Monday, November 12, 2012

Petty Theft... I Mean Really Petty


When we think house robbery we kinda think this...

Stupid robber

In Paraguay everyone already had bars on their windows and at least where i live, no body had glass anyway. One of the most common ways to get robbed is people getting a ladder, climbing onto your roof and lifting the tiles up and moving them. A lot of time roofing tiles are not very secure in Paraguay. In some places they are kept on the roof by little more than gravity allowing you to simply lift them off. 
Its like reverse legos!
A while ago my house got robbed. I think they got in through a small window in my bathroom that I have since put bars on. Luckily, I had my computer and camera with me while I was away. 

This is what they took:
Some repairing and construction tools
A carton of milk
A bag of powder juice
Candy
Shampoo
A comb
A can of tomato sardines
condoms

         

Notice anything? 

Most of the stuff they took was cheap food stuff. 

What they did not take:
Expensive clothing, computer bag or shoes
External hard drives
Printer
Stove
rice cooker
stereo
mattress
fridge
tables
chairs
water boiler
I have a pretty good idea of what happened and who might have used my house. It seems like instead of malicious robbers a couple Paraguayan youths climbed in and made themselves comfortable, made a meal, stashed some stuff in their pockets and so on. 

The bed.... 

Probably the most peculiar thing was that I immediately noticed my bed had been used because the pillow was on a different side of the bed than I normally put in. Upon closer examination there was evidence of non sleeping usage of my bed ... sigh and thus the explanation of the stolen condoms. 



Followed by ...




All in all, was worth it. I can always clean sheets. A new rice cooker woulda cost a fortune here in Paraguay. 





Friday, November 9, 2012

This Tumblr is Creepily Accurate About Volunteers


Take a look and get a glimpse of how we volunteers feel.

Classic Questions and Comments from Paraguayans

Do you like Paraguayans? (girls)
Where is your Paraguayan? (girlfriend)
Why don't you have a Paraguayan girlfriend?
The answers to these questions include that of course there are pretty girls and it is not that I don't like Paraguayans but that you need to communicate to have a good relationship and my Spanish is not that good. None of these answers suffice.

Do you live alone? Who cooks?

Some good moments:
Her:Why don't you have a PY girlfriend?
Me: Because there aren't any girls here.
Her: There are a ton!
Me: They are all too young.
Her: It doesn't matter! How about Jenny (15 yr old girl) 

LOL

While washing dishes at a birthday party:
Leave that, there are lots of girls to do that.

While talking to PY dudes (age 16-22) in site:
Me: who is the prettiest girl in site?
Him: Malena (she is 12)

When we drank all the water in my pitcher:
Him: Can I fill your pitcher up?
Me: Yeah.
Him: Goes outside to the faucet instead of using the kitchen sink.

When dudes are hanging out at my house day or night:
Him: I'm going to the bathroom.
Me: Ok.
Him: Goes outside and pees on a bush instead of using my bathroom.



Probably more to add later!



I Found Jack Sparrow!

Jack Sparrow spotted in Paraguay!


Turns out when Jacks not fighting the British government, his fellow pirates or seeking treasure, he hangs out in a hostal in Paraguay.

How does he survive? He performs of course ... as Jack Sparrow.... on stilts... in front of traffic at red lights.....

About the time I was taking my GRE I had the opportunity to meet a wonderfully lighthearted traveler who has made an Asuncion hostal his home for a while. Every night he goes out and performs for a bit of money. For the couple days I was there we talked a bit and he enlightened me to lime and hot sauce popcorn which will remain with me forever.

Hot and sour goodness...
Thank you Jack. May you find your treasure. 
Good day sir.

Baila Conmigo Paraguay... it's So You Think You Can Dance.. Sorta




So Baila Conmigo Paraguay is a super popular show in Paraguay probably capitalizing on the hype of reality contestant programs that showcase an ability, in this case dancing. And the program has all the ingredients, a charismatic handsome MC a set of judges with different personalities and of course the hopeful dancers competing for money and fame. 

The advertisement above seems fairly standard maybe showing off winners or judges or pretty girls just because sex sells. 

What host?

Here is the charismatic host but if you are a guy, you probably only noticed the hot girls in the background. Maybe they appear just once or twice to spike ratings? NOPE. These girls, usually 4-10, dawn skimpy outfits and literally stand in the background swaying their hips back and forth to the background music, THE ENTIRE TIME. That's right, when the contestants aren't actually dancing, these girls dominate the stage with the camera focusing in and out on their bodies and smiles, mostly bodies. 

Alright, alright, the show has sexy girls on it. Thats cool. Yesterday I turned on the TV to find this... 
Is that pole dancing on national television?

Yes. Pole dancing is one of the dance categories on this show. Talk about media freedom. Despite Paraguay claiming to be ultra Catholic and thus conservative, this is on TV and is insanely popular for obvious reasons. 

As for judges you have classic personas except when it comes to their version of Simon Cowell...
Goth Victorian?
 She even sits in her own giant throne at the judges table sometimes. 

Advertisers take advantage of popular programs by buying ad time during commercial breaks but why stop there? in BCP the products are right in the show. In a move that seems straight gimmicky for us "Nortes", the host will literally stop and be like, "This is really exciting but let's stop to take a break and refresh ourselves with a little Pepsi cola" This is always followed by a pan view of all the pretty girls (reference above) drinking or eating the product. I wish I had a picture but cant find one.  Anyway thats like turning on the TV in America and seeing this...
Love that Pepsi
All of this is not to say that Paraguayan programming is worse or better. For sure BCP is entertaining which i guess is the point. Just something I thought I'd share.






Friday, October 5, 2012

More Photos of Regular Paraguayan Life

Not enough regular chairs. This one is tiny.

Pre-party

Pad Thai in rural Paraguay

My dinner one night.

View of Asuncion from a hotel.

Another view.

My Paraguayan friend who went to college in the States.

Rob is tired. We are not.

Magician we randomly met at a bar. I thought he might pickpocket me.... is that bad?

About 5 am  at a 24 hour food place. Rob calls it Asuncion's Dennys

Best baseball team in Asuncion. Not really.

These guys are better.

Organizing Paraguayans to play an alien sport.

Green team ready.

My awesome Asuncion Korean-Paraguayan friend!

My  favorite Asuncion Paraguayan friend.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Photos of Everyday Life

Voli at one of the local house courts.

The Misiones Americans gather for a department wide meeting

Campo Sunset

Looks pretty nice.

Right?

This is what a party in my site looks like.

Cordon off an area, add giant speakers and bam.

Lots of standing around.

Grillin it up.

Awesome guy playing jolly accordion songs on a bus. Actually saw him on 2 different buses.

Two of my awesome Peace Corps friends

Chillin in the capital

Right outside my house

Cooking by kerosene lamp...

Just another end of the day

Inside a club in Asuncion

More campo festivities

Two guys play it up in between swigs of cana

Some of my peeps in site.