How Mennonites preserve their identity in modern Paraguay (PART 3)
(This article was originally published as “Mennonites In Paraguay #3: What Has Changed In Paraguay’s Chaco – And What Has Not…” in The Asuncion Times by Alexandra Allover) For many outsiders, Mennonite life in Paraguay’s Chaco appears unchanged: religious, traditional, and community-oriented. Yet nearly a century after their arrival, these communities are quietly evolving.…
Read MoreThe Impact Of Mennonites In Paraguay’s Chaco Today (PART 2)
(This article was originally published as “Mennonites In Paraguay #2: The Impact Of Mennonites In Paraguay’s Chaco Today” in The Asuncion Times by Alexandra Allover) For many Paraguayans, the Chaco remains a remote frontier: harsh, isolated, and largely untouched. That impression changes the moment you reach Filadelfia. Dusty roads give way to straight streets,…
Read MoreThe Mennonite Path To The Paraguayan Chaco (PART 1)
(This article was originally published as “Mennonites In Paraguay #1: The Mennonite Path To The Paraguayan Chaco” in The Asuncion Times by Alexandra Allover) The Mennonites in Paraguay who settled in the Chaco region did not arrive by accident. Their presence is the result of centuries of migration driven by one consistent goal: the freedom…
Read MoreTerra Nova: Die vergessene deutsche Kolonie in Brasilien
Von deutschen Kolonien in Brasilien hört man meist im Zusammenhang mit Erfolg. Man spricht von gewachsenen Städten wie Blumenau oder Pomerode, von sichtbarer kultureller Kontinuität, teils auch sprachlich. Terra Nova passt nicht in dieses Bild. Die kleine Siedlung im Bundesstaat Paraná blieb lange unsichtbar, schlecht dokumentiert und fast vergessen. Zwischen 1933 und 1936…
Read MoreHow to Build an Online Business by Helping People for Free
The more you focus on solving other people’s problems, the more valuable your work becomes. That principle has guided my work as an online coach for years. For more than five years, I have offered free calls to people who needed orientation, clarity, or a next step. At first glance, this can look inefficient. Many…
Read MoreTwo Days in Lisbon: My First Solo Trip in Almost a Decade
It’s been almost ten years since my last solo trip, and returning to solo travel felt both exciting and slightly intimidating. But if there’s one city that makes you feel instantly at ease, it’s Lisbon. I only had two days here — a short stay, but long enough to remember why I fell in love…
Read MoreMennoniten in Paraguay: Zwischen Bewunderung und Vorurteil
Deutschsprachige Menschen in Südamerika verbindet man meist mit moderner Migration. Mit Auswanderung der letzten Jahrzehnte, neuen Chancen und einem bewussten Neuanfang. Dabei existieren deutschstämmige Gemeinschaften auf dem Kontinent seit über hundert Jahren. Sie haben Regionen geprägt, Wirtschaft aufgebaut und gesellschaftliche Strukturen hinterlassen, die bis heute wirken. In Paraguay begegnet man dabei besonders häufig den Mennoniten.…
Read MoreParaguay’s First Indigenous Woman with Canadian MA Empowers Chaco Youth
(This article was originally published as “Mirta Perez: Paraguay‘s First Indigenous Woman With Canadian Master Empowers Chaco Youth” on September 12, 2025 in The Asuncion Times by Alexandra Allover) The Central Chaco of Paraguay, known for its vast, dry grasslands in the heart of South America, feels like the kind of place where life…
Read MoreAn Aussie’s Mission to Bring Back Tallow in Paraguay
(This article was originally published as “An Aussie’s Mission to Bring Back Tallow” on March 31, 2025 in The Asuncion Times by Alexandra Allover) When Joseph McDonogh arrived in Paraguay in 2023, he sensed that South America held answers his home country had overlooked. Back in Australia, he had seen firsthand how poor-quality food and…
Read MoreExpo Pioneros: Mennonites and Agricultural Innovation in Paraguay’s Chaco
This article was originally published as “Expo Pioneros 2025: Agricultural Innovation in the Heart of the Chaco” on June 2, 2025 in The Asuncion Times by Alexandra Allover. Loma Plata, Chaco — As the dust settles on Expo Pioneros 2025, Paraguay’s Gran Chaco once again proves itself a powerhouse of agricultural innovation and business.…
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