I'm sorry I didn't post anything last week, don't worry I am still alive! There has been many highs and lows these past few weeks. I've definitely had my lowest points and gotten through them okay, but I have also had some of my highest. I am not going to rant about the lows because there's no reason for negativity, but the highs, yes I will rant about!
This past week I spent in Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay. It is an amazing city and there is nothing else like it in Paraguay. I originally went there to pick up my passport and try to get a visa in order to travel with my friend to the Iguazu falls on the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. It is an amazing place and is one of the seven wonders of the world. I wanted to go so badly but unfortunately my visa didn't work out with a limited amount of time, however I will try to go again within the next year. My friend did end up going however and he said it was amazing!
My week turned out amazing too in the end though. I stayed with another girl from America on AFS, her name is Emily and she is one of my best friends here in Paraguay. Her family is so sweet and welcoming and we had a blast together. We visited the president's work place, walked around the city, partied a little bit, went out to eat, and shopped shopped shopped (my favorite). It was truly amazing and so different than my home here. It is so strange how different places can be in the same country. I was telling her about my experience with dirt roads and a lot of poverty and she couldn't believe it. I think she is coming to visit me though this month which I can't wait for!
The week before my journey to Asuncion was also fun with hanging out with some friends and I went away for the weekend. I went with one of my friends from my home and we met our other friend in a town about 30 minutes away called Honueau. We went for a mini October Fest Festival. It was really the funniest thing in the world. We are in the middle of nowhere in Paraguay, in a small town, and there's an October Fest. They had dancing and drinking and traditional costumes. It was so fun and bizarre! We stayed at her house and hung out and then took the bus back home the next day. I have been making little trips and traveling a lot which I love!
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Monday, November 3, 2014
Money, Plata, Dinero
Money money money! In Paraguay, the currency is Guarani. It's the same name as the local native language. Guarani is only for Paraguay, but in Argentina you can pay with it because they are so close together and vice versa. It is very cheap compared to the US dollar and it's interesting how the entire culture can adapt to having such a cheap currency, it lowers the whole countries wealth.
So if you go to school here, which isn't mandatory, then after you finish high school you can go to University if you want too. If you don't go, you can still make enough money with a job to live on. However, if you do choose to go, it's typically two or four years and it is a much lower educational level than in other countries but here it is considered high education. If you want to be a policeman you only have to go for two years and only have to be 19 years old. Guns and weapons aren't allowed in Paraguay except for the policeman. It was really funny actually, last weekend I went to a Halloween party with my friends and he was a soldier so he went to the costume shop to buy a fake gun. When we were walking to the party, a police stopped us and asked if it was real because they don't have orange caps or anything, it looked very real. He said no and the police man asked where he can buy it so when he is somewhere where his real gun isn't allowed, it looks like he still has one! haha
Most typical jobs here are working at a store, a teacher, or a house cleaner. If you work at a store for an example, your salary is enough to pay for a car, a house, and to support a small family. The average amount people get paid per week is 250000 guarani which is 58.07 dollars. If the dad and mom work in the family, you can live quite well with just this amount of money here. Here is some costs of popular items: 4.000 Guaranies is $1
Bus ticket- 3000 G = .75 $
Three loafs of bread- 2000 G = .50 $
To fill up a van with Gasoline- 80000 G = 20.00 $
A basket of groceries- 40000 G = 10.00 $
A sandwich at a restaurant- 15000 G = ~ 4.00 $
Shampoo- 9000 G = 2.25 $
T-shirt or tank top- 10000 G = 2.50 $
Also, almost everyone is paid in cash. Cards are used rarely and only a few people have bank accounts. Bills are paid in person and it is rare for families to save money. It's normally the money you get paid with that week is the money you use for the next week. It's so different than in other countries but it's what they're used too.
So if you go to school here, which isn't mandatory, then after you finish high school you can go to University if you want too. If you don't go, you can still make enough money with a job to live on. However, if you do choose to go, it's typically two or four years and it is a much lower educational level than in other countries but here it is considered high education. If you want to be a policeman you only have to go for two years and only have to be 19 years old. Guns and weapons aren't allowed in Paraguay except for the policeman. It was really funny actually, last weekend I went to a Halloween party with my friends and he was a soldier so he went to the costume shop to buy a fake gun. When we were walking to the party, a police stopped us and asked if it was real because they don't have orange caps or anything, it looked very real. He said no and the police man asked where he can buy it so when he is somewhere where his real gun isn't allowed, it looks like he still has one! haha
Most typical jobs here are working at a store, a teacher, or a house cleaner. If you work at a store for an example, your salary is enough to pay for a car, a house, and to support a small family. The average amount people get paid per week is 250000 guarani which is 58.07 dollars. If the dad and mom work in the family, you can live quite well with just this amount of money here. Here is some costs of popular items: 4.000 Guaranies is $1
Bus ticket- 3000 G = .75 $
Three loafs of bread- 2000 G = .50 $
To fill up a van with Gasoline- 80000 G = 20.00 $
A basket of groceries- 40000 G = 10.00 $
A sandwich at a restaurant- 15000 G = ~ 4.00 $
Shampoo- 9000 G = 2.25 $
T-shirt or tank top- 10000 G = 2.50 $
Also, almost everyone is paid in cash. Cards are used rarely and only a few people have bank accounts. Bills are paid in person and it is rare for families to save money. It's normally the money you get paid with that week is the money you use for the next week. It's so different than in other countries but it's what they're used too.
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