Lucy Rose's South American Adventure: Paraguay

My contact there was a girl called Alejandra, who emailed me around nine months ago asking me to come. I really had no idea what Paraguay was like and only when I arrived did I understand why she thought it was mad that I had come.

She told me that lots of bands and people travelling around South America would skip coming to Paraguay, maybe because many see it as a dangerous country. I knew none of this, I just knew there was a girl emailing me asking me to come play music in her city so I came.

During our stay in Paraguay, Alejandra and her two best friends Belen and Fernando looked after us and we became the closest of friends. I was meant to have a day off the first night of our stay but just a month or so ago an email dropped into my inbox from a man called Rodrigo, who owns his own production company and many venues across Asuncion, asking if I could play at one of his venues. I forwarded it to Alejandra asking for her advice. She had initially contacted them months before this asking if they could help but they weren’t interested so she was slightly bemused but said that they were the biggest bookers in Asuncion so maybe it would be good for me to do a show with them and I agreed.

They told me I would play Morgan Warehouse the first evening in Asunción. It turns out Morgan Warehouse is a bar for the richest people in Asuncion. They let the event be free entry but the drinks and food were very expensive and attracted the completely wrong crowd for my music. My fans had to stand to the side of the venue while I played to people sitting at reserved tables having drinks with friends, not my fans and they certainly weren’t interested in listening to me play music.

After two playing two painful songs where the noise of the crowd was so loud I could barely hear myself I decided that this wasn’t right. I’ve done so many gigs like this in the past, crowds not listening but I hadn’t flown all the way to Asuncion for this. I told the people that had come to see me I would be playing at the front of the venue acoustically if anyone wanted to come. Five minutes later I was playing to a crowd of fans outside, in the silence where they could hear me.

The night turned out to be one of the most special nights of this trip because I got to know them really well. Most of them were musicians themselves, explaining that every gig of their lives in Asuncion were like the one I had just walked out. The next day we went exploring Asunción with Ale, Fernando and Belen. We had a lunch of traditional Paraguayan food; chipa, mbeju, pajagua, mascada, pastel mandi’o and chipa so’o. It was like no food I’d ever eaten before and was super delicious.

We wandered around downtown Asuncion after lunch, down Palma Street to Pantheon de los Heros and Palacio de Gobierno, towards the river that had recently flooded.

During the flood many people lost their homes and are now living in wooden huts along the river. We walked past the Congress Building which is right opposite where these people are living in such desperate conditions. It might be just the point of view of the people I met in Paraguay but it seems that no-one here is happy with their government's current choices. I saw articles about indigenous people being forced out of their homes so that logging companies can use the land. But 70% of the population here are under 30 years old so there is a huge movement and hope for change.

The night before my second show I was sitting in Belen’s bedroom where we were staying, I was writing a song and Fernando was chilling in the room with us. Suddenly I saw that Fernando was crying. We spoke for a while about everything. He started by saying “you’ve come to a really messed up country”. I was really taken aback. Everywhere else we’ve been I’ve been met by people who are so proud of their country and the way things are going but here there is a lot of pain and frustration. Fernando said that Paraguay is the place he was born, he will live and die here, it’s his home but it certainly isn’t easy for him to live here. Next thing I knew, Fernando, myself and Will were all crying. We’d come to care immensely about Fernando. It was hard to see him in so much pain but he just asked me to keep playing music so I did.

I’ve learnt during this trip that music works in different ways for people. Some music is really emotive and makes you think about everything, good and bad things but it really can make you feel something. Some people embrace this and others don’t like it because they don’t want to think about all these things. But for Fernando, music is oxygen, it’s something he needs in his life to survive and this is the case for many people. I’ve felt that before and I’m sure you have to, especially when going through a really hard time, music can be the only comfort you can find. The gig that evening was at a restaurant called El Urbano, Alejandra had booked it herself, which wasn’t an easy task in Paraguay as there aren’t very many venues and most of them you have to rent in your own sound system which is expensive. But El Urbano were amazing. They rented in all the equipment, a sound engineer and they had built a stage outside of the restaurant and it was free entry again.

I was nervous about the show because of what had happened the night before but it was a lovely kind atmosphere and I really enjoyed the show. The British Embassy came along to support me which was a nice surprise and we spoke a lot about Paraguay, the good and the bad. They said things are changing here and I was really taken aback when they said me coming to play free shows in Paraguay was apart of that change. I hope that change is coming and hope other bands come and experience this amazing country and meet the people who are so inspiring.

I spent the rest of the evening talking to fans that had come to the show. One gave me an amazing Paraguayan hammock which I’m sending home and many just said they couldn’t believe I was in Asuncion. It was a truly awesome evening.

We headed back with Belen to her house for just five hours' sleep as our bus to Encarnación left first thing in the morning. We were meant to be going to Encarnación alone to meet a girl called Vicky but Ale, Belen and Fernando all bought tickets and came with us which made the adventure even more special. Vicky is a friend of Ale. They met for the first time when they were flying to Santiago to see a gig together. It seems many people here met friends through music and loving the same bands and then they make plans to go to see shows together. Vicky works at her parents' hostel in Encarnación which is on the border between Paraguay and Argentina and it’s a beautiful town.

We settled in quickly and met Vicky’s friends, including a girl called Luján who helped Vicky organise the show. We soon all became a gang of friends and it was like no other experience on this trip.

We all piled in and out of Vicky’s car, drove round looking at the sights, watched the sunset and I felt like a kid again.

Vicky showed me the first tweet she ever sent me back in 2011 asking me to come to Paraguay, so long ago but she keep asking until five years later we made it happen.

The show was at an Irish pub called Galway, who had allowed it to be free entry like I wanted but it made me worry that most people in the pub were there just to drink with friends and weren’t there to see me. But I had my group of new friends there with me so I didn’t care, I was just going to play for them. However, I was wrong, when I started playing at 1am, the entire pub went silent and let me play in the most perfect conditions, singing along with me, smiling and one man right in front of me kept putting his hands on his face as if he was in shock and after the second song, he asked me if I was real.

I’m the first and I hope not the last British musician to play in Encarnación and it was an experience I’ll never forget. We had so much fun that evening, talking about music, life and friendship.

The next day, all seven of us piled into Vicky’s car again and we drove 40 minutes to Reducciones Jesuiticas de Trinidad known as “Ruinas” which were founded by the Jesuit missionaries during the colonisation of South America in the 17th century. These religious missions were created in 1609 and developed for 150 years. It was spectacular.

That evening Will and I were due to leave everyone and head back to Argentina to Posadas for a show. I hadn’t planned on playing a show in Posadas but just a few weeks ago Vicky had mentioned to a friend in Posadas that I would be there and maybe they could try find someone to book me a show.

Next thing I knew, I had an e-mail from Lucas, who works in music and had organised a show for me to play in Posadas. Again we were meant to say goodbye to our friends from Asunción; Alejandra, Belen and Fernando and Vicky from Encarnación but it was too hard and they decided to board the train to Argentina with us. It was only a 10 minute train across the river but it was Fernando’s first time on a train in his whole life, so a big moment. We leant out the window together watching the sunset as we crossed into a new country and he told me this had been the best time of his life.

I started to feel really emotional because my time here in South America has also been the best time of my life and it was only in that moment with Fernando that I realised this. I was on a train leaving Paraguay heading to Argentina with four people that I had only met days ago who had became great friends of mine who I know I will have in my life forever. I will be saving up to come and re-visit these amazing people because I know that this cannot be goodbye. I’ve discovered during this trip there is nothing good in a goodbye.

On the other side of the river Lucas and Fernando (a different Fernando) were waiting for us. Fernando, who was hosting us with his girlfriend Barbara, worked at the frontier so helped us get through with no problems. I think they were surprised I had come with a group of four new friends but happily drove us all to the venue for that night's show. They were of course drinking mate when we arrived so we shared the drink in the car together.

The venue was called Via Cultural La Estación which is an independent venue, part of the cultural centre, funded by the Argentinean government and all of their shows are free entry. The sound engineer Pablo worked for free to make the show happen. It was a beautiful seated venue and Fernando was the support act with his band Elefantes En Valdivia.

Soon I was on stage, nervous as always playing my songs, just me and my acoustic guitar. I felt extremely vulnerable that evening as it was quite a posh venue, with a high stage and suddenly I felt exposed to be up there on my own, especially as the other band playing were full band. It made me miss having my band with me but the venue was full to capacity so hopefully this means I get to come back one day with my band and play more shows in all these amazing places.

During our stay in Posadas, Lucas had been talking to me about playing full band free shows in Argentina which he will help organise where we will be staying in friends' houses again to make it financially possible. I really hope we can make this happen. After the show I walked my friends to Belen’s uncle's car as he was driving them back to Encarnación where they would catch their overnight bus back to Asunción. We were all emotional - what an intense, incredible, crazy few days we had had together, I love them all dearly and will miss them and always cherish the memories we made together. Only an hour later I had to say goodbye to Vicky and her sister too. It’s really insane how close I feel to these guys, after only two days together but she taught me so much about myself and life.

That evening we stayed at Fernando and Barbara’s apartment which they had given us to use while they stayed at a friend's house. The next morning, it was a struggle to get out of bed, I was so exhausted from all the gigs and travelling but we had a special day ahead of us. Lucas and his sister Tania were going to drive us four hours to see Iguazu Falls. We hadn’t planned this at all but thank goodness for Lucas and Tania. It was like no other place on earth, there were waterfalls as far as the eye could see.

Both Will and I found it extremely emotional as we feel so grateful for this amazing experience we are having due to the kindness of wonderful strangers that listen to my music. It’s really hard to understand why all these people are doing so much for us, driving for hours to show us how beautiful this world really is, showing us their culture, introducing us to their families and friends, letting us sleep in their beds, cooking us food, taking care of us as if we were family and in return all I do is play some songs. I never want this adventure to end and I know it’s going to be hard to return to reality when we get home.

After a full day exploring the Cataratas (waterfalls) we drove back to Posadas, with an hour stop in the middle of the journey where we had to change a flat tyre in the middle of nowhere in the dark. But due to the kindness of a local father and son who helped us we were on our way again.

With Lucas especially we talked so much about music. He works at the university and for a small independent record label in his spare time.It's not run for profit but to try and get more local good indie music out there. It’s really hard for bands here in South America to get off the ground, like it is in so many places but I do take for granted all the venue choices, studios and musician friends I have in London. We debated all evening about music. He opened my eyes to his thoughts on the music industry and I gave him an insight into how it is back in the UK. Worlds apart but we both agree that we will spend the rest of our lives making music from the heart for all the right reasons.

Lucas picked us up and drove us three hours, to São Borja in Brazil where we caught a ten hour bus to Porto Alegre. Lovely Barbara and Fernando came all the way to São Borja with us, crossing the border just to keep us company in the car. And after they dropped us off, turned around to drive three hours back. Crazy but incredible. I played Everything Everything’s music during the journey and now they are all obsessed with their music too.

Once more we said goodbye to another group of wonderful, kind, inspiring, new friends and we boarded our bus in anticipation of a week in Brazil with no idea what will happen.