Mi Vida como un Estudiante en Paraguay

i wanna go back

2009-05-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

i miss paraguay sooooooooo much!!! i just want to go back... its been four months since i have been back in the united states and I am not happy... i miss my life there my friends are so important to me... i am missing out on so much there... i love my family and friends here in the USA OBVIOUSLY.... but i mean i am so at home in Paraguay and i WANT to be there... i never thought that would happen... butttt it did so now i am just sooo sad

ijueeeeeeeeeee pete!!!!

2008-12-30T09:42:00.000-08:00

IJUEEEEEEEEEEEEE no puedo creerrrrr en serio!!!! en un poco mas de una semana voy a estar en eeuu!!! que extrano que va ser!!!! yo no se nada de alla!!!! todo es tan diferente, no parece mio!!!! en la verdad tengo miedo a volverme alla!!!! estoy TAN acostumbrada a la vida de una paraguayita!!!!!!!! que voy hacer sin mis gente aca!!! sin mi cultura aca!!! mmmmmmmmm va ser bien a volver y ver todasss pero igual no mas... estoy muy muy muy nerviosa!!!!!!!!!! dios te pido por tu ayuda!!!!!!

hoy regrese a asuncion!!! :D

2008-12-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

holaa!!!! por fin regrese a asuncion hoy de mi viaje del curso a camboriu brasil!! estuvo en viaje 10 dias!!! y ahora en pasado mañana va ser navidad.... no puedo creer, en la verdad en estes momentos estoy pensando mucho en mi año intercambio!! estoy pensando mucho en los bendiciones y todo.... estoy tan agradecido a dios para este oportunidad y para todo el ayuda de mis amigos y familiares.... te agradecir a cada una de ustedes por tu ayuda con todas tus oraciones, tus donaciones... todo... en serio cada una de ustedes eran una parte de este experiencia!!!! no solo que me fui a paraguay tambien tenia el oportunidad a irme a brasil con mi curso... que maravilloso es nuestro salavador!!!! ahora mi tiempo aca en mi hogar me queda poco... pero cada dia es una bendicion a mi vida....

heyyy!!! i am finally in asuncion, for the trip to brasil with my classmates.... i was in 10 days brasil.... and in 2 days will be christmas, i can´t believe it!!! in the truth in these momentos i thinking lot about my year intercambio!!! i am think alot about the blessing and all of it....i am so very thankfule to god for this chance and also por my friends and family... i thanks you all for everything.. yours prayers, and donaciones....everything....la verdad everyones a parte of my trip here... i did not just come here to paraguay.. i went to brasil tambien with my classmates...how maravilloso is our god..... no i am here in my home(paraguay) and here just for alittle..but every days is a blessing to my life!!!!

pics
these are pics my friend and sister in brasil

and don´t worry the tatoo is fake lol

pics of my family and I

2008-12-11T07:30:00.000-08:00

entrega de los titulossss

2008-12-11T07:17:00.000-08:00

hoy es mi entregas de los titulossss.... no puede creer que ya llegamos a este dia!!! que emocion!!!! estoy tan felizzzz...

today is my graduacion... i can´t believe we´ve come to this day!!!! what emocion!!!! i am sooooo happy!!! :D :D: :D :D

pictures of my colacion :D

2008-12-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

here are pictures i hope you enjoy!!!

QUE INCREIBLE ESTUVO!!!! :D :D :D

2008-11-30T13:27:00.000-08:00

anoche fue maravillosa!!!!!! exploto ayer en el yacht!!! Mi colacion era hermosa igual con todo los diferencias adentro el curso durante este año todo de anoche fue lo mejor dia de mi vida....y creo por todos tambien.... mi vestido y los de las chicas eran HERMOSOSSSS... los tipos eran churros... y por esa noche nosotros eran los estrellas!!! cuando yo canto con phillip estaba NERVIOSA pero NERVIOSA NERVIOSA!!!! estaba engripada pero igual papito dios me ayudo y todo los invitados le encantaron....!!!! :D :D :D :D yo pasaste anoche con las personas que son lo mas importante para mi vida.... nos bailamos, sonreimos, gritamos, cantamos... fue increible... una noche que nunca voy a olvidar... y siempre va ser unas de las dias mas importante....

last night was marvolous... we exploted in the yacht yesterday!!! my colacion waas beautfil... with the differneces within everyone in the curso in this year everything yesterday was the best day of my life and for the others too.... my dress and the dresses of the girls were beautifil and the boys were handsome!!!!and for that night we were stars!!!!! when i sang with phillip i was nervious but really really nervous because i was sick and my nose and throat were working... but my father god helped me through it all.... everyone loved it!!! i passed yesterday with the people who are the most importante for my life... danced,laughed,screamed, singed it was amazing!!! one night i will never forget... and i that will always be one of the days most importante in my life...

when i have the pics i will put them up!!!

order of pics

2008-11-23T14:23:00.003-08:00

diana (my sister) me and erich
diana and me
diana me and clau (my sisters)
me and lau
lau nathi and me

2008-11-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

faltaaaa poco!!! me pongas re nerviosaaaa no quiero irme pero ya se que eso es la vida de un estudiante de afs siempre tenes que regresar a tu pais..... pero eso es una cosa que me das miedo!!! muchas personas pueden pensar que voy a volver super bien, feliz y todo... y si eso va a pasar voy a estar feliz para ver toda mi familia y mis amigos pero igual no mas voy a tener acomtumbrame otra vez de la cultura de eeuu... estoy muy muy muy acostumbrada de mi vida aca y la cultura y como son los amistades y como es una familia aca.... y estoy enamorada con eso.... :(.... estoy feliz para irme a ver mi gente pero para quedarme alla no tanto jejeje... este semana es mi colacion... voy a escribir despues eso y subir muchas fotos... mi colacion va a ser HERMOSOOOO!!!

ahhh just have a little time left!! it makes me nervos, i don´t want to go, but i know that is the life of an afs student, you always have to go back to your country... but that is something tat make me scared....a lot of people can think that when i come home i will be good and so happy.... that will happen but in time, i will be happy to see my family and friends but still i am acostumbrada to everything here and now i have to acostumbrame to the usa and the culture theer...i fell in love with paraguay and that culture and the people, friendships, and how a family is... and i am in love with all of that.....i am going to be happy to see everyone up there thought.... this week is my colacion... i will write again after that.... and put up fotos... it will be beautiful

fotos

correct order of pics jejee

2008-11-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

so i wrote the order of pics from how i downloaded it sooo

soo here it is again
1. me and vico
2. me and vico
3. me and di
4. me and di
5. my sister di and clau (clau is in yellow and di in grey)

sorry sorry sorry

2008-11-12T05:54:00.000-08:00

ijueeeeeee no puedo creer que no me escribio aca an un mes!! en serio perdon estaba muy ocupada en Octubre estaba en colegio con todo mis finales y con algunos expos tambien... pero ahora estoy TERMINO con colegio!!! por fin jejeje... en serio el tiempo en paraguay fue muy rapidio!!! No puedo creer que en 2 meses voy a estar en estados unidos!!! eso en una tema muy dificil para mi... yo ya acomobarme en este cultura y como es la vida de una paraguaya!!! En este mes yo tengo mucho cosas tengo que hacerme!!!El Culto de Accion del Gracias, colacion, afs campamento y todooooo un kilombo es... creo que mi ultimos meses van a pasar rapidisimooooooo!!!!!!!! hay una cosa que quiero contarle a ustedes ya me mude de casa ayer, hay cosas en la casa que paso y yo no podria vivir alla mas... pero ahora yo vivo con mi mejor amiga DIANA y su familia estoy reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee feliz como ustedes no saben porque diana y yo siempre fue como hermanas.... entonces yo siento muy feliz en su familia y ese es una familia que quieren que yo ser una parte de sus familiaaaa!!!! :) en serio esa familia es una bendicion de dios!!!! estoy feliz y ansiosa para tener mi ultimos meses en paraguay lo mejores que estuvo en paraguay!!!!!!!!

