My first surprise when I got to Carapegua, Paraguay was that the weather was not warm. At all. Back in June, when I was jittery with anticipation for my first big global adventure, I didn’t put all that much thought into packing. As a self-confessed shopping addict, it was probably the first time in my life when I managed to not horrendously over-pack. I made a promise to myself that I would take this journey as simply as possible, and that included packing lightly. I threw in a few t-shirts thinking, it’s South America, right? It’s always warm!
Some of my coworkers in Carapegua. (In our winter jackets!)
Wrong. Oh so wrong. I spent my first day in the field shivering on the back of a moto before I finally conceded to buying myself a jacket. (And believe me, I lived in that jacket.)
My experiences in Paraguay constantly challenged my assumptions. My time there marked both my first visit to South America and my first experience in a developing country. Before embarking on my journey south of the equator, I expected my biggest take-aways from the experience to be related to the internship. Post-graduation, I hope to explore the fields of social entrepreneurship and impact investing, and I felt that working with a microfinance organization would be great exposure to that kind of industry. And while the internship was incredibly informative, I came to realize I learned the most simply from being in Paraguay.
Riding a moto!
I learned that Paraguayans were some of the warmest people I had ever met. They took the time to try to puzzle through my oft-garbled attempts at Spanish despite the fact that few foreigners ever venture into their country. They were always quick to offer good food and a smile or a story. I had the incredible good fortune of meeting a huge cross-section of the Paraguayan population. I hitched a ride with a businessman who was trying to connect trade routes between the US, Paraguay, and China; I helped shuck corn at a girl’s school; I listened to groups of
Indigenous children in the Mbaracayu Reserve
women’s committees commiserate about life’s daily challenges; I played alongside children from the indigenous population who did not even speak a word of Spanish. Each of these people had a story, and my interactions with them helped me to truly understand the depth and breadth of the country.
I also learned a lot just from being on my own in a developing country. I learned to take buses that had no designated routes or schedules and, as a historically picky eater, I learned to try new foods I’d never heard of before. I had the opportunity to experience one of the least-visited UNESCO world heritage sites in the world, where I marveled at the beauty and serenity of centuries-old Jesuit missions. I truly fell in love with my journey, the uniqueness of every day and every experience.
Bonding with Cecilia, my host sister
Literally each and every day I experienced something new and adjusted my worldview. I’ll freely admit that I’m a planner and an organizer. While at school, I run myself on a strict schedule. I’m bound to get frustrated when people don’t reply quickly or aren’t as on top of things as I am. But in Paraguay, I had to let that go. I’m not sure if it’s the nature of South America, the nature of non-profits, or of both, but nothing ever quite runs on a set schedule, not even the buses. Things happen, life happens, and the attitude was generally come what may and not worry too much about it. It was refreshing, and incredibly freeing. I realized how much stress I place on myself in my day-to-day life with excessive deadlines and scheduling. I found it amusing that while the United States pride themselves on radical individualism, we have so many guidelines and rules, explicit and implicit, that control our lives. In Paraguay people simply are. They take care of themselves, and they do what they need to do.
Having a meal with the office
I came to realize that life will never completely conform to some arbitrary schedule and structure I try to place on it, so I ought to embrace and even treasure those unexpected moments. And having this attitude did not dampen their mission or their accomplishments. True change can still be affected without stress and constant pushing. I hope to carry that lesson with me into all aspects of the future.
I will not pretend that the experience was easy. It was exhausting to be pushed outside of my comfort zone every day. I struggled with the language, the pace and sometimes the nature of work, and your typical college existential crises as much as I learned from them. But it was also incredibly rewarding. I began to realize this element of life experience and human interaction was critical in pushing my interest in social businesses beyond a job and into a vocation. It is the wholeness and immersive quality of the experience that I value most of all. Vocation should be whole and immersive in one’s life, and my role in Paraguay was more than simply an office internship. I don’t want my future to be exactly like my experiences in Paraguay, but I do want it color my life in new ways, to challenge me, push me, and inspire me.
Shucking corn at a girls’ school with the help of indigenous children
There is a commonality and a strength in the human spirit that I cannot help but find beautiful. In moments when words failed me, or when cultural barriers got in the way, there was still a transcendent understanding of other beings. I never had a moment where I felt completely lost or alone. And thus, I come from this experience energized to pursue my dreams and my vocation.
A dear friend gave me Khalil Gibran’s The Prophet when I was young, and Gibran’s words have served to give me hope and peace in many dark moments. I particularly love his quote, “I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized”. As I move forward from my Paraguayan adventure, I have many visions yet to be realized, readjusted and colored by my experiences. And I look forward to humbly taking the next steps to pursue those dreams, and the many more transformative experiences I hope to have in the future.
Jesuit Mission in Jesús, Paraguay