I am not a farmer...

...but that doesn't mean I can't try and do "farm-y" things! Above is the baby pig that I just bought. The plan is eat him in 6-8 months, so I'm trying not to get too attached. We are getting along famously so far, however. Pigs are hilarious, very curious. The other pictures are from my demonstration plot. I am growing some green manure crops - sunflower, sun hemp, velvet bean, hyacinth bean- along with some corn, squash, soy, and melon. I have yet to eat anything but hopefully soon.

A Special Note

I got this very special note from Ashleigh today. It's a shrinky-dink. What that is...I don't know exactly, but I get the idea that she wrote me a normal sized note on a large piece of plastic, then shrunk it in the oven until it was this itty-bitty. Good thing too - it's envelope got somewhat destroyed on the way here. I don't know if a regular letter would have made it! Haha, I love it.

Tortillas Mexicanas

In my limited travels within the Spanish-speaking world, I have found 3 different types of "tortillas". In Paraguay, a tortilla is a deep-fried fritter - flour, salt, milk or whey, cheese, and maybe some green onions if you're lucky, mixed to a soupy batter and dropped in a saucepan of oil until it's crispy. I find them delicious... in small quantities. In Spain, a tortilla is an inch-tall thick egg omelet with potatoes and sometimes meat, cooked in olive oil. Also - delicious! And then there's our good ol' Mexican American flour tortillas. To spice up my rice and bean dinner last night, I had the neighbor girls help me make some. They liked getting to make their own designs with the dough and upon tasting, also declared them..."Heterei!" or...Delicious!

A Sea of Onions

One of the major "projects" in my community right now is an onion growing project that we began back in May. All the onions are harvested now, but lo and behold, the market is saturated. That means that as no one is buying onions right now, the onions are chilling out in whatever place each family can find to try and keep them clean and dry. In a stroke of luck, my next door neighbors got a small order for 20 bags to go to town tomorrow. Here they are, sorting and packing. This open air part of their house usually serves as a dining/living room. Talk about multi-purpose! Also, don't worry... I have helped to fill my share of bags as well.

Swimming Lessons

I made it back safely to Paraguay, with some new perspective, new comforts, and new countdown. 11 months! As another new idea, I'm going to start A Picture A Day series, although I don't know if it'll really be quite that often, due to power outages and other technical difficulties. The idea comes from a few years back, when I remember my friend Rachael's dad doing a photo blog like this as a way to stay in touch as she left for college. Thanks Mr. Button.

It was difficult coming back to Paraguay, but this afternoon marked a real high for the past few days. It's been about 100 degrees and 100% humidity here for the past couple of days, so my neighbor girls Vio, Silvia, and I hit up the nearby creek for some chill time. Let me tell you though - it took almost an hour of trudging up the rocky, holey creek bed and crawling through/over/under overhanging vines, tree branches, and bamboo to find a good spot. But it was worth it. Almost no one knows how to swim here, and Silvia really wants to learn, so we did some basic swim lesson practice for over an hour. I had the girls practice holding their breath and sticking their faces under water (pretty scary for them). There are two different words in Guarani for "swim" - one to swim on top of the water and one to dive under. Kids always ask me if I know how to do the former, and then the latter, which is even more impressive. We also practiced kicking, some basic arm strokes, and trying to float. They ate it up and are anxious to go back! (As am I, especially if this weather keeps up.)

AAAaaand...I'm back.

Great weather, a diet of twice-a-day watermelon and fresh corn, and a bit of renewed perspective has brought me back to my overall happy Peace Corps Volunteer self. I am very much looking forward to going home, but am no longer seriously questioning my commitment here in Paraguay. Mbegue mbegue katu jahecha los resultados... Bit by bit we have see the consequences of my presence here in the community. A few things renewed my faith this week. One señora I stopped by to visit had made a compost pile next to her field that very day, remembering our talk about it from 9 months ago. Another's husband had planted the green manure seeds I had given them as a thank you for working with us so diligently during Long Field Practice. The new women's comite is lively and active, cheekily working their way towards earning money for the treasury. With the 2nd sale of beer, wine, pop, and chipa at this weekend's volleyball games, they'll have made over 200,000 Guaranis, or about $40.

Plus, one of my regular Book Club kids, Carolina, age 6, asked me when we would be starting to go read again.

Stuff is happening. I just need to have patience to see it out and push myself to help out in the best way possible, whenever I can. Really, I do love Paraguay.

Hasy lento ko vida, che Dios

So we're back to hot again, folks. I won't complain too much... I've really only had one night of sticky sleep so far this season, which is unheard of. It's been raining here for the past 3 days, so the humidity is killer, but the cool breeze at night keeps things bearable.

I have reached the one year mark of my Peace Corps service. One week from this Saturday, I will be swearing out and returning to the United States. With having recently said goodbye to the group of Ag Volunteers before me, G-28, and what with looking forward to my own upcoming visit to the U.S. to spend my birthday (!), Christmas (!), and New Years' (!) with my family and friends, I find myself thinking a lot about the meaning of one more year in Paraguay.

I now understand the importance of two years of service instead of just one. In some ways, it seems like just now am I really understanding the dynamics of my community and the pace of life based around agriculture in Paraguay. Right now is the first time I have seen corn, beans, onions, and watermelon in their entire life cycle in Paraguay, from seed to fruit. The green manure crops that I promote - I am just now myself becoming really familiar with the appearance, benefits, and necessities of each variety. So in many ways, I am JUST NOW becoming truly competent in my identified sector of service. I also speak much better Guarani now than I did a year ago, and understand better social and work customs, and so am able to be more appropriate in my requests and suggestions.

However, for as much as has happened in the past year.... It doesn't seem like much. I know, I know, that's probably not true in the scheme of things. And hey, I'm not out to save the world here. I'm here to work myself out of a job. It's just that I don't know how much more will be able to change in the next year either. The pace of life and of change is just so slow here. And people in general aren't very motivated to really implement new things and follow through on them. So what am I doing here? I have heard other Volunteers say that the one year mark is a tough time, and that your second year will pass so quickly you won't even believe it. But yes, that is hard to believe right now.

I have things to look forward to here in Paraguay. I really do. I'm planning a three day long kids' summer camp for the end of January, and will start up Book Club 2011 in February with more books and better ideas than ever before. (Thanks Nicole and Mom!!). A new womens' comite is forming and they seem more organized, so I may have more work opportunities with a part of the community I don't know too well yet. My house is finally a cooler, more comfortable place with flowers and veggies growing well and my fence keeping the cows out. I'm planning on taking advantage of this campo lifestyle for the remaining year I have here by getting 2 or 3 egg-laying chickens for fresh eggs and a piglet to fatten for my goodbye party. I may even get REALLY guapa and find myself a horse. Who knows. I also have grandeur ideas of training for a 10k and learning to play the guitar.

It is a doubting moment, but I think it also has a lot to do with being away from home and from my family for so long. I miss everyone so much. And living by yourself in another culture and spending so much time in your own head can really screw with you. These things I know. I guess that I all can do right now is recognize that this is a low moment and accept it. I'm trying to spend as much time visiting with neighbors and working in my garden & demo plot to pass the time. I know that these 2 weeks will pass before I know it - it's just that the hours themselves seem to pass so slowly.

USA here I come! Can't wait to see you all. LOVE LOVE LOVE.