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The Amigos Experience

Pictures: Album, Slideshow

Laguna Pytá on Google Maps

 

 

September 2, 2008

Dear Sponsor,

Thank you for supporting my summer with Amigos de las Américas! Whether you bought poinsettias, grapefruit, or made contributions, it all helped immensely!

As you may remember, Amigos de las Américas is a volunteer organization aimed at strengthening cultural understanding in the Americas through youth leadership and community development. High school and college students throughout the United States are trained and sent to Latin American countries to live and work with community members.

I spent eight weeks in Paraguay, living in a small but spread-out rural community of about four hundred people. The community, Laguna Pytá, is two and a half hours by bus from the capital city, Asunción. My partner and I gave short lessons on health and other topics at the elementary school while attending youth group meetings and working with the community to renovate a park.

Paraguay is an incredible country. Almost the entire population speaks both Spanish and the indigenous language, Guarani. In rural parts, children and older people often speak only Guarani fluently. And I thought I was prepared with three years of Spanish study behind me! Despite the language barrier, learning and speaking Guarani was a great way to make new friends – or at least to make Paraguayans laugh. Another great legacy from the indigenous Guarani is mate, a “social” tea which is shared within a group. It warms me up to think of the great rounds of mate and tereré (the iced-tea version of mate) I sat in. And of course, I’ll never forget the breathtaking Paraguayan sunsets.

But that’s only part of what I experienced. All the people I met – my host family, the youth, the community leaders and members, and all the children – were the ones that taught me about their culture. They made the summer (or winter, rather, as Paraguay is in the southern hemisphere) truly unforgettable.

I never thought that such a tiny place could teach me so much. I learned about a new and fascinating culture, how to organize community initiatives, and how to live in a completely different manner. I met many wonderful people, and made several friends. I have Paraguay to thank for this great opportunity, but also you, dear sponsor, for making this trip – this experience – possible for me. Thank you for buying the poinsettias and grapefruit I was selling; thank you for all your donations; and thank you especially for all the encouragement and interest you showed.

Thank you again!

Sincerely,

 

 

Jeanne Muller