Teachable Moments

As the distraction of something new and exciting around every corner has begun to wear off, the reality of life here in Paraguay is beginning to set in. Our pace is slowing down which often brings waves of homesickness for me. Though I don't think my parents spoiled us as children, I realize now the many luxuries that I grew up with.

When I commented to my mom the other night that I was missing the conveniences of the U.S., she reminded me that many of the American “conveniences” are not always so convenient. As I’ve been contemplating her statement, I realized I am hasty to critique other cultures as I compare them to how I grew up.

When I began this blog, I titled it Treasured Moments as a venue for me to journal about the simple blessings of life as a mom. I subtitled it “Seeking to treasure the moments of each day rather than longing for a season of life yet to come.” Now as I write about life here in Paraguay, I truly desire to treasure what God has given me and where he has placed me in this season of life. Thus, through my struggles, I want to portray an attitude of being teachable as I learn about Paraguayan culture and this new world in which we live.

In my observations of this culture, I realize that because I grew up with certain traditions, ways of life, and displays of nature, I am inclined to be more sentimentally attached to that which is familiar to me. My husband, having grown up in a hot culture much more similar to Paraguay, is quite fond of our new life.

Last night during a video chat I saw the beauty of spring in Minnesota (now that it has finally arrived). The thought of getting outside in the fresh new air as everything comes alive made my heart ache for home. Though the winters can be long and even depressing in Minnesota, the season of frozenness runs its course producing an amazing and beautiful environment. Though we are just now entering into autumn being south of the equator, spring has many beautiful ways of displaying itself and I am excited to see the array of color here when Paraguay welcomes a new beginning. 

Growing up in the northern United States, I didn't realize that probably the majority of the world does not have the pleasure of enjoying soft green grass with few biting bugs to worry about. I loved being outside, playing in the grass, running barefoot through the yard, and never worrying about a thing.  My husband, however, is much more accustomed to the roughness of the outdoors here, as it's quite similar to Texas. 

Here, wall-to-wall carpet is scarce as the dirt and heat make it totally impractical. A yard filled with soft grass and no biting insects is definitely a rare find. During one of Kevin's first visits to Minnesota, I remember him getting a bit worked up over some ants crawling around us. At the time I was confused as to why that was a big deal for him. I now am beginning to understand his childhood a bit better as the culture and climate here resemble South Texas. Tarantulas, crickets, beetles, cockroaches, mosquitos, and biting ants are everywhere. 

Last night after putting the kids to bed I came out of our room and noticed something black moving on the floor. As I looked closer I realized it was a large beetle I had stepped on earlier and forgotten to throw outside. I cried out in disgust, as it was covered in ants. Kevin jumped up from the computer to see what had repulsed me. When he realized the cause, he laughed and went back to work. I sighed, as I understood then that it was no big deal to him. 

It is quite a different world for me, and I am struggling to adjust especially because of having Lydia around. I now need to keep a closer eye on her because you never know what she might find; or worse, what might find her. I cannot count the number of times she has fallen and hit her head on the hard tile or cement. I feel so helpless in that I can't give her a safe, soft place to play as she learns to walk and explore. Oh how I realize now the blessing of a carpeted living room! 

So as not to focus on the negative, I do realize that there are many blessings to having a tile floor as well. For instance, our house did not have anywhere for us to hook up our washing machine. So Kevin worked hard to figure out a way to hook it up. The first night we attempted to do a load of laundry, we started the machine and went to get ready for bed. We emerged from our room only to find that the whole house was filling with soapy water as the washer hose had fallen from the window where it was supposed to drain out of the house. We quickly grabbed the squeegee and began to push water out the doors. The next 45 minutes were spent mopping and moving the fan around to dry the floor. I was so grateful that only one box had gotten wet and our whole house now smelled super clean!

Kevin rearranged the hose to where it now runs down onto the kitchen floor where it drains. So long as the kids don't mess with the hose, it works pretty well. We've had the floor washed only once more with detergent water since the first occasion, so things are looking good. Praise the Lord for tile floors!

Another aspect of the Paraguayan culture that is truly a blessing is the value of a slow-paced life. This is something I know I have struggled with growing up in the busyness of American life. I love to fill my calendar, check off items on my task list, and move through life in a "productive" way! However, their values of relationship and rest present a great learning opportunity for me. 

The whole society practices "siesta" and therefore everything shuts down from noon to two. It is such a blessing to have an excuse to relax and not go anywhere. Paraguayans work hard, but they know when to rest. Throughout the day they stop to relax and enjoy drinking tereré. It is a great time for visiting with friends and family as well as meeting someone new.

We are definitely enjoying and adapting to this slower pace of life. It provides such an opportunity for building relationships. Walking down the street every afternoon, we see people sitting outside almost every house. Our sweet and outgoing two year old happily waves and greets them with "hola." To which they respond with a surprised smile and "hola" in return. 

As I continue to contemplate all these changes, some enjoyable and some not so much, I am grateful to the Lord for walking this road with me. My devotional Jesus Calling encouraged me recently when I read the following: "faltering steps of dependence are not lack of faith, they are links to My [the Lord's] presence." The Lord alone is my strength and through Him alone can I complete this task that he has given me.