But before we get in to that, I just wanted to say hello again! I took a bit of a hiatus from blogging - part of it was not having a computer charger for a couple months, and another part of me just stopped being inspired to write here. I got really into journaling, and I couldn't get the motivation to blog or write about the things I was experiencing in a way that I would be able to put into words for the public (you) to read. My apologies! But, I did just get back from 2 weeks in the good ol' USA and I was able to tell stores, updates, and experiences in person and to me was the best way to share my current life! It was a gift to be able to go home, spend quality time with family and some amazing friends, and just step away for a short while from Paraguay and the Peace Corps. It gave me needed perspective, and also made me feel that I am indeed actually doing something worthwhile. [Side note: During the coldest/wettest/rainiest week of the winter where I did not leave my room and only drank hot toddies while watching 'love actually' without really bathing for days, I began to question that (and briefly, my own sanity) so it was good to reaffirm why I joined the PC.] I realize I am following my own dreams in the process, learning a lot from Paraguayans, and am constantly humbled by the kindness of people. I'm just trying to be the person I want to become, and my OWN person - sorting through all the confusion and craziness that life throws my (and our) way.
Thank you for being in my life (in whatever way that may be) and for making my journey possible! I am excited to continue to share with you the adventures of volunteering and living in Paraguay :)
So, back to this hail storm. It started in the early evening, the youth group in my community was all prepared to have a Fiesta de Primavera (Spring festival) at the social club close to my house. They had a huge music sound system set up, DJs, a cantina stocked with beer, and tons of traditional food prepared to sell. The weather forecast said rain - and when I looked again that night, electrical storms. After the wind tore off all of their tarps they had tied up on the fence, and it began to drizzle, they decided to cancel the party and have it another date. I headed home, excited to have time to myself to lay in my bed with my window open and watch the insane lightning - it was a free light show! I was a little concerned with the ferocity of the wind, but had no idea what destruction it would bring in just a few hours. Skip to a couple hours later, it's almost midnight, I am about to settle in to fall asleep and I get up to turn off my computer - all of a sudden - the lights flicker; power goes out. In a matter of moments it seems, BOOM, it sounded like bombs were being dropped on the tin roof above my head. A few layers of straw (now I realize, straw strong as hell) and corrugated metal separate me from the storm that is spewing huge hailstones onto the roof, and in a few minutes into my bedroom. As I throw the ice balls off my bed and frantically hold a pillow over my head expecting the worst (the roof blowing off or falling in - this happened to most of Nueva Londres, many neighbors and a fellow PCV) I really thought the world was ending. Luckily, my house stayed intact and no damage was done - except scaring me out of my mind! One woman who is part of the women's group I work with had her house left like this:
The worst hit was Nueva Londres and they are still currently cleaning up and rebuilding homes and social centers. The saddest part for me is that the farmers that I work with lost most of their crops, after some terrible frost this year, it was the last thing they needed. I am working on getting involved on helping farmers re-plant, and may try and include seeds as part of a garden project I will be starting through the Peace Corps Partnership program (more on that next time). I am so thankful that no one I knew was seriously injured! It was a crazy storm. Giant trees were uprooted from the ground and taken down.
As we say a lot here - "poco a poco" - little by little. It will take time, but things will hopefully continue on and families will be able to make their homes homes again, and re-plant their crops. When I was biking back to La Novia from Nueva Londres I was pretty depressed seeing all the destroyed homes and trees - but I turned into the road to my community and was again taken aback as I am frequently, by the sky. I will end with this, and constantly remind myself to be thankful for all of the beauty that does exist - especially after the storm. People coming together, helping their neighbors, the sense of community that I experience and share here is something like I've never known in the US, and I hope to always carry that with me. Lots of love! XO
