Paraguay!!?

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Wade R

Paraguay's really a hidden gem. In terms of food, chipas, empanadas, and sopa paraguaya are a few that come to mind. Meals are an important cultural aspect--they're taken as a family.

The main tourist attraction is probably the Iguazu Falls on the border of Brasil (Ciudad del Este in Paraguay, Foz de Iguacu in Brasil). World's largest hydroelectric dam, and a beautiful series of waterfalls. Plus, monkeys.

The entire Chaco region doesn't have much going on, to be honest. There are a few wildlife reserves. From a tourist standpoint, historical sites from the Chaco War and the War of the Triple Alliance might be worth seeing. If you're into history. Otherwise, catch a soccer game. Paraguay won the football silver medal in the 2004 summer Olympics (losing to neighbors and rivals Argentina). The two big club teams in Paraguay are Cerro Porteno and Olimpia.

Exports-wise, it's mostly agricultural exports. Meat, leather, wood. Also, some electricity is exported courtesy of the hydroelectric dam.

Paraguay has two national languages: Spanish and Guarani. Guarani is widely spoken, and taught--in fact, there are large regions where it is the lingua franca. Even the city-slickers know it (with varying degrees of proficiency), and everyone knows how to throw a Guarani curse or two.

One of the most prominent cultural items is terere. A traditional tea-like drink consumed from a 'guampa' through a special straw (bombilla), it is consumed absolutely everywhere. Bus and taxi drivers will pour, share, and drink terere with both hands while cruising down the road. It's nice and refreshing, especially in the hot Paraguayan sun.

There was a book written about Paraguay not too long aho; I think it was called "At the Tomb of The Inflatable Pig". Might be worth a read, if you're really interested.

For more statistical information, search for the "CIA World Factbook on Paraguay" online.

teresa r

I went there as a Xchange student in 92. Strossner was just booted in a coup and the country was going through the election process.

1. Paraguay had a huge war about 150 years ago. It wiped out about 80% of their men. This resulted in men having many wives and women having a huge role in supporting themselves. The ratio is 50:50 now, but the attitudes are basicly the same.
2. NEVER use the a-ok sign. It's a vulgar sign for ***hole.
3. They love bland food, but they also make killer meat empanadas, chipas (BBQ toasted cheese bread), and pork kebobs.
4. Public schooling means almost everybody can read, unless they are in the Chaco. (countryside)
5. They love to drink Yerba Mate. It's a holly tea that is medicinal. It's kind of bitter, but is pretty good. It is almost as strong as coffee. It is a shared drink, they make it in a large cup and sip from a bombilla (straw with a strainer) and pass it on.
6. They don't say tu for you. They use vos for informal you and make a z sound when they make the ll sound. Ella sounds like ezya.
7. They speak both Guarani and spanish and are pretty superstitious about some things.

I hope this helps.

AJRimmer

well as beef is so plentiful there you can eat fillet steak for virtually nothing and no one goes hungry...
last i heard, asuncion still has no drainage!
and it is landlocked with vast areas of desert/scrub land

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