the paraguayan reverie

Alright, back from the bar with the other trainees to make a post. We had our language interviews on monday to test our aptitude in guarani. You have to pass at an intermediate-mid level (5 on a 10 point scale) to go on to spanish. In talking with everyone else they´re at the novice-mid to novice-high level which makes me feel kinda strange because I actually passed at the intermediate-mid level. Maybe because my family doesn´t speak to me in spanish at all i guess ive been picking it up pretty well. The guy who was interviewing us tape recorded the whole thing and had us talk about ourselves and then ask him questions about random things.

Also on monday I did a presentation about soil degredation and designing water harvesting earthworks to the environmental ed and crop extention group. I made little mock hills on the ground and let people figure out the solution that the erosion and soil degredation problems. Everyone liked it and the trainers said that it was a really good presentation.

We´re learning about all the dating and romance of paraguay and i got to say its pretty interesting. There are actually certain "dating days" when a man can visit a womans house and just talk and relax but its kinda like a date. Tues, thurs, sat, and sunday morning. And if a man visits a woman on the other days, then that´s telling her that shes his "second choice". You can also send these things called saludos that mean that youre interested in someone. If they send them back then that might mean that they like you. Speaking of liking people, I was pretty interested in one of the girls in the apiculture sub-group. Unfortunatly, she doesn´t really seem to be interested athough it certainly seemed so at first. It´s too bad, seeing as she´s cute and a really interesting person.

Its pretty hot and humid here, and its going to get even warmer. As they say hakuitererii, which means it realllllly hot. And boy is it going to get warmer...

In terms of the book questions, i still really want the permaculture design manual but would say that at this point to hold off on buying it because it´s so heavy. Ive got so many books to lug to my next site I want to get situated before I start adding more books to my collection. But sending gaia´s garden would be really nice. ALSO, about the frisbee, please just send one brightly colored or white frisbee for¨"ultimate frisbee". If you send more than one in a box they´d probably get confiscated.

*Very Important* If you send the book, please SEND the book gaia´s garden in a separate box so in case they do take the frisbee i´ll still get the book. I´m going to make a page with all the things I could use so I can keep a running list sometime next week. =]

I really excited about your new planning adventure dad! Sounds like a lot of exciting fun. Thank god you got rid of the bel air...haha. Yes, Ive gotten moms letters but havn´t had a moment to write a thing, emails or paper. I do really like getting the letters though, its fun reading things that ive gotten in the mail. This blog is just about the only thing ive had time to update...mrh.

I got really sick last week end and was barfing for about half a day and also had a fever. It sucked and i missed a field trip and couldnt eat anything for about 2 days after. But im just fine now, obviously, as i just got back from the bar. How are things with the fire in california?? I havn´t gotten any recent news in a long time so I feel really out of the loop. BUT in general everything is really fine here - I have few complaints. Will update more later!