FSD Project – Resource Directory

Shortly after arriving and assessing the needs at the comedor and panadería I realized how much I missed having a resource network of friends and family.  Had I been at home, my dad, brother and various friends, I am sure would have been available and ready to help with the construction needs of the comedor.  However, I am thousands of miles away and that is not an option.  How am I supposed to find people who are willing and able to help those less fortunate…in Argentina?  (Of course, this is before I realized and felt comfortable asking Claudio for help.)

 

At the same time my host mother, who is slightly pushy, but very giving, repeatedly offered to give knitting classes to the comedor.  She herself knits, sews, crochets, and other various sorts of “manualedades” or handcrafts.  She also sells her products as her own microenterprise.  She had apparently learned that “talleres” or workshops were common projects of interns and wanted the comedor to start a knitting business.  However, seeing as they can’t quite get the panadería up and running, it is probably best they stick with one thing at a time.  However, her repeated offering for this and multiple things (every time I mention a need she has an idea of how to help – apparent in her immediately buying a can opener for the comedor after I told her they didn’t have one.)  It occurred to me that what the interns and program lacked was an extensive directory of resources that interns could use to tap while they are here.  Most internships are short-term and the interns are not here long enough to find the appropriate and most cost- and time-effective way of helping. 

 

My second project for my FSD internship will be to create a directory of resources for use by FSD interns.  It is still in the process of design, but I believe it will be an excel database that has contact information for individuals who are willing to volunteer there time with various projects.  The directory would include people that want to teach workshops on hand crafts or cooking; volunteer manual labor; organize projects for kids; or teach computer classes, etc.  I will probably also include all the organization that currently partner with FSD.  My plan is to put together a request letter that people can fill out and return that includes the type of service they would like to volunteer.  I will then enter it into the database I have designed and make it available to future interns.  The trick is to write a letter that best explains the need in order to collect the type of individuals needed and to design a database that can “stand the test of time” and include categories for future needs.  The goals is to have a well designed database that can be updated in the future as interns meet more people that may be of help and add them.  Currently I am still in the process of designing the database and writing the letter.  My goal is to facilitate connections between FSD interns and useful Argentine resources to make the most beneficial outcome to the organizations and people in need.

FSD Projects – Comedor

All FSD interns are assigned to an organization and have varying hours of work…up to 40 hours per week.  My friends Amber is in this situation…she works 8:30 to 4:30 Monday through Friday.  I however have it slightly more flexible.  Though I came to work with the comedor’s “microenpredamiento” (microenterprise) it is not actually functional yet (more about that later).  So that I am not sitting around doing nothing, I try to go in the morning to the comedor to “help” the women cook the meal for that day.  They usually start around 7:30 and end at 10.  I usually show up about 8/8:30ish, meaning I work a maximum of 10 hours per week (I like to think that I do other helpful things in my waking hours.) 

 

When I say try there are several prohibitors. 

1. If it is raining I do not go.  The tin roof of the comedor is speckled with small holes (possible cause by a hail storm last year) which causes it to leak when it rains, making cooking difficult – therefore, if it rains they do not cook.  (Food for thought – how would you feel if you couldn’t eat when it rained?) 
2. Last week the propane tank they use to fire the burners ran out.  They had another full one in the house of my supervisor (Marta).  However, due to rain, the streets that access the comedor were pure mud (the area where I work does not have paved streets) making it near impossible to transfer the heavy 5 foot tall tank to the comedor.  Therefore they did not cook for two days. 
3. There were a couple of days in which the keys of the comedor were misplaced (I think they were eventually found in the pocket of Marta’s son’s coat.)  Since they couldn’t get in they couldn’t cook. 
4. Actually corresponded with one of the days when the keys were lost, but a group of people from the comedor went to protest to get funds for a different comedor.  (I am not exactly sure of the details of this one.  I showed up to help at the comedor and she said they were going to protest and expected me to go – I felt uncomfortable with this for several reasons, one of which we were specifically asked not to participate in protests by the FSD program, another I was tired, cranky and sick.  I actually got out of this one because it was the day that conjunctivitis formed in my eye causing it to be red, everyone was concerned and said I should stay home and go to the doctor.  Miriam did end up taking me to the doctor that afternoon and I got some eye drops….unfortunately I had to wear glasses for a week which was a pain.) 
5. Sometimes I just really can’t convince myself to get out of bed – exacerbated when I had a cold – and since I am not actually much help anyway, I justify it (I know that it just laziness, but it does happen sometimes.)

