11/14/22 Update

     I'm trying to post more often, so I'm answering some questions I've been asked (mostly by Aunt Elaine). Comment some other questions if you want.

What classes am I taking. What is my favorite class and my least favorite class.

    I'm in the Basic Sciences course, so my classes include physics, chemistry, natural sciences, English, math, philosophy, art, Guarani, statistics, and physical education. My favorite classes are English and natural sciences and my least favorites are Guarani and chemistry, but only because I don't understand them whatsoever.

What is the weather like?

    Tropical. It's summer here, so the days are getting hotter. Rain storms are pretty common, but it doesn't really get cold. The most I ever need is a light hoodie.

If Christmas in stores yet

    Since neither Halloween nor Thanksgiving are celebrated here, stores have been preparing for Christmas for months. Christmas songs are being played on the radio, and the mall is covered in lights.

Cultural differences I've encountered

    I´ve faced quite a few cultural differences, so I´ll list some:

    - People are physically touchy here.

    - People here are more indirect when they speak, and it can be tough to fully understand them.

    - Dinner is eaten at around 10 pm here, so I usually end up having a large merienda and a smaller dinner.

How I get to school

    I take a transport to and from school. It's like carpooling.

What I´m eating

    I usually have a small breakfast (cereal or eggs for example), lunch at school or at home depending on the day, and sometimes actual dinner or other times merienda. Lunch and dinner are usually some type of meat like chicken or asado with a salad, and merienda is tea or coffee with snacks. We often eat out or order in.

What cafes in Asuncion are like

    There are many cafes around the area, and they always have nice food. Since I´m not fond of coffee, I usually drink, tea, or a smoothie. Cake and croissants can be found everywhere.

Building descriptions

    The buildings here vary in condition. There are many houses and small stores, as well as larger chain stores. All the houses have tall fences and gates around them, and can usually fit just 1 or 2 cars. The roads are tricky with so many potholes and speed bumps everywhere. The street that I live on is cobblestone.

My room and house

    The house has 2 levels. On the ground floor is a living room, my parents' offices, and the kitchen/dining room. From the dinning room you can reach the backyard where the pool and laundry room are. On the 2nd floor is our bedrooms and bathrooms.

    My room isn't very big, but it's comfortable and cozy. I haven't decorated it a lot yet (that'll be a more long term project). I've put up a few posters, but only in one spot so my walls are still pretty bare.

Living with dogs

    The dogs don't bother me too much. I live with 3 dogs. The smallest, Bro, only comes into the house to sleep with my sister. In the mornings, he goes back outside. The other 2, Paton and Sam, always stay outdoors so I only have to deal with them when I go out to do my laundry. Sam is the largest but he is also the best behaved and the nicest, so he sometimes protects me from Paton when I go outside.

How I packed. What I took with me.

    Packing was stressful (as is everything I do), and I may have under packed a bit. I brought 2 suitcases and a backpack with me. I packed clothes, toiletries, souvenirs from Colorado, and other things for fun like my art supplies and

Communication

    Communication between my family and I is getting better. I'm being more open about my wants and needs, and I'm getting closer to them.

    As for learning Spanish, I'm learning a bit more but I feel like I'm staying in my comfort zone too much. I'll try to change that and learn more.

    I realize that my sentences are short and choppy: I am tired and have been putting this off for a while.

    It's my last week of school!! My next post is probably going to be about Thanksgiving as I'm making my family celebrate with me and a friend of mine from school is helping me shop and cook for it.