Paraguayan: ”Te hallas, Katy?”
Me: “Hêe, che avy’a ko’ape”
Every time I meet somebody new (literally. every single time), I can expect to be asked the same exact question. The question usually asked to me in Spanish, is figuratively translated to mean, “are you happy?” but literally translates to “have you found yourself?” To which, I always respond in Guarani by saying “yes, I have found myself here.”
I love that I can always (ALWAYS) expect to be asked the same question, no matter who it is I meet or where I meet them. Whether I’m hitching a ride with the construction workers out of my site, running into an old señora walking down the street, or just joking around with a group of humans, I can si o si (literally meaning “yes or yes” or figuratively meaning “no matter what”) expect to be asked if I’m happy.
Happiness is important to Paraguayans. My brother informed me before I left for the Peace Corps that Business Insider, or Forbes, (or some time of journaly business thing like that), did a world ranking of happiness and Paraguay was listed as the world’s happiest country (if I get good enough internet I’ll try to find this article**).
Me: “Hêe, che avy’a ko’ape”
Every time I meet somebody new (literally. every single time), I can expect to be asked the same exact question. The question usually asked to me in Spanish, is figuratively translated to mean, “are you happy?” but literally translates to “have you found yourself?” To which, I always respond in Guarani by saying “yes, I have found myself here.”
I love that I can always (ALWAYS) expect to be asked the same question, no matter who it is I meet or where I meet them. Whether I’m hitching a ride with the construction workers out of my site, running into an old señora walking down the street, or just joking around with a group of humans, I can si o si (literally meaning “yes or yes” or figuratively meaning “no matter what”) expect to be asked if I’m happy.
Happiness is important to Paraguayans. My brother informed me before I left for the Peace Corps that Business Insider, or Forbes, (or some time of journaly business thing like that), did a world ranking of happiness and Paraguay was listed as the world’s happiest country (if I get good enough internet I’ll try to find this article**).