All day, I was doing computer work, sending out e-mails, filling out applications (more like paste and copying shit from last year's grant applications), and you know what I really found out...? is that logistics and writing in the computer is not really my strongest feat. That's one thing I've learned being here. You can send me out in the field, bathe me with the rays of the sun, put me in front of a crowd, work me like a mule, but sitting with the computer all day will not give me the air to breathe. I am the action man after all. Get it done!

After the not so inspiring part of the day, I called it even and did a couple of rounds at lexulous. This is Peace Corps 2010. With other volunteers, scrabble online sometimes makes the day.

But it gets better. There was a storm brewing. While all day the sky looked like it couldn't make up it's mind until it finally gave up. It hasn't rain in weeks and we could really use it. For me personally, the garden. The everyday watering them, sometimes twice, just ain't cutting it. When the sky finally started crying, the sound of every droplets were like bullets to the land. Seriously making a bomb of a sound, each drops proclaiming they are coming. After the strong gush of winds, a huge downpour for atleast 3 hours came. This resulted to no electricity, leading to no water, but not as much of an event as turning off the life of the pueblo. No electricity means no water in this pueblo. But I am not about to complain. I saved up some, enough to last 'til tomorrow before the town cap out the tank. I actually realized the need of water after I had been a couple of hours in on the blackout. The most amazing thing to notice is the silence of the pueblo during and after the rain. I think everyone, or I feel like everyone went to bed right when it got dark. It was total silence. Nothing but the sound of the frogs in the background.

The afternoon passed, with no electricity and no form of electronic entertainment (the battery of my computer ran out of juice), I found myself detached to the world. The world without man-made light and without man-made digital noise. It was freedom. I haven't found myself in this position in awhile, the last was when I was living up north in Concepcion and that was a whole different amazing experience caused by another storm. Although I enjoy the technology that man has made through our times, I appreciate some quality time being with nature and being detached from digital technology. I had company with me the storm, no electricity, my guitar, a rolled tobacco, a couple of cups of coffee, and some pure alone time. Use the imagination and picture how nice it could be because it sure was. (There was the two stray dogs hanging out in my front porch trying to find refuge from the storm. Witness to my enjoyment. I let them chill there while the storm passed.) I can honestly say, as I came into a realization while being in the experience, that what just happened this afternoon was one of the best moments in my life being here in Paraguay. I really am getting to appreciate some alone time. I am very happy with myself to the company of myself. It's a very nice feeling to have. I did smile and have a happy feeling inside. We say that there's always a calm before the storm. I can apply that in every level, in different angles, about what I've been having as my thoughts this past week about the rhythm of my work. But a BIG BUT, this time, I can say that I found the calm IN the storm.

The electricity came on. Around 9 pm. Before that, I spent the last dark 2 hours of the night reading and laughing with Troost's "The Sex Lives of Cannibal" around some candles.

Having a great encounter with myself and nature, today turned out to be a very good and memorable one. Cannot wait to peek in the garden tomorrow morning. A week from tomorrow and I'm back states side again. Congratulations to a very solid friend, John Yamashita.