Good Bye Macosur

15th November 1996 Macosur Company officially closed down. Today, the office paid all the outstanding salary to all the staff and workers but without a farewell party.

The sawmill already stopped for half year without new log coming in. Followed by the S4S line shortly after all the remaining raw wood are used up.

17th November 1996 Senior Ramirez came to our house to paid up G65,000 (US$33) he owed us and gave us a warm good bye. After that he carried his 2 bags of all belonging and waited for a public bus by the highway. Moment later he board a bus and with it he left forever.

Senior Ramirez aged 60+ is the oldest office staff of Macosur sawmill who worked for the company almost for the whole life. Now at his retirement age he saw also the company closing down. How much he keep for his remaining life from the company he work for I do not know, but I understanding the intense of his financial difficulty that for the mere US$33 took him half a year to pay up.

And for my whole family, 2 weeks later on 1 December 1996 we started living in a condominium in Ciudad del Este City just 22 Km away. My job continue as usual under the Taiwanese company.

The Paraguay sawmill was later dismantled after the land changed ownership, with only its formal address remain in history record:

MACOSUR S.A.

RUTA 7, KM22,

ALTO PARANA, MINGA GUAZU.

TEL: (595) 064-510

MACOSUR S.A. -

MAderas del COno SUr S.A.

(Timber of Southern Cone)

International and Multinational Private company .. Asuncion .. Manufacturing:

November 15, 1996 (Friday)

Macosur closed. On this day they already paid all the workers.

November 09, 1996 (Saturday)

Went to birthday of Noemi. The celebration was held on their

Evangelican church. Yee and I are the godmother and godfather of

her 15th birthday.

November 15, 1996 (Friday)

Macosur closed. On this day they already paid all the workers.

Normi's quinceañeras

Normi's dresses for quinceañeras (galas for girls' 15th birthdays)

Normi's 15th Birthday

November 09, 1996 (Saturday)

Noemi's 15th Birthday celebration at their Evangelican church. Shirley and I are the godmother and godfather of her 15th birthday.

Quinceañera Celebration - Celebration of 15th Birthday

The Quinceañera is a celebration of a young girl's coming of age (her 15th birthday). In Paraguay, like else where in Latin America, a girl's 15th birthday is considered an important milestone.

This Hispanic tradition dates back to the ancient native cultures of South America.

This rite of initiation, that is rooted in the customs of the Toltec & Aztec, the Maya, the Quechua and other indigenous civilizations, continues today in the traditions of the present-day Hispanic cultures.

In Latin America's Latino cultures, a girl's 15th birthday, (a quinceañera) , marks her passage into adulthood. This celebration often includes a religious ceremony at church, in which the young lady recognizes her heritage and her spiritual journey.

September 15, 1996 (Sunday)

Family picnic in Km 36. We bought fish and barbeque there.

The 2 young brothers played with Xing Xing. Xing bath for few

minutes because the water is so cold.

One paloma died and 2 missing.

At night I cooked steamed fish.

September 08,1996 (Saturday)

We went to Km 65 (Mr.Chens factory )together with Fernando and

Mr Chou Chin for asado. The first time I met Mr. Chou Chin.

At night we went to house of Nelson for birthday of the son. I

gave watch as a gift.

3rd Anniversary

“Do you know what PARQUE is? “ A Taiwanese asked me in Hong Kong.

“errrrr…… Flooring !!? Wood plank for the floor !!?.....” I answered with hesitation but with confident.

I got the job. He became my employer. I came to my new office in South America.

Sunday 6 June 1996 3rd Anniversary of our marriage.

Today is our third wedding anniversary. The past few years have flown by so quickly!

3rd Anniversary mean 3rd year in Paraguay. In less then 3 months after married in Hong Kong, we flew half of the globe to this part of South America. It was just like yesterday, but we are already living 3 years in Paraguay....with a first son born in South America .....time fly.

Shirley decorated the sitting room. Cooked and we have guest for our anniversary celebration meal.

We have guest for our anniversary ....... the mother and sisters of Josephina. And the girl sitting on the 2nd left is the daughter of Nelson, the security guide who is on shift at the factory main gate that day.

Wedding of Emilio and Sonia

June 01, 1996 Saturday

We went to the wedding ceremony of Emilio and Sonia at Church 16Km. We have to be there because we are the god parents of this newly wed.

It was one Monday a month ago (May 06, 1996) Emilio and Sonia accompanied by Jose came to our house and request us to be their godmother and godfather in their coming church marriage ceremony. Shirley delightfully accepted.

"...what should I do as a godfather?" I asked Shirley later.

"...walked her into the church and give her hand to the waiting husband in front the altar...." She is sure of this.

.... And I did that on the day of wedding ceremony of Emilio and Sonia.

Birthday of our teacher. Some brought bocaditos like sopa

Paraguayo, milanesa and others. The cake and cokes we contribute­ed. After eating we had picture taking. I asked them to pay me

1000 Guaranies each after developing and they agree.

TEXT BY SHIRLEY WONG

March 18,1996 (Monday)

My fist day in

Modista class started on 18th March 1996. The first project for the students were uniforms chqueta (chaleco), skirt and blouse.

