Carne

So much of it.  All the time.  Paraguayans say that if it doesn't have carne (meat) it's not a food.  And they are not exaggerating.  Mostly because in comparison it is rather cheap here and everyone feels macho eating and cooking it.  And who doesn't want to feel macho?   I have started to become accustomed to eating ridiculous amounts of meat and definitely their version of steak is the most delicious.  Fried, grilled, stewed, any form really Paraguayans eat the carne.  

I've seen the whole process from killing the cow to eating for dinner and it's fairly interesting how here in the campo a lot of jobs revolve around this process.  People literally have set days where they sell meat. For instance, my first host family kills a cow every thursday morning at 3:00 am because people come at 6:00 or 7:00 to find the most delicious meat.  And this one cow a weak income from the meat sales is enough to support the family for a week.  Crazy.  Also having cows is a lot of work.  People have to wake up extremely early and milk them so that milk is available when people want it and then bring them to the fields, often a good distance so they can eat grass.  Then later in the day they go back to bring back the cows.  So it's definitely more work than I ever knew and a way that a lot of people make their income in my community.  Interesting fun facts for you.  And also, the view of the grocery store meat section for ya.  I didn't ask how much a pig head costs....

And on a side note... Congratulations to my little princesita on her high school graduation!  You did it!  And thanks to paraguayan's internet or cooperating for once and letting me see the whole thing. Lots of love from Paraguay Sierra!!