In this interview, we hear from Vasilios. Vasilios is a Peace Corps volunteer working as a Environment volunteer in Paraguay. What Vasilios shares gives us a better understanding of the work volunteers do. We learn about the challenges, rewards, and personal growth that happens from volunteering in a new place. Vasilios talks about living in a different country, working with local people, and dealing with surprise situations. Join us as we learn about Vasilios’s journey and see how volunteering with Peace Corps can change lives.
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
- Surprises and Challenges
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. Can you tell us more about serving as an Environment volunteer in Paraguay?
Environmental volunteers in Paraguay work on three major initiatives: tree planting, environmental education, and the Basura Cerro (zero trash) program. Volunteers typically work with local elementary schools and NGO’s.
I work with 4 – 6th grade at a local elementary school several times a week. I lead science classes, do activities and experiments, and work with students on various projects like creating a school garden and planting trees in the community.
I also have the opportunity to work with several government and non-profit organizations. My community is located near a 5,000-hectare national park. I have been working with park rangers and an NGO called OPADES to conduct a camera trap program to document the wildlife in the park and create effective management strategies.
2. What motivated you to join the Peace Corps and choose Paraguay?
I chose Paraguay because I was interested in conservation, specialized in Latin America as part of my international studies degree, and wanted to learn an indigenous language.
I first learned about the Peace Corps when I was 17 from my older sister’s friend who served in Indonesia. The prospect of adventure, internationalism, language acquisition, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact resonated deeply with me.
Throughout my undergraduate journey, my sense of purpose gradually intertwined with my academic pursuits. As both an activist and scholar, I’ve strived to merge my passion for community engagement with research, immersing myself in the communities I’ve been a part of.
I’ve dedicated my life to, collaborating with communities to address their most pressing needs. The Peace Corps is the ultimate school for learning how to meet those needs effectively. I aim to foster trust and communication through intimate collaboration and sustainable solutions, empowering individuals to shape their destinies.
Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
3. Tell us more about your home situation:
live in small rural community of around 150 people. The nearest town is 30 kilometers away. There is a small chapel, 3 small dispensas (convenience stores) that sell basic goods like milk and eggs, a primary school, and a small posada (hotel). At my community’s end is a beautiful national park with several waterfalls. Living in the countryside is incredibly peaceful, I get woken up to the sound of birds in the morning, see cows walking in the road, and get the chance to see the most incredible stars and sunsets.
I live alone in a small house with electricity, running water, and WI-FI along the main road. I have several guava and grapefruit trees surrounding the house that create a canopy that I hang my hammock and read under. I also have a small backyard where I plan on starting a garden.
Surprises and Challenges
4. What has surprised you most about Environment challenges in Paraguay?
Paraguay has lost over 90% of its forest over the last 30 years due to human encroachment and development. Cattle ranching and soybean production are the largest culprits as well as illegal logging. I have found that most individuals understand that this is a significant issue and that on a local and individual level, there is a growing effort to plant trees.
One of the most memorable experiences I’ve had, was when I was working with the principal of a local school during training. This individual created a nonprofit focused on replanting trees in local communities to help fight back against reforestation. He has self-funded this nonprofit, buying trees with money from his own pocket and relying on a mix of community donations and his resourcefulness to continue his goal. So far he has helped over 20 communities plant 1000 trees.
The passion, work ethic, and resourcefulness I have seen here give me a tremendous amount of hope for this country’s environmental future. Though it is a steep uphill battle there are people ready to fight.
5. What challenges did you face while working on Environment projects?
Adjusting to a slower working pace has been a significant struggle, things take time to develop and you don’t always have work to do every day. One of my Peace Corps language teachers gave me a saying that I draw on often: Sin Prisa, pero sin Pausa, “Without hurry, but without pause. I have only been at site for four months and coming to reevaluate the way I conceptualize work as a process that requires time and nurturing to develop has valuable learning experience.
6. Could you share some of the secondary projects you have been involved?
Working with the national park and an NGO called OPADES to create a camera trap program has been something I am incredibly excited about. The project has three main branches: Research, Education, and Economic Development.
Research: Little to no research in Paraguay has been done on conservation. Camera traps are motion-activated cameras that take a picture of an animal as it passes by. Through the establishment of a camera trap program, we can document the wildlife present in the national park and create a management plan to protect those species. I hope to work with park rangers to publish these results in a scientific journal.
Education: I am working with OPADES to create a series of certificate programs where students can learn how to use camera traps, ecology, and animal behavior based on the data we get from the camera traps. I am also training park rangers on how to store, manage, and analyze the data to ensure the sustainability of the project.
Economic Development: I am working with local business owners and tourism organizations to bring ecotourism to the area, with the hope that the images of the wildlife we obtain from the camera traps will be a way to attract more people to the area.
Advice and Support
7. What advice would you give to someone considering serving as an Environment volunteer in Paraguay?
Use this as an opportunity to be creative side. Everyone comes in with different skill sets and interests; find a way to fit your interests with the community’s needs. You wouldn’t believe how many skill sets outside of a traditional environmental context can be incredibly useful. Figuring out ways to connect different ideas often leads to some of the most unique and successful projects.
Also, take advantage of the free time you have and learn hobbies or explore ideas that you’ve been putting off. I have been writing a lot more, gardening, reading, and started several passion projects. These are all things that are going to be useful during and after service.
Use this as an opportunity to be creative.
Vasilios, PCV Paraguay
8. What skills or qualities do you think are most important for a Environment volunteer?
Knowing how to pivot and learning who and how to go about getting the resources for your idea is incredibly important. I have often had to talk to 3 or 4 different people to get to the next step of a project I am trying to do. Doing this helps build your network and makes future projects easier by giving you a road map.
9. How has the Peace Corps training helped you during your service?
Ask a lot of questions – you’re there to learn. The more you know ahead of time, the easier service will be. Also, make good relationships with Peace Corps staff, they will go out of their way to help you and act as great mentors.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. Anything that you packed or didn’t pack that you’d like to tell future Paraguay volunteers?
I wished I would have packed some form of gaming device. A switch or DS, or even a decent gaming laptop. You have an incredible amount of free time and playing games comforts you when things feel rough.
Spices and snacks from home are a MUST. Comfort flavors, break up the monotony of Paraguayan cuisine and are a huge mental health boost.
11. How has learning the language been?
Paraguay has two official languages: Spanish and Guarani. I came in with a healthy level of Spanish and am learning Guarani. Guarani has been challenging to learn. It’s unlike other languages I am used to speaking. Most people in the countryside speak Guarani – making it essential for community integration. I’m currently receiving tutoring from the teachers in my community. Everyone always appreciates when they see you making an effort.
Final Thoughts
12. Any last comments or observations?
Peace Corps service is hard. It is probably unlike anything you have ever experienced. Not all of it is romantic. Biting insects, heat, flooding, being away from friends and family and dealing with a diet, language, and culture that is unlike your own get the best of us. In those moments of frustration be gentle with yourself and understand that all of it will pass.
You are learning lessons, gaining experience, and opening your mind to a world that others have only dreamed of. If you can do this then you will be prepared for whatever comes next.
You are a Peace Corps Volunteer. Take pride in that.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or Paraguay Government.
