Ellen in Paraguay

Yesterday I was looking at some of the pictures and video clips that the Canadian girls took, and while watching a video clip traditional Paraguayan dancer with a bottle on her head, I suddenly remembered that I live in a very interesting foreign country. It was fun to play tourist a bit with the guests, to show off my newly-found translating abilities and try to find my way around town on a bus (I only got us lost one time). On the holiday we went to a fellow teacher’s house in the country and I learned how to cut and peal sugar cane. The most memorable part of that day for me was listening to her brother and cousin, who are professional musicians, serenade us in the church that was built by her family. It definitely was an experience inhabiting my somewhat small house with four other girls and their suitcases, but the Tim Horton’s coffee and the joy they brought me made up for any inconveniences there might have been. They also brought a whole bunch of very useful items for our library and English teaching department, which gets me excited to keep on teaching for the last 10 or so weeks left of school. I also just want to say that to anyone who thinks I talk a lot, I recognize that now as a gift from God, perhaps endowed upon me specifically to survive the last two weeks of my life. When we went to a meal at someone’s house, which we did for six days in a row, I had to do the talking for every person that was at the table, in addition to adding my own comments, which are numerous. But not today, I only have one more thing to say, which is that we are starting the construction for the new school building this week! It is a miracle that we actually met our goal of being able to start in August and I am so happy. It might be slow-going at first, but hopefully there will be at least two or three usable classrooms before the next school year starts in February. If you would like to contribute to the project, you can send money to the Apostolic Christian Foundation, 1135 Sholey Rd, Richmond, VA 23231, marked for the Paraguay School Building. I know I wrote this before, but someone asked for it again, and so I thought I may as well remind everyone. Then we´ll get it done even faster!