CDT Vogel travels to Paraguay for CULP

September 2, 2014

CULP, or Cultural Understand Language Proficiency, gave me the opportunity to be immersed into a culture completely different than my own as well as an appreciation of the people and culture that I got to experience directly.

I was sent to the country of Paraguay, located in central South America. I was assigned to Team 1 which consisted of 3 other cadets from various schools across the country. Primarily assembling at Fort Knox, we went through the standard Soldier Readiness Processing and other various training to get ready for 3 weeks in Paraguay.  After traveling almost 20 hours to Asunción and finally Campo Grande, we were met by the Commander of CECOPAZ, the Peace Operations Training Institute.  CECOPAZ, which is located within the Paraguayan Army Base, provided us with lodging in their barracks and meals within their mess hall.

Our mission in country was to help assist in teaching English to a group of soldiers.  Both NCO’s and officers, army and navy, made up the class that we taught for 2 hours a day, 5 days a week.  The classroom was within walking distance from our barracks in a building called CEIE, Centro Estudio Idiomas Ejército, or the Army Language Study Center. The CEIE provides classes in various languages to soliders, as well as civilians. We assisted in their 30 book program by providing bases of conversation and working on their listening and communicating skills.  Before each class we put together teaching lessons for that days class. We answered any questions they had on their upcoming tests or clarifications on confusing concepts that are inherent within the English language.

During our free time we spent time within the base itself as well as explore the city of Asunción. We would spend time with the guards on the base who often spoke very little, if any at all, English. The Paraguayan solider that holds the record of the fastest obstacle course time showed us how to master each of the obstacles. One of our students took us horseback riding through the countryside. Every Friday the students would invite us to their class barbeque where they cooked the traditional Paraguayan barbeque. Through all of this we were able to learn about the culture and the traditions that make Paraguay such a unique country.

As well receiving a one of a kind experience in a foreign country, CULP gives cadets a first hand experience of life on an army base and the processes involved before deploying overseas.