Week 14: Feria en La Plaza Mitre

A few weekends ago, the local community had a international fair celebrating its diversity.  The majority of the population in the community I live in has European decedents, especially German.  There are lots of people who can still speak German and there are many bilingual German/Spanish/and even English schools around.  

I went to the fair with Cristina my site supervisor at church and we had a good time looking at all the stands.  There were special food stands with food from many different countries.  The fair also had stands from provinces in Argentina.  It was nice to have Cristina with because she explained where the provinces are located and little facts about them.  They also had artisan stands selling anything and everything you could think of.  The artisan stands reminded me a lot of those good old Midwest craft fairs.   

BRATWURSTS!!

German Stand

They were selling fruit wines here.  We had a sample and man were they good!  I think this stand was from the province of Mar de la Plata.

MEXICAN FOOD o how I miss you.  I unfortunately did not buy anything from the Mexico stands...I had just eaten before I came!!  Little side note about Argentine culture: They cannot handle spicy foods.  They are the biggest wimps ever in that department. 

Man there were TONS of people...at times we had trouble walking.

Cristina (on the left) in front of the stand for the Argentine province that she grew up in. We had a tasty bread thing from this stand...unfortunately I cannot remember the name.

SWISS CHOCOLATE!!

Israel stand including balaclava.

The largest cheese wheel I have ever seen!!  Was probably a foot tall.

This purple budding tree has become my favorite tree here.  It is famous in Argentina and is know as a jacaranda tree.

Week 15: December Newsletter

The Children at MAMA 

Three days out of the week I am working at M.A.M.A (Mis Alumnos Más Amigos), which is a non-profit organization, located in a low-income community about 20 minutes away from the church. It is basically a community center for children and youth (ages around 0-14) where they can come and eat lunch and spend time playing. So far I have been helping with recreational activities, sports, and a little bit of arts and crafts (hopefully I will get more into the arts and crafts as the year goes on). We mainly play soccer, pool, put together puzzles, and play on the swings. Basically all I have to do is hang out with the kids all day, which is defiantly a pretty sweet gig.

One day at the comedor (MAMA), I was spending some time with a young pair of sisters. The younger sister and I were inside playing a game and she was very concerned about where her older sister was. We had gotten separated somehow from her older sister because there were a lot of children due to the monthly birthday celebration being held that day. The younger sister asked me a few times to go with her to look for her older sister and I did not really understand why so I said, “Yes we can go look but lets finish the game first.” Then the younger sister whispered in my ear that she needed to find her older sister because if her older sister left she would get hit by her mother for being late and staying when she should be at home. This shocked me; I never imagined that this is why she was so concerned about where her older sister was. This little girl is one of the sweetest little girls I have ever seen and I cannot imagine anyone wanting to hit her instead of hugging and kissing her, especially for something so minor. This was my first taste of the type of world these children come from.

I have never worked with marginalized children so I am still getting used to the fact that they are not growing up in the same loving and supportive environment that I did. So far it is very difficult to comprehend the horrors that these children have already been through. When they come to the comedor I see them in a different context. I do not know where they live, what their houses look like, or what they really do after they leave. In my eyes, these children could be from any middle-classed neighborhood (like where I grew up). They are so happy and excited to play and seem like they do not have a care in the world.

I see them in the context of the comedor with the rules and norms that Beto (my boss) has worked hard to establish. For example hitting and calling someone bad names are not allowed. One would think, “Duh, isn’t that what their parents teach them too!?!” Well the truth is no, not really. Most of these kids learn at a young age that the only way to survive in their neighborhood and this world is to steal and hurt others. Most of these children come from large families where loving attention is most likely not given to each individual child due to a variety of factors.

Slowly I am learning that these children probably have internal issues that I cannot even guess or begin to understand how to help them. A few things that I have heard about are issues dealing with drugs, child pornography, prostitution, abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and hunger to name a few. It all makes me sad and weighs heavily on my heart. Coming from a society of doers and being a person lucky enough to live a great life makes me want to dive right in and help “solve” their problems. I was to help them live a better and happier life. I do not want them to suffer and I would be willing to do anything I could to help. But really there is not much I can do. I started to feel a little helpless in this area because I know that the problems of these children are deeply complex. So for now I am giving them the only gift I can, which is love and attention. I let them know everyday in whatever way I can that they are special, unique and important.

These children have found a deep place in my heart. I love each of these children in a way I never expected to love them and in a way I never knew I could love. There are no words for how I feel. They brighten my day and are the reason why I am enjoying my time here. I have only been here about 3.5 months but I already know it will be difficult to leave these kids! They have helped me in so many ways but two main areas are to better understand what I think life’s purpose is and to even understand some of the complexities of who I am.