April 02, 1996 (Tuesday) First time we used uniform. Birthday of our teacher. Some brought bocaditos like sopa

Paraguayo, milanesa and others. The cake and cokes we contribute¬ed. After eating we had picture taking. I asked them to pay me 1000 Guaranies each after developing and they agree.

December 03, 1996 (Tuesday)

I did not go to school. Looking for a house to stay.

December 04, 1996 (Wednesday)

Cleaned the new flat w/ Aida.

December 05, 1996 (Thursday)

Yee and I bought refrigerator and stove from abasto.

Started moving things.

December 08, 1996 (Sunday)

It is Caacupe Day.

Fernando fetch us to macosur. Taking some of our important

things.

February 17,1996 (Saturday)

Yee was making for the cage of the Loro. I painted it with

color green.

I paid 30000 guaranies to the man who cut grasses. It should

be 20000 G. only but we paid extra 10000 G.

At night we Yee and I burned some of the grasses. For the

first time it cleared cut all the grasses in the garden.

We have eaten our lunch and dinner in the garden.

11th January 1996 Late Spring. Summer is approaching.

A lazy afternoon in our side-yard. Chun Xing have fund playing his toy, the horse, with care taker Josephina. While at the back-yard Shirley saw the onion she planted is now growing.

The staff quarter we stay is at the back ground - The water tower, kitchen window, bathroom window, bedroom window, and portion of the front yard. The highway is just 50 meters at the left hand side. This is a typical country house in South America.

This back yard is our open living room we spend our time in spring, summer and autumn.

to see the green snake and

has eaten 2 birds on the guava tree (house made by Peter).

1995 New Year Eve

December 31, 1995 (Sunday).


New Year Eve
31 December 1995 Sunday

Sandra and Ceasar (Guard's son and daughter) came to visit the father.

They helped us in the garden by fancing a plot of vegetable bed using empty beer bottles.

We never drink beer, these bottles were an accumulation by someone from the factory for years. We decided to make use of them.

We put on the hose to water the plants then Xing Xing starts playing the water happily.

Xing Xing was hammering the furniture and playing on the logs yard with earth and wood.

At night was a mini party for New Year. We have two security guards. The families of 2 guards came.

Our factory is patrolled by rifle-toting security guards on day and night shift. The factory manager and we live inside the factory compound.

12:00 midnight, BBQ at the guide house with the family members of the 2 guides.

  Xing was fast asleep while we welcome the New Year.

27th Birthday of Shirley

Km 20, Minga Guazu
27 December 1995 Wednesday


December 27, 1995 (Wednesday) is Shirley 27th birthday.  They had an outing at Rodeo Km.20  while I go to work in Ciuded del Este.

Unsatisfied with the fun, at nigh they continue the birthday party with barbeque in the house of Leonardo.

In Minga Guazu District are 4 rivers : Monday, Acaray, the stream Acaray-mi and Santa Maria. I do not know which river this is but this stream is just 1 km from Macosur factory where we stay. All these friends are from the neighbor hood.

Prize for Christmas Lucky Draw

December 1995

December 10, 1995 (Sunday) In the afternoon were playing volley ball together with Ariel, Sony, Lillian and Nilsa suddenly Marcelo ran and knock his forehead to forehead of Sony.

December 17, 1995 Sunday) Elvira changed the lock of the gate and we do not have the key.

December 23, 1995 (Saturday) Josefina has gone back to her house in Sta Rita for Christmas Holiday.
Only comes back on December 27.

December 28, 1995 (Thursday) Leonardo has a sister who is a nun.  They met today and she gave Shirley a pendant (Maria Auxiliadora).

December 29, 1995 (Friday) Shirley cleared the grass on the garden for planting vegetables. Replanted the white bean from the can to garden.

Strike at Friendship Bridge

Photo above downloaded from Google Image. The view is exectly the same angle view from my office at Panonama apartment building.  This photo dated August 2008 most probable taken from the same building.


A beautiful view of the Friendship Bridge (Puente de la Amistadthat) from Paraguay crosses into Brazil.

I used to walk across this bridge alone. But crossing this bridge for cars is a challenge during weekdays.

Its a two lane bridge  and the traffic moves slow.  On a Sunday day (when all shops closed) a car can get across in half an hour.  But weekdays may take as long as couple of hours to cross.


November 24, 1995 (Friday)
I came back from Brazil but Fernando stayed there because the car cannot pass on the Friendship bridge. The Paraguay people had strike because of the new law of Brazil.


http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/50026.pdf

Ciudad del Este is an Informal international trade center which depends heavily on shopping "tourism."

Brazilians and Argentinians travel to Ciudad del Este just to take advantage of the low import duties to purchase consumer electronics, office equipment, perfumes, whiskey, cigarettes, and other consumer items.

This trade, along with illicit trade through the area, has earned Ciudad del Este notoriety as a smuggler's paradise.

Shopping tourism declined in 1997, the year we left Ciudad del Este for Malaysia.

This is because of weakening economic growth in Brazil and Argentina and stricter controls by Brazilian authorities.