Despedidas and Busy Weeks Ahead!...Week 7: August 3-August 10

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I cannot believe that it is August already! There is still so much I want to do before I return home. This week at work, I wrote more about the water boards, and I am just about complete with that project. I also worked more on the budget for the Water Conference by adding columns for each sponsor, adding how much money we have raised, and adding how much we have yet to raise. I looked up business contacts to send letters to for supporting/donating to the Conference. Friday was another day of working late, but well worth it, as we made much progress for the Conference.

I went salsa dancing again this week. It was really fun to have a place that I am familiar with to go to, and I always have a good time dancing salsa! Saturday I went to Mercado 4 to shop for some souvenirs. Even though this was my second time there, it was really my first time actually exploring it. There are so many vendors, but many sell the same exact thing! It’s crazy! When one thing catches on, they all sell it. Later I went to a soccer game (Guarani (local team) vs Rubio Ñu), which ended in a tie, 2-2. It was fun and interesting to see a soccer stadium and game here. Vendors were selling chipa, of course, and mate cocido (made with the mate herb, but boiled). That night, I went to Sol Azteca for an intern’s goodbye dinner and went dancing at Faces, apparently the best and most popular dance club in Asuncion.

Sunday was a day to sleep in and I walked to the Jardin Botanico y Zoologico (Botanical Gardens and Zoo), which was only about a 15-20 minute walk from my house. I can’t believe I waited this long to go! It only cost about $0.50 to enter, and another $.75 to enter the main zoo. I really enjoyed walking around and seeing all the plants, the pond, the Natural History Museum, Casa Lopez (constructed in 1840, the residence of Don Carlos A. Lopez, President of Paraguay between 1844 and 1862), and the zoo (with so many neat animals!). I also tried Don Vito’s fast food for the first time, which I thought was better than fast food in the US.

The start of the next work week, I wrote more on the water boards, prepared for a National Water Conference meeting, and had a meeting with heads of all the main organizations assisting in the Conference. We also had another meeting with a representative from a company that is willing to be a HUGE sponsor of the conference (giving 50,000,000 Gs, about $12,500). This is very good news, because we are that much closer to funding the entire conference. I made a spreadsheet table to write and list all the confirmed attendees to the conference, as this is my main task to finish preparing to the Conference at this time. I made calls to all Federation Presidents to see if they have their lists yet for which water boards and how many people are attending the conference from their Department. I also had to ask a few Presidents that weren’t at our last meeting if they needed more information sent to them, such as the Conference invitation to give to more water boards, the executive summary, and the sign-up sheets. I sent the information to the Federation Presidents that needed it and contacted the remaining Presidents that I wasn’t able to contact the day before.

Finally, I went to a goodbye dinner for two other interns at Cuatro D, apparently the best ice-cream place in Asuncion. The next day, we went to a movie at the Mariscal Lopez Shopping Mall because Wednesday is discount movie night (only $3.75 for a movie). There are only a few interns that remain, but it’s fine with me, because these last two weeks will keep me so busy that I probably won’t have much time for hanging out!

With only a bit more than two weeks to go, my return to the U.S. is in sight. I hope that I have much good news to share in my next blog about the progress for the Water Conference and my project in Horqueta. ¡Hasta la próxima semana! Until next week!

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