tanto tiempo!

Wow. tanto tiempo peeps! Sorry for the extended absence, I know you've all been dying to hear about what I've been up to!

Still going strong with my English class, we finally started back up after winter break and my vacation to brazil. It was wonderful because when Leti and I arrived at the school we originally thought that maybe the kids forgot that we were starting back up again today but then all of the sudden some of the girls started running full speed at us and jumped and gave us big hugs. It really was lovely! We have only 3 classes left until we complete the course. I have positive and negative feelings about this. On the one hand, I'll simply be glad it's over. On the other hand, I liked have scheduled, consistent work two days a week... so I'll need to figure out what to do afterwards. Blerg. I'm thinking of trying to start up my Club de Embarazadas again, or maybe a zumba class, or maybe do some dental health stuff in the schools. I'm still undecided at the moment. I just need to get through this English class first.

This weekend I have a VAC meeting (a meeting with all the volunteers who live in my department) and I'll be transitioning into the role of VAC representative, which is like the president of the VAC so that's exciting! I'll have to attend quarterly NVAC (national VAC) meetings to update the higher ups on what we're up to.
Speaking of VACs, mine has been killin' it! Recently I organized a Grassroots Soccer (GRS) event in Encarnacion with the US Embassy's Access English program. GRS uses soccer drills and activities to teach life skills and HIV/AIDS and STD prevention. We were able to teach the mini day-camp in English and it is just AMAZING the things one can accomplish when able to use their first language haha! It went really well and it was awesome to have some G-mates and VAC-mates support me!
We also ran a bunch of HeForShe presentations at the largest high school in Encarn. If you don't know what HeForShe is it's the UN Women's initiative towards gender equality...you should definitely look it up! PCPY is the first Peace Corps post to work hand in hand with them and do many presentations to youth throughout the whole country. It's really quite incredible! My VAC did 6 presentations in 2 days to over 600 students! QUE GUAPO!
Then we also had a mini environmental camp called Paraguay Verde'i in one of my VAC-mate's sites. it went so well, we had 3 NGOs come to speak to the youth about various issues, we planted 30+ trees and learned some recycled art projects!
I'm just so proud to be surrounded by such motivated, fantastic people!

My technical library project in the office is going well. I've finally gotten a staff member and a coordinator involved and training on how to use the cataloging system so hopefully there will be some serious progress! I would LOVE to have it all digitized and up and running before I leave.

Speaking of leaving, I cannot believe that G43 (the G before me) is having their COS (close of service) conference already. That means we're next!! I only have about 7.5 months left of service and I think it's going to fly by!