Cécil and Marí in Paraguay

After sleeping most of Sunday, in the afternoon we went out with our host mom and crossed the Paraguay River on a small boat. In the photo, you can see Marie and me trying Tereré for the first time. It is a very typical drink in this country, made from mate. And by typical, I mean that every single resident of this country walks around with a huge pitcher and drinks Tereré at any time of day or night.

Because people here have trouble pronouncing my very Western name, they affectionately call me Cécil. Marie has an advantage with her name, as it has its origins in the name of the mother of God, so Maria is relatively common in this heavily Christian country.

On Monday, we visited both the Pastoral Social (our local organization) and two hospitals. One is the San Jorge Hospital, which specializes in cardiology, and the Trauma Hospital. We are expected to gain experience in both hospitals. Currently, we are still waiting for the clinic management to sign off so that we can start working.

We used our day off yesterday to visit one of the markets in Asuncion. In addition to numerous clothing stalls, there was also fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, and fish. No matter who we spoke to, the Paraguayans were remarkably friendly and welcoming.