One month in...

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As of today I have been living and working in Asuncion for a month.

Things are good. We are starting to meet more local people, discover nice places to go out. I'd say I'm pretty much orientated as to where all the main places are, where to go, where not to go, that kinda thing. We have our place to live, even if the fridge still does not work, and we all get on great.

In the flat, there are four of us; Rose, Steve, Dave and I. I thought I might find it difficult living with other people after living on my own for year, but so far so good 😊

Dave is amazing... there is never a dull day when Dave is around. We have started a wall of 'Davisms' because he says the funniest and most random things. He also seems to love cleaning... which I'm not going to complain about. Rose and I get on great. I have someone to be girly with when I need to, which, yeah, isn't very often, but it is good to have the opportunity. Also, Rose could talk for England 😊 Which is great as I'm quiet so we work well together! Steve... I'd say is the most similar to me, maybe... pretty chilled out, but then gets a little stressed for an hour or so every now and then. Funny guy, very easy to get on with. Well, they all are to be honest. I think I've been very lucky ending up with this bunch. Lets see if I feel the same in 6 months time... haha.
Of course I cannot forget to mention Ramiro, 'Daddy' of the group, who unfortunately does not live with us. Instead he is staying with his host family. Another funny guy... especially when he uses very much out of date language such as 'wedge' for money... oh dear. 😊

After four weeks here, I have started to notice things I really love about the place, things that maybe upset me a bit, and things which are just annoying. Haha.

I will start with the good...
I LOVE the people. So friendly and welcoming all the time. I know I've already said this, but it is so true! Yes, they stare at you because you look different, but I have now started to do that same as it is so rare to see a non-Paraguayan looking person.
Yesterday, Rose and I went to the house of one of the teachers at the Anglo, Carlos, to show him how to do afternoon tea. There we met his wife and his daughters and we all sat around the table chatting (Rose more than most, haha), drinking tea, eating sandwiches. It was lovely. We were made so welcome. His wife has now adopted us for the year as her daughters and has said we can go round whenever we want. Such nice people.
The way the people share everything here is great too. I think this is something we should do back home.
I have met some amazing characters here, especially in the Anglo. Some really lovely, caring people, some gossips, some crazy people. There could definately be a soap opera based there. Of course, no names will be mentioned!
Also, I love the buses here! Which all the Paraguayans think is really strange, haha. Compared to buses back home they are much less expensive, more frequent, on time, you don't have to wait long to get on one. Yeah you might have to stand up and it gets really crowded, like people hanging out of the doors crowded, but so what?! At least you can get from A to B, quickly and cheaply. Which is more than can be said for the transport back home!
The weather is another thing which I love, at the moment. People keep telling me that this will change in a few months when the summer sets in. In four weeks, it has gone from being about 6 degrees, to about 32 degrees. Amazing! It has rained twice in this time, both times for about 10 minutes. The rain drops are MASSIVE and 5 minutes is enough to make little rivers down the roads. I'm looking forward to seeing proper rain here, as long as I am inside at the time!

As for things which are annoying...
Well, there are only two things I can think of. Firstly, the really random plug sockets here - there are like 3 different types of plugs that you can have on appliances here. This was annoying at first. Now I have an adaptor for them all so everything is good. Secondly, the really random money! For example, there are, I think, 3 different types of 100 guarani (pronounced gwarani) coins. They are all different sizes and colours. So if you were blind you'd have no chance!
Ahhh, also the pollution is quite bad here, but so far my lungs are holding out. Although the lack of smoking ban might change that. It is so weird now going to a bar where people can smoke. Luckily it is hot so all the windows are normally open so the air isn't that bad.

And things which are upsetting...
Well I have really started to notice the poverty here now. I think being in the city centre has made this more apparent. Things like severely disabled people begging in the streets. There is one man who I think is probably paralyzed from the waist down and just sits in the same place in the same position all day with his hand out to take any money people give him - normally a couple of hundred guarani. There is another man who has no feet and no wheel chair either. He crawls around on his hands and knees using flipflops on both, asking passersby for money.
There are children, really young children, some like five or six, carrying younger siblings around begging for food and money too, juggling at traffic lights for money, singing on buses for money. It breaks my heart to see it, and I really, really want to give them something, but we are told all the time how danerous buses are for thefts, so I don't feel like I can get my purse out to give them anything. Also, we have been warned that if we are going to be mugged here, it is more likely to be by children, as their parents send them out to steal, and children can't be prosecuted. Of course, how much of this is truth and how much is rumour I do not know. I also do not know as of yet if there is any government provision for these people

Ok, I have so much more to write, but I realise this is a rather long blog already, so I will save the rest for another time!

I have survived my first month! Yay!

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