IST, DVD, and Bryan Adams

I´ve been out of my site for the last week at IST (In Service Training) at the ole school in Guarambure. I stayed with my host family in Porvenir, which was by the city of Ita during my first three months of training. It was awesome.

I got in and first thing I did was buy a new pair of jeans. What does a new pair of jeans do for you? Gives you CONFIDENCE. I knew i looked good in my jeans, so I headed off to Porvenir and met with my host family. I was nervous. I was dreading it. I overreacting! It rawked! I had my old room with screens, a bed, hot shower, good food, and most important: I could communicate with my family! My language has improved so that I could actually talk to them, instead of using pantomime! Crazy, right? By the end of the week, my family actually gave ME presents, instead of vice versa. It´s custom here to brings gifts when you visit someone, so I bought them a nice guampa (cup to drink terere) and some toys for my little host nephew. They gave me a bedspread and sheets, since I told them I had neither! How sweet! Plus they really wanted me to come visit for a birthday party in about a month. How cool was that? I felt like a daughter and family member, instead of some scruffy Peace Corps Volunteer.

After my weeklong language class where I got to reconnect with my entire group of new volunteers (we call it our 'G' since our group of volunteers call number is G25) I headed to Asuncion for the weekend of fun, excitement, and shopping. My dad sent me money to buy a portable DVD player (after he MAILED me one from the states and I fried it by plugging it into my outlet without a transformer). I can´t wait to watch the entire first season of Monk! Thanks Dad!!! This means that as of NOW, friends and family can mail me burned dvds if they so desire. PLEASE!!!!

Can it get much better than that?

Only wanted to stay a while
Only wanted to play a while
Then you taught me to fly like a bird

Baby - thought I'd died and gone to heaven
Such a night I never had before
Thought I'd died and gone to heaven
Cause what I got there ain't no cure for

CASSIE!!!!

Yes. Bryan Adams came to Paraguay. I went to his concert in Asuncion and LOVED IT!!! Did any of you dear readers ever get a mix tape from me back in the late 90s or early 00s? Well, chances are I put some guy yelling my name at the end, beginning, or middle of your tape. It was Bryan Adams singing to me. And last night, he sang again...
And rawked Paraguay!!!

I think I like him even MORE than before after seeing his show. Crazy, right? What has Paraguay DONE to me? Long story short - I had a good week. I even got a package from my mom that included the best meal and my most craved food: