I GOT MY SITE ASSIGNMENT

So I finally know where I am going to be living for the next two years. It wasnt much of a suprise though because it is just outside of Asuncion. The name of the town is Fernando de la Mora. I was a little bit worried when I got the site assignment because I know that there had been a volunteer there before, and that the previous volunteer did not like his site. But when I got here I realized it is a great site and I dont understand why he didnt like it.

First of all I am going to be working with a foundation called DEQUENI. The foundation provides a place for kids during the day since their school only last four hours a day. Normally the kids would be working in the streets trying to sell just about anything, (gum, candy, fruit, newspapers, bingo tickets) but this program gets them off the street, they feed them lunch, and a snack and it also, provide them with some learning as well. The kids get a little bit of homework along with their lunch to ensure that they are doing more than just feeding their stomachs. There are only two professors and there are about 150 kids that come on any given day throughout the week, so you can imagin why they might need some help. There is also an adolecent division of the foundation that helps adolescents get jobs as grocery baggers. There are currently about 1500 baggers thoughout paraguay that the agency is responsible for. The agency also functions as a technical college when there are classes in motorcycle mechanics, hair styling, sewing, etc. All the departments need help so each of them seems to be pressuring me a bit to help their sector.

Secondly there is a youth group called J por J (Jovenes por Jovenes) that is part of the local church. I went to the church on Sunday just to find out a little bit about them, but they ended up introducing me to everyone and making me talk in front of everyone about what I was doing there. It was a really fun and interesting group that seems to do a lot of work for the community, and it happend to be their 11^th aniversary. They were singing and dancing, and they made me get in the middle of the circle and dance for everythone.

Third, there is a highschool just a block from my house here, and the principle was excited to see me and to have me teach a class in their school. I talk to a professor about doing self esteem classes, classes about planning for the future, and also doing projects dealing with the environment.

Fourth I went to the city hall and talked to the secratary of womens affairs, (I think it would be called in english) and they said they would have a whole list of things that I could do if I so desire, which may include teaching english.

So if I want I could have work to do seven days a week. This makes me happy actually, because I am really excited to get started. I am really tired of training, and right now it actually feels like I am a volunteer but I have to keep reminding myself that I have three more weeks of training. I am here in Fernando de la Mora now, just to get to know the community and some of the institutions and resources in the area. I have already been able to help out with the kids at the agency though, and it is really fun. Today they were doing long division, and I almost didnt remember how to do it.

My family here is really cool too, Ive been teeching them card games, like spoons, and BS. There are two girls 9 and 11, and their cousin lives there too, he is 14. The parents are really nice and laid back, and the family is accustomed to having volunteers with them because it is the same house that the previous volunteer was living in. For some reason the volunteer left me a bunch of books, all of his furniture, shoes, and a basket ball, and a football. For the duration of training I had been thinking that finding a place to live and starting to integrate myself into the community was going to be really hard, but I cant believe how easy it has all been. My site is also close enough to Asunsion that I can take one bus and get to about anywhere. I went to a movie on Saturday with one of my co-workers. Everyone has been really nice.

This one things that sucks is that my good friend that Ive been hanging out with throughout training got assigned to a city about seven hours away, but it probably will be the best for him. We keep making jokes to our trainers and the director of the program that they are always trying to separate us and kill our bromance. But its all good, because everyone has to come through my site to go to all of the meetings that we have in Asuncion. Also it is a good site to have if anyone is going to come visit me, because I can get to the airport by bus in a half an hour. SO COME VISIT ME: