Community Environmental Promoter

Community Environmental Promotors serve in rural villages to towns with populations from just 200 to over 30,000. Each Volunteer is assigned to serve in a community that will be located anywhere between 2 to 13 hours from the capital city of Asunción by public bus.

TRANSPORTATION: Public buses to Asunción from most communities are available, although some places may have infrequent service or require the Volunteer to connect multiple bus routes. Volunteers may need to bike or walk up to 6 miles in heat and humidity.

TEMPATURES: It can get into the 90s (Fahrenheit) with 80% humidity during the summer. The temperature can drop during the winter to be in the 40s (Fahrenheit). Most homes where Volunteers live do not have air-conditioning or heating.

HOUSING/AMENITIES: Volunteers typically have access to electricity, running water and local cell service in the community. However, temporary electricity and running water outages are common in many communities. Reliable Internet and Wi-Fi will be limited or not available in the community. Most Volunteers are within an hour’s of more reliable Internet. People in Paraguay use messaging apps, like WhatsApp that are capable of many functions without requiring access to strong Wi-Fi.

All Trainees are required to live with a host family for the 10 weeks of Pre-Service Training and the first two months of Volunteer service in their assigned communities. Some homes may be very basic, but they have all met or exceeded Peace Corps’ safety and security criteria.

TRAINING: During Pre-Service Training Trainees will receive specific training sessions on cultural differences and community integration that promote a healthy and safe lifestyle. There are training sessions and discussions about specific strategies for integration into Paraguayan culture. Peace Corps provides various training and support services recognizing that each person has a unique combination of cultural, experiences, values and assumptions.

FOOD: The Paraguayan diet is heavily based on meat; therefore, it can be challenging for vegetarians. The diet is also very high in carbohydrates and many meals involve more than one starch at a time (e.g. yuca and pasta or yuca and rice). In many Paraguayan families, manioc and meat are eaten almost daily. Fruits are available seasonally. Most communities have tomatoes, onions and green peppers, but limited access to other vegetables. Some Volunteers plant gardens to increase access to vegetables.

CLOTHING: Working situations range from manual labor in a field to facilitating lessons in a classroom to official meetings in a local government office. Paraguayans place importance on personal appearance, including cleanliness. Paraguayans may be offended by body odor or an unkempt appearance. Therefore, cleanliness and a neat appearance is important for Volunteers who represent the Peace Corps and host partner organizations. It is expected that Volunteers wear business casual clothing as a working professional would in the U.S. Most Paraguayans dress up for special occasions. In schools and offices - including the Peace Corps facilities, - “office casual” is appropriate (nice jeans, khakis, and knee-length skirts; button-down shirts or nice pullover blouses; closed-toed shoes or dressy sandals). Shorts, flip-flops, and tank tops are inappropriate except around the house or for recreational activities.

The pace of life is much slower than in the U.S. and decisions may take longer than one may have previously been accustomed to. Language barriers coupled with indirect communication styles can also pose challenges; however, most Volunteers are able to overcome these with effort and dedication. In general, Paraguayan communities are very welcoming to Volunteers and the program has an overall positive reputation in the country.

Read more about living conditions at: https://www.peacecorps.gov/paraguay/living-conditions

Learn more about the living conditions, including detailed information on culture, communications, housing, and health/crime statistics on our Paraguay country page. You can also delve into stories about local communities by reading our blog or Volunteer stories.