This means “How’s it going?” in Guaraní, the predominant language of the people I worked with while serving in Paraguay as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Paraguay is a land-locked country, about the size of California, with a population of six million. It was this valuable experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer that helped me receive the prestigious Ricci Fellowship, which allowed me to return to graduate school for a degree in International Political Economy and Development.
The Guaraní Indians were one of the most important tribal groups of South America. At the time of the Spanish conquest, Tupi-Guaraní tribes extended from the Paraná to the Amazon, including most of eastern Brazil, with outlying branches as far west as the slopes of the Andes. The Guaraní Indians are best remembered for their connection to the early Jesuit missions of Paraguay, the most notable mission foundation ever established in America, and for their later heroic resistance – as the State of Paraguay – against the combined powers of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. This was known as the Triple Alliance War (1865 – 1870) in which almost 90% of the male population and 45% of the female population was decimated. They survived these setbacks, however, and today celebrate a vibrant culture.
Some of their wonderful culture that I adopted during my 27 month service were drinking tereré and mate; eating borí borí, chipa guazu, and mbeju; dancing to kachaka; and wearing clothes with hand-made traditional laces like ñandutí and ao’poí. One of the most important traditions of Paraguay, however, and what makes people most proud is their language. Guaraní has survived centuries and been passed down through the generations, to become one of the few American Indian dialects still used as the native language by a majority of the population.
As a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, I had an amazing experience working in rural economic development. This included assisting two agricultural cooperatives, one with debt recuperation and the other with marketing for a new convenience store. I also had various projects with women and youth, including a bakery, a swine production farm, a health awareness group, and a computer/Internet project. These experiences, and the valuable cultural exchange involved, helped prepare me for a rigorous graduate program in order to pursue a career in international relations and development work.
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