Ellen in Paraguay

Today after work I was pretty tired, so on the way home I stopped to talk and drink térere with some neighbours. Actually they are not truly neighbours, but a chaufer and a security guard who work for a wealthy neighbour and are always just hanging around outside the house, and a lady who sells “the necessities” (eggs, yerba for drinking tereré, and cookies) from a little shack across the street. I think it is the highlight of their day when I stop and chat for awhile, not because I am incredibly special or anything, but they have the most boring jobs in the whole world. Sometimes the lady brings a little TV and watches soap operas, and the guys smoke and play lottery for their entertainment. Anyways, today was fun because I learned the nicknames they have for people who often pass by. I even have a nickname! In Guarani it is something like “walks fast” and in Spanish it is “roadrunner.” I think it suits me well.

Jason arrived yesterday. I am really happy to have another North American to hang out with, but in some ways it makes me sad because I know my time here is coming to an end soon. When I leave here, you will all have to start reading about his experiences in Paraguay from his blog (I’ll ask him for permission to put the address up later). He came with me to some classes today, and the whole time I couldn’t help but think that he must be wondering why he came here in the first place. The good thing is that he seems to have a really strong calling, and desires to be here because he knows this is where God has placed him. Now I just need to remember that I have that same call and need to finish strong, so as to live up to my nickname in a figurative sense.

# posted by Ellen @ 8:36 PM