I have often been amazed at how well our children play in spanish with their friends and then turn around and speak to us in english. And then if someone else walks up, it is as if the kids can automatically switch back and forth in between the two languages without any problem, depending on which language the person speaks. I tend to start speaking the wrong language with the wrong person when I get too many people around me who only speak either spanish or english and I have to switch back and forth.
One of my biggest fears is that when we move back to the states, my kids will forget all of their spanish! They were born here- the language and this country is a part of them. They love the people here and the people love them. It makes me so sad to think of them forgetting not only the language, but the people and the culture and all of the things that we love so much about Paraguay. I will truly miss the opportunity that living in a foreign country provides for my children to be bilingual. For me- it was hard to learn spanish! It made my brain hurt! I had to study a lot and make a lot of very embarrasing mistakes. I sat through many conversations that I barely understood a word of. But my kids- they just learned it. They never had to study and never got embarrased when they said something wrong. Kids are like little sponges! Their minds absorb every little thing they hear, see, touch and smell! (I think I missed one of the 5 senses in that!?) And sweet little Olivia just learned this week to say "agua". All three of them have said "agua" before the english word, water. I will miss hearing my kids switch back and forth between english and spanish in their every day lives.
But along with Paraguay and the opportunity to learn spanish, comes GREAT amounts of unbearable and indescribable heat! And not just normal heat- this heat carries lots of humidity with it. An average day here in the summer is around 100degrees. And many days go well above the 100 degree mark. The heat index, which is taken under a roof in the shade, not out in the sun, is often above 110. So, if you are out in the street (where the heat comes back up at you), and you are standing directly in the sun- we are talking HOT! And this heat also brings with it lots and lots of mosquitos. And many carry lovely diseases such as Dengue! I get so tired of having to cover myself and the kids from head to toe in bug repelent. We have to do it every night before we got to bed and every day so they can play outside. And on days like today, when we leave the doors open a lot, the entire house is full of mosquitos. And for some reason, they really like the smell of me and the kids. Paraguayans leave their doors and windows open all the time to keep fresh air in and to help keep the house cooler, but they don't get eaten alive like we do. I just don't get it. But if one mosquito gets in my house- we have bites all over and itch for a week! So, I definately will not miss the long, hot summers of Paraguay. (Although going to the swimming pool in November and December while everyone in the U.S. is freezing, is kinda fun!)
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