Springtime

With all the herbs they have here in Paraguay, here is one that corresponds with their strong sense of superstition. My colleague Carol brought some of the “potion” to work, so I had to try it out. It tasted fairly bad, but I'm certain I tasted worse cocktails in my teenage years. For a stab at good luck and health for a year I’ll readily put up with it. We all must brace ourselves for changes since we will inevitably meet them--things fortunately never stay the same. New challenges and circumstances are what keep the world looking new! Although I am always quite resistant and am always as shocked as anyone, stumbling across change always presents opportunities to learn about ourselves, see a perspective that we may have been missing, and force us to keep questioning what's next. Drink up!

Translated from ABC Digital on the first: "Today is the day to drink a few swigs of the famous “Carrulim,” whose name derives from the three components of the drink: caña (an alcohol of fermented sugar), ruda (a leaf), and limón . A toast to your health, the ingredients frighten away evils and protect the health, according to Guaraní belief.

Since ancient times Paraguay has believed that the month of August brings with it misfortune and bad luck, or the famous “yeta.” To avoid these malas ondas, Paraguayans recommend that a shot of carrulim be drank on the first day of the month.

According to Guaraní witch doctors and grandparents, the first of August of every year is the ideal time to drink the potion, because this is the day that the second half of the year begins. Popular belief also says also that carrulim as a drink brings good luck to those who drink it, regardless of the fact that it’s only a spoonful.

According to the tradition the potion purifies and renovates the blood, to make the person healthy throughout the rest of the year. Faithful to this custom, vendors of herbs and remedies which have street kiosks across the country have offered since Wednesday the famous potion in bottles or small jugs."

In the previous post I wrote that an Argentinian originally proposed Dia Del Amigo, but I learned that it was indeed a Paraguayan named Enrique Bracho who proposed the Day ten years earlier. Proud to say that they are humble, though, no Paraguayan makes a fuss about it and lets the Argentinians enjoy the credit.