Peace Corps Fitness Challenge: December

We are in full holiday mode. This is a time for not caring what you eat, and enjoying the holidays. However, I know that not everyone wants to abandon all physical activity in exchange for cookies and cocktail parties.

Here in Peace Corps Paraguay, this marks a time for lots of travel. Life kinda shuts down in Paraguay in December and January, so there isn't a lot of work to be done. PCVs take this time to visit friends, and take vacations. We often find ourselves on a bus, or in a different town away from our usual routine. Anytime  away from normal routine makes it challenging to keep up with workouts, and especially when faced with a 6 hour bus ride that day. That being said, it is not impossible to maintain some level of activity, even if it's just ten minutes.

This month's challenge:

Rock Climbing in Paraguay: a long over due post.

The first thing I did when I found I was going to Paraguay, was google "Rock Climbing in Paraguay." Exactly one reference to one route came up in an online user-maintained climbing directory. I figured that meant there had to be some. As my friend Matt said, "There had to be a rock, somewhere." So a couple pair of undies and maybe a pair of pants got taken out of my backpack to make room for my climbing shoes and harness. It was a wise choice.

They Really Like Me? - The Greatist Ambassador Program

I love the internet. It's power to connect people is remarkable. It really puts me at awe. However here at Sastre Desastre it sometimes feels lonely. I have all the metrics I want to prove that people see my blog, but  it is still hard to realize that people read my blog, and like it. To think these people extend beyond my friends and family is even more unbelievable. But the people at Greatist.com seem to like what I do. They have accepted me to be a Greatist Ambassador.

PEACE CORPS FITNESS CHALLENGE: November

Why did I do this?

After ticking off my big goal of completing a marathon, I could no longer stomach the idea of running everyday. I was mentally exhausted, and I needed help to keep me in the rhythm of regular workouts. So I put on our PC Facebook group the Peace Corps Fitness Challenge, a series of challenges lasting one month that can be use to stay focused. To my surprise it found a good response, and now I want to invite you all to participate

Zumba is Friggin' Hard: My exercise class

So a couple weeks ago a talk about what's wrong with health and fitness, here is where I talk about what's right.

While it is called a secondary project because it doesn't relate directly to my sector of work, one of the biggest and most important projects I've done is Paraguay is lead a group of women in a 30 min to an hour long work out class twice a week.

I was handed this class by the volunteer who came before me. She started this class, and asked for the next volunteer to continue. While never explicitly admitted I'm pretty certain that's a huge reason I was placed in this site. I'm sure glad they did.

Those who know me, know just how lacking I am when it comes to grace, and rhythm  I am super amped that I live in a time when jumping up and down fist pumping on a dance floor now counts as dancing. Anything else is pretty much over my head. But here I am teaching Zumba, and loving every minute of it.

Not since my debut in the Sunshine Dancing Kids in 2nd grade have I enjoyed choreographed dance so much. My group and I laugh and sweat our way through jumps, salsa steps and booty shakes. Most of the women there do have weight loss goals, and I imagine that some of them are at risk for obesity related diseases, but the goal of the group is not weight loss. The goal of the group is have fun, push our limits, and make fun of me in Guarani.

LAY OFF ME I'M STARVING: Making sense of my role as a "Health Professional"

This post is a little about Paraguay, but not entirely. It's about more than Paraguay and in some ways less. It's about something every person does on a daily basis, one of the most intimate of acts. Sitting down and eating a meal.

Tastes so good.