Random Thoughts

Biblioteca

I keep forgetting to write about how this library project at the high school that Marisol the Columbian woman started seems to be actually happening. It’s a slow process, like everything else here, but we’ve already got some books and we’ll start an inventory in the computer this week.

We could use donations of any kind of books in Spanish – children’s books, textbooks, reference books, novels, magazines, whatever. The mailing address would be “Colegio Nacional Ramon Vicente Talavero, Tacuati, Paraguay, S.A.” (Best not to put my name on it). However, anything shipped that weighs over 2kg, or 4.4lbs, will be sent to Asuncion and will be a challenge to get here, tho it’s possible and certainly worthwhile if you’re able to send good books. Also, if you’re able to send something, please enclose a letter and, if possible, a picture or something personal for the students (and a return address so they can write back a thank you letter).

I don’t consider this a project of mine, and won’t be disappointed if my friends and family aren’t able to help out. But for those of you who are interested I thought I’d share this opportunity to make a bit more of a tangible contribution to the kids in Tacuati. Thanks!

There ARE seasons here

And now it seems to be the hot, humid, buggy season. Things changed almost overnight – gone it seems are the cool nights and mornings and manageably hot days. Now it’s incredibly hot all the time, and it has rained more this week than in my first three months here. And with the rain have come the bugs, disgusting, loud, hungry insects. I just freed up memory on my camera and will try to get pics of some of these bizarre creatures. Thank goodness for mosquito nets! Tho I haven’t needed one at all before this week, and friends say that after a week or two this mini-season passes and we can put the net away til next year.

Radio

Was a guest on Joparadio, the radio program that my PC friends in Horqueta produce weekly, and it was a blast!! I wasn’t scared at all – tho I refused to listen to the tape afterwards, scared then of how I might sound on the radio speaking spanish! There’s a radio station here in Tacuati, and I’m hoping that Andrea and I might start our own little weekly program. It’s not hard to do, it’d be fun to play music from the States, and it’s a great way to gets lots of information out to people in town. We’ll see what happens...