counterclockwise

As it turns out, a Paraguayan winter is a lot like a Tennessee spring. We arrived in this country during a vicious cold spell. It came close to breaking me, because (1) my winter clothes were in the suitcase that arrived a few days late and (2) it also took a few days to figure out how to work the odd shower heaters they have here. [Even in finer Paraguayan households, no one is so extravagant as to supply hot water to all the taps all the time. And since there are no dish- and clothes-washing machines, the only place you really need hot water is in the shower. Thus, the more fortunate households have a kind of mini water heater built into the shower head. They’re electric, about as dangerous as you’d suspect, and wildly varied in their efficacy.]

But the suitcase came, and some kind soul told me what I was doing wrong with the shower head, so here I still am. And sure enough, about the time I got it figured out, we moved into a warm spell. For the next three weeks, we had clear 80 degree days and 60 degree nights. We broke out the short sleeves, searched for the coldest beer in town, and had volleyball games.

Our host families, trainers, and neighbors have spent the last stretch of time telling us that it was going to rain again and/or get cold “in another two days.” It’d become something of a joke with us. “Sure, it’ll rain in two days. And next week we’ll get our site assignments, the summers will be pleasantly temperate, and politicians will keep their campaign promises.”

This last week, we’ve been told that it would rain “because of San Juan.” This is a religious feast day and secular fiesta celebrated close to the winter solstice every year. This year the feast happens today. And every year it, like my father’s birthday, is cold and rainy.

And wouldn’t you know it, this year has been no exception. Hello winter!

The Guaraní word of the day is ikatu. This is one of very few irregular verbs in the language, meaning “to be possible.” It’s irregular in the easiest way imaginable; it simply doesn’t conjugate for anyone, ever. Memorize the one form, and you’ve got it. It can also be used as an adjective or an adverb. For San Juan, rain ikatu!

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 24th, 2007 at 11:53 am and is filed under Guaraní, Pictures, General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.