Seriously, these kids had me at “Hola.” I think one of the reasons that these children are forever engrained on my heart is because they accepted me without question and with hugs. The first day the all children were so excited and everyone wanted me to play games with them, to eat with them, talk with them, and to hug them. The second I got there they all loved me. They are so generous with their love. They melt my heart because they show me what love truly is and should be. They show me that no matter the living conditions or what is happening we can still love without question. They do not let their egos and judgments get in the way. I see God in these children. They have demonstrated the type of love that Jesus preached and showed.

I am also amazed at the strength these children posses. They show might that I have yet to find in myself. They have this remarkable power to still be happy, affectionate, open, and playful after what they have experienced and/or are experiencing. Even greater is their capability to still love and let someone into their lives after probably being let down by people they love many times. I also feel like their strength has rubbed off a little onto me. I want to flight for a better life for these kids. They inspire me to help others and to live life to the fullest.

I consider myself lucky to know these children. So far I have learned so much from them. I wonder if they will ever know how much they have changed my life. After thinking about all of this I wonder what I have to offer to these children (I still have a difficult times sometimes communicating with them). What is the part I have to play this year? What has God called me here for? What has God called me to do in life? These are just some of the big questions that I have been contemplating during my year in Argentina.

So it is evident that I am truly learning about the world and life through these children at MAMA. They have demonstrated types of love and strength that I have never known. They have taught me how to better love, accept, and understand. Overall, these children have given me more than they will ever realize and more than I ever expected to receive. I just hope that God has also been working through me as well and giving, no matter how small it might be, something positive that these children can also take away.

This month’s quotes for thought:

“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” Confucius
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia

This month’s scripture quotes for thought:

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live trough him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1 John 4:7-12 

This is what I think the true definition of love is (though it has become a sort of cliché wedding Bible verse): Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Week 15: MAMA Photo Gallery

Soccer Field

Mural on the building wall

Three of the cooks

Some of the boys playing video games

Playing memotest or memory

Some of the kids by the tree we decorated

Playing Bingo

On the soccer field

Week 13: Uruguay, Giant Squash Pie, and Mother Nature...Could it Get Any Better?

THANKSGIVING!!!!!!! I was lucky enough to get to travel for Thanksgiving with my volunteer group to Uruguay for about a week break and retreat. Our first stop was Colonia Valdense, a smaller country town. We stayed at a small organic farm that is affiliated with the church. This was exactly the place I needed to go for my nature fix. It was such a beautiful place which made it difficult to leave!

Our retreat was so much fun! I got to see the other four volunteers that I have not seen in three months. It was great to hear about their experiences both good and bad. It really made me realize that I am not the only one going through extreme highs and lows in my placement. We also had some great spiritual, mental, and physical revitalization that helped us feel refreshed and ready to return to our placements.  

I cannot believe I have been here just over three months.  It was really great to step back from what I have been up to for the last months and get to reflect a bit on how it has been going.  The retreat gave me some time to think and to contemplate how my expectations, goals, and fears have changed.  Plus all that nature, fresh air, peace and quite was just so good for my soul!

Welcome to Uruguay!

Playing Argentine card games in the retreat room.

The FARM!!

Sunset group walk on the farm road (missing two people).

Our cute new dog friend!

THANK THE LORD!! RECYCLING AND COMPOSTING!! O how I miss you.  BA does not really have a recycling system :(

Eating was a large part of our retreat! Man was the food good here.  Not only did we not have to cook it, but it was organic and fresh! We were literally drinking milk straight from the cow that lives 100 feet away, eating cheese made in the building next door, and enjoying fruit and veggies from the nearby field!!

Oscar, the director of the organic farm, showing us around and explaining plants and how the farm works.

Some lovely tomato plants.

Me hanging out with fresh cheese and no I did not get a chance to cut any.

LOOK!! They grow corn here too! This same picture could have been taken in Minnesota!

Where they milk the cows!

Fresh jams and dulce de leche that we had the pleasure of eating everyday! IT WAS SO TASTY!! I even bought my own jar of peach jam to bring home!

THANKSGIVING DAY COOKING!

On Thanksgiving day we prepared our supper together in the great kitchen on the farm.  I was in charge of making the pie.  Pie is not something that is commonly eaten in Argentina and it was interesting figuring out how to find the ingredients and the substitutions for ingredients impossible to find here.  I have been really getting into cooking and baking here and I enjoy the challenge of trying to make something from the US that is not common here/ difficult to find the right ingredients...so I had a blast making "pumpkin pie."

