Life in the campo

Hey all- i don´t have too much time to write because my campo bus will be coming soon to take me from my nice little town that i´m in now (san ignacio) to my life back in the campo (san pablo). Campo live is so different from live back in the states. i was talking to brigette yesterday and after i told her how i had just watched my host sister rip the head off of a chicken, handpick all of the feathers out while it was bleeding from its pores, then proceed to cut it in peices while blood was splattering all over the kitchen table, she used the word barbarian to describe my people. i thought that was hilarious, because maybe that is what i also thought in the beginning, but now these people are my family and i consider it quite normal to be woken up to a scene like this. i´d personally rather eat the chicken you can conveniently buy at the store, but paraguayans largely prefer pollo casero (home-made chicken). hey, it keeps life interesting :)

so things have been wonderfully busy which i love. i´ve done my health census with 25 families and the requirement is 50. Im going to try and do it will all 100 families in my site, because hey, why not.. i have the time. Ive been finding out that they think the flu is by far their worst health problem, that no one seeks medical attention when necessary, and that there is no one that teaches about health in the community. Ive also been way overwhelmed with the number of people who say they REALLY want fogones (brick ovens)... we´ll see how hard theyre willing to work to make this a reality. As of now, it looks like my biggest project will be a brick oven project. i will be very busy, but i´m excited if everything will go according to plan.

i will also be attempting to start a youth group over our winter break which is July 12th to the 15th. i want to do things like cooking, english classes, arts and craftsy things, sports events, movies, anything that theyre interested in. with the things we make, i hope to sell them so that we can go on a big trip at the end! im starting lessons in the primary school about dental health after the break, and about nutrition in the high school. we´ll be selling friendship bracelets during friendhsip week which starts july 26th and buying paint to paint a world map on the wall of the high schooL! i´m not promising any of these things will definitely happen because paraguayn culture seems to be iffy on making any type of committment, but it´s what i have planned and i can only hope for the best!!!!

unfortunately, i gotta run to get my bus, but before i go.. i really wanted to thank everytone who has sent me a package or a letter. im not kidding when i say these things are keeping my spirits up and giving so many things to work with! your inspiring words and words of encouragement keep me mentally into my work and your packages with arts and crafts thigns and personal items are giving me so much motivation to work and plan all my projects. i love you all so much and am so grateful to have my friends and family at home. the biggest thing i have learned since being here, is that i have a great life back in the states that i will never ever take for granted ever again! love, peace

dani