concerts and giant bugs.

A rare sight that I had to get on camera...an oxcart passing through downtown Itaugua












This is my new mascot...a gigantic worm that had fallen from a ficus tree on the corner a block from my house... literally the largest worm I've ever seen in my life!! Alba took a water bottle and with my help captured the little creature that is now preserved in rubbing alcohol on top of my fridge... I figured instead of freaking out about more bugs, my sanity would be better off accepting it and giving it a spot (though dead) in my home...































Alba, me, and Alba's mom Teresa at the Sin Bandera concert
















Well gang, lots of fun developments in the life of Paraguayan Kristine….
This past week I worked hard with Chiquita as we have finally decided to go forward with an instruction manual all about ñandutí. Working with a literary professor to help with the grammar, Chiquita to help supplies for the photos, and me for the rest of the everything, we hope to get $1000 from the municipality to print the books and have them in print by the end of April in anticipation of the national Nandutí Festival in June. It’s really exciting to have something more solid under my belt and a direct outlet for all that I’ve been learning these past 4 months. At first the literature professor had thought of just writing a pamphlet and wanted to write a poetic introduction and leave it at that but I as the dutiful anthropologist successfully convinced them of the value of including more material on the history of the artform, its role in the modern day economy and the identity of Itaugua. Hopefully with our forces combined (like Captain Planet) we can really put out something worthwhile.
In other news, I got to see Sin Bandera (one of my very most favorite Pop Latino band) play in Asuncion. Normally I wouldn’t want to go to concerts because they’re undoubtedly full of drunk smokers and lots of unsavory company…but with the romantic music and incredible harmony of the band and the fact that they are breaking up forever and doing their last tour, and the tickets were only $14…I caved. They held it in the most ritzy neighborhood of all of Paraguay…it’s called Lambare and the “new” money of the country lives with their multimillion dollar homes, imported Mercedes benzes, and private guards to make sure nothing walks away. It was awesome to see the beautiful architecture and the fact that most of the houses don’t have street-side walls and huge gates like most other houses. Typically Latin American houses are completely walled-in from the street with high gates (even if they leave them unlocked, everyone is scared to death at the idea of having an open front lawn) and then bars on all the windows. Even in really nice, completely safe neighborhoods or poor neighborhoods were you wouldn’t expect such expense, the fence is one of the priorities and it was a breath of fresh air to see nice homes with wide front lawns unobstructed by sterile fences and gates.
The concert was great…lots of songs that I knew all the words to, surrounded by others singing at the top of their lungs and thousands of teenage Paraguayan girls screaming at the beginning of every song…really energetic. I invited my dear friend Alba and her mother to accompany us (which was a huge logistical mess and almost didn’t end up happening because I only had space for Alba to spend the night with me at a friend’s house but her mother refused to let her go alone to the concert and would only go if she personally accompanied us…so we planned to stick around until dawn and grab the first bus that passed by but luckily got saved by another friend heading back to Itaugua…) and met up with Emily another Fulbrighter living in Asuncion. Despite the fact that it was to be for Valentine’s Day and all the couples were nauseatingly affectionate throughout the show, I enjoyed it and it’s nice to say that I saw them in person before they split up.
Here in Itaugua, they are celebrating the end of summer with an annual tradition of Cultural Fridays. Local bands, musicians, and dancers take the stage to present Paraguayan polkas, guaranias, and other traditional music as well as some more modern stuff. I didn’t get to go to the closing night last night because I was exhausted but I went last Friday for about an hour before it started to rain and the whole audience dispersed. Of the 3 groups I got to see, 2 sang traditional polkas in guarani and the third was a girls’ dance studio performing Arabic “dance.” In reality, I was shocked at how sexual their dance was and watching 10 7-year olds in belly-dancer costumes doing pelvic thrusts was not exactly the kind of “culture” I had had in mind. I made a comment to my friend that I would NEVER let my 7-year old learn let alone perform such nastiness and with nothing more than a bra and underwear on…she said that it was part of the conservatory and the expectation was to learn how to do all different types of dance.
Today is another busy day and I am just catching a few minutes of down time before heading out to get a translation of a Portuguese article that talks about ñandutí and then travel to Asuncion for a baby’s 1st birthday party.

I hope all is going well and that everyone had a great Valentine’s Day… Talk later…

AH and last minute hooray-for-Kristine moment!! I got in to Syracuse University's GRAD school pursuing a double-master's in International Relations and Public Administration!! WAHOO!! Now if anybody wants to help me raise $43000 to pay for it, let me know!!

Cristina

tribute to a man of all ages

Today was a very solemn day as I, alongside millions of members worldwide, got the chance to watch the funeral of our beloved prophet Gordon B. Hinckley. I have to admit, when I first heard the news on Monday, I didn’t react right away and my first thought was of sincere joy that he could be reunited with his beloved spouse and companion Marjorie. It wasn’t until later that night as I said my prayers asking Heavenly Father to bless the Hinckley family that I started to really think about what President Hinckley meant to me. During the greater part of my life, he was always there, a constant strength and example for the youth of the church. I will always remember the precious experiences I had in my life to see him in person. The first: alongside Bishop Glade and other youth from the ward, I was blessed to attend the worldwide Youth Broadcast where President Hinckley issued the 6 “Be’s”. My second time inside the beautifully constructed Conference Center, I was humbled by the simple yet direct manner of his instruction. Surrounded by superficial cliques and otherwise exclusive atmosphere, facing the uncertainties of high school graduation, college applications, and dating, I was blessed to receive President Hinckley’s counsel and experience his ability (despite being more than 90 years old) to connect with and care about the youth of the church. Many times following that broadcast, as I wondered about the details of my life, I thought back on the special prayer he offered on our behalf and new that our Heavenly Father would always be there to guide us and provide instruction if we were willing to seek Him.

The second and third times I saw President Hinckley was also in the Conference Center, this time for General Conference, fall 2005 (I think). I had gotten tickets because of a roommate and with a good Guatemalan friend at my side, drove up to Salt Lake. I was thrilled for my first time to attend General Conference in person and moreso now that I was going to the Conference Center. As we sat talking and commenting on the amazing view, the beautiful scenery of the stage, and the masses of people, a hush filled the room and every conversation stopped as the crowd silently rose from their seats and watched a prophet of God enter the room, accompanied by his counselors. I will never forget the palpable witness of the Spirit in that room and despite the distance, knowing that I was just one in a crowd of 21000, I felt the presence of that man and knew in an instant that he was a true prophet called of God. I have been blessed to have that witness repeated in my life and I have been greatly blessed by the personal efforts of President Hinckley to extend the missionary program, build more temples, and witness to the world of the reality of a living Christ. I know that God’s servants are waiting to continue with His work and the passing of one prophet will not stop or in any way hinder the progress of this worldwide church. I pray that I can receive the same witness as to the divine calling of the next prophet. But, I will always have a special place in my heart for President Hinckley and his kind and motivational influence on my childhood and adolescence. Through him, God revealed some of the most wonderful revelations of our time such as the Proclamation on the Family. And, through him, my testimony was strengthened to know more strongly and deeply that God lives, that this is His church and His work, that Joseph Smith was a prophet who ushered in the last dispensation and the restoration of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and that we each have an individual potential to become like Him as we repent of our sins and advance along our eternal progression. I pray that whoever reads this might also receive that witness. So, friends and family, thanks for your support in my personal life and thanks for letting me share my thoughts about our dear departed prophet. I promise to update more on my activities and whatnot, but for now, I bid farewell to a dear friend that never knew me personally but impacted my life and will forever be blessed for his impact on mankind. As he would wish, may God be with us till we meet again!!