This was my first attempt at making a pie alone (maybe not the best time to make my first pies...due to the fact that I was baking for lots of people and for a holiday...hmm). Pumpkins like we have in the US are basically impossible to find here.  Plus it is spring here (not fall) so that makes it even more difficult.  I ended up making a squash pie instead.  It also turned out that there were no pie pans in this kitchen so I had to use random pans.  I make three pies total: banana cream pie, french apple pie, and "pumpkin" pie.  

Due to the lack of pans I had to make one giant pie that contained two pies in one pan.  As you can see below, I constructed a "wall" as we called it in between the two.  The pie was about five inches tall.  Everything went really well and tasted great but the oven was not the best so the huge pie was not 100% cooked through all the way.  None the less people seemed to enjoy them.  I had a lot of fun experimenting and problem solving so we could have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving!  It was yummy!

 

Me with the giant pie(s)!

Las/el cocineras/o!! The cooks!!

Our Thanksgiving table.

It was great to be joined by Kate's family (country coordinator) and two missionaries from Bolivia.  I really felt like I was with family and we all had a great time.  It made being away from home almost easy and painless.  Plus, to me, it did not feel like Thanksgiving but just a fancy and fun meal because of the hot weather.  On Friday we traveled to Montevideo where two of the volunteers live.  It was fun to get to see where they work and live plus a bit of the city.

MONTEVIDEO!!!

We went to H Potts (Harry Potter) in Montevideo Shopping (Shopping: what they call malls there)!  My first movie since I have been here!  I give it 4 1/2 stars by the way!  Also a little side note: I am currently reading the seventh Harry Potter book in Spanish.  It was my first non-necessity purchase!

La Playa (the beach) in Montevideo.

SOCCER on the beach!!

View from the our boat before departing Uruguay.

Had a blast on the trip and really did not want to leave the farm! Now I am back in Argentina and gearing up for Christmas.  There will be a lot of activities going on at church.  It seems crazy to me that today is the first day of December.  I am listening to Christmas music as I blog and it seems so out of place to me as I sit here sweating in shorts and a t-shirt with a fan blowing on me.  It is even stranger when I think of the snow in Minnesota right now.  It seems like an imaginary world to me.  It will be exciting to experience Christmas without snow and in hot weather.  Who knows I might even head to the beach...just because I can!

Week 11: Spring Concert!

I was lucky enough to be invited to my country coordinator's children's spring concert this past weekend.  I had a great time getting to see the kids preform and enjoy themselves.  It was also interesting to see how a private bilingual school operates in Argentina. 

In Argentina it is very common to find bilingual or even trilingual schools.  In the community that I live in there are at least three schools close to me that include German, English, and Spanish in their academic programs.  The Argentine public schools only have half days of school due to lack of resources such as funding, teachers, etc.  Due to this there are many private schools and they are mostly bilingual; having classes all in Spanish in the morning and the afternoon classes all in English.

As a potential future parent I would love to be able to find so many bilingual schools around.  To me, at least where I live, it is not common to find private bilingual schools.  Most of the middle to upper class citizens can speak more than one language in Argentina.  My coordinator's kids can speak flawless Spanish and at the same time are able to maintain perfect English.  It is interesting to note some of the differences between Argentine and American education systems.  I could go a lot deeper into discussion of the positives and negatives of both systems but I will just leave you with some cute pictures of the concert instead :)

The concert's theme was "save the environment."  Each class had special costumes relating to topics such as: air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution, and danced a coordinated dance they planned.   

Emily is in the purple, the girls in her class were dressed up as a rainbow.

Matt was part of a pollution clean up crew of the ocean as his costume

Emily dancing her part

 
 

Week 10: Church Weekend Conference and San Telmo

This past weekend I spent the whole weekend at a conference of the IELU. The main idea of the conference was to discuss service that is happening in the church, define some abstract aspects of what service means within the church, and how we can continue to include it in our church's plans for the future.

It was a fun weekend because it was nice to have a change from the normal schedule and I got to see 4 of the other 5 volunteers (3 of which I have not seen since September orientation). People can from all over for this weekend event. Some traveled over 18 hours by bus.

Opening worship...washing of the feet. We discussed this theme/idea throughout the conference and how it relates to service.

During the seminar

Many churches gave presentations on what they are doing that involves service in their congregations.


My discussion group

After the seminar, Emily (other volunteer that lives near me) came to my apartment and we traveled into the center on Monday to visit the barrio of San Telmo. It is a very old neighborhood that still has many of the fancy Gothic-style houses from the late 1800s. It is now know for its cute antique shops and a antique fair on Sundays.

Emily enjoying our walk around the barrio


One of the cool buildings


One of the streets with rain clouds forming in the sky

Close up of building facade