 

As to my actual daily role in the comedor, it is kind of a joke.  However, since the panadería is not functioning, I hang out there anyway so that I am at least interacting with Argentines.  Of course getting cooking help from a foreigner might not be so helpful…I have finally made myself useful by cutting vegetables and sweeping the floor when they are done.  However, my time there has helped me identify several needs of the comedor.  As some of you may have read in my previous posts, their kitchen is lacking various basic cooking utensils.  The knives in the comedor are comparable to steak knives.  These small knives are used to cut hard vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and butternut squash, not an easy task!  They did not have a can opener and one day I had to use a broken knife blade and hammer it into the can inch by inch.  After telling my host mom this, she brought me a small manual can opener which I have made good use of since.  They use fairly old wooden cutting boards, whose potential hazard for bacteria prevents me from eating the food as much as possible…same goes for the one wooden stirring stick they possess.  They also are short on clean wash rags, towels, soap etc. 

 

Though not assigned particularly to work with the comedor, I want to help with their current situation.  As a result I am asking my family, friends, or anyone who reads this to give a small donation that can be used to buy some of these basic cooking utensils that most American’s wouldn’t imagine trying to cook without.  Most of you have or will receive a letter from asking for small monetary donation which I will use to buy these supplies.  I and they would greatly appreciate anything you can give!  If you didn’t receive the letter from me, send me an email or comment and I will let you know how you can contribute!

 

As for the actual Panadería (bread bakery) in which I came to work with, the outcome is still in the air.  The Panadería’s physical location will be in a small room that is directly connected to the comedor.  The actual room is about as precarious as the comedor – tin roof and walls, round wooden beans support the structure, some of which are badly burned from a fire that occurred in the previous comedor location.  One wall is made of brick…and I can’t quite figure out why but part of it is slightly collapsed in.  There are spaces between the roof and the wall, leaving the room exposed to the outside.  There is no water or electricity currently in the room.  When I arrived, the business was not yet functional (and still is not).  Due to a grant received by the previous intern, they were able to buy all the materials necessary to make the needed repairs on the room.  They also have everything they need to start the business, including a 30 kilo mixer and ingredients to make the first batches of bread.  However, security is also a problem.  The door currently has no lock (actually has no door knob at all the door is usually swinging open) and there is concern about security of the expensive equipment (the mixer).  Marta (my supervisor) wants to and has started to build a small shack on the property where her son can sleep/live so there is someone there looking after the place at night.  I personally am not convinced that it is the best or most cost effective way to create security (I think a good door lock and maybe a chain and lock securing the mixer would be sufficient), but have decided to let her do what she thinks is best – I do not live there, I do not know the best security options.  However, have not offered my “seeds fund budget” to help with that particular project.)

 

They have all the supplies to work in fix up the room so they can start the panadería.  Daniel, Marta’s husband, can do all the repairs, but he works and I think does a lot of advocating for the community so doesn’t have much spare time.  When I arrived, I figured the quickest way to get the repairs done and start the business was to pay someone to do it – after all I came to work with the Panadería and wouldn’t get that chance unless it was finished.  Each intern is “given” (I am pretty sure I am paying myself here as it was not free to come…) a $200 seeds fund budget for the project they decide to do.  For some that may be all they need, and if greater needs are identified they can write a grant for a project.  I didn’t write a grant because I felt the Panadería already had all the materials they needed.  I offered my seeds fund budget to pay someone for the repairs.  The quote we were given was the equivalent of about $150. 

 

This was four weeks ago and the repairs still haven’t been finished.  The guy has come several times and has accomplished some, fixing cracks in the wall and closing the gap between the ceiling and wall.  However, the “reason” I have been given (fairly legitimate) is that the wet and humid weather prevents the concrete from drying so we have to wait for better weather.  I have since also asked my host dad, Claudio to help out.  Claudio is currently unemployed so he is home all day and has vast experience with pretty much anything house/remodeling related, and also mechanic/automobile related.  Claudio has volunteered to help with getting all the electrical related stuff squared away and possible plumbing/water as well.  Claudio and I (and Miriam, my host mom) went to the comedor with Daniel so he could explain to Claudio what all needed to be done.  Hopefully tomorrow, Claudio and I will go to the comedor/panadería to get some much needed work done.

 

Lessons Learned:  If I could go back I would probably have used my seeds fund budget for something different.  Had I realized that paying someone was not going to be a quick and easy solution, I would have tried to organize a work day with people in the neighborhood and asked Claudio sooner for help.  However, I cannot go back in time, but am hoping that within the next week or two we will have a functional building and hopefully a functional Panadería.

Monday, August 04, 2008 – Halfway Done :) :(

So I am officially half-way through my Argentine internship.  I arrived six weeks ago and have six weeks left.  I have finally settled in and gotten used to living here and have some sort of routine with my work at the comedor.  I also have finally decided the direction I will go with my FSD projects (maybe a little late) – which further outlines how I will be spending my remaining weeks here.  I am also excited to start traveling and seeing parts of the country and feel slightly crunched on time.  At the same time I am really starting to miss my family and friends….and a clothes dryer, QuikTrip, and med red (that is my car for those of you unaware – I hope you are taking good care of her Jean). 

 

The other day I finally took time to read through an Argentine Lonely Planet tourist book to see which places I want to visit while I am here.  We will see what I end up having time to see.  Places include:

• San Antonio de Acerco – area of “las pampas” fairly close to Buenos Aires, has museums of gauchos (famous Argentine cowboys) and model estancias (ranches); Parque Nacional de Ernesto Tornquist – about 10 hours from Buenos Aires, there is a big hill/mountain there, if you hike to the top you can supposedly get a good view of the pampas, it also happens to be very close to the town of Tornquist, where my host parents are from, I am hoping I get to visit it with them;
• Iguazú Falls – in Missiones province, in northeastern Argentine, partially located in Brazil as well, I believe they are the some of the largest waterfalls in the world, I would also love to cross into Paraguay and Brazil (unfortunately visa is needed for Brazil) while I am up that direction, but am not sure if that will happen, as of now I am planning on going in mid-August when there is a three day holiday weekend, I will probably take more than 3 days as its about a 20 hour bus ride;
• Mendoza – province in western Argentina along the Chile border, famous for its wineries, also about a 20 hours bus ride from Buenos Aires, I would like to cross into Chile if I am going that far, but not sure if it will be possible;
• Tierra del Fuego – I am pretty sure this will not happen as it is extremely far, but I would really like to say that I have been! 
• I would also like to go to Colonia, Uruguay, which is about a two hour boat ride from Buenos Aires.  Technically I am not supposed to leave the country while under the FSD internship, but I feel since they didn’t tell us that rule before hand I am going to disregard it – seriously if I am two hours from Uruguay I am going to want to cross the border!  I also mentioned it to my host mom who has also visited, and she suggested that maybe we go this weekend when her son comes in town from Tornquist – I hope we go! 

So that’s where I want to go.  I am fairly certain I won’t get to most of it, but we will see.

 

In the last week I have learned how to knit.  I have knitted myself a very long, fluffy blackish/purplish scarf.  I have also bought yarn to knit a baby blanket (CONGRATULATIONS JULIE!!!!)  And have made a list of several other things I would like to make while I am here.  I get a kick out of it, as does my host mom who has been basically begging to teach me.  Mary Andrews (another intern) also came over last week to learn, and Amber (another intern who already knows how to knit) also came and we had a little knitting party – it was quite amusing.

 

I also tried my first shot at cooking for my host family.  I tried my specialty, spinach artichoke dip.  It turned out subpar for my standards, but they seemed to like (though sometimes I wonder if they just say that.)  I had to be creative as I couldn’t exactly find all the ingredients – and dairy/cream products are slightly different.  Everything is called “crema” or cream and I couldn’t quite figure out what was sour cream, also couldn’t find the cream cheese I wanted, so used mayonnaise (found in abundance here – it is there favorite sauce) as a replacement that I have used before.  However, I asked Ana, with FSD and she told me that cream cheese can be found, so I might try another round.  I need to make an actual meal for them as well, unfortunately all the real typical American/Kansans type food I don’t actually know how to make, I personally prefer Mexican food, but they don’t like spicy stuff.  We will see what I can come up with that will taste good and I can find ingredients for!

Thursday, July 31, