When voices begin to fill the garden at the Tavolo del Creatore restaurant on the warm evening of 27 July, the atmosphere feels different from an ordinary gathering. Smiles, hugs and quiet conversations replace awkward introductions. Many of the people meeting each other share the same beginning: they are Paraguayans adopted abroad who are now searching for their roots. The Asunción Times hosts “A Night of Connection”, creating a space where stories and memories take the stage.
A space built on belonging
The evening opens with a welcome of The Asunción Times editor-in-chief Bram van Zundert, that sets the tone for the conversations ahead. Guests gather to hear stories and also meet others whose lives have been shaped by international adoption. Throughout the room, shared experiences begin to turn strangers into a community.
Journalist Sol Orrábalis introduces the discussion by explaining the purpose behind “Paraguay’s Lost Children”, The Asunción Times’ ongoing series about Paraguayan adoptees searching for their origins. She tells the audience that thousands of Paraguayan children were adopted abroad during the 1980s and 1990s, often with incomplete or unclear documentation.
“We wanted to put the spotlight on this topic,” Orrábalis says. “We wanted to get to know another community, because bringing people together is also what we do at The Asunción Times.”
She then invites adoptees Claire Stiglmeier and Ryan Aranda to share their experiences. As each conversation unfolds, the evening becomes less about the past and more about identity and belonging.
A Night of Connection: Finding home in two worlds
The conversation soon moves from history to deeply personal experiences. Claire, an adoptee who returned to Paraguay many times before eventually living here for almost seven years, describes the powerful feeling of arriving in the country for the first time.
“I remember looking out the window and seeing the rich red earth,” she says. “It felt like coming home.”
She explains that belonging can exist in more than one place. Although she has a happy childhood in the United States, returning to Paraguay gives her another piece of her identity. “The people embrace me, that sense of belonging makes me want to keep coming back.”
Living with unanswered questions
Claire also speaks honestly about the emotional troubles many adoptees carry. Her adoption records contain the name of a woman who is not her biological mother, leaving important questions unanswered.
“It is a grief with no closure, there is a lot of love and longing to know more about our identity and our culture.”
She explains that many adoption records from that period remain incomplete or inaccurate. Even so, reconnecting with Paraguay helps transform uncertainty into something hopeful.
The journey continues after reunion
Ryan, who now lives in Paraguay and shares his experiences through his YouTube channel, My Best Life Paraguay, reminds the audience that reconnecting with birth families is only one chapter of a much longer journey.
“There is your life before,” he shars at A Night of Connection. “Then there is meeting your birth family. After that comes another journey, and sometimes that is the hardest part.”
Ryan encourages adoptees to prepare for the emotional changes that follow reunion. According to Ryan, every person’s experience looks different, but none of them ends with a single visit.
Hospitality that leaves a lasting mark
Throughout the evening, speakers repeatedly return to mention the warmth of Paraguay’s people. Claire smiles as she remembers complimenting sopa paraguaya, during her first stay.
“I said it was the best thing I had ever eaten. My host family made it for me every day for the next three months.”
Ryan agrees and encourages newcomers to spend time talking with local people. “Put yourself in situations where you can have long conversations. That is the best way you are going to get to know Paraguay.”
Supporting every stage of the search
The evening also showcased the work of the Ties Program, which helps adoptees reconnect with their birth countries and, when possible, locate biological relatives.
Executive director Lucy explains that identity develops throughout life, not only during childhood. She believes heritage journeys should remain accessible regardless of someone’s financial situation.
“Coming back to one’s birth country is so important,” she explains. “It can happen at any time in our lives.”
More than a conversation
Clinical psychologist Diana, who has worked with Paraguayan adoptees since 2004, reflects on the importance of identity and belonging. She explains that reconnecting with one’s birthplace often strengthens emotional wellbeing because people naturally seek a connection with their origins.
“I encourage you to keep it in your heart,” she tells the audience. “It will do you so much good.”
As the formal discussion ends at A Night of Connection, conversations continue around the room. Guests exchange stories, embrace people they have only just met and build friendships that stretch across continents.
For one evening in Asunción, strangers become part of the same conversation. More importantly, many leave with a renewed sense of belonging to their own story and to a community that understands it.