woww i can´t belive i did not write here for 1 month!! i am sorry, i was very bussy in octubre with my finales and exposiciones.. but now i am done with school! FINALLY!
in all seriousness the time in paraguay has went by sooo fastly.. i can´t belive that in 2 months i will be back in the USA!! that is something hard for me because i have adapt so much to the cultura in paraguay and how a life of a paraguayan is!! this month i have so many thing to do, the church service for the seniors, colacion (it is like a HUGE graduacion party for you class) and the afs camp! its all so crazy!! I think en these 2 months will go soooo fastly!! I just want to let you all now that i moved my house yester day, there were just something that was happening in the house and i could not be there anymoree!! but its ok because i live with DIANA and her family and she is my best friend.... I AM SOOOOO HAPPY you guys don´t even know.. di and i have been like sisters since i got to paraguay jejeje i am very happy with this family.. they are a blessing from god, it is great to be with a family whos wants me to be a part of there family!!! I am happy and ansiosa to have my lasts months in paraguay be the best i have in paraguay!!!

IN THE PICS!
1ST DIANA AND CLAUDIA MY SISTERS (CLAU IS IN THE YELLOW AND DI IS IN GREY)
2ND ME AND DI
3RD ME AND DI
4TH ME AND VICO WHEN I WENT TO YBYCUÍ
5TH ME AND VICO

2008-09-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

hey everyone i am sooo happy this week is finally over!!! The Olypics at my school ended on friday with relief i say i am happy hehehe... it was a great experience but on crazy week of sports music chess and more... it was a great expierence our whole school was split up into 2 teams team white and green... i was on white just because my sister is on that team and she was captain.... they take this thing very seriously... but it ended with international dance it was soooo fun there were soooo many people!!!! BLANCO (WHITE) WON!!!! yayaayayayayayayay!!!! we will have to wait now for i don´t know how long to get the results of what color won it all... music night i think was my favorite... my best friend lau sang and it was great, and lots of my friends actually sang or played an instrument... it was awesome... a night just full of fun!! i am having so much fun we did have classes this week.. well two hours but no one worked... now it is work time again and we are almost done with school like 2 more weeks of classes and then we go into testing... and i ¨¨graduate¨ aguante promo 08 CBVM.....

all of the pictures are from the week of the olympics
the group of people are from blanco...
then there is the banner
the 4 people sang at music night incredible
the girl in the dress was the queen (my friend gaby)
then me and lau my best friend

pics of my bday

2008-09-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

en los fotos
1st yop flavia y kitty en mi cumple (me flavia and kitty in my party)
2nd practicamente todo (almost everyone in my birthday)
3rd yop y mi mama (me and my mom in my birthday)
4th yop y ati( me and ati in my birthday)
5th todo en god´s pan 2 de septiembre (everyone in gods pan the day of my bday)

my birthday

2008-09-05T11:51:00.001-07:00

guau!!!! 19 años hehehe que viejo verdad!!!! mi cumpleaños ya pasaste demasiado bien, ya re diverti y todo... ya tenia mi fiesta en 19 de agosto en mi casa y mucho personas ya venieron.... ya tuve un tiempo bueno con todos... ya bailamos, cantamos, sonrie jejeje un tiempo de amigos verdad.... y despues en 2 de septiembre(mi cunple) yo tenia una fiesta en mi colegio... mis compañeros ya compraste torta y coca y todo que bueno verdad...en colegio en martes nosotros tenemos asembalea eso como iglesia verdad.. y cuando esta termine ellos pediron para mi a pasar enfrente todo(estaba timida...jeje enfrente todo el high school) jeje pero mi profe guia ya orar para mi!!! hay diferencias en cultura con cumpleaños y por suerte ya provaste todo jejeje... y me fui a gods pan por almuerzo con muchos de mis amigos... y despues a la noche me fui a o gausho con amigas por cena... por suerte mis amigos son lo mejores...porque ya no pense mucho que...¨que lastima no estoy con mis amigos y familia....¨ en realidad estaba con mis amigos y familia en mi otra hogar... pero ya ayudan que no me pogas triste!!! mi cumpleaños en serio fui demasiado bueno y estoy muy contenta....
wow 19 yrs. old!! how old right?!!? my birthday went very good, i had a lot of fun and everything... i have my party on august 29 at my house and a lot of people came! i had i very good time with everyone... we dances, sang,laughed, haha a time of friends!! and then on sept. 2(my bday) i had a party in school too.. my classmates bought cake and coca cola and everything... really nice right!!in school on tuesdays its like we have church and after it they brought me to the front and my teacher guide prayed for me.. it was sooooo nice i was very happy.. there are differeneces in culture with birthdays and how lucky! jaja i got to experience them.. hehe like you take a pic like you are biting the cake.. and sometimes the push your face in it... well they did it and twice hehehe... for lunch i went to eat with a lot of my friends at gods pan, and then at night we went to o gausho for dinner,.. lucky my friends are the best because i didn´t think a lot like ¨man this bites i am not with my friends and family...¨ in reality i was with my friends and family in my other home...but they helped me not be sad----- my birthday was seriosly good.. i am very happy

i don´t know why but it won´t let me upload fotos... i will do that another day

love you all
god bless

weeks weeks

2008-08-24T15:51:00.000-07:00

ok wow so the last couple weeks have been crazy!!!the last weekend a young girl at the age of 13 from 7 grado was killed.. it was an accident but it was very tragic.. she was in her aunts and uncles house, her aunt came home and opened the door to pull in the car that is when 3 robbers entered in as well...i am not sure it they went in the house i was very confused, but somehow one of the robbers had wendy(the little girl from my school) around her neck up against the robber.. the guard of the house ended up shooting off his gun trying to shoot the robber and he ended up shooting wendy in her head!! it is such a horrible story, and it just show how short life can be and that no one is promised the next minute!!! This tragedy was very hard on the kids in 7,8,9 grados... are school prayed a lot for the family, the little brother of the girl is also in our school....

good news, our school has olympics!!! it is a pretty big deal, i didn´t really know that but know i do!!! they actually pic captains from 3cero curso(seniors) to be captians and co-captains...there is the white team and green team!!! my sister is the CAPTAIN of the white team...there is two captains a boy and a girl, and the co-captains a boy and a girl for both teams... but it is a really big deal these olympics and it is even a bigger deal to be choosen as captain... i am blanco, because my sister is, and obviously she is the captain.. all family members are on the same team... i guess it gets SUPER COMPETATIVE!!! at one part of the olympics we have class only until 9 and then the rest of the day is sports!!! isn´t that just really cool!!! but i don´t know i will have to let you know more about that when we actually start!!! jajaja----

my birthday party is this friday thats pretty cool!!!! I am excited!!!! i have about 50 people or something on my list for my party... not everyone will come i don´t think.. but lots of people want to come... so i am excited for my party!!! and my birthday!!!!

i spent the night at my superrrrrrrrr closeeeeee bff´s house last night after the barbacue at my classmates house...(that was a lot of fun) and this morning we went to the airport to see christians brother off.. he is going back to germany to study!! then diana and i made OMLETS...(i must say i make a KILLER OMLET!!!) i made it for di before and she loved it and her family wanted it sooo bad...jajaja they all loved it so that was really cool!!!!!!! and then we started to make stuff for noki... it was amazing delicous.... we went to christians house and finished everything there and ate with his family... then di,christian,clau(sister of di) and i watch definatly maybe in christians room....and then we went back to di´s house to drink TERERE!!! i love terere...i drink soooo much and it isn´t bad either.... i pee a lot when i drink it but its ok jajajajaja... i will definatly be bringing home alllllllll the things for terere!!!on my way back home on the bus there was a girl..and she was hitting her chest and crying like she couldn´t breath or something i don´t know it was sooooo scary... and then she just stopped everything.. like moving everything her eyes were closed... i don´t know what happened...the lady who was with her..started to shake her and hit her(not meanly but you understand) and she was unresponsive i didnt know what to do...there we two police men and they stood her up and her knees buckled under..the one police officer picked her up and carried her of the bus....then set her down in the grass...the lady was shaking her and moving her but was totally unresponsive.....i don´t know it look like she just died it front of everyone.... i was soooo scared and taken back by that.... i really don´t know how to explain it.... but all i could do was pray sooo thats what i did.. but still it was soooo scarey and i felt soo bad...

and now i am at home and writing on here.....i really want to do things with the poor kids on the road.....i have always wanted to do something, and i think i am going to go for it....maybe once a week go to the same spot and spend time with them....i don´t know i will be praying about it to see what god wants me to do....but i really feel as thought i should do that.....just my precense could help....so we will seee....... i think those are all the things i wanted to say so i will be writing again soon... thanks for reading.
god bless

fotos

2008-08-16T08:30:00.001-07:00

todo los fotos son de mi viaje a la casa de vico
all of the fotos are from my trip to vico´s house!

I went to visit vico!!!!

2008-08-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!! how is your summer going!?!?! I am loving paraguay!!! On the first of agosto i went to Ciudad del este, well hernandarias... that is where vico lives! i don´t know if everyone remembers her, but she is was in the usa 2 years ago, and we were really close and together a lot.. haha we were looking at her pictures from the usa when she was with me.. and she has a picture of KAYLIE she was soooooo tiny because vico came to church with me one time for an activity i don´t know which!! but that was cute that she had a picture of kaylie hahhaa... but the trip was amazing i have wanted to meet her family since i dont know when.. i met her sister and her sisters husband because they live in asuncion and vico has come to visit me before!!! but i really wanted to meet her parents!! well she came here and then we went back to cde on the bus and her parents picked us up at midnight or something like that i don´t know what time LATE Lol...and her parents were so great and i was so excited to see them and meet them... her mom was saying so many things i was almost crying... and when vico was in the usa i gave her a bible in english that i wrote in for it.. and her mom was like vico still has her bible.. and soooo many things i don´t knwo it was sooo great.. and when it storms in py the lights are not working and well i guess the lights were out for awhile in their house and when we got there they were out too.. but her mom was like give me a hug hija it means daughter but it is like a sweet name.. and she was like i am sooo glad to meet you.. and all that it was soooo sweet... vico and i stayed up and talked for awhile and ate because we were hungryyyyyyyyyyyy!!! lol... they next day i got to see a day in the life of vico.. hahaha because her mom has a clothes company like in their house.. and they actually have people that sow them there hahaha it was soooo awesome, we went into ciudad del este and walked around, then noe(her cousin who is amazing) vico and i and her friend sergio made pizza HOMEADE it was soooo fun, and then we went to bed early because we were going to foz iguazo on sunday morning.. haha we did a lot on saturday sooo we were actually really tired... but sunday morning we got up early to go to brazil(to visit foz iguazo) it was soooo beautiful and amazing i was so excited to go because i remember vico telling me about it when she was in the usa and i wanted to go sooooooo bad when i got here... and it was sooo awesome to see gods creation like that... it was sooo beautiful incredible!!! then it was sad because i had to leave from my visit.. i wish i had more time to visit them.. but it is ok because i will be going back!! i have so many pictures but they aren´t downloading to my computer from my camara so i will go to kodak to get all my pictures on a cd then download them to here... they are beautiful i am serious.. i hope all is well... i cant believe i have been here for 6 months already.. it has gone but soooo fastly!!!!!!i only have like 5 months left!! I don´t want to leave!!!!! ahhhh lol...

when it storms it STORMS!!!!

2008-07-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

hey everyone so i thought i would just leave a little bit of news!!! On Monday night we had a really BIG when i say BIG i mean BIG STORMMMMMMMM!!!! I have been here and when it rains in rains hard and on monday night it was like way worse then ever before.... it sounded like there was a tornado or something because of the wind... and the rain was Horrible.....i was in the key shop with my nephew and we were drawing together(everytime he comes to my house(which is everyday) he wants me to do SOMETHING with him its really cute) and the lights flickered and then went OUT!!! oh my goodness i HATE/scared of storms and hate them even more when the lights go out... i was like mmmmmmmmm this sucks... and i used my cellphone light to go to the kitchen with my nephew where everyone else was.... we lit candles had flashlights and cell phone lol... and we ate our dinner in the dark!!! it was soooooo weird and when the lights go out here they stay out for a long time... it was craziness...finally the lights came back on so my sister my mom and i went upstairs.. my sister wanted to watch out soapopera but the tv wasn´t working.. so i started working on YET another card for next wednesday... July 30th is ¨friends day¨ here... so i am making some cards for my friends...and as most of you know i am not a very artistic person soooooo i want them to look nice which the 3 i have finished look really nice.... so it takes a long time i have made three on 3 different days and the are really long(the letter part actually is long) and i don´t know i use glittler and everything... ahhhh lol and so while i was writing the letter part of the card to my friend di i was ALMOST done at the end of the card.. and YET again the lights went out... i wanted to scream out of frustration and i hate it because it was pitch black and could see a thing.... so yeah the lights when out again but for like 3 hours then i was trying to sleep and at around 1:30 they came back on... ahhhhh i was scared...when it storms in paraguay it is bad and things fall down like sooooooo many trees and signs...

about the photos!

2008-07-18T19:41:00.000-07:00

First picture is of my and my friend Lau she was already for the performance for out intercolegio!!! She was one of the dancers from Bautista(my school)
Second pic is Christian(tall blonde), Fati, Pablo and me in the 15 party for our friend diana´s sister!
Third Pic is a picture of all the girls in my class at camp(girls of Batan ¨B¨ Class 2008 CBVM)
Fourth pic is of me and pablo at camp, at the dinner we were dates :0
Fifth Pic is of me and my sister Adri and my dads birthday party at my house!

PHOTOS!!!!

2008-07-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

update

2008-07-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

hey everyone!!! how is everything going??? I hope all is well in the usa!! I am doing really well in paraguay and loving my time here...this week starts week number 2 of winter vacation....i am really enjoying my vacation time, its time i can just rest and do things that i want to do...so far i have spent my vacation watching dvd´s with my sister, went to my first 15th bday party which was amazing.. i was my best friends sister!!! Both clau and Di(my best friend) looked beautiful.. it is soo funny that here 15 for girls is like the BIG age ya know..and they were the most BEAUTIFUL dresses... the party was really nice, it made me want to be 15 all over again, just to have that beautiful party!!! I also went to the EXPO with my sister my cousin and my sisters friend... it is a place that has pretty much everything manufactured in paraguay for you to buy...there are so many things all the radio stations, some traveling companies,food,cell phone companies i mean everything, and there was a big concert with a lot of different performers it was amazing, first we were standing in the way back where the entrance was they people started to rush out and we were getting pushed around so we left!!! Then my friend gaby got her friend to get us all in to VIP and we were right at the stage and could see it sooooo well.. i have been to two concerts here so far and i was in VIP for both... that is pretty cool.... i also went to church and a celula its like a bible study with a teacher from my school, she isn´t my teacher and she is soooo young only 22, and she is my friend more than a teacher from my school, we hang out and talk a lot.. so it is really cool, and because she teaches at my school she is Christian, and she is evangelical which is awesome....i really like having a friend that is the age of my friends back home... but church was amazing i miss it soooo much, it was a really good time, the lord was really there and wow yeah.....this week i don´t know what i will be doing, hoping to get out with some of my friends and also have a girls night! that would be great.... and i believe i am going to the ranch out in misones thats another city in paraguay, and my family lives out there.. and we have horses there so thats cool, it will be my first trip out there.. so i am excited to see if we go this weekend... paraguayans change plans at the last minute or tell you that you are going to be doing something at the last minute as well... i am starting to get used to it, but for me i still have the american in me that i need to be on time or ATLEAST 10 minutes early... i love paraguay it is winter right now, but it is actually hot, but who knows with the weather here one week in the winter it can be stinking freezing and the next week you are smoldering.... lol... i don´t know i love it hot or cold paraguay is paraguay... sorry i haven´t loaded many pictures my computer is being really slow and one time i waited 45 minutes and the pictures still didn´t load.. i will try again soon.. miss you and love you all God Bless

they left!!

2008-07-03T10:08:00.000-07:00

holaaaaaaaaaaa
wow... yo no puedo creer este... ayer yo y mis compañeros se vayan al aeropuerto porque un compañero de afs se fue.... y un otra de sociales, mi amiga rachel (de socailes..el noche antes ellos se fueron nosotros tenemos un fiesta por Gabriel.. re divertida... y hablamos mucho!!! dormi alguien por 2 horas y yo y otras por 1 hora.. entonces yo tener mucho sueño!!! bueno yo y mi mejor amiga diana y cristian se fue antes los otros y llevar los cosas de gabriel... mucho gente estamos en al aeropuerto... muchisimo familias de estudiantes de afs... otros miembros de afs.... y mis compañeros y los otros de socials estamos en al aeropuerto tambien... y no se como pero todos empezaron a hablar sobre cuando yo te vayas!!! y yo no quiero escuchar eso HIJO!!! yo tengo 7 meses mas aca... y los primero 4 meses pasa RAPIDISIMO!!!!!!! y todos deciron cuando yo te vas, todo quieren ir al aeropuerto...mi amiga gaby dijiste ella piensa cuando yo te vas todo colegio(seguando) se van a aeropuerto!! y mucho gente deciron tambien, ellos llorar cuando yo te vas.... y todo eso preparar yo siento bien pero triste tambien...... proxima semana es vacaciones gracias dois 2 semanas sin colegio... yo puedo DORMIR ya!!!! :D mmmmmmmmmm no se estoy emocionada por todo.. promocion, la fiesta de promocion, el viaje!!! no se todo!!!

hello!!!!
wow i can´t believe this!! yesterday mi classmates and i went to the airport because one of our classmates from afs went home... and another from sociales my friend rachel..the night before they left we had a party for gabriel..it was a lot of fun, talked a lot!!some people slept for 2 hours some others and i slept for 1!! sooo i was really tired!!!ok so mi best friend cristian and i went to the airport before everyone else because we took gabriel his things! there were so many people in the airport!...so many families from afs..and other students from afs too!! mi classmates and the students from sociales too!!! i don´t know how but everyone started to talk about when i leave!! and i didn´t want to hear about that GEEZ!!!i have 7 more months here... the first 4 months when by sooooooooooo fast!!! and they said when i leave they all want to go to the airport!! my friend gaby said she thinks when i leave the whole high school part of the school will go to the airport!! and people said when i leave they will cry! but all of that made me feel good but sad too!!
this week coming up is winter vacation!!! thank god 2 weeks with no school!! I CAN SLEEP!!!!! mmmm i don´t know i am excited for everything... graduation.. the graduation party!!!the senior trip!!i don´t know everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!

campa 08!!!

2008-06-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

hola todo!!
como estan!! estoy muy bien, hace mucho frio aca pero no me importa me encanta mi tiempo en paraguay!!! en la semana pasada yo tener un campamento del mi colegio por 3 dias!!! yo soy en 3cero class 08 entonce el campa es diferente de otros por los alumnos del cbvm...re divertida la premiero noche nosotros tenermos un cena de ganas. y mi amigo pablo preguntaba si yo quiero ir con el como su compañera.. re chulinaaaaa.... re divertida... en el campa yo habla con diferente gentes y ser amigas con mas gentes en mi colegio... en el campa yo llorando pero por muchas cosas nosotros hablaron sobre muchas cosas y dar gracias tambien... mi mejor amaiga diana dar un keychain a mi en la autobus cuango llegamos a campa... y yo tengo uno y ella tambien es un historia larga pero re dulce..... cuando yo volver en 7 meses yo voy a extrañar ella un kilambo!!!!!

hey everyone
how are you!! i am really good... its really cold her but i don´t care i love my time in paraguay! last week i went to a camp for my school for 3 days! i am a senior class 08!!! so the camp was different for the other students at cbvm... it was really fun the first night we hada special dinner..my friend pablo asked me if i wanted to be his partner to the dinner it was SOOOOOO cute and a lot of fun.. at camp i talked to a lot of differnet people and am friends with more people in my school.... in camp i cried for a lot of things... we talked about alot of things and said thank you too... my best friend diana gave me a keychain in the bus when we were going to camp... i have one and she has one.... it a long story but really sweet, when i come back to the usa in 7 months i will miss her like no other!!!

hello everyone...

2008-06-19T04:58:00.000-07:00

hey everyone!!! how is everything going?? everything here is really great, i am really happy and enjoying my time... on sunday it was fathers day here as well... my mom made lunch(lunch is the biggest meal here) and it was amazing(as usual) and it was a fun day... i am learning that i do not hold alcohol well...lol i am allowed to drink in my house with my family no one else...and after we were don´t eating my sister and i made sangria...hahhaha that was funny it has fruit juice and fanta soda and wine..... i has one glass lol..and i was so tipsy, my face was sooooooooo red!!!!! drinking here isn´t really a big deal....the drinking age here has been changed to 20 but no one listens to that really...and it isn´t a big deal... people here drive there cars and have beers in their hands and stuff and i have never seen an accident here NEVER!!!and people walk down the street with a beer here... i really like that here there in no pressure to drink!!! if you don´t want to.. you don´t have to thats cool i think...like i can go to a club and not have the pressure to drink.... my friends here drink and i don´t want to sooo i don´t and afs doen´t allow it anyways....only in my house with my family...and here wine is a part of the culture my house has so much lol for my dads birthday i bought wine and for fathers day too....but here after meals mostly on sunday everyone drinks a little wine... but i do not hold my alcohol well lol....school is going well right now i am in school....in informatica the computer lab, no one in my class came today including me there are 6 people!!!! so i decided to write....today we have a celebration for fathers day from 10-12.... because thursday and friday i am done with school and 12.. thank goodness....but yeah for mothers and fathers day we have a celebration in school....its very different here....on the 17th i went to a concert and HUGE concert of Alejandro Fernandez!!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!! i loved it i was in vip as well which was a cool different experience... i went with my righthand WOman my sister adri and my old her sister lili and her friend....there were sooo many people... and i have never seen so many girls in love with one man.. there were like 16 year olds screaming they love him and he is their love... craziness i know lol he is like 36 but i mean i love him to her is very handsome and SINGINGS like you couldn´t believe i am so serious and an awesome performer....he sang and talked it wasn´t like he wanted to just get it over with... he is MEXICAN!!! and had a mariache band and wore a torero... it was really awesome i had sooooooo much fun!! then i didn´t get home until after 12 and went to bed after 1 and then got up and went to school....my sister had another thing for school, and i had to go to school for the first time in like 3 months or something without her.... it was soooo weird i am soooo serious... i dont need her there but it was weird...because we are together like all day everyday... attached at the hip lol.....she is like my bestfriend here... so it was a very different thing for me...and i didn´t text her and at all...and in one point of the day she texted me and was like ahhhhh i miss you in spanish of course but it was cute....my mom saw me walk through the door after school and she was like how weird you are alone... but yeah everything is going soooo well here... my brother is doing a lot better he had surgery to fix his broken nose and his nose looks great...and my nephew is amazing..has a lot of energy and the tests came back good...just a couple days after the hospital he had like little epaleptic(i know i spelt that wrong) attacks.....buit all is good now por suerte!!!!! but yeah i just wanted to catch everyone up...thank you soooo much for praying for me and my family thank you sooo much.... talk to you all soon... god bless you and your families....

PHOTOS

2008-06-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

these are pictures from my trip to the chaco

helllllllllllooooooooooo

2008-06-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hola todos, disculpame por falta a escribe aca. yo estoy re ocupada en serio!!! Con colegio, y actividades de mi curso 3 Batan B....en la semana pasada mi curso tenes un actvidad nombre es intercolegial, nosotros trabajar muchisimo antes la actividad.. el noches estar incredible en serio mucho gentes, y todos le amo la intercolegial....y ahora mi clase a trabajar por 2 diferente actividades tambien, y en la semana pasada tambien yo ir el chaco con mi curso de mi colegio tambien, el chaco es re diferente parte de paraguay y asuncion....el chaco tenes mucho historia de paraguay, guerra, y mucho... cuando yo estoy en el chaco nosotros visitar un factoria de vaka, y ellos matar la vaka ahi y hacer todo con eso... y nosotros ver todo proceso... que asqueroso!!! en colegio yo trabajar mucho y ayudar el profe de ingles jaja re simpatico es... aca el relacion con profesor o profesora tan diferente... yo y algun profesora son amigas jaja...y mucho estudiantes tenes la numero de los profes... mi vida ahora es re buena, me encanta paraguay y ahora yo no quiero volver eeuu... pero yo pienso en enero posible yo quiero jaja :p-- por favor todos, orar por mi hermano muy temprano en la mañana hoy a las 1 o algo mi hermano tenes un accidente y es muy malo en serio...por favor orar..

hey everyone
sorry that i have missed on writing here.. i have been soooo sooooo busy seriously.. with school and activities with my class.. senior batan b!!!! last week we had an activity call an intercolegial, we worked sooo hard for this activity before that night, that night was incredible seriously soooo many people and they all loved it..and now my class is working on 2 other activities, also last week i went on a trip with my class to the chaco and very different part of paraguay and asuncion..the chaco has so much history up there about wars, and other things...when we where in the chaco we visited a factory where they killed cows and did everything to them...and we got to watch everything...so gross!!in school i work a lot and i help the engligh teacher hahaha so funny...here the relationship with the teachers is so different...me and some of my teachers are friends lol...and a lot of students have the phone numbers of the teachers..my life right now is really good...i love paraguay and now i don´t want to go back to the usa... but by january maybe i will want too...
please everyone pray for my brother early this morning maybe around 1 my brother got in to a bad car accident...please pray

thank you all
love
steph

hola mi amigos

2008-05-15T13:58:00.000-07:00

hello everyone.. today is mothers day in paraguay and boy is it different. I love it here because the family life here is so close for everyone. I mean there are close families in the usa but i mean it is totally different here.... ok so my family and i went out to some very nice restruant and it was delicious. I really love my family i don´t think i could stress that enough...they are really amazing and my sister adri and i are super close and i love that i am learning so much from them and i am learning a lot more spanish as well!!!!!!! Yeah i can speak in conversation. woohoo for me.. So i have tried may things here, the way i do things, the was i talk, and i go to the hair salon lol to get my eye brows done and my hair washed and styled they do that a lot here.. sometimes once a week, and it is really cheap!! go paraguay....well i am getting a manicure and pedicure next time, but yeah i am doing th salon thing, i have also tastes a lot of things that i said i would never eat when i was in the usa. TODAY at lunch i ate sangre it is like grinded different animal meat and things lol and BLOOD a lot of blood and it is pressed into like a sausage looking thing.. but i mean the color is like blackish purple dark red all in one...lol and i also ate tongue of a COW!!!! ahhhhh it was so wierd but it tasted good like chicken...now i know people say that and i am like shut up but i am serious it was actually really good....oh yeah and i also ate gizzards as well without knowing that....my sister put it on my plate and was like eat and i was like ok it looked like chicken...ahhhhhhhhh sooo yeah i have eaten a lot of parts of cows since i have been there....and my brother-in-law said that heart is good too...ahhhhh i don´t know if i will try that one...
but yeah having this experience is so good and i love it
today is also the independence day of paraguay as well :D

well thats all for now

love you all
god bless you
steph

update

2008-05-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

ok hello everyone....
i have offically been with my family for one month yesterday!!! I feel like it has been a lot longer which i think is good... my spanish is improving a lot...and i am starting to work on the verbs now that i can hold a conversation.....the verbs are actually really hard to learn but i know i can.....
I have been in paraguay for like 3 months....that sounds totally crazy i know the time is flying by!!!! I can´t believe i am actually here i don´t think it has hit me.. you would think being in a family that isn´t mine and not knowing the language would have hit me....its just weird i can´t really explain how i feel!!!! soooo yeah i absolutly love it here and my family is great...
Its so cute my nephew alexis always wants me to go to his house and play and today her went to my sister adri and asked if she thought i would want to go to the mall with him and his mom and brother and dad....and she was like you ask her and i was like sure if your mom wants jajaja but i didn´t go because i had school stuff to help out with....so the mom said no lol but i don´t care its just cute that he always asks wheres stefi can she come here and so on.....so yeah i really love it my mom is super sweet and has a lot of patience......and i don´t know i feel really good here....
This week i start to play volleyball for school..... i am so excited!!!

talk to you all soon

news news news happy news

2008-04-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

ok hello everyone.... i am with my new family and i love it... I live with the Zarza family i have 2 sisters Lili is 32 and Adri is 17 and my brother Fer is 21... i have to nephews as well alexis(ale) and Mathias(Mati) and a mom and a dad....the family is so amazingly sweet and kind...i really love it here...they have been so great to me and they are very different from my other family....They have a lot of family time and that is exactly what i wanted...
my mom is going to teach me how to cook paraguayan food sooo i am really excited because it is delicious!!! I think i like this food a whole lot better then the food in the USA...its so natural here and mmmmm yummy........
Tomorrow morning i am cooking breakfast for my sisters so lili is coming to our house.. they are excited and i am NERVOUS!!!!
the whole family is sweet even the extended family... i really feel comfortable which is a great feeling...

sooo school is really good and i am trying very hard...i do a lot of work and copy even if i won´t understand....i have taken 2 physics exams and i have done pretty well... lol never taken physics in the usa but i can understand it here....i am also doing a presentation in spanish for contablildad...i actually hate that class and the teacher is horrible...but i am here for school and to be emersed into the culture sooo thats what i am doing...

I love my friends so much and i meeting so many more people...and they are all so sweet...its cool i can speak spanish so-so and they can hardly speak english but it works.......

and going to a christian school has many advantages.... i am meeting really amazing christian boys and girls....but christian boys.... i don´t know too many of them in the usa...so its really cool....

hmmmmmm i oh yeah i am joining our schools volleyball team so thats exciting and i can´t wait.....i am joining with my closest friend at school diana....well di and fati are my closest friends.....but i am joining with di!!!!

hahaha its so cute if i say di and fati are my best friends at school..----my sister gets sooo jealous....and i didn´t know until yesterday....paraguayans are very jealous people i have learned..... but yeah

i don´t know what else to say i hope this caught you up some..

miss you and love you all
thanks for your prayers and support..

my new address.....------------>below

Stephanie Whitcroft
Curupay 1080
entre Encarnacion y Concepcion
Barrio: Hipodromo
Asuncion, Paraguay

in my new home

2008-04-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

hello everyone i am in school right now but i had a chance to update all of you.... i am in a new home with a great family i was really nervous because of my past expierence but i really had to let that go and move on... i am in the same school because i am living with a classmate... her name is adri i absolutely love her.... going into a friends home i think made me even more nervous but she told me to not worry that everything is ok and that everyone in her family wanted me there so i am so happy.... we really hang out like sisters and i dont´know how to explain my feelings but this is the type of family i really hoped for coming here....and her mom is going to teach me how to cook traditional paraguayan food and so will adri.. so thats exciting... there are so many differences with the families and i fit so much better with this one...and i feel 100000000000% better and at home... i will update more..and go into detail when i have time.....

messed up

2008-04-09T14:56:00.001-07:00

everything is so messed up right now with the families... and people saying yes we want her and then they can´t... all i can do is pray and it is very hard for me right now... i am so full of different emotions and its hard because i am on an emotional roller coaster..so please pray please

news news news

2008-04-08T17:32:00.000-07:00

ok guys so the one thing i did not want when i was leaving as an exchange student was to switch families and well that is whats going to happen this week... please pray that the new family i get is what god whats.... i knwo i really want and believe i should be en la casa de marive meza.. but afs is giving me a hard time because thats what i want but they are looking at 3 families and i believe that includes the 2 families that called asking to host me... i will let you all know details and new addresses when i find out.. but please pray i really believe full heartedly that i should go to marive´s and i found out today that her mom is 7 months pregnant i didn´t knwo that when i told afs i wanted to go there... and for all you who know me.. ...thats right up my alley

thank you please pray

hola hola hola hola

2008-04-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

hola todos..
yo quiero a mejor en escriber aca... pero yo estoy muy ocupada y yo intento a salir aca posible es mas...yo en coleigo todo dias de la semana y aveses yo salir con mi amigos despues colegio.....yo tengo 3 hermanos y un primo aca....tan yo necesito tiempo jajajaja

colegio es genial me encanta mi colegio...es mejor a highlands jajaja el uniforme es bueno no mal... no me importa.....

mi amigos yo le quiero muchisimo, yo intento mucho a hablar mas en español pero es muy dificil para mi porque yo se el congegations de verbos claro q si...

hello everyone
i want to be better at writting here... but i am sooo busy.... but i try to go on here as much as possile....i am in school everyday of the week and sometimes i go out after school with my friends.... and i have 3 siblings and one cousin here.. i need more time.......

school is great i love my school.... it is better then highlands hahahaha ;) ;P the uniforms aren´t bad... i don´t care

my friends i love the so much....i try to speak in more spanish but its very difficult because i dont´know how to congegate the verbs....of course lol...

thanks

2008-03-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

hey everyone thank you so much for your prayers and all while i was in the hospital.. i was there for 3 days and 2 nights... the doctors said i ate something bad and flushed it out of me and i rested... my stomach still hurt very badly and they ran tests but i am doing fine now and i just wanted to thank you... and wow hospitals are a total different place then in the usa.. just let me tell you but they were all really great..and the afs is amazing... his 6 children himself and his wife have all gone away with afs thats sooo amazing...and his youngest is gone right now... jajaja i just thought that was amazing so i shared it...

i went to my friend meli´s again i love hanging out with her we are so much alike and get along so well she helps a lot with my spanish i am so grateful... i really love it here and its a great time

oh get this i didn´t go to school today because it was raining get a load of that it was raining and i was waiting in the kitchen then majo (16 year old) said no voy a colegio..and i said porque and she said porque lluvia.. because of the rain.. my goodness i sorta laughed real hard inside....

well thats all

thanks again
love you all

2008-03-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

hola todos.. como estas... como estas tu semana santa....yo semana santa es muy diferente aca a en estados unidos.. yo no tengo colegio todo semana!!

Hello everyone how are you.. how was your holy week...my holy week was very different here then in the usa...I DID HAVE SCHOOL ALL WEEK!!!! Jajaja well here i saw that holidays especially religious holidays were are taken VERY seriously...on thursday we went nowhere it is a day of respect...basically from thursday on all of the despensas were closed and the only thing open was the shopping.. so yeah everything was taken very seriously it was very cool to see and expierince....hmmmmm paraguay is so different but in a very good way i love it here so much and my spanish is improving very fast... i am very excited to see where i will be with my spanish in 1-2 months....my friends and teachers keep telling me how good it is and it really really really really helps.....

i went to my friend karens house on sabado it was a lot of fun the whole family is great i love them all so much they act like i am their family.....thats really how paraguayans are... karens little sisters are so adorable and they love me and the feeling is so mutual....i will be walking in school and i hear someone call my name and it is letti or gaby and i just ahhh they are so adorable.. and letti always asks her mom please can estefi move here she is muy buena please..jajajaj too cute... karens dad died on the 29th of january like this year 2008 and it is so hard for here and i feel so bad for her because she crys every night when she is alone she trys so hard to be the one who isn´t crying... there is karen,vero,letti,and gaby and the mother... such a great family and a horrific thing happened i will never understand why god takes the people away that her does... never but its in his hands...

ayer(yesterday) i went to my friend meli´s house and we played basketball because she has a half court in here back yard it was sooooo amazing.. i miss playing basketball....meli and i are really close we already have so many inside jokes and nick names and crazy things like that.. she has helped me so much with my spanish... i am going to miss her so much in august.. because she is going to qubec canada with afs for one year ahhh it is very sad... but i love her whole family as well everyone is so loving and its just great.... i played with her 6 year old little brother and he is so adorable it makes me miss all my little ones at home... but we played basketball i was batman(with a mask) and all that stuff and i was a car and he drove on my back...hhahaha a lot its adorble..

well i don´t know what to say i hope all is well in the usa...
i miss you so much but i love it here at the same time
god bless you

hola

2008-03-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

hola que tal... feliz pascua(happy easter) yo estoy super bien... ayer yo salir la casa de mi amaiga de colegio....ella es muy buena yo te quiero mucho...ellas joven sisters es tulinda......ahhhh todo familia es super buena....

hello whats up... happy easter..i am super good....yesterday i went to a friend from schools house..she is so nice i love her a lot.... her little sisters are sooooo cute... the whole family is super nice...

ýo no se que hablar ahora tan yo hablar tarde
i dont know what to say now so i will talk later

tqm
steph

hello

2008-03-17T11:17:00.000-07:00

hey everyone i got back yesterday to my house from ypacarai thats where we had our 1 month adjustment camp that afs has for us...i also finished the afs spanish classes last thursday..that was amazing..hahah well adjustment camp was great it is sooo good to see all your friends from the counrtyside..like cuidad del este, pilar, cagwazoo and so on....at camp we has sessions and free time and we also had a councelling session on saturday night that was nice....the sessions were amazing and really pertained to what we were going through...for example my school your school... me family your family....history of paraguay...good behavior in paraguay and more...that voulenteers are amazing and i love them... they are so helpful and kind...it was sort of bittersweet at the end because some people are staying only for 6 months and the year kids won´t be at their next camp.. elizabeth john and i are the only usa kids staying for one year...sooo thats fun....i really love it here the weather is nice..i am sort of dreding winter because they said it gets cold...last winter was the worst winter in years!!!! ahh i hope it isn´t bad lol...

well this week is semana santa (holy week) and because i go to a christian school we have no school ALL WEEK... ahhh i am dreding it i love school so i sorta wish we had it...but i do have to do i presentation on pennsylvania all next week so i will work on that...

my older sister (by 5 months) left yesterday and went to Spain to work and she is living with her aunt for 10 months... i will get to see her in december... i didn´t get to say good-bye... but it will be hard because she was the only one who could speak english..now it wasn´t good but boy did it help...oh well i guess it is good because now i will speak JUST spanish well i hope... hahahaha

well i can´t think of anything more..

hope you enjoy my blogs

long time

2008-03-11T16:16:00.000-07:00

wow i haven´t been on here very much i am so busy with life here in paraguay... but i was able to find a moment and write something....life in paraguay is pretty good i am loving the weather so much and the people i meet....vico came to see me here and that was a breath of fresh air...... i missed her so much and to see an old friend was great....we spent a lot of time together and i was very thankful....i have been hanging out with people from school and talking more spanish.... it is a work in progress and i can see a change everyday.. i have been also hanging out with mats and sally they are afsers who have been here for 7 months they are so sweet and it really helps to be have them...they are great friends....
SCHOOL is amazing i love it although there are times where i get annoyed and fed up.. i still love it and i am so glad i go to bautista...i am in 3o batan that is a senior... we are doing differnet things to raise money for our promo...it is a big graduation party where everyone is wearing white and the boys in black.. ahhhh i am so excited....there is no drama in my class and i am sooo thankful for that everyone is friends...it is so nice to have so many friends fati and didi and pablo can speak spanish well pablo very little.....and all my other friends know little phrases in spanish or swear words from movies which isn´t the best.....i have been talking more with my friends who do not speak english because it forces me to use spanish.. and they are so nice and patient... adri and patito are so funny during class... culture here is very different from home.... here girls are very touchy and we aren´t labeled as lesbians or bi´s or whatever....we always hug and give a kiss on each cheek..and hold hands its nothing at first with the hand holding i wasn´t sure but it is like second nature now....during class i will look up because i hear ESTEFI.. and there are kisses being blown in my direction from my friends... hahaha i love school...
oh yeah my spanish classes are done on thursday and we are having a party i am so pumped for that...and then on friday it is afs campamento its like a transtion camp... i can´t wait to see my friends who are far from me...oh yeah and next week is semana santa.. holy week so i have no school..hmmmmmmmm what else.... oh yeah i sing at school on tuesdays sometimes for the church service thats fun......

well i don´t know what else to put... i hope i caught you up some...

and if i haven´t emailed you personally i am sorry i just have no time to get on the computer so i figured i would just tell you all that i am sorry if you wanted or expected an email from me... i love you all and miss you

talk to you soon...

wow its been a long time

2008-03-06T16:22:00.000-08:00

hola its been a long time...how is everyone i don´t have a lot of time but everything is well....school is great and mi mejor amiga vico a salir me casa...i love it here...i will be on soon to do a longer update...

miss you all

lizzy i love you so much miss you sis

just wanted to say...and some pics

2008-02-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

i just wanted to say GOD IS GOOD AND I AM SOOOOO GRATEFUL FOR THAT..

there are pictures of me at pablo´s house...with pablo and with his little sister chichi who is 16 and i absolutely love her

this is just pics...blog below

2008-02-24T10:43:00.001-08:00

ok in the other post there are pictures of my dad me and my brother and sisters in our school uniforms and them pablo as school

one week..and some pictures

2008-02-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

ok so it has offically been one week since i have been with my family....it has been interesting and i have learned a lot...i absolutely LOVE paraguay....it is amazing and the people are very nice and loving...there are so many difference though...this week i started school and i started my afs spanish lessons with 5 other afsers... it has been fun... we went to mericano cuatro or something along those lines on saturday with the spanish class we REALLY got to experience paraguay see it... it was sad but what you see is a THIRD WORLD COUNTRY....even though it is a third world country i love it...this week has had its up´s and downs...I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SCHOOL...even though i can not understand anything my friends are amazing and i love them soooo much....oh yeah i got a cell phone this week as well a CHEAP TIGO....with my cell phone i got to call my mejor amiga VICO.. that was the best thing... i called her house and her mom answered she doesn´t know english and i said hola esta vico and she said no blah blah then she asked me something and i answered in something similar to spanglish lol..and she was like ahhh vicos amiga en asuncion and i was like YES LOL...so that was fun and vico called back later on and i was so excited and freaking out lol...we have talked everyday...she lives 6 hours away and might come see me either today because her sister and mom are coming to asuncion OR hopefully next weekend....
sooo in school i met these amazing friends of mine Fati, Pablo, Di, Pao, and some others but these are my main ones......they are super awesome and very helpful to me...they can all speak a little bit of english Fati can speak it the best she is super smart and an amazing person she speaks 5 languages now that is ridiculous...she is super sweet as well...Fati Pablo and Pao are all christian and Di is catholic...but she loves jesus is what Fati says...Fati and Pablo have a burning passion for jesus which i absolutly love...they went to the congreso as the sheraton...it is a youth seminar i was so happy for them...Fati is always telling me everything will be ok...that i have them and that they love jesus so i can trust them...so we share that same passion for the lord and i am so happy that i found that with some of my partners at school....She invited me to go to the small group she runs on sunday nights so i have to ask my parents if i can go....it would be absolutly amazing...
oh yeah and about school i can´t do anything yet because i do not know the language that well so right now it is like just listening and attempting to talk in spanish as much as i can...
my family talks so fast..all of them do some of their friends told me that they can´t even understand them sometimes because they are so fast lol...so that made me feel a lot better....
oh yeah i went of my friend megans house she is from the usa..her family is so great..her sister is hilarious that was a fun time and adri came over she is my friend and a volunteer for afs paraguay...
some of the things that were hard for me to get used to was the military time it is 15:30 right now and the celsium and kilo lol...and my family stays inside a lot and i am so used to being out of the house in the usa with work young life and leadership and church that this is hard to adjust to... my sister andrea is soooo super protective...everyone she has talked that i talk to says that she is super protective over me....i guess that is a good thing....
wow i dont´know what else i can say...
awwww this guy asked me out for ice cream and he treated it was the cutest thing that ever happened jajajajajajajajajajajaja
well i guess i will close this because it is getting super long... but i love you guyss and miss you all...
esteffy <3

hola ¿que tal?

2008-02-19T17:00:00.000-08:00

hoy yo hable mas español..es dificil...pero yo trato...mañana yo empiezo el colegio..estoy muy nerviosa porque mi español es pequeño.. yo estoy un poco emocionada....mi hermanas andrea y majo me ayudan con español.y yo ayuda ella con ingles..hoy fue un buen dia

today i spoke more spanish..it´s difficult..but i tried..tomorrow i start school...i am very nervous because my spanish is small...i am a little excited....my sisters andrea and majo helped me with my spanish..and i helped them with english...today was a good day..

morning news...

2008-02-19T06:41:00.000-08:00

ok so now i am starting school tomorrow!!!!! NOT NEXT WEEK!!!! ahhhhhh i am so stinking nervous

picture of me and andrea

2008-02-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

this is me and my sister andrea..........

pictures

2008-02-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

the pìcture that is up..is of me and my sister andrea....yesterday when i arrived.... i don´t know if i can add anymore..

yo estoy en paraguay

2008-02-18T14:01:00.000-08:00

hola mi familia y amigos!!!! que tal??? estoy muy bien..

i am with my family in paraguay..they are very sweet..they have been so nice to me.. i love them already..andrea my older sister(by 5 months) can speak and understand some english... so we are helping eachother lol...majo(maria jose, yanina,matias,mi mama y mi papa do not know enlish...although majo can understand very little....my house is very nice..the weather is amazing..it is very hot...i start school next week and a christian school which is very cool....i have to wear a uniform which isn´t that bad it will make my mornings a lot easier... and i have a uniform for gym as well...some things are hard to get used to like celsius and military time when you look at a phone ahahha....there is a tradtional tea that they drink in paraguay..it is call terere it is cold you have a special cut and metal straw type thing you drink it from..and there is a mix type thing that you put straight into the cup...about 3/4ths the way and you have a thermo with ice water and you pour it in and drink it, it is FABULOUS!!!!! i love it.. i am addicted already ;) people carry it around everywhere and it is very normal to go to someones house just to talk and drink terere...its so hot that it helps you cool down...they have a hot version called mate....

there is a gesture and saying that people say when they agree on something it is mongure (not sure if the spelling is right...) it is actually Guarani...

mi hermana andrea is very nice and is helping a lot she is very interested in english and wants to come to pennsylvania with me :D hopefully that will happen...

oh yeah i have to wash my own personnal clothing which is cool but i wash it with soap and water in the shower..then hang it on a line outside...that is very interesting..my mom here washes everything else...

they also have a maid who cleans the house she is very nice....she told them that i am beautiful..which was sweet..

well i can´t think of anything else.. so i will post again soon ( maybe )

te amo
stephanie (teffy...or estefania is what they call me..)

In Miami

2008-02-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone I made it to Miami safely.... The weather is super nice today and i leave in like 7 hours or so to go to Paraguay!!! Yesterday was a very interesting day, i waited in the Miami airport for 3 hours for luggage and the "wonderful" ladies at the bagage service desk kept insisting that our luggage was there and that it was on the tar mat and that American Eagle(a branch off of American Airlines) take about 45 minutes to an hour to get it on the belt.. we kept asking and they said it was coming FINALLY 3hours later they tell us that our luggage is NOT in Miami.. of course i freaked and didn't know what to do.... I love it here the student that i am meeting are very nice and I can't wait to meet the other students coming from all over the world!!! I have loved the orientations so far some have been a bit boring but i love the one staff member or she is a volunteer she is wonderful and super helpful.. her name is maria and she is from Venezuala....wow this is so long and it just keeps going and going i could say so much...i have made a great friend his name is Phillip and i love him..hahahah he is great and it is so much fun to speak spanish and it is ok that i am not perfect lol...and they aren't either so we can correct eachother if we know how..... well i am so excited and i can't wait to be with all the other students and my family!!!

Last YoungLife

2008-02-07T18:52:00.000-08:00

oh my goodness so i just got back from my LAST YoungLife!!! It was so hard i was so nervous and that was different for me because i have been to how many clubs?!?!?!?! Yeah i have been to a lot but this one was my last one... i promised myself I wouldn't cry and i didn't, but other people did. Bob brought me up in front of Club and explained that i was leaving for the couple people that did not know.. Then he prayed for me it was so nice and i loved it, it was a happy thing not a thing that made me want to cry. But my little sister was crying Chelsea was Alexa man A LOT of people... I really felt loved but sort of overwhelmed man i can't even imagine what Sunday is going to be like!!!!!!??? wow i am really going to miss younglife and Thursday and Tuesday night leadership... i love all the people and i will miss em.... but yeah i am sorta sad but happy because i somehow impacted the lives of my fellow classmates.. i can't wait to come back and see a change in their lives!!!

5 days 20 something hours

2008-02-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

hey everyone i never thought the time would go so fast and oh boy has it ever!!! I cannot believe i am getting to do my dream!!! woah i hope to see you guys at my going away party i am so excited!!!

8 days 20 hours 10minutes and 31 seconds

2008-02-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

Oh my gosh guys the time is winding down quickly! 8 days 20 hours 10 minutes and 31 seconds!! I have so much to do in a little bit of time. I am so excited though! My going away party is coming up and now this is all time for preparation and rest! I can't wait!

ONCE DIAS

2008-02-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

hola mi familia y amigos! Como estas? Estoy muy bien y muy nervioso! once dias til Paraguay!! There is a lot going on, i just got my wisdom teeth out yesterday (YES all 4!!) Which is totally crazy and my mouth hurts. I can't believe i am leaving in like 11 days some odd hours and minutes!!! ahh it is all becoming so real. I never really thought it would.. Well just figured i would share that with you

Estoy muy muy feliz!!!

2008-01-20T16:17:00.000-08:00

Estoy muy feliz porque AFS-PARAGUAY found mi a host familia!!! Estoy muy entusiasmado!!! Yo tengo tres hermanas y uno hermanos!!! This is great news to hear and i can't wait to be able to contact them!! AFS-USA is currently trying to get an email address from AFS-PAR for me so we will see!!! but i thought i would share the awesome news!!
Gracias
stephanie

Translation>>>>>>>>>>>>I am so happy because afs paraguay found me a host family!! I am so excited! I have three sisters and one brother

Down to the Last Month

2008-01-06T14:40:00.001-08:00

Alright everyone so i have like 38 days til I leave for Miami. I am so excited, I never thought I would be saying this so soon!!! I mean 38 days!! WOOHOO... The time is flying by so fast i can't even imagine how fast it will be down in Paraguay. Before I leave I am finishing up the 2nd nine weeks at school and working (as well as some prep for the trip.) I just figured I would keep everyone up to date with what I am doing because I do not talk to everyone on a day to day basis!!
Gracias!!

Introduction

2008-01-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
Emily my fabulous friend told me it would be a great idea to do a blog while I am away in Paraguay starting in February. So I did and you will be able to see what i am up to while i am away.
Thanks
Steph