Does this look like the Indian Consulate?

We'll be stopping in India for a week on our way to Kenya in January since we already had tickets to return there.  To save time and money, Mandy and I were hoping to get our tourist visas for India while here in Paraguay.  The Indian visa website lists a consulate here in Asunción, Paraguay.  We scribbled down the address and began walking around the city trying to find it.  We found the right street, but we couldn't see the consulate anywhere.  We were so confused.  We asked several people for help, but they could only point us in the direction that the address should be.  Finally we went into Goodyear Tires and asked one of the employees if he knew where the consulate was.  He just simply pointed to the Chevy dealership and said, "It's up there."  [Insert our blank stares here.]

Sure enough, on the second floor, inside the dealership, above the car salesmen's desks, lies the Indian consulate of Paraguay.  It's a small closet with a desk and a few chairs.  The Paraguayan woman who operates it explained that they don't really do visas.  They only collect people's needed documents and mail them to the embassy in Argentina...for a fee.  Of course, she explained that we could do the same thing for less money using DHL.  The whole process takes at least a week.  Needless to say, we don't have our visas yet.

And though we still have no idea what the Indian consulate in Paraguay actually does all day, we do have to thank the Indian government for their contribution to the American auto industry.

Martin Burt featured on I Prize Peace

I don't know how many of you have checked out our other blog www.iprizepeace.blogspot.com.  Each Monday, we post a short spotlight of a social innovator.  It's a fun side project for us.  It helps us learn about social entrepreneurship, do graphic design, and write.

Anyway, this week's post is about Martin Burt, who created the self-sufficient school where we are right now.  We thought it was fitting to spotlight him before we left this school in Paraguay.  If you are interested to learn more about him, there's a short bio, website links, and a cool youtube video on our I Prize Peace blog.

Only one more week in Paraguay.  Crazy.

Graduation & Summer Begins

Graduation was one week ago.  Fifty students received their diplomas to thunderous applause from family, friends...and us.  After the ceremony, there was a fancy dinner, an awards ceremony, a promenade, and then a dance for everyone outside in the courtyard that lasted until 2 AM.  So, basically we ate, drank, and were merry.  Though some of us were only drinking Fanta.  We had never seen the school so busy and loud and festive.  It was a lot of fun. 

The next morning, the school was silent.  Summer had officially started here at La Escuela Agricola San Francisco.  Apparently the slow life here can get even slower.  But not just for us.  Now everyone seems to be moving at a snail's pace.  But that's probably a good thing because it's really hot.  Don't want to overexert ourselves and pass out in the sun.

But this past week has been a good one.  I finished the English curriculum, which is my biggest contribution in the past three weeks.  That and some English classes.  Tay and I are finishing up a website for the school's hotel.  Tay's also finishing some advertisements that they've asked him to do.  Honestly, his graphic design skills have made him very popular here.  He has created stickers, order forms, and posters.  He has good designing skills.  Kind-of like Napolean Dynamite.  And self-sufficient schools only want interns with good skills.

Anyway, one more week here.  Then we'll be back home for Christmas.  :)