Showing posts with label Kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kids. Show all posts

Thursday, August 9, 2012

HALF TIME: One year in Paraguay

Sometimes it's hard to consider what I do work. If I  made one friend here in Paraguay, and kept up with this blog, I would accomplish two thirds of the tasks I am asked to do as a Peace Corps Volunteer. But I'm kinda shitty at making friends so I end up doing work.

Paraguay's Donald Trump is some where in this pic.
For the past year I have dabbled in a variety of projects. From exercise to kindergarten, I've done my best to keep busy. Some projects succeeded; most failed. This is my life.

Teaching kids to glue pasta to a piece of paper is not a wasted project, but you gotta define "impact" and "developement" broader than Texas' interpretation of the second amendment to think that's why I came here. However, this past weekend the reasons as to why I picked up my life and moved to this tiny country in the heart of South America were abundantly clear.

Friday, September 23, 2011

I'm Submiting This For a VMA

So in Paraguay, life is like almost anywhere else in the world. Some days are good. Some days are not so good. And every once in a while a simple afternoon turns into an awesome video dance party.

As I've told you, the kids love Photo Booth. Well, we discovered the video setting the other day.


 

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Highlights Magazine....In real life!

I just put another round of photos on facebook. This album is of my house and some the the other residents. (Link is at the bottom) But why don't we take some time to get to know my new family before you go all stalker on them?


I essentially live in a game of hidden pictures. It looks beautiful and idilic, but then you begin to look closer and you see things that are just a little off.




 
Yeah, and that’s not the only bicycle in a tree either.









  I live with 10-ish other people depending if it’s the weekend or not. Five of whom are kids ranging from 4 to 14. We’re kinda like the Vontraps, but with less singing.

Meet Carlitos. (7)

He’s pretty high on the awesome scale. Carlos likes jumping out of trees, climbing barbed wire fences, and discussing the finer points of Machete use during a Zombie attack. (Go for the head, and if you make sure your machete is sharp enough you can get up to three zombies with one swing.)

Then we have Erica. (11)

Erica is quite, but once she starts to open up, she too climbs the ranks of awesome pretty quickly. She loves music, and plays the guitar. She generally spends her time getting the younger ones out or into trouble, depending.



 Let’s meet Marley. (9)


Marley is goofy. She likes to make funny faces, and tell dirty jokes. (They start them young here in Paraguay.)  Marley is really bright, and has aspirations to be a hairdresser. In general, girls aren’t encouraged to have life goals here. Honestly, I don’t know if boys are either. There’s a big push to get married and start making babies, even though it usually happens the other way around. So I commend Marley, and let her do funky things with my hair whenever she pleases. I’ll try to get ya’ll get some pics of her masterpieces.

Last, but certainly not least is Maria Ana. AKA Monsey.(4)


I once heard a comic describe children as “just like drunk midgets.”  If the above photo doesn't confirm this analogy lets review some of Monsey's other habits.

She never has her shoes on the correct feet. Nor does she like to walk in straight lines, unless the most direct path to where she is going involves crawling over furniture or people. She has a freakish ability to puff out her stomach to something that looks like a scene in alien. It's weird. We all agree, so she'll chase her brother Carlitos around the yard with her impossibly huge belly.  This is all with out even mentioning her ability to power down food. It makes no sense that something so small could consume so much. I have personally witnessed her take down over half a chicken, cabbage salad, and a couple pieces of mandioca. She really is very cute. Too cute. And unfortunately for all of us, she knows it. 

Well that’s most the kids. I’ll write another blog about the adults. They’re awesome too, but mildly less ridiculous.


Here's the  Link to the rest of the photos.