April 28, 2011

Although this year is only, well, a third over, I still keep finding myself looking back and reminiscing on the past. The only problem is that I only vaguely remember the details, and even what I´ve got recorded is murky, like trying to feel ocean waves through a polaroid.

It´s been a busy day of presenting and chatting. In the morning I´d hoped to be able to go to a planning meeting for an Urban Forest project with the Paraguayan society of landscape architects(!)in the old center of AsunciĆ³n at 8am, but it just so happened that I was also supposed to be an hour and a half away presenting at 8:30. There is hardly ever something I have to be on time for in this country, so of course the one day I can´t be late to a presentation something interesting comes up. In any case, after getting to the training center and everything, making my presentations and trying to be real about it, i come and get in touch with the group´s president and met her later in the afternoon. We worked a few things out about the project, I color in a map to figure out where we´re going to be canvasing the blocks and IDing trees, and take off. Pretty good meeting, no drama, opportunity is in the air r r.

I´ll be a bit honest about my extension with Senatur - it almost feels like an excuse to get to work on design projects with people and then justify it as creating touristic products, like I have some kind of secret ulterior motive even though Im following just what I laid out in my project plan. Maybe im just surprised that I´m actually doing what I´ve wanted to get myself into all this time. It´s gratifying.

What is annoying me a little are people who question my motives for still being in Paraguay. Yes, I would like to be making more money for god´s sake. Yes, things about Paraguay drive me nutso (like those horrid ATM lines) but things in the states also rubbed me the wrong way, like how I was always broke. At least here, even if im not making a ton each month in real cash i can spend, I´m still getting $350 put away every month that i get in one nice, tax free cheque once im all done. That´s not too shabby, given that my idea this point of a lot of cash for a monthly paycheck is about $300usd. This of course is with no car, no luxury vacations, and no clothes buying. Just good food and good times.

I really can´t say that I´m in need, I don´t feel poor. But by US standards im making peanuts. Is it so wrong that I dont care? Id rather be doing what I want to do and be paid equitably than do something I hate 2/3 of my waking life and get paid like a king. That money would turn sour really quick. I wish more people could experience the liberation from... well just buying stuff, buying as therapy, buying themselves illusions of happiness. There is more out there, and while things may not be perfect for me in Paraguay, i´m glad to be finding out what´s really important while i´m here.

xoxo

April 6, 2011

revisiting the volunteering experience

Unbeknownst to me, an entire year has passed since I was last mulling over the ethics of candy bar purchases in the states, and looking forward to another full year here in Paraguay. Little did I know at the time, that one year would merge into two and I would find myself smack in the middle of territory few have chosen to cross into: a fourth year as a Peace Corps volunteer.

I suppose I could go back and recount what happened in 2010... lets see if I can sum it up in one paragraph.

I worked for an environmental NGO that focused on reforestation projects and environmental education, but aside from growing vast numbers of trees had little experience in either said focus. This led me to believe, and propose, and work through a year of project management, 16 different projects and a few thousand trees distributed. At the tail end, I helped design a plaza for a school for the blind with two other NGOs and inched closer to finishing an environmental education manual. Paraguay, again, was the most attractive option for work. Also, it has become more of my home than I readily admit, so I made it my business to extend my service as a volunteer once again, but this time into the field of tourism development, with the general goal of getting a few real design projects underway.

Nutshell. No drama, cut and dry. Life was not like this paragraph (aka short and pithy) but condensing a years worth of living in a meaningful way is as hard as trying to figure out which culture I presently belong to. So I´m just not going to go there for the time being, and jump right into the present.

As I sit in front of my computer screen, working away on price lists and construction documents, I see that I´m getting what I set myself up for this year: time consuming, eyelid drooping, callus-on-my-wrist from too much AutoCAD and 3dsMAX, design work. No joke, its rewarding in non-monetary ways, thank god, seeing people get closer to realizing their image of an improved environment or better public space, but man. I am tired. This 24/7 volunteer lifestyle is...well, its not easy i know that much. I still want to do so much that I push myself too hard, even with culturally appropriate siestas and breaks. As in everything, balance is essential. I´m hoping to find some pretty soon, just need to finish these construction docs first...

xoxo