Small Pond

I might teach some of the big fish in this town, but in the grand scheme of things I have to say that Asuncion is a small pond. I feel that I can say that with some authority. The reason? Anywhere that teachers are matter of factly included in events which also include multiple of ambassadors, government officials and even Miss Paraguay, the pool of individuals cannot be that large. This is exactly the kind of event I found myself at last Thursday. The first of October the South Korean embassy celebrated Foundation Day for South Korea (actually on the third, it commemorates the founding of the first state of the Korean nation). I went for the food, to be perfectly honest, but found myself intrigued by the people watching and the entertainment. In some ways I wish I had had a guide to point out who people were as I wandered about the back yard, past the pool and tennis court to the food tents which were by the waterwheel. The one person who was easily identified was Miss Paraguay, thanks to her crown and sash. After a bite to eat we were informed that the young girls would be performing a fan dance for us. These girls, who attend a Korean School on Saturday to ensure that they do not lose the Korean culture, were actually quite good. In their green and pink national costumes they turned, circled and waved through the dance. All in all an enjoyable evening for me which was nothing like I had ever expected to experience in Asuncion.