Hello everyone out there once again, always seems strange to write to an unseen, potentially largely unknown audience. But so it goes in these days of instant online updates of whatever you’re latest thoughts may be. So strange to still be connected to that part of the world as I sit here in my shack in the middle of the soy fields in Paraguay that, at one time at least, used to be a subtropical forest. Isolation is indeed a recurring theme for me here, as it is for the rest of the community in which I reside, though I assume we have much different perceptions of it in how it relates to the rest of the world. I was asked the other day how I know which way is north out here to which I responded ‘because the sun always rises over that hill over there so I know that way is east…’ Surprisingly I was then asked, “is that true for the whole world? The sun always rises in the east?” This is from a 40 year old mother of 5, the majority of whom have never been the 40 kilometers to paved roads. Its a different world here and I’m surprised everyday be the scope of it – even after a year and a half here.
In local news, and I suppose my own personal news, the second training for my project is complete!!! I realized the other day that one of my updates that explained my project was never posted so I suppose I’ll go ahead and explain it again. Here we go, there’s a lot to it!
Since I arrived out here in libertad del sur (the freedom of the south, just waiting for a funky banjo song about this place) I’ve been working with some 8 different family viveros. Most of the time they’re working and I just stop by and say hey, but as a volunteer sometimes that’s what we call work ;) Long story short, they’ve grown nearly 90,000 yerba mate plants over the past year that are going to be ready to be sold this May/June. For those not in the know, yerba mate is essential to the culture of Paraguay and many of the neighboring countries. As a native plant it suits my objectives of reforestation since it grows well with native trees, but this is getting ahead of the story… Since we’re pretty far removed out here we were all wondering in September where they were going to sell it. So I wrote a request for funding with a local NGO PRO COSARA to buy about 50,000 yerba mate plants from these guys to plant in agroforestry systems with another 10,000 or so native trees to be given from another organization Todo Polmon (in association with PRO COSARA). The first request was denied so I had to incorporate mandatory trainings for all beneficiaries of the project. If they want the plants, which are far more sustainable and beneficial to the local small farmers environmentally/ecologically/socially/economically and for the overall health of the community than the predominant soy monoculture that surrounds us and occasionally engulfs us in a pleasant smelling herbicide/pesticide fog (occasionally being every 16 days or so per farm – like I said we’re surrounded!) they have to attend the trainings. Wow that last sentence was a long one, perhaps my english is being affected by the combination of constant spanish and guarani as well as the fogs...
Anyways, so today was the second of the four trainings, and I hope the last time that I have to present a topic. (for photographic evidence that I do some work at least take a look at me presenting) agroforestry presentation
We’re planning on starting the distribution of the plants May 23rd, it will likely take the whole week as we go house to house with a large rented flatbed truck to drop off all 60,000 or so plants. The last training will be the 28th of May, then I’ll be going back to help plant and also to start my study to see how people are planting them (spacing, and with what types of trees or crops etc) and will monitor growth and mortality until I leave in December. Hopefully I’ll be able to see a difference in planting techniques within this time frame but if nothing else this will be beneficial in the long run for the community.
As for the more humorous side stories and politics of the project, there are a lot. Some seriously ridiculous stuff said and done from other organizations and individuals spawned from jealousies or just plain spite. I was having a hard time getting the guys that I’ve been working with (the viveristas) to sell to this project as they said they had ‘compromisos’ with other people to sell their plants to them. I talked with those other people, and those compromisos never existed. I assume there was some local small town politics that they may not have wanted their plants to go to their neighbors that they don’t like. Other’s were disappointed that the only benefit they would receive from the project were that they would be earning money from selling their plants to the project – instead of selling them to the project and then me giving them the plants they just sold me so they can plant them in their own field… These negotiations have been interesting to say the least, but at the moment I think I’ve got all 50,000 lined up securely!
This project has also been amusing on my own personal behalf because I got the chance to use it as leverage to get other things accomplished in the community. The steadfast followers of my inconsistent bloggings may remember my frustrations last year at being the sole gardener at the school garden, and how much I dreaded a similar situation this year. In January, thanks to some very thoughtful and generous indivdiuals in the States who donated $ for my school garden project (and whom are still owed a thank you letter from me -it’s coming I promise, mail is not easy for me!) we were able to purchase and install shading and several other projects at the school. The leadership of the parents committee that was excited to work with me on the project changed the week after completion of the infrastructure. The new committee and the old committee are seriously at odds with each other and so the new folks didn’t really care to pick up where the others left off, including for the school garden. Soooo I got clever ;) If the people want to receive the plants, they need to work for one day in the school garden. As of this past Friday that thing is lookin good! All the raised beds are hoed and ready, half of which have already been planted. Next ‘volunteer day’ I’m going to have them clean all the trees that my predecessor planted around the school and plant some more! I’ve been called ‘letrado’ (clever but with more of a conniving significance) several times now. The concept of working for free for the benefit of everyone isn’t a strong one here, so this was a HUGE victory
I also am about halfway through a world map project with the 6th graders at the school.
In other news next week is the bicentennario – 200th anniversary of independence – for Paraguay! Saludos a todo and there may be a shortage of beef soon in the rest of the world as there will certainly be a severe increase in consumption next weekend in these parts, to be followed about 2 weeks later by Argentinas own bicentennario. I’ll be eating my asado in Asuncion to see what kind of crazy festivities are going on there. It’s pretty exciting to be able to see Paraguay in the world cup last year, and such a big event this year as well. I suppose this is as good as the partying gets in Paraguay – beef, pork, mandio and beer. You just can’t go wrong
Okie dokie folkies, that’s about all I gots for now. I hope this satisfies your cravings for more news from a place you’ve never heard of before and will likely never see, and for the second time in a week! Don’t get too used to increased frequency of the blogs tho, no promises of maintaining this pace – though it is getting colder and making me want to spend more time inside wrapped up warm with a cup o tea and the computer, occasionally throwing things at the mice that I spot out the corner of my eye scurrying along the wooden rafters. There’s a nice closing image for ya
take care and be well

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