Hola! This past Wednesday Matt and I met up with a girl named Marlene we knew through my sister Jana. Marlene lives and works in Asuncion. I called her at the beginning of last week and she said her birthday was on Wednesday and invited us to come over Wednesday night. Since it was her birthday, she had friends come over, and we all went out to a nice bar called 904. We spent the whole evening there visiting, eating, and drinking. It was a so fun meeting people and visiting with them. In general, we talked about each others aspirations and Paraguayan culture and social/economic condition. Later in the evening we played pool and ate and drank more. It was a very wonderful time.
In the billiard room we met a guy from Canada, a friend of Marlene, named Vincent who is living and working in the slums west of Asuncion. He works through and organization called Un Techo Por El Paiz. They assist in constructing homes for the poor. He has lived in Paraguay for a year before (which is when he met and actually shared an apartment with Marlene), and is here again for a shorter time and will go back home to Quebec in December for Christmas. His first language was French, and he wishes to move to Vancouver next year and improve his English (though it was already quite good). Anyway, after that he intends on writing a book about the slums here, and return again. I think that is a really neat dream. Anyway, we visited with him quite a bit, and he said we could come help sometime before we live, so I hope we can do that. He said not to bring our cameras though because they would most surely be stolen.
Matt and I stayed the night in Marlene's apartment and Vincent did as well. The next morning we all went out to the biggest and most popular market in Asuncion. I'm not sure what to say, but it was just awesome. There were people everywhere selling all kinds of things. In the meat area there was just...everything, hearts, livers, intestines, etc... hanging from hooks or piled on the counter to be purchased. In the fish area there were gutted fish laying out or hanging as well. At a clothing store I bought a jersey from the Cerro football team, which is a local favorite team along with the club Olympia. There is a huge rivalry between the two teams here in Asuncion and, as I understand, in Paraguay in general. I can't count the times I've been asked whether I was for Cerro or Olympia, but now my answer is Cerro though I really don't care, haha. Matt bought an Olympia jersey, but hid it, and is playing the undecided card with the kids. I'm not sure which is better. The funny thing is, I plan to buy an Olympia jersey at some point, because I want to have both of them as souvenirs, but I don't dare tell anyone (and here I am announcing it on the web). I put my jersey on after buying it, as you see in the picure (the red and blue stripes), and when I came back to the Hogar one of the guys that gives me the hardest time and is never nice to me ran up to me and hugged me and gave me a high five. I've made some friends and made some enemies with my "decision", haha.
So, after the market we went to a place to eat, and after eating we went to some stores and street vendors around. Marlene had to go to work in the afternoon, so she left us with Vince and soon after Matt and I took a bus back to the Hogar office in Asuncion, and from there took a bus back to the Hogar in Capiata.
That's all for now! Here are some pictures:
This is Matt and I with Marlene in her apartment before we left for the market.
Matt in market.
Gutted fish in a cart. Yum.
There was a vendor with piranhas laying out. We talked to the lady a little and took some pictures. This is Vince with his finger in the mouth of one of the piranhas.
This is the restaurant we ate at after going to the market. We all had noquis which are my new favorite dish, at least in Paraguay. Surely we have these noodles/dough balls in the States, but I've never had them before, and they're great! 
This is one of the guys living here we call Chino (meaning Chinese in Spanish) because he looks Asian even though he's not. His real name is Ariel. Anyway, he is a really nice and funny guy. He has helped me a lot with my Spanish and is always encouraging.
From left to right this Alejandra (Ale), Carol, and Anja. Ale is one of Paty's adopted kids, Carol is one of the girls living at the orphanage, and Anja is one of the German girls who is volunteering here.
I bought the black hat (kepi) worn by Danny on the left in the market at the same place I bought my shirt. I was in my room with these guys, Danny and Armando, listening to music. Danny liked my hat so he put it on and started dancing with it, and Armando joined him.
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