I wrote a long email in response to the questions asked from me by the girl scout troop in San Diego, CA. I thought I would share. Please excuse the grammer and spelling mistakes. My time is limited on the computer.
Hi, I am going to try and answer your questions. My answers apply to my community.
1) Understanding that many people live on $1/day. How far would $1 go in Paraguay? What kinds of things might $1 buy?
$1 hmmm. My community doesnt starve. each family has mandioca ( the potato like root) and so they all eat enough carbs. the average sugar cane worker, which is really hard work and is only available every once in a while, makes 25,000 Guaranis or $5 a day. this is from sun up to sun down with many many breaks. The men in my community also make money cutting grass with weed wackers. My brother recently cut grass at the school. I am not sure what he makes but i know for 10 guaranis or 2 dollars he cuts peoples front yards. he uses this money to buy chocolate cookies ( 50 cents per pack of 7 cookies) and as all the younger generation in my community does, he puts the rest of the money onto his phone. Phones and text messaging is what everyone spends money on. clothes are always handed down so girls do not buy clothes. an average teen spends 2- 5 dollars every two weeks on text messaging. if they make money like my brother they can spend that every week. this is a lot of money here.
Another note about men working in my community, they honestly dont work much. i would say only three times a week do they work out in the field. the rest of the time they hang out with their neighbors and drink terere ( the tea and ice water they drink). the men in paraguay spend money foulishly on electronics ( tv radio, cell phone). this money is available when they can find work on one of the giant foregin owned fields near the brazilian border. they can work for three straight months (not returning home) for about 200 dollars per month. the women on the other hand, dont make any money, unless they sell their veges in town (maybe 5 dollars a week) or makes cakes like my host mom ($2?). if they do get money they will spend it on food, landry soap, dish soap, rice, pasta, tomato paste, oil. so i guess in order to eat well in paraguay for my host family of six, 50 guaranis a week is needed or 10 dollars.
2) Can you tell us what the lives of the children are like in Paraguay?
The children are treated as inferiors but loved and shown love all the time. they go to elementary school in either the AM or PM. the school does not have enough room to have them all at once so they either go in the AM or PM session, walking in dark blue uniforms with their friends. the day starts with everyone lined outside in rows. the classrooms are VERY quiet and respectful. the lessons are written on the board and they copy. the children do not talk, but copy. some environmental education volunteers have complained that there is NO creativity or self expression or even self thinking. they are never asked to think for themself the answer to a problem and never asked for their ideas. school is where you copy from the board and the teacher will check if you copied right. the female children are always working when not in school. they are helping their moms, and sometimes miss school for this reason. during siesta time (2-3pm), Carmen (7) and Monica (11) watch their soap operas on their tv where only half the screen shows. The boys run around and play. they can go where ever they want, while the girls must stay at home.
3) Do you see extreme poverty around you? If so, what does that look like?
Extreme poverty is only seen when babies die. Many homes have small graves out in front. Their is a health center for giving babies dyhydrated milk with vitamins. I am not sure if they have to pay for this. this would be a project Peace Corps should start. Extreme poverty exists in the capitals where 6 years olds sell lottery tickets on the bus, or come around with small cards with pictures of Jesus, a kitten or a calendar. they sell them for 1 to 2 guaranis or 20 to 50 cents. like all cities we have homeless. oh! of course, unmarried, widowed or left women are the targets of extreme poverty. My neighbor Agustina was left by her husband with three children ( monica and carmen and their older brother ive never met and is working somewhere). Agustina doesnt own her field. this is poverty when you dont own land. she lives in two small wooden rooms on her momś property next to her moms house. sometimes i can not help but feel so incredibly touched that although she is soo poor she is soo generous to me. My house is bigger than hers, i have more money, but this never stops her from inviting me over when she has recently killed a chicken. she shares what little what she has. I am going to be sharing a vegetable garden with her. she can sell and have veges for herself and children. Im going to start cooking for her family when i get enough money to buy more plates and silverware. I did send them some empanadas the other day :)
4)In the last email, you told me about 2 main crops that are grown (a potato-like thing and beans). What is the main staple of the villager's diet where you are? Is there a lot of variation? What are the effects of being an agriculturally-based village?
The main staple is mandioca (potato). when all else fails one has mandioca. at every meal they eat it boiled. right now the market for sugarcane is bad, so my whole community is affected and has been for a while. my dad just burnt his sugar cane field to plant corn and mandioca. they can make bread out of the corn which i love. the two types are called: Chipa Guazu and Sopa Paraguaya.
5)Are there food shortages in Paraguay? Do people have access to food if they have the means to buy or grow it?
Access to food is avalible for those with money. Diversity in food doesnt really exist. As far as i know mandioca shortages dont either so they always eat.
6) Does the village where you are or any nearby participate in Fair Trade production for anything?
Fair trade probably affects my community, i just dont know exactly. I imagine their sugarcane.
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