Hi, All.....
So, here's a photo of me finally... it's been awhile, because my camera broke a while ago. You will note the reached the 35lb. mark weight loss... this is taken in our office, in the computer lab, with the camera of a random trainee (not yet a volunteer).... so that you all could see, I'm alive, and well, and 35lbs lighter.
I have tons of stuff going on as the school year ends here for summer, yes, summer vacation. Doing a career/college fair full of scholarship info, vocational programs info, etc. for all my highschool students. Then, we have a plans for camps, etc in the summer...camps, tournaments of volleyball, etc.
And somewhere in there I am trying to fit in my wedding! But, I have also just really recently been toying with the idea of extending my service. I need to look more into who all is applying to exteand to see if I have a lot of comptetion or not, but I am thinking that no there is not a lot of competition. Having talked to people at home, the job market is just so down right now. And it's just such a scary time to come back..... as a social worker. With an immigrant! My old boss pretty much told me, "If you can stay abroad, do!" So, if I extended, it would give Jorge and I a chance to save our money a bit more... and just have more time together without having to rush the wedding, rush the VISA, rush back to the States, etc. But, this is just an idea I had, um, today. So, we will see.
So, here's the deal. I am a little sleepy, so this might not be the best time to focus on trying to write a reality check of me getting married, but well, I'll give it my best shot.
So, here's the deal. I know I've all told you how wonderful, great, kind, patient, tranquilo, hard-working, and genuine that Jorge is. But, in the end, let me make something very clear: HE'S PARAGUAYAN!
What does that mean to you (family member or friend)? If we come back in 6 months:
1) He's not going to know English. Maybe not at all, maybe not very well. Honestly, I don't really want to be the one to teach him. I don't mind practicing, but I am not an Certified English teacher! I will if it comes down to it, and I feel that he really needs some language training, but in a perfect world he will be able to study in Buenos Aires a few weeks before we head back. He will at least get the basics down that way, and will at least break out of the shyness of when really trying to speak a new language. In order to speak a new language, you have to get over feeling like an idiot. You are going to mess up. You are going to say stuff wrong. You may confuse the word "pear" and make it sound like "beer" (as my little sister who is studying english did this week). I was in the same boat about a year and half ago... working with the basics of a language, and just trying to communicate. Sometimes, you are trying so hard to get a point across... but you just can't... you so want for someone to understand you, and then you say one little word wrong and everyone laughs and you lose your whole momentum! Aye! Very frusturating! So..... please be patient, be kind, and remember, I was in his same situation not long ago, and Paraguayans never turned their nose up at me for not knowing their (2!) languages!
2) He's used to a much slower pace of life. Many people of asked me if he is a good dancer. While I must admit, he is a rarity in that his Latino hips were not programmed to shimy and shake like Ricky Martin's, I contribute to this lack of rythem of him really not going out and dancing often. The boy is from Yegros, Caazapa. Or let me write that in terms you can understand - Nowheresville. He lived in the capital Asuncion, and then in Capiata where we met, but he didn't change dramatically in the big cities, and turn in to someone who goes out to trendy clubs. Quite frankly, even if he had wanted to, he wouldn't been able to because going out is expensive, and a luxury of the rich, one thing he's never been. Most teenagers in the cities do go out, about once every 2 months they may spend the equivalent of $10 US dollars maximum! That's going out somewhere kind of fancy and having a few drinks, but if you are younger and only drink a soda, maybe just $3-$5.
Okay, to sum this all up. I know that the first thing we will want to do with him, is go out to a nice meal. Show him something cool, get a drink. But doing too much in one day, and too much stuff out will probably put him on overload. I know I felt overloaded in the States, but I could handle it. More family meals in, barbeques, and less running around would be nice. You are talking about someone who is able to spend hours a day with his family, staring at a road while drinking terere (communal tea drink) or listening to a radio program at night with his Mom. (Yes! Listening to the radio, just like when good ole' FDR did his little fireside chats back in the day!). They have a TV, but radio is still viable entertainment! Soooooo.....Just tranquilo people... we will play it all by ear, and see how he's doing to figure out our plans.
3) He may dress a little funny....at least on first impression until we can get him to a Marshall's and get him a few new digs. Let me tell you about the jeans here. They are all the cheap thin kind with weird details, like random zippers, fake pockets, zig zag white lines for no reason, lots of ugly details. It's also better to buy them kind of short, as the red mud will stain the bottem of them, so you usually just keep your jeans rolled up a bit so they won't stain. OR, you can just buy them kind of short (think high waters) and avoid that problem all together! So, all his pants are a little short, and a little tight! Beyond that, he's pretty normal, you know, he's pretty conservative in his "style" (he has none basically because he's just basic). Thought he does like to walk around without a shirt, which is completley accepted in Paraguay as it is a lot more casual and did I mention it gets HOT here? But, I will be sure to let him know, you can't normally enter businesses without a shirt AND shoes (also not a necessary clothing item here in PY).
Other than that, I can't really think of any things that will strike you as terribly odd about him.... you will learn to like him a lot once you guys speak the same language!
He will be coming back from Buenos Aires early, just in time to celebrate his first T-day with a group of friends and I. So, I am very excited. We figure for the last part of the money that he needs to make, he can just find jobs around here to do it. I've decided that beyond just missing him, I really need him here. To be here, to be together, to have more time together, to go pre-martial counseling together, to church together, to spend time with my friends and paraguayan families together... and if he had stayed the last month he would have missed Christmas with his family :( !!!
Why might you ask is he in Buenos Aires? Well, he's been working and Western Union-ing me money every month to help pay for VISA costs. It's like $1200 to take somebody home! But, after this, he will be allowed to become a citizen after 2 years. So, we are doing half and half. I am saving up my measley Guaranis (national money) and taking an advance out of my $6,000 while he is working for the other half! So, we'll be fine! But, just in case you were wondering what he was doing there!
Thats all I can manage to write about him in one day without making myself sick of being so in love with him, and missing him a great deal! Ha, ha, ha... I do miss him, but I have a lot of work to keep myself busy, I just find that I talk about him... A LOT! To the point where I have to catch myself and be like, OK, that's enough for today! Ha, ha, ha! Say "hello" to my future husband!
