Any other useful information on Paraguay

alideba wrote:

Hi everybody,
My name is Alan. I am 70 years young Polish but Australian citizen, with Australian age pension, on tourist visa in Peru. Bit complicated isn't it? My monthly budget is $ 1000 and after very careful investigation I see that Peru is much too expensive for me. I'm investigating other possibilities and it looks like Paraguay is more affordable for me. I will appreciate any ideas and experiences about how complicated (and expensive) are visa procedure, how expensive may be 2-bedroom apartment, what may be minimum salary for live-in maid and any other useful information. I speak very good Spanish. I wrote a book in this language
Greetings to all
Alan

Hi Alan,
I can try to fill you in on info.  1. visa procedure:  pain in the cola.  I had someone do a lot for me but i still had to go around to different places and get these papers or other papers or this stamped and this signed, yadda yadda yadda.  depending if you have nothing else to do will take you like 6 months or more.  I can't remember how much it cost me.  2.  You can get a really nice 2 bedroom apt for around $350.  Of course there are nicer apts/houses you can rent that will cost you more.  3.  A maid.  let's see.  well my inlaws have one and i think they pay her like around 800,000Gs a month.  so that is like um...$177.
Other useful information: 
can you take the heat?  It is stifling hot here and you can't escape it.  It is not like the houses and apts have central air.  you have air conditioning units maybe in your living room and your bedroom.  dec. till feb. is probably the worst.  of course if you get a nice apt. (unlike mine) you may have more air units and be more comfortable.  also try to get an apartment away from any main or busy streets.  the air quality along those streets is not good.
do you mind a lot of garbage everywhere?  Now i am not by any means a world traveler but Asuncion is the dirtiest city I have ever been in. People litter EVERYTHING.  It makes me sick to my stomach.  take that for what it's worth.
the pace of life is a little more laid back.  there is a lot to do in asuncion.  if you had a car it would be better as taking buses is another pain.  You don't mention in your message if you are planning on moving to Asuncion.  I Have visited Encarnacion just once and found it to be a lot cleaner and nicer than Asuncion.  The sun shines a lot here.  I like that.  i come from a dreary place.
Crime is rampant here.  You ask anybody and they will tell you they have been mugged.  I got my wallet stolen out of my pocket on a bus. 
sorry if i was brutally honest but i think i would be doing people a disservice to not tell exactly what it is like.
any other questions just respond on this topic.