In this interview, you’ll hear from Ian Blume, a Peace Corps (Community Economic Development) CED volunteer in Paraguay. Ian shares what daily life looks like, the work being done, and how service has shaped their personal and professional growth. You’ll learn about housing, cultural differences, project work, language learning, and what it’s like to live and work in a new country. This interview offers a real look into Peace Corps service and what future volunteers can expect.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises and Challenges
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Social Identity
- Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. What do you do as a Peace Corps CED volunteer in Paraguay?
My main responsibilities are tied to collaborating on projects with the schools at my site and working alongside the municipality, another favorite counterpart for volunteers here in Paraguay.
I wasn’t aware how early the day started when you are living in more rural areas, so I had to adapt. I wake up at 5:30 am and walk to my school. I love greeting the students and seeing the administrative staff. As a CED volunteer, my work is heavy on teaching students topics related to entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and savings. However, as most businesspeople will tell you, these principles need to be applied in the real world to make the most out of it. Therefore, this last year, my focus was on helping high school students at site to implement their own businesses – regardless of how small they started.
Each day, I worked with accounting and economics teachers wherever they indicated they could strengthen their curriculum. Most of the hard work is really done behind the scenes when preparing for a class. So, when I am not in a class session, I am mostly preparing the lesson materials for the week. This method was replicated in a total of four schools and one university since the beginning of my service back in 2024.
2025 was also a year in which each of my days was partially dedicated to helping the newer volunteers or serving as an extension to the Peace Corps as they partnered with other entities, such as the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. This amazing work was geared towards assisting small and medium-sized enterprises in Paraguay with better and more tools for their success, modernization, and growth.
2. Why did you decide to join the Peace Corps and serve in Paraguay?
This is about giving back to the United States, a country that has given my family so much since moving there in 2015. But this is also about my future and my passion because no other experience in economic development can match that of working directly on the ground while being part of the community.
As an Argentinian-American, I have a special love for this continent. I remember looking out the car window when I was living in Buenos Aires and seeing the marginalized neighborhoods on the other side of the street. I was going to a private elementary school (by car), and right in front of me, there were homeless kids my age without anything to eat that day. “What can I do to help them?” I remember asking myself. The Peace Corps is part of the answer to a lifelong response. I want to help my Latin Americans thrive and attain more and better opportunities for their future.
Paraguay is at the heart of South America, with an incredibly rich culture and history. I did not know much about it before coming here, even though I have a degree in International Affairs with a concentration in Latin America. This was my opportunity to understand better the land I belong to; to learn a new language -Guarani- and to experience another layer of this beautiful region and its people.
I was preparing chipa guazu with my host mom. She is a wonderful lady that lives in a small town near the capital (Asuncion). I stayed with her and her grandson for 10 weeks during PST. The whole family lives in the same town and have been super welcoming to me since getting to Paraguay. I still remain in close contact with her and have gone several times to pay a visit. We generally have a good asado (barbecue), chipa and make some time to make a fool of myself playing soccer.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. What is your housing like in Paraguay?
I consider myself lucky. I used to bike 70+ miles every week, just getting to my school from my host family’s house. Now I live in a relatively modest duplex with an attic right in the corner of my main high school. I have two rooms, a dining room, a nice kitchen, some garden space, and even a veranda! Although there are some leaks in my roof (a new one that decided to fall right in my bed and had me moving all my furniture at 11 pm) and a rooster whose favorite spot to crow is in a tree next to my room, I can’t complain.
The house was empty when I moved in. I quickly used Peace Corps housing funds to get myself the basics (a bed, a fridge, a table, some chairs, and a drawer). Little by little, good deals came around, and now my duplex is fully equipped, and you can even find some decorations!
4. What moments or interactions stand out during your service?
Besides the memorable moments when I first met my cohort back in D.C. for our PST days, I carry with me that bunch of kids with whom I was able to build a special trust, and our relationship became that of a mentor-mentee. I am blessed with having met such wonderful people.
Whether it be regarding academics, sports, an entrepreneurial project, professional life, or just a curiosity, our conversations are super gratifying and insightful. Sometimes I lose track of whose mentoring who, because of how much I have learned from these amazing youngsters. I learned that it’s not about how many people you reach, but rather the depth of your impact, that really matters.
My site used to have a vibrant chess community which even spilled over the school curriculum! After the pandemic it died down and now I am working with the chess instructors to promote the sport once again. Our main focus are the younger kids who attend elementary school. The goal is to teach strategy, critical thinking and healthy competition through chess.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about living or working in Paraguay?
“Tranquilopa” – that word, which blends Spanish and Guarani, roughly means, “take it easy.” Now, we are used to the fast-paced life in the United States, but here I was caught off guard by my self-made need to do everything, all at once. Learning from the Paraguayan culture, I saw myself laughing more, practicing patience, embracing ambiguity, and lacking structure. All these “tranquilopa” attributes have actually made me more productive, more present, and focused on the tasks at hand.
6. What challenges have you faced in your CED work, and how did you respond?
My main challenge is to serve as a helping hand that guides small entrepreneurs in the community. That is because Paraguayans here don’t expect you to be there all the time, and that can be frustrating when you made a commitment with someone and their project. I tended to feel indispensable for the business to succeed, but I learned that too much attention can suffocate the project and your relationship. The owners want to succeed as much as you do. After all, it’s their bottom line.
It took me a while to understand that people appreciate guidance and collaboration, not someone who takes over an idea and forces others to follow. During my service, I found that the more productive and fruitful relationships prospered when others called on you. You will need some time before you take your next step. In the meantime, grab your terere (traditional Paraguayan tea) and have some fun watching your work come to life.
7. What secondary projects have you worked on during your service?
- English teaching (an amazing strategy for inserting into the community).
- Swimming coach over the summer.
- Helping other neighboring volunteers from other sectors.
- Creating a vegetable garden at my school.
- Collaborating with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Paraguay.
- Having a nation-wide online English club for businesses.
This picture with the two ladies to my right was taken at IST. They are my two counterparts, and amazing teachers from which I learned a ton – especially given my lack of knowledge giving a lesson before coming to Paraguay. They are holding certificates given by PC and a wooden box. That box is used as a savings piggy bank in the schools I work at. Most of our work as CED is based on promoting financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills. This box is where a given group of students will save their money (each in their own packets) for a set objective.
Advice and Support
8. What advice would you give to future CED volunteers in Paraguay?
- Go for it. Have fun and build your network. Paraguay’s volunteers are blessed with such an amazing team that is ready to help you each step of the way to make your service the best it can be.
- Learn how to be patient but also be bold in giving it your all when the right moment comes to make an impact in your community.
- I found that the more you move, the better time I had and the more I enjoyed my service.
- Cherish it because it really goes by faster than I imagine
9. How did Peace Corps training prepare you for service?
More than anything, Peace Corps training sessions (PST, IST, MST, etc.) were useful to reconnect to the purpose of why you are here, which sometimes can be carried away when you spend so much time out deep in the country. I was able to regain confidence knowing that I wasn’t alone, that there was an entire team of professionals wanting me to be successful.
Training also served as a way of reuniting many familiar faces of our cohort and having fun telling each other our unique stories so far as volunteers. I know that for a lot of us, it was also a relaxing time where we finally got to speak in English without the need to translate complex sentences in our heads. These were crucial periods to come back stronger and tackle whatever projects we had back at site.
Another interesting place is the “Marco Das Tres Fronteiras” – where you see me sitting on the floor in front of the sign that says “Brasil, Paraguay, Argentina”. This is a geographical region where 3 cities (each on their respective countries) are separated by two rivers that converge. A few miles down, that same body of water makes its way into the famous Iguazu Falls, one of the 7 wonders of the world, a breathtaking and unforgettable scene indeed. Actually, one of the other pictures I sent you is me standing with on a platform overlooking the falls from the Brazilian side (you can also visit it from the Argentinian side).
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. What would you tell future volunteers to pack—or leave behind?
Pack:
- portable batteries: unstable electricity is the norm
- formal clothes for work: same attire as if you were working corporate pretty much – sometimes you’ll even be invited to a special event where you have to dress up nicely
- some pictures of family members
- warm jackets: Paraguay is known for being a brutally hot country, but make no mistake, winters here are tough too when you lack hot water or an AC
- sportswear: mental health is key!
- some savings: keep in mind you might continue to have expenses back home
- textbook guide you use to study for a postgraduate degree like a Master’s or PhD: it is important to use your time wisely so you are prepared for life post-Peace Corps
11. How has language learning been for you in Paraguay?
PST (Pre-Service Training) has been more than important in helping me lay the foundation to learn Guarani. I am a native Spanish-speaker, so all my focus was put on the other language from the get-go. The Peace Corps also provided us with textbooks and offered tutoring classes. In my community, residents speak ‘jopara’, which is a hybrid between Spanish and Guarani, so I didn’t have to be completely fluent in both languages, but good enough to alternate between both of them.
Paraguayans will appreciate your effort and will even help you structure new phrases. So, during your service, the other significant language practice work should be dedicated to getting to talk to people in both languages. Oftentimes, they will see that you are struggling and will try to continue the conversation in Spanish. Don’t hold back; let them know you are interested in learning both languages and need some practice.
This was taken on Paraguay’s highest point above the sea level. Not too much of “mountain” – when compared to other peaks in the US or around the world – since it’s only about 800m tall. However it calls for a fun adventure and beautiful trail where you can camp and gaze at a massive number of stars on a clear night. The mountain is called “Tres Kandu” and is located near a German colony. What we weren’t aware of is that we had to add an additional 7kms hike through dirt roads just to get to the base. That made quite a challenge considering the remarkable heat and the constant weight carried on our bags.
Social Identity
12. How has your personal identity shaped your service experience?
I was born in Argentina, Paraguay’s neighboring country to the south. We share a lot of similarities in culture, language, and traditions. Even our history as a nation was influenced by some of the same factors. I also come from a Catholic background, a religion that is still very strong across Paraguay.
These personal identity traits facilitated my process of inserting myself in the community right from the start. At the same time, much of my character was forged during my adolescent years while living in Florida. That meant carrying with me a more competitive and individualistic mentality – much of it which was incompatible with the culture here.
So, I had to learn and adapt from that identity of mine. I never refrain wholly from who I was; rather, I sought a balance, and since then, my service has been much more pleasant and full of emotions. I now get to compare and contrast all three countries (Argentina, the US, and Paraguay) in their different identities.
13. Did your identity lead to specific challenges or situations?
Locals saw me as somewhat too direct and results-oriented. My ideas fell on mute ears and disinterested individuals. It was frustrating to see all the apparently good projects going to waste because I lacked the understanding of how to adapt and communicate in their way, not mine.
Peace Corps is not just about reporting activities, amassing big projects, and changing the reality of an entire town/city. It’s about building relationships, letting them naturally take shape. More times than I would like to admit, I was giving unsolicited advice and actually slumping my aspirations.
14. What advice do you have for volunteers who share your identity?
It is OK to try to blend in (I would actually recommend it) before gradually and carefully revealing your identity to your community. To some, it might be too much of a shock to see someone like you, an American who has different values and ways of life. Be humble, acknowledge their identity first, after all, you are the one in their country. Once those relationships have been solidified, you can show them who you are and why you are that way. Two years is plenty of time to get used to someone who might not share all the identity traits you possess.
Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
15. If you share content online, how has that shaped your service?
I do share content in two ways, through LinkedIn – aimed at my professional network-, and WhatsApp – a very useful channel to spread the word on events planned at site.
I want to keep a record of important marks in my service that cater to my professional life. That is when I use LinkedIn. I found this a great opportunity to connect with further volunteers and prepare myself for what is to come after service.
WhatsApp, on the other hand, has been incredibly practical in simplifying the way I interact with my community in the digital setting. Locals absolutely love posting their latest on their status and keep up with everything that’s been going on. I didn’t use it before service; however, now it’s almost a daily means to promote an event, bounce ideas, stay connected, and collaborate with more people.
16. What final advice would you share with future volunteers?
You are here as representatives of the United States. Do everything to live up to that expectation. Take this opportunity to give back everything this country has done for you, because it will go by fast. Serving is the most patriotic act one can do.
Are you thinking about joining the Peace Corps? If you’re curious about service and ready for something new, apply today. Like Ian, you can live abroad, work with communities, and grow in ways you didn’t expect. Apply to the Peace Corps and take the next step.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Paraguay Government.
