The art of borrowing…
In Paraguay is it very common to lend and borrow things from each other, even the most silly things people will ask to borrow from you (like a Mickey mouse pen) and that happens often, and people hardly say or can’t say no.
The funny thing about it, is that is likely you won’t get back what you lended, and the situation gets so odd that at the end you just forget about the thing. It could even be money…mostly dvd, CDs, books, jewelry and clothes (between girls)…most of the time people conveniently forget to return items…and the lender seems to be ok with it, or at least accepting that fact.
The lender knows that they have to say bye bye to it and ironically if you ask your thing back people can get offended and think that you are impolite and that you are insinuating that they want to steal it from you, etc etc…
I remember when I was in college I use to have my friends coming over trying on my clothes and borrowing some girls stuff, like jewelry, make up, pencils,CDs, cassettes, books etc, which was cool because we used to exchange things and that kept the relationship flowing, and usually healthy relationships are based in continuous interactions, and that among others, was one of it.
In some cases the borrowers intention of NOT giving back the borrowed thing was so clear that people use to say: ‘Me encanta eso, te voy a comer!” I love that,I’m going to EAT it from you…meaning: I’m not stealing it technically but I inform you that I like it and I will keep that for me (no matter what you say)…
It may be cultural or not, in any case lender and borrower seem to have found the thin line to accept this sui generis (unusual) way of “sharing” without major problems and it probably works because one is not always the lender…you today, me tomorrow!
If it’s not a gift, not a steal, not a borrow…what is it then? I don’t know but I just can tell you that is a hell of Invention.
Can I borrow something from you…? 
May 9th, 2007 at 2:50 am
Muna:
I love those things about Paraguayan culture! People are so free to borrow stuff and people are so free to say yes even though usually it will mean: “no return”.
When I lived in Paraguay I must have collected maybe 50 tapes, LPs, books borrowed from friends and given away the same amount to people borrowing from me. I got incredibly hard to find stuff that I inadvertently “forgot” to return. Honestly, in all cases, I really forgot to return.
By the way, that part of our culture is reflected in the fact that people just don’t want to pay back money. Ask the banks.
Even though it was hard, whenever I wanted something back I would say it when I lent it. And after the due time, I would call the guy and ask for the item. It was an offense maybe, but I didn’t care.
Take care.
NINO