Over a month since my last update?? Mí MAL!

So my father recently let me know that I´ve been out of the blog scene. Sorry!! Things have actually been busy here and internet time as been even less than normal. I do have good news though, and writing should be easier because...

I HAVE A COMPUTER CENTER!!!!!!!!!!!! I just installed our 3 brand new computers yesterday and although we don´t have internet (yet!), I will be able to type blogs and emails in advance now. I´m SUPER excited too! I´ve been waiting for this to happen since September `07 and typically Paraguayan projects are very slow. At least it´s real now though! The rest of my time will be spent teaching the future teachers for classes and begging and pleading for internet. It´s exciting though! The money for the center was donated by a non-prof called ACDI/VOCA, and they help coops all over South America. I´ve been asked to document the progress and in typical Betsy/Kyle style... I think I´ll not just take pictures, but make them a movie as a thank you! I love technology!

Lots going on in other areas too. My women´s committee is in the process of finalizing all of the local and national recognition forms. Just one more to go, and then we can get funding from anyone anywhere. I´ve been doing a lot of talk/research about chicken coops too because that is their number one project goal. Who would have thought that I´d be calculating how much corn needs to be planted to support 50 chickens in 37 houses?! But that´s my life now! Chickens, chickens, chickens!

Paraguay recently had an election and in the opposing party finally won. The future pres is a really nice guy and our new governor is the former mayor of my community. People in my community are buddies with the two new politicos, and it´s really exciting to see the changes around me. They don´t even go into office until August, but already we´re getting new roads and 2 ¨free¨ hospitals are in the works for the Asunción area. I hope this positive progress continues, and I believe it will!

Just got back from my first vacation in almost 1 year!! I met up with mom and her friend Yvonne just on the borders of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. We checked out the falls (it´s the longest in the world... 1.8 miles... and beautiful!!) from the Argentinian side and Brazilian side. Then it was off to Rio de Janeiro!! LOVED IT! I´d think about moving there but I don´t speak Portuguese! It´s white sands surrounded by lush, green mountains. It´s apparently pretty dangerous, although it never left like it. Only 5 quick days together and it was back to PY. Although I must admit, I did miss my simple little life here.

So what´s on the radar for the future? Our new training groups comes at the end of the month, so I´ll be in and out of Asunción a lot. I´ve been asked to come in at least twice to give a few presentations (#1 role of women on the farm, #2 starting/working with/motivating groups). I guess all of those years of PHS Student Gov, USC Student Gov/Carolina Productions/Dance Marathon skills are finally going to use outside of college! I´ll also be starting dental health classes within the next 2 weeks. Thank you again to my mom and members of First Lutheran Church for donating lots of toothbrushes!! Almost more importantly, I have another vacation too! Costa Rica with Dad, Carolyn, and Nanny is quickly approaching and July and I´m already looking forward to 7 days on the beach!

I´m still frequently asked about care package ideas, and the truth is I don´t NEED anything! But if you have a desire to send something, it will clearly be appreciated! Here are a few ideas...

-Nutella or peanut butter
-anything to cook with like spices, or mixes. I love sauce packets and any and all things with more international flavors!!
-tunes (I have a CD player and can play mp3s too), pop culture mags, DVDs
-any type of office/art/craft/scrapbooking supplies

Thanks again to all of you that email, read the blog (although my updates have been a little spread out), send packages, or are planning visits. I´m very happy here and enjoy my life a lot, but it´s always nice to know I´m being thought of at home.

Picutre update too!!



Almost 1 year here!