Yesterday was another fantastic day. Kirsten and I headed into town for lunch with Jerome, who I met for the first time yesterday. Jerome had been a Workaway volunteer at Iparoma Ranch for about six months before I arrived and now lives in Filadelfia. The two are planning something exciting too — on Halloween they…
Well, you learn something new every day in Paraguay! One thing I’ve noticed here in Filadelfia is the extraordinary number of mosquitoes. They seem to have appointed themselves as my personal welcoming committee. They swarm around my face, buzz around my ears and investigate my hands with great enthusiasm. But here’s the strange part… they…
Well, today brought another collection of surprises — although by now I am beginning to realise that this is probably just life at the ranch! The daily routine is settling in nicely. First, feed Pancho, then get on with the sewing and help out wherever I can. Today that included preparing the dehydrator with marigolds.…
Yesterday was a fantastic day! After feeding Pancho at 7am, then I settled into a large pile of mending. Everything from mosquito-net doors and towels to making covers for the tops of freezers. Then, over lunch of delicious local piranha fish, Marilyn casually asked if I’d like to join her on one of her tours…
Finally… we made it to the ranch! What a journey. The roads were more mud than road, and along the way we shared the adventure with three enormous double-trailer trucks heading off to the abattoirs, a family of five capybaras, one very dead snake, and plenty of friendly Paraguayan chatter. And then there was Hotel…
Today I learnt a little of Marilyn’s family history — and suddenly Filadelfia felt like so much more than a town. The Mennonites began in the Netherlands more than 500 years ago. Their beliefs included living peacefully and traditionally refusing to participate in war. Religious persecution eventually forced many to leave, first settling in Poland…
The room cost 100,000 PYG — about AUD $24.00 — and apparently toilet paper is a luxury extra, adding another 3,000 PYG to the bill. 😂 If you don’t specifically ask for a towel or blanket… you don’t get one. Thankfully, when I asked, I was presented with a rather fetching microfibre blanket decorated with…
Paraguay’s weather seems to be having a little identity crisis. My first few days were beautiful—sunshine and temperatures happily sitting in the high 20s to 35°C. Then yesterday arrived, and suddenly summer disappeared. The temperature struggled to reach 23°C and the skies opened up, producing heavy, steady rain throughout the night. Thankfully, it eased this…
A little collection of Asunción — colourful streets, historic buildings, local life and some beautiful textiles and crafts from local artists at the cultural centre.The handmade work really caught my eye, with bright colours, traditional patterns and plenty of Paraguayan character. Sometimes there isn’t much to say — just let the photographs tell the story.…
Paraguay has surprised me. To a traveller carrying foreign currency, it can feel inexpensive — but for Paraguayans earning local wages, the picture is rather different. The minimum wage is around ₲3.04 million a month, roughly ₲702,000 a week (US$116) or ₲36.5 million a year (about US$6,050). An average salary in Asunción is estimated at…