Bienvenidos!

My name is Anthony Risalvato.  I am a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Itapúa, Paraguay.  My volunteer work is in environmental conservation, waste management, and English education.

Prior to joining Peace Corps, I graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. and then with a J.D. from Rutgers Law School in Newark, NJ.  I was a practicing litigation attorney in New York and New Jersey for nearly seven years before pressing pause on my legal career to join Peace Corps.

About the Blog

I hope this blog serves as more than just a way to update you on how things are going here in Paraguay, but as a way to include each of you with me on this journey.  Feel free to drop a comment or send me a message with any questions that arise.  There are no stupid questions.  The blog also serves as a means to accomplishing one of the goals of my Peace Corps service, which is to help promote a better understanding of the Paraguayan people on the part of Americans.

The blog’s name, Ahata Aju, is a Guaraní phrase that means “I am going and will return.” While not taken literally when used here, it captures the sentiment of “it’s not a goodbye, but only a see you later.”  It’s the sentiment I have each time I leave the United States, how I hope I’ll feel when I leave Paraguay, and how I hope you feel each time you finish reading one of my posts.

To your right (or below if you’re on a mobile device), you will see a Goodreads widget, which shows the book I am currently reading.  If you’ve read or are reading the book on my Goodreads widget, feel free to send me your thoughts.  And if you have any book recommendations, send those my way, too!