The Guay

I swam this morning.  Side note- I have started swimming in the wee hours of the am lately.  Besides dragging my lazy, tired body out of the bed at 623 a.m., it's actually quite delightful.  More to come on adult swim later.  Back to me.  While swimming I usually try to focus on something.  I tried prayer once, but it didn't go too well.  So I have moved on.  Today I thought about my trip to Paraguay.  I think I went in the summer of '08.  I went with my friend Emily (who is a rock star).  Here she is:

(This was during the layover...don't judge)

Now that I think about it, I can't believe that I went.  I knew nobody.  If you don't know, I don't love going places where I don't know anyone.  I don't love when vulnerability tries to pull a sneak attack.  Anywho, I was thinking about how beautiful it was and how amazing the people were.  I didn't know what a blog was back then so I will just have to write about it now.  We got to go for like 2.5 weeks.  It was all amazing. Well except for the flights.  I absolutely hate flying.  It was like a 10 hr flight and I was squished between two South American women who just stared at me. It was a bad bad bad situation.  Plus we had a 9 hr layover in the Santiago airport, going both ways.  Besides that, it was stellar.  I just looked through my pictures from the trip and realized how much that trip changed me. We rode around in vans, roamed the streets and ate tons and tons of meat.  I made new friends, got pushed a little outside the comfort zone and got to see a whole nother culture that is very very different then mine here in Mt. Perfect.  So I shall take a trip down ol memory lane.. Feel free to join.

 These are the Andes Mountains.  So so so beautiful

 Sunrise in Paraguay.  Amazing.

 No lie, the food was a bit terrifying at times.  

 I loved this kid.  Tried to teach him a handshake and he always just stared at me...

 These ones were always laughing and hanging around by the gate.  We worked in this village called Itapaso.  We fed them and tried to teach them stuff...

 More scary food

 Interesting fact- they hook up their meat spinners to their car batteries...Genius

 Waiting for the gates to open

 Arts and crafts....bad situation

 I had to make friends with the boys. They were more fun

 So we went into Argentina one night.  I may have gotten in trouble with border patrol.  Note to self, do not laugh at how similar your passport pic looks like Osama and then show the officers.  Never a good idea.

 Some Argentinian pals..

 I also learned how to be a South American Samuri

 I wanted to take this baby home.  No lie.  I think I cried when I had to give him back.  He was the highlight of my trip.

 Argentinian countryside...Stunning.

 We went to the mine called "Wanda."  I have no idea why.

 This is were the river divides the 3 countries.  So awesome.

 We went to Iguazu Falls.  One of the largest in the whole world.  It was so cool.  Magical if you will.

The last one was for dad.  South America is really cool.  I suggest you get there if you get the chance.  It was amazing.  The people were awesome too.  And their coke tastes really good.  And now I miss it.  Awesome.

Hasta Luego,

SRS