo dos amigos ex VCP y dice hola y buena suerte en tu sitio de Caaguazu,tambien mi esposa dice hola.Suerte amigo,gracias por poner tu esfuerso y tiempo por mi pueblo.