Another blog entry in the sunshine...

i am enjoying the heat from the comfort of a hammock on the little deck of my little room at the house of leo and gudrun. they are an amazing couple with five amazing kids who make my heart warm just thinking about them. the sky is blue and spotless, there are birds navigating through the green leaves of the trees towering around me. i can look over and see mangoes growing, the branches getting heavy over the rust-coloured rooftops...

i have continued working at alto refugio, where i have a made a place for myself as the happy little hairdresser who just doesn't speak spanish. the other day i thanked one lady for the rain in the bathroom instead of the key, and continually refer to "hair" as "horse", as the spanish words are quite similar. oops. i often end up speaking a mishmash of german, spanish, and english to try and make myself understood. i am often successful, and even surprise myself with the conversations that are able to take place. leo and gudrun's youngest angelgirl, eliana, keeps me humble though, as any time i don't say a sentence completely correct she never fails to cock her head, wrinkle her nose, and say "HUH??". can't win 'em all i suppose.

what i didn't mention about my post in this hammock paradise is the church across the street, that at certain times can be heard playing awful choral recordings at full volume, reminiscent of the background music in old disney movies. even the church bells are recorded. and all with the distinctive piercing crackle of the ancient speakers they're playing through. it's a sound that could make the average bystander want to start banging their head against the nearest slab of concrete.

the sights and sound of paraguay generally fill me with joy. soccer games, birds, vehicles, whistles, dogs, and music all combine into a recipe of relaxed contentment. we used siesta time yesterday to check the boat on the river, you know, test it out. but today i think the hammock is calling me to partake in this wonderful tradition.....