Helllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllp!

I killed a tarantula in my bedroom today.


That's all. I just wanted everyone to:

A: Feel sorry for me
B: Know how awesome and tough I am
C: Get a little creeped out and itchy

My roommate Sarah told me that the one I killed was a small one. It was only about the size of a silver dollar (bent legs included). But it was hairy and juicy. I hope I'm not here long enough to see one of the big ones! I took a picture of the one I actually killed but it was a greyish colored spider on grey tile and the picture didn't turn out very well. And I only snapped one as I was pretty concerned about getting it killed before it got away. Oh yeah, and it was right by my bed...the head of my bed...like where my pillow is and where I lay my head at night. Poor me.

Anyway, SORRY MOM. I hope this doesn't bring any problems with spiders your way (although I have heard there are spiders as big as plates in your mission).

My mom says that my problems are following her...first I had a frog in the toilet, then she did. Then my luggage got lost and now my mom just found out that their moving boxes ended up in the Philippines somehow...haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Pretty big difference. Oops, sorry your stuff is in Asia instead of South America! Anyway, sorry mom, but I had to share. Maybe you should buy some RAID!

Enchanted

Last weekend I was in Asuncion just hanging out for the day enjoying not being in the middle of nowhere. I have decided that although I am a country girl at heart I like knowing that I can get to a mall, restaurant, or movie theater in under 20 minutes and whenever I want. That's why I love where I grew up...far enough away from everything that you can see the stars at night and burn your own trash but close enough to a city that I don't get claustrophobic or extremely bored.

So, Saturday afternoon I headed to the mall which is just maybe a 15 minute walk from the Intern House. I'm walking along as I normally do in foreign countries...looking down trying not to trip on the uneven sidewalks or step in dog poo while at the same time watching out for scary people and dogs that may want to attack me. So I'm half sort of out of it just staring at the sidewalk and the other half of me is ready like a hawk to attack any person or animal that poses a threat to me. It is a weird combination of consciousness. Just ask any of my mission companions about my ability to completely knock a dog unconscious with my missionary bag before my companion even saw the dog. I have an amazing sense for the presence of dogs (and scary people).

Anyway...you might ask, "What is a nice white girl like you doing walking all by herself in a big unfamiliar foreign city?" I wasn't worried about walking by myself though because first of all I was packing heat (aka Mace). Secondly I was in a really nice neighborhood...they even have armed guards on about every other corner. Thirdly it was still light outside. And last of all I was only carrying about the equivalent of 25 bucks or something so if I got robbed it wouldn't have been that big of a deal anyway. Scary but not a big loss.

So I'm walking along in my state of partial consciousness when all of a sudden this car stops right by me and the guy driving (maybe about my age) starts talking to me in broken English. He was driving a nice car and didn't look scary so I didn't immediately run off. Also, I had been to the Temple earlier that day and had met a guy about my age there who spoke some English and for a minute I thought it was the same guy and that he had just seen me walking and stopped to say hi. But then I realized that it wasn't Temple guy and got a little freaked out but stayed calm because 1)Mace 2)daylight 3)guards with guns on the corner 4)I was wearing running shoes and wasn't carrying anything worth much on me. Here's basically our conversation...

Him: "Hi, how are jou?"

Me: "Hi?"

Him: "Where are from?"

Me: "Where am I from?"

Him: "Jes."

Me: "I am from the United States."

Him: "Oh! I am teaching English."

Me: "That's cool."

Him: "I want to talk to jou."

Me: "Oh, do you want to practice English?" (Totally oblivious to the fact that he's trying to ask me out)

Him: "No, I just want to talk to jou. Habe a conbersation wit jou."

Me: "A conversation about English?" (Still oblivious)

Him: "No, just to get to know jou. Are jou busy?"

Me: "Yes, I have plans right now, sorry."

Him: "I just want to take jou out, maybe buy jou something." (Oh, now I get it)

Me: "Sorry, I can't."

Him: "What about later?"

Me: "Sorry I have plans with my friends." (LIAR, LIAR pants on fire!)

Him: "I am enchanted with jou...I want to talk to you more."

Me: "Sorry, I've got to go."

'Enchanted with me so soon?' I thought to myself as I walked away. 'What was it that made you enchanted so quickly...my blond hair, the way that I walk, or the T-shirt I'm wearing that says TALK TO ME: I'M YOUR TICKET TO A GREEN CARD!?!'

Sometimes I feel like I might as well wear a T-shirt that says, "TALK TO ME...I'm your ticket to a GREEN CARD!," or something along those lines because the only men who ever ask me out, ask for my number, try and flirt with me, etc. all have one thing in common...they aren't US citizens and they probably want to be. Whether it's the Mexican janitor (who by the way has a WIFE back in Mexico) at work stalking me, a Turkish man in Munich giving me his number about 2 and one-half minutes after meeting him, or the guy full on grabbing my butt on the streets of Madrid... it seems like the only attention I get is attention I don't want. Now don't get me wrong...I don't have anything against foreigners AT ALL...I love people of all races, creeds, colors, blah, blah, blah...BUT I don't think it is too much to ask to be liked for who I am instead of for citizenship and money (because of course I'm filthy rich...isn't every American?)

So here's my open question to the world...Why can't American men (particularly Mormon American men) be just a little more like foreign men and why can't foreign men be just a little less forward? Where is the happy medium? That's all I have...just questions...no major conclusions or answers. Sorry.

BONUS Section:

So just yesterday I was walking in downtown Asuncion when a man who had to be over 60 maybe even pushing 70 calls out to me as I pass by. He was totally clean cut and was in a pretty normal looking and I was in a pretty nice part of town, once again packing mace, wearing my Diesel sneakers, and it was daylight so when he called out to me I was like, "Si" because he just said "Hola" and didn't make Chi chi chi sounds like I sometimes get from the creepy guys. So I stopped to see what he wanted. A lot of people stop us and just want to know what we're doing in Paraguay because North Americans don't normally just come to Paraguay for touristy reasons...there isn't much here to see or do. And that's what I thought he wanted...I mean this guy was seriously old. So he's like "Hola" and I'm like "Hi?" Then he asks me where I'm from and what I'm doing in Paraguay. So I said, "I'm just here teaching in an agricultural school." To which he replies, "So are you married, divorced, single?" I thought it was a valid question because I thought that maybe he was wondering if I had left a family back in the US or something (because most normal girls my age would be married with kids). So I answered him that I was single so he would know that no one would care that I was off living in some foreign country. And then he said, and I quote, "So when are you and I going to get together?" I laughed (thinking he can't be serious...he's old. Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!) But right after I laughed he was like, "Why not?" So I stuttered..."Uh, because I have a boyfriend in the United States." Big time lie, but what was I supposed to say? I guess I should have called him a creep or something but he was so sincere. And then get this he says, "So what?...the United States is far away." So I just laughed and walked off thinking to myself 'SERIOUSLY, what's wrong with you people?' The end of the bonus section.

Memories...

Here's a fun little game for all you blog fans and blog leeches everywhere...

Directions....

1. As a comment on this post, leave one memory that you and I have together. It doesn't matter if you know me really well (like my MOM) or if we don't know each other very well at all (like my new blogging friends). The memory can be anything you remember...something recent or something from when we were kids or from when we first met (and even if you only know me through blogging...you can tell me your favorite blog post and why or something). If we know each other really well and we have a lot of memories together just choose your favorite memory, the funniest memory or the first one that comes to your mind (even if it is really random...I like random.)

2. Next, post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty cool (and funny) to see the responses. If you leave a memory, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave a memory for you if you put this same game on your blog!

Oh, and blog leeches, here's your chance to lose the name. Anyone who leaves a comment on this post will have two free months of not being considered a blog leech. I know that there are a lot of you leeches out there (mostly relatives) who read my blog and who NEVER comment. I won't resort to naming names again, but you know who you are...and I actually know who most of you are (I have my ways). Don't worry if you don't have a blog yourself or a Google account...you don't need one to comment on my blog. Just go under Post a Comment and then click on the Anonymous option. Then write your comment and include your name at the end of the comment so I'll know who you are. And please do leave me a comment on this post...I'd love to be reminded of something you remember about me or remember doing with me. Ask for help from your nearest teenager if you are only a blog leech because you don't know how to comment...they'll help you.

The Cemetery, the Temple, and the Hottest Man Ever...

I spent this past weekend in Asuncion which is about an hour and a half or so from the Agricultural School where I'm at right now. I guess it is actually only about 45 minutes if you are lucky enough to go by car, but I travel in style on the local Chaquena bus which stops like every two seconds to pick up or drop off whoever or whatever wants to be picked up or dropped off.

I just had to get away from the country for a few days. Actually mostly just from the frogs. I figured that if I spent Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night in Asuncion and then came back early Monday morning that I could have three days of frog free bathroom using and showering. And let me tell you, it was great. And I came back refreshed and ready to face the frogs again...and with my MATA TODO spray in hand I have had some success in significantly reducing the number of frogs in our bathroom. I may have lost some battles but I am winning the war and I think that with just a few more days of spraying down every surface that the frogs enjoy hanging out on as well as directly spraying a few frogs here and there that I can reclaim the bathroom as a place for humans, and humans only. Anyway, I'm not wanting to kill all of the frogs. I just want to repel them. I just want being outside the house to be more desirable than being inside the house. But I have gotten a little carried away with the spray a few times and I have actually caused the death of a few frogs (in a very passive and loving way of course). But enough about that...onto my weekend escape in Asuncion.

So on Friday Sara Joy (one of the other interns living at the funny farm) and I headed to Asuncion. We dropped our laundry off at the laundromat first thing so that it could get done in time for us to take it back out to the Chaco with us. I'm not washing my clothes by hand anymore...I did enough of that on my mission to last me my whole life! Then we decided to go and find the Temple in Asuncion because we wanted to do a session the next day (Sara Joy is the only other LDS intern) and needed to find out the Temple schedule. We had the street names of where the Temple was so we headed out in the direction of the Temple and to explore the city a bit on our way. But on the way I noticed that we were walking by a cemetery. I've been in a few cemeteries in South America and they are usually pretty weird/cool so we decided to take a detour and check it out.



In big South American cities everybody is buried in mausoleums. They look like cute little houses but they have dead people inside. And you can actually see the caskets. Freaky.



Check this one out. It looks like a couple of the family members (some of the least favorite perhaps) got chucked under the family mausoleum. And the closure is broken out so there are just two caskets sitting there like it is all normal to just be a casket sitting there.

Then there are these high rise burial places...it looks like an apartment building but just has little slots for tons of bodies. I'm guessing that this is where poorer people go.

Oh yeah, in case you were wondering that is a human jawbone just to the right of the cross. And I think I see a femur and tibia too. I guess this person's family didn't pay the rent or something. There were actually quite a few bones scattered here and there in the cemetery. I thought at first that they were just animal bones that a dog dragged in or something...but after seeing this little pile of bones that were clearly human I'm starting to wonder about all the other less identifiable bones I saw that day.

Doesn't this little part of the cemetery just look Latino? The bright colors...the graves stacked on top of each other...all of the crosses...so cool.

Se Vende....haaaaaaaaaa that means For Sale. I guess somebody decided to sale this little casita for the dead. I guess they are done using it. They didn't leave a phone number though so I'm thinking its going to be a tough sale.

Looks like somebody escaped! Yikes.

Okay, done with freaky cemetery pictures. On to this one, and my deep thought for the day...Why in like every country in the world except the U.S. and some other rich countries do people carry stuff on their heads? I guess I have never considered my head as a valid place to carry stuff...if my hands are full, my hands are full and I just make two trips. Although I do have a freakishly flat head and would probably be good at carrying things on my head. I think it is so cool though how they can all balance stuff on their heads, and carry things in their hands and not trip on the crazy uneven sidewalks here. That takes talent.

Anyway, we found the Temple finally and got the schedule for the next day which was Saturday.

And here's me right before we went in to do a session. I love going to the Temple in other countries. I love seeing the faithful members and getting to worship with them. And especially in big, crazy, dirty cities I love being able to go into the clean, beautiful, peaceful Temple...the contrast is just so much greater in some places.

Oops I totally forgot to write that on Friday night Sara Joy and I and I think 7 other interns or Fullbright people went to see the new Batman movie. It amazingly opened on the same day here as in the U.S. I don't think that happens very often. And yeah, I only paid 5 bucks to see it...not bad, not at all bad. I love going to movies in foreign countries. It is just fun to see the locals (at least the wealthy ones) out and about on a Friday night. Also when you are a Mormon in a foreign city there isn't a lot to do at night. And there are always cool little differences from the states like that people can buy beer to take into the movie here and that they have intermission. That was funny. The movie is at this like very interesting and compelling point and all of a sudden the sound stops and INTERMISSION flashes up on the screen. We Americans and Europeans just looked at each other and started laughing. How funny and how like 1940's. I mean it was a long movie but come on.

So anyway, I LOVED the movie, but how could I not since I LOVE Christian Bale and have ever since his days in Empire of the Sun and Little Women. He is one of my favorite, if not my favorite male actor ever. Probably because he is both incredibly good looking but at the same time is an amazing actor too.

So anyway, escaping to Asuncion this weekend was very nice. However, I think that I am just doomed to have problems with animals because I even had a few problems at the intern house in Asuncion...like the mice (yes, definitely mice) living in the closet and making tons of noise all night long. And then the lizard that I saw run from behind my bed up into the air-conditioning unit when I turned on the light. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Can't I live in peace? But I just moved my bed out away from the wall and thought, 'Oh well at least it's not a frog or a snake,' and slept as if I were in a country where animals and humans live separate lives. The end.

More From the Funny Farm...

Okay, before I start in on my usual complaining I'll share a few pictures so you can see how beautiful it is out here in the Chaco of Paraguay. It really is quite peaceful and pretty. A beautiful pink sunset

The moon is so bright here. And we've had a lot of full moons lately...maybe that's why all the animals are weird and out to get me.

Home sweet home. Here's the little house we live in. And it even comes with a dog. Lucky me!

So I know that you all are probably getting sick of hearing all my animal stories...and there have been a lot. I should know...I've been here through them all. I feel like I'm on some freaky man versus Mother Nature show or something. Every day is a new experience. Here's a summary of my first four days here in the form of animal attacks.

First of all, the frogs. I think I've said all I need to about the frogs other than that I think their numbers are growing. Maybe I'll invite them to the sexual education classes I'll be teaching later this week.

Then there are the centipedes. Aren't centipedes supposed to be like a centimeter long or something? That's what I thought they were named for. Well, here they are 4 or more inches long and sadly I am not exaggerating at all. I wish I were. Disgusting.

Monkeys. Now I'm having problems with monkeys. So the other night I'm walking down this path that goes to our little house and all of a sudden I hear some movement and noise in the trees above me. I look up to find that I'm surrounded by three monkeys who were in attack mode against me. They had even come down into the lowest tree branches so that they could make eye contact with me. They were making this horrible sound. I don't know how to describe it other than that it basically is the sound you would imagine a wild animal making right before it goes in for the kill...a horrible high pitched growling sound. I sprinted off though before they could eat my eyeballs.

Then there were some what I thought were bulls on the road that I walk along each night. I was like, "oh great...just what I need...to get attacked by a bull." They were totally taking up the whole road too. I didn't know what to do, but these "bulls" were looking at me with an evil look. And as luck would have it I was carrying a red plastic bag with me because I had just been to the little store that is about a half a mile away from the school. Great. So I just stood there trying to act natural until some kids from the school came down the road and told me that they weren't bulls...I guess they were just cows. But they looked really mean and had horns...what was I supposed to think? Luckily the students who saved me from the bulls were some of the Bolivian students...I love the Bolivian kids...they are so nice and friendly and are probalby less likely to make fun of me later than others would be.

The dogs and mosquitoes are like my best friends now because there are much scarrier animals.

Such as...the SNAKE that came in through our doorway. Yes, that's right. Just when I thought this place couldn't get any freakier that had to happen. I'm just glad I saw it coming in so we could take care of it before it took up residence in my bed or something. Here's a picture of it coming in.

It was pretty small, but it was black and looked EVIL. I guess it is poisonous too but it didn't get a chance to use its poison on me because we got one of the students to come and kill it for us.

This student's name is Angel and believe me, he is an angel. He smashed that snake to death for us. He's one of my favorites.

I have to draw the line somewhere. So I decided to rub bug repellant cream in a line on the floor infront of the door to my room. Just to kind of let all the animals know that I will kill anything that crosses the line. I hope it will just repell them. I know it isn't really going to work but it made me feel more secure until I could buy some MATA TODO spray this weekend in Asuncion. That translates to KILLS EVERYTHING. I now have a headache from spraying the MATA TODO everywhere, but I have high hopes that it will kill every living thing in our apartment except us and that I won't lose too many brain cells from using it. I'll keep you all posted.

Oh, and my mom emailed me the other day to let me know that apparently you can flush a frog. She and my dad had one in their toilet in one of their hotels in Brazil...and she claims that she flushed it. So either the toilets flush harder in Brazil or else the frogs are weaker...I don't know. All I know is that you can't flush a frog in Paraguay!

The End of the Ands

The time has come to put an end to the ands. What do I mean by this, you ask? Well, when I listed my blog links originally on several of the links I wrote the name of the couple...like Audrey and Lane, Cassie and Scott, Toby and Becky...etc, etc. But today that just started bugging me. Maybe I was bored or maybe I am just feeling really like making the world a fair place today...I don't know.

So the end of undue credit on my blog. The end of the undeserving ands. This means that I have taken out the name of spouses (mostly husbands) who don't either 1: write on your blog at least once in awhile, or 2: occasionally comment on my blog. I'm sure this will be a shock to husbands everywhere. They get credit all the time for things they don't even know about. I mean, think about it wives...how often do you sign thank you notes, birthday cards, wedding cards that say, John and Jane...even though John doesn't even know about the card and probably doesn't know about the event the card was written for? How many times wives do you make phone calls to let someone know that "we were thinking about you," even though the other half of what makes you a we is sitting in a lazy boy with a bowl of ice cream carefully balanced on his belly while he watches Sports Center and obviously isn't thinking about anyone except Kobe Bryant? And I could go on and on. But I won't.

Now this isn't meant to be some feminist movement or statement...I don't hate men or anything, it is just a slight change to my blog and shouldn't be taken too seriously. However, and not that any of the husbands will care, but if I have mistakenly taken out your spouses name and he does contribute to your blog regularly or has left a comment on my blog recently then please let me know and I will humbly fix my mistake.

Okay, Okay...I'll be TOTALLY honest. Part of why I am doing this is for my singleton friends everywhere. When I go to blogs where my blog is listed as a link it usually looks like this...

Becky and John

Sue and Taylor

McNeil Family

Jimmy and Sarah

Robert and Tammy

Jane and Bill

Smith Family

Kate and Nathan

Sally and Jim

Becca

Chelsie and John

Andersons

Amy and Travis

Matt and McKenzie

As if I don't have enough reminders in this world that I am weird, abnormal, and not part of an and. I mean, people could write "Becca and Unknown," or "Becca and TBD," or "Becca and MIA," or even "Becca the Spinster." That way, Becca wouldn't stick out so bad. I'm just kidding here people... you don't have to change the way my name is listed on your blog but I am changing the way names are listed on my blog for all my single friends. Everyone should be able to come to my blog and feel included, important, and get credit where credit is due for being a blogger. So there you have it.

Also, please don't be offended if you got listed under my "Paranoid People" column. It just makes it easier for people who like to blog surf or for when I'm checking your blogs so don't take it too personally and complain and stuff.

You Can't Flush A Frog!

I will survive.

I think.

Until this morning, I thought that I was starting to come to terms with my new environment. I guess I was wrong.

First of all I bought some mosquito repellant and so I'm getting bit a little less (which is probably a good thing since I guess one of the students here at the Agricultural School got Dengue Fever and had to go home). So the mosquito problem is sort of okay as long as I don't get Dengue.

Secondly, the dogs are sort of starting to leave me alone. I think they are realizing that I will never pet them, give them food or give them any attention and not to bother with me. For the most part we have a mutual understanding...they leave me alone and I won't kill them. Last night though I kind of got attacked by two of the dogs as I was walking to dinner but I told them in both in Spanish and English that if they touched me I would kill them. Hopefully they got the message. I'm not really thinking about killing them. I talk big but I don't have it in me to actually kill anything very big. Plus everyone here loves the dogs. That is everyone besides me. So the dog situation is kind of getting okay.

Thirdly...I thought I had the frog situation under control. The frogs seem to only come out after the sun goes down. And unfortunately because it is winter here that happens early...probably around 5:30 or maybe a bit earlier. So they come out around 5:30 P.M. and then go home (wherever that is) in the morning when the sun comes up. I wait as long as I can in the morning to use the bathroom and shower...just to give the frogs some extra time to get out of my way. So I thought I was okay with the frogs...we sort of had an understanding too...they got the bathroom from sundown to sunup and I got it the rest of the time.

This morning I cautiously entered the bathroom. I checked all the places where the frogs normally are and the coast seemed to be clear so I went ahead and started to get ready for the day. However after I used the toilet I stood up to flush...you have to pull this rope thing to flush...and when I flushed a frog comes FLYING out of the toilet. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! So of course I am totally freaked out. How could I not be? Frogs flying out of toilets right after you have used them is both scary and disgusting. And as my whole body shook with disgust and fear I wondered how I hadn't seen the frog. I was pretty thorough in making sure the coast was clear with the toilet before sitting down. Of course I looked in the toilet, around the toilet, and under the toilet seat. I ain't no dummy. But I didn't see it before I sat down.

So this wet and also probably scared frog jumps up back onto the rim of the toilet. I got a broom and knocked the frog back into the toilet water. It immediately swims up into the toilet pipe. So that's why I thought the coast was clear when I used the toilet... it was up in the pipe! I decided to try to flush again and see if I can't get rid of this frog once and for all. So I pull the little rope flusher thingy extra long and extra hard while at the same time trying to stay as far away from the toilet as possible. It was sort of an awkward position. But my extra hard flush didn't work and the frog once again comes flying out of the toilet. I tried one more time, just in case I had weakened the frog and could possibly win the war, but to no avail. So I guess I learned that you can't drown or flush a frog. Good to know. I've learned my lesson though. Flush once before you sit down and don't assume that all of the frogs are going by the bathroom is mine when the sun is up agreement.

Please let me know if you have any solutions to my frog problems. I need help!!!!!!!!

Iguassu Falls

Okay, so where did we leave off? Oh yeah, so the Jesus taxi took us from the Brazil/Paraguay border to the hostel where we were staying, Hostel Bambu. It is actually a super nice hostel and was the same price as the moldy old hotel we stayed at in Ciudad del Este...and that was for a private room at the hostel. I have only stayed in just two or three other hostels before this one so it was fun to stay at a hostel again. The people staying at the hostel were pretty cool and not creepy (probably because it is a nicer, more expensive hostel). It is fun meeting people from all over the world who also love to travel and who don't want the name of their place of work engraven on their headstones like this...



Jane Doe
Born: August 2, 1921
Died: March 9, 2008
Dedicated employee of ARUP Laboratories for 48 years
That's it folks, that is all Jane did...work!



That's what I sometimes feel some people do with their lives. I also feel that most employeers love when they do. I mean I'm not anti work or anything...I just think it is sad when people don't have any adventures in their lives or when they let work get in the way of family, friends, or just living and experiencing life. So I like meeting people who are experiencing life and to them work is just something you do in between adventures so that you can pay for your adventures. That is more my philosophy. Of course it is a little different if you have a family and kids and stuff but so far that is not part of my life, so until then, I'm on the adventure track.





ANYWAY...back on subject. So we got to our nice hostel as you can see in this picture and luckily were able to check in pretty early so we dropped off our stuff, went to the grocery store to get some stuff for lunch and headed to Iguassu Falls National Park in Brasil. Of course with a group it took forever for us to get there...you know how groups are. But we did get there and first thing a few of us decided to go on a boat ride that takes you right below some of the smaller falls and there is a little ride through the jungle in a jeep to take you to where you get on the boat so that is fun too.

There were tons of cool butterflies by where we got onto the boat. Actually there were tons of cool butterflies in the whole park.

So here's how I thought the boat ride would be. We would take the boat near the falls, take some beautiful pictures, maybe get a little damp from the mist from the falls and then go back. So I bought a little poncho for like 3 bucks or something just to keep the mist from making my hair flat (since there is a very direct relation to my self esteem and how my hair looks).
Unfortunately that's not how it was. They did drive us around the falls and let us take some pictures. It was nice and peaceful on the water and the view of the falls from the water was amazing. But then all of a sudden it was as if Evel Knievel took over as driver of our boat and the next thing they did was give us all plastic bags to put our cameras in and our new driver Evel revs up the engine of the boat and goes full speed into the falls...

like this. But they actually drive you right under the falls, even closer to the falls then this picture shows. So of course the pressure of the water coming down from the falls and hitting me rips a huge hole in my little cheapy poncho in like 10 seconds and water is pouring in under my poncho. I'm not talking like being in the shower type getting wet. I'm talking like having someone dump barrells of water on your head getting wet. The whole time I'm half laughing, half crying. Laughing and thinking to myself 'boy this would be fun if I wasn't worried about what my hair is going to look like.' And crying, or wanting to cry, becasue I knew what I was going to look like the rest of the day. Oh it is tough being me.

Despite the unexpected ruin of my perfectly good hair day, it was still pretty cool. I mean, look at this picture above...isn't it amazing?

However here's a little advice I'll give you all if you go to Iguassu. Do the boat thing, but do it at the very end of the day so you won't have to walk around all day wet, you won't have to feel crappy about yourself all day, and you'll be able to get some nice pictures of yourself at Iguassu Falls. That's what I wish I would have done.

But luckily being the prepared person that I am I was able to get back to looking moderately decent. I used the boat ride back to the dock as my hairdryer and then I had hairspray and a pick in my bag and was able to fix my hair somewhat. I also had some of my makeup with me too so I could touch that up a bit. I just wish I had a change of clothes and my flat iron with me, but oh well, you can't carry everything around with you.

So that should explain to you all why most of the pictures posted here do not include me. I was not looking my best that day and don't need everyone to see too much evidence of that. And I really just wanted to get at least one great picture of me at the falls. Dang. I guess the good thing is that this probably won't be my last trip to Iguassu so I guess I'll get some better pics next time.

Anyway, Iguassu Falls is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. It just goes on and on and on. You can't even see it all at once unless you are in a helicopter (which I am going to do the next time I'm at the falls). This picture above is just part of the falls. And in most places there are sort of two tiers to the falls...so it is even double as amazing.

I went to Niagara Falls about 10 years ago. I totally forgot that I had even been there and didn't remember until I came across a picture of me at Niagara awhile back and I was like, 'What? I've been to Niagara? Oh yeah, I kind of remember that.' I won't ever forget having been to Iguassu though. It is absolutely in the top 5 most beautiful places I've been to... and I get around.

Man, and I thought I wore dumb shoes to Iguassu! Check out those heels!

Me after I dried off a bit.

I thought it was funny how this Asian chick was posing so I took a picture. The picture actually turned out pretty cool though. I wish I knew who she was and I'd send it to her. If any of you know her, please let her know that I have this great picture of her. When I go back to Iguassu I'm going to take a picture of me just like this one of her and I'll label it "I'm on top of the Worllllllllllllllllllllllllllllld!"

They never grow out of it, do they? Okay, I know that I am totally sterotyping here...or am I? Maybe they are just proving to me the validity of the sterotypes.

Don't judge me by my hair. Just look at the falls behind me, aren't they amazing?

I think that this might be my favorite picture that I took...the rushing water with boulders sticking out of it, the falls, the rainbow...gorgeous!

We stayed for the sunset. WOW.

The end of Iguassu for now. Was it amazing? Yes. Would I recommend going there? Highly.

That night after Iguassu we went to an all you can eat Brazillian meat place, like Rodillio Grill, and I ate my share of red meat for the next year. It is a good thing that I normally don't eat much meat! Then most of the group went out partying and I went back to the hostel like a little nerd. One other guy in our group didn't go out and party either though. I guess hanging out with a bunch of people that are smoking and drinking doesn't sound that fun to me unless there is at least an amazing band playing or something else to entertain me with while everyone else entertains themself with alcohol. I haven't had any problems being the only Mormon in the group. Everybody seems to respect my way of living as I try to respect theirs too. It is just interesting how eye opening it has all been to me. I mean, I knew that not drinking, not smoking, not having sex, etc is not normal out in the world for someone my age. But sometimes I forget that I am the not normal one...that I am in the minority big time... until I am in a situation where I'm the only LDS person...a situation I haven't been in a lot in my life.

So Sunday morning I got up early and got ready to go to church. I was hoping that I would be able to split off from the group for awhile and go to church without holding the group up or making people feel like I felt like I was all righteous and holy. And luckily the Lord provided a way for me...everyone else was so plastered from the night before and had gotten in so late that they weren't even up when I left to go to church and were just getting up and ready when I got back three hours later. I don't think that most of them even knew I had been anywhere. So just as the Lord used alcohol so that the people of Limhi could escape from the Lamanites, He used it so that I could escape for a bit and go to church.

I didn't know exactly where the church was in Foz do Iguassu...the little town in Brasil where we were staying but I did have the address of the church. So Sunday morning I went to search for the church and what do you know, it was just around the corner from our hostel. Awesome. Church was great. Luckily most church words in Spanish and Portuguese are very similar so in the church setting I probably understand 85 to 90 percent of tht Portuguese whereas in other settings I probably only understand 65 or 70 percent. I'm getting better at understanding Portuguese too. I hope I can get to the point where I understand everything even if I don't speak it.

I love how the church is relatively the same everywhere. The Relief Society President was wearing a sweater that said in huge words filling the entire front of her sweater, "GIANT TRUE LOVE GIRL." I'm not sure what that means exactly...it was written in English...I still don't get it though. It is so funny how they love things with writing in English on them even if they are weird like that. Anyway, I just love how nice the members are, I love that all the church materials are the same, and I love the different spirit you see with people that are members of the church then you see with other people in the country. Anyway, I'm glad that the "Lamanites" got drunk so I could go to church!

The bathroom at our hostel had this sign on the door. It looks like it means it is a couples only bathroom, but all the bathrooms at the hostel had the same sign...so what's a single person to do? So I just used the bathroom anyway. Single people have needs too!

Later on Sunday we crossed back over into Paraguay. This picture above is in the area where Paraguay, Brasil, and Argentina meet. It is actally quite beautiful.

The trip was fun. I wish I could have been with members of my family or some of my good Spinster traveling buds instead of people I don't know very well. But it was still fun and I'm so glad I got to go!

Now I know that this is a long post. I have heard some complaints that my posts are too long. But, this is my blog and ever since I started blogging I don't really write in my journal anymore, so I like to get down some of the details. So, if you are someone who doesn't like to read my long posts or who has a hard time reading...don't worry, you can just look at the pictures. The end.

Shopping List

Things to buy this weekend in Asuncion:

• mosquito repellant


• frog killer (do they make that?)...or maybe frog traps or some really strong bug spray that I can spray on the frogs and kill them
  
• candy


• fruit


• bug spray for room


• dog poison

So I know I need to post my pictures of Iguassu, and I will soon even though the Internet out here is super slow and it will be a huge sacrifice to do it...I'll do it for blog fans and leeches alike but first of all I'll just give a quick update of where I'm at now.

Today I moved out to the Agricultural School that the NGO I'm interning for has. It is about an hour outside of Asuncion. Normally someone would have driven me out there but all the people that could are at a conference in Nicaragua or something. So I had to take a local bus. I needed to get all my stuff out there too since I will be living here for a month but I couldn't really manage it all on the bus. So I left half of it at the intern house in Asuncion...I guess I'm used to not having all of my stuff anyway. The bus was interesting. It was a typical South or Central American bus (although there were no chickens tied to the top of this one as I have seen before) with people packed in tight and as if it weren't tight enough tons of people are getting on the bus trying to sell things to those riding the bus. This includes everything from mandarin oranges to radios to cleaning products. Sometimes if you're lucky you'll get an infomercial type presentation. Those always suck me in.

Anyway I made it to the school but the lane to the school is about a half a mile or maybe a little more of dirt and rocks. And of course I have one of my big red suitcases with me and wasn't about to lug that thing for a half a mile...I was already sweaty and dirty enough from the bus ride. So I just dragged it, through dirt and rocks and leaves and even a little cow manure (dry luckily). Man those suitcases are awesome...I didn't even break a wheel!

It is so beautiful out here. The air is clean and fresh and there are fields and gardens everywhere. It is nice to get away from the diesel smell of the streets of Asuncion. I'll take some pictures later because it really is gorgeous and instantly I felt at home as the country is much more my style than the big city...I like cities but just for a day or two...then I want to go back where the air is clear and there aren't people and cars and motorcycles everywhere. I even went for a run tonight on a little path through the fields. It was beautiful. Anyway, I love it here except for just a few things...

First of all probably my biggest concern right now is that there are frogs in our bathroom. And some in the kitchen too, but mostly in the bathroom. I live in a little house with two other interns. The house is nice and clean and I have my own room and everything, but the frogs are freaking me out big time. I'm a really jumpy person already and I don't need something jumping on me while I'm brushing my teeth. Tonight I went to use the bathroom and there were eight...that's right EIGHT frogs just on the wall and ceiling above the toilet and one of them was huge and disgusting. I'm getting chills just writing about it. So I couldn't use the bathroom. Instead I waited like two hours and then walked like a quarter of a mile to where there was another bathroom.

So what do I do? Do any of you guys know a good and not too disgusting of a way to kill frogs? I don't want to smash them as that would leave guts everywhere and I'm just not the kind of person that could do that anyway. It has to be a more passive way of killing. I'm thinking poison or traps. I've got to do something and fast.

Also there are a lot of mosquitos here and I must taste delicious becasue I am getting eaten alive. I would rather be stuck in a room with 5000 mosquitos though than have a frog jump on me in the bathroom. I can't believe that I'm saying this but I wish we had mice in the house instead of frogs...or even big spiders...I just can't handle slimy creatures that jump.

Also there are about five farm dogs here at the school. They are probably just strays that found a home here. They are gross and are always fighting with each other and for some reason they hang out right by the intern house all the time. They bug me big time too, but are the least of my concern (at least while I have the frog problem). I wish that I would have brought some of that dog poison that you can mix in with meat. That stuff works like a charm. I just didn't think to pack any. Plus I probably would have had to wait a week or two to use it so that my arrival and the death of all the dogs here wouldn't coincide too closely.

If you don't know me you are probably thinking, "wow, this girl is a psycho." And I kind of am when it comes to dogs and frogs. I really don't like killing things and won't (at least not the dogs) but I have got to get my situation under control here.

Anyway, I think that frogs are considered to be an indicator species. That is, if they want to see how good an environment is they look at the amphibians since they are so sensitive. So, this must be a good environment here becasue there are so many frogs...so hopefully it will be a good environment for me for the next month! Also, I'm glad that frogs are so sensitive to their environment...that means they should be easier to poison, right?

I'll keep you posted on the frog situation and will try to get some pictures up of my trip to Iguassu when I have the patience to upload them. The end for now.

Sick. There was even a frog in the fridge tonight. Maybe this could be a new weight loss strategy...starving myself because of my fear of entering the kitchen...nah, I'd probably just eat candy in my room anyway.

I only caught six frogs in this picture but I swear there were eight within view at one time. I just couldn't get them all in the shot.

This little creep was even in the drain of the bathroom sink. I wanted to drown it but I'm pretty sure you can't drown an amphibian. I don't know for sure though so maybe I'll have to Google it and find out. Drowning them would be a pretty easy way. Hum...

Home sweet home. I moved the bed away from all the walls. I know it doesn't look the greatest organized that way but having the bed away from all the walls makes me feel less vulnerable to frogs and spiders.

God Bless America!

I really like Paraguay. I do. The people are friendly, the weather is perfect (at least the lovely winter weather here), and I just love new places and experiences. BUT...it is also super dirty and ugly in places and has crazy drivers and motorcycles all over the place. I guess that is something I love about traveling...it helps me realize how lucky I am to live in the United States of America where littering is not legal or socially acceptable, where dogs are spayed or nutered, and where at least we have a government that is less corrupt than most of the governments in the world.


We really are so lucky. Sometimes seeing places that aren't as great as the USA or knowing people who are in tough situations of poverty makes me feel bad and a little guilty. I guess I just wonder why I got born into such ease and luxury relatively speaking compared to the rest of the world. And I take so many things for granted like the opportunity to progress, to gain an education, to feel safe, to be clean, to have clean hot or cold water run right into my house, to not have to disinfect every fruit or vegetable I eat, to have and be able to afford medical care, dental care, food, clothes and some things that I want too. Our government isn't perfect, gas prices are ridiculous, and we have problems of our own, we do, but we are SO BLESSED. Anyway, not to give you all some big speech or something...it just has been on my mind lately.



So most of the other interns and I headed to Iguassu Falls this weekend. I'll add more pictures of the trip (of course including tons of pictures of the amazing falls) but here's a start of some pictures from the trip.



We took the midnight bus from Asuncion to Ciudad del Este. We payed the extra five bucks and got on the executive bus with the seats that fold down almost all the way. It wasn't too bad of a ride...especially thanks to my good friend Nyquil. Oh yeah and those who know me best will be AMAZED to know what I'm carrying in this picture is all the luggage I brought with me for three whole days. I guess losing your luggage changes what you see as necessary.

Bus terminal coffee shop...may I interest you in a lollipop, or maybe some hard liquor?

Or maybe a doll of 50 Cent...or some more hard liquor...that bus ride can be pretty long...

We stayed at a super cheap hotel in Ciudad del Este. I was called Hotel My Grandma ... I guess that would be the direct translation anyway. It wasn't much like my Grandma's house at all though. The pictures don't really do it justice but it was pretty bad. It actually wasn't too dirty or anything but it was just old and moldy. There was mold all over in the ceiling of the bathroom...my grandma's bathroom doesn't have mold in it (at least not a lot).

Nor does my grandma's house have orange paint sponged onto white walls.

Or a bathroom so tiny that you can multitask. The only problem is that the shower gets water EVERYWHERE in the bathroom. This is good because your bathroom gets cleaned everytime you shower but bad because then there is water everywhere which is a great breeding ground for fleas. I never have been bit by a flea at my grandma's house but I was at Hotel Mi Abuela. Oh well, it's not like it's the first time I have been bitten by fleas.

You can't see it very well, but the beds have pillowcases with leopard print that go so well with the flowery bedspread...my grandma can decorate better than that!

We survived Hotel Mi Abuela however and were able to get ready for the day and go out on the town. Ciudad del Este is a very interesting/dirty city. Probably the dirtiest city I've been to in South America or Central America for that matter. There is also a huge black market there...I guess one of the biggest in the world supposedly.

Garbage, garbage everywhere!

But luckily there is an entire store of cheap stuffed animals to make you feel more warm and fuzzy inspite of the garbage everywhere.

What a crazy place!

They start them young. What a cute little boy...he obviously takes his business seriously...but how sad too. He is selling cigarettes and lotto tickets, something he wouldn't even be able to buy in the US...and not for several more years.

I wonder how this orthodonics place in Ciudad del Este got Denise Richards to do their advertizing for them? Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Everything in this city is black market...even the advertizing.

Friday night we went to Itapu Dam. It isn't the biggest hydroelectric dam in the world but it creates more energy then any other hydroelectric dam in the world. It is pretty huge...I couldn't even get it all in the picture. It supplies 95% of all of Paraguay's power and 25% of all of Brasil's power...plus I think that Brasil sells a lot of its power from the dam to Argentina. Pretty amazing and they are pretty dang proud of their dam.

The next morning we crossed the bridge over into Brasil...sort of illegally. I have a visa to Brasil but no one else in my group did so none of us went throught immigration. We just walked right past the passport control on both the Paraguay and Brasil side...no one seemed to care though...they weren't even paying attention. We had heard it was a pretty loose border, which is why we dared try. I wasn't too worried though because I actually had a visa and figured that I could just play dumb if we got caught..."What passport control? Oops. I guess I didn't see it. Look though, I payed my 200 bucks for this visa so I am legit, right?" Anyway, I guess it isn't at all uncommon for them to not stop people who are tourists going to Iguassu Falls. They both want the money tourism brings.

I love this one...as we were crossing the border there was a fence that must have gotten hit down or something so the police were creating a new section of fence using packing tape...that'll keep them out, I'm sure.

When we got to Brasil we got a ride in Jesus's taxi to our hostel.

To be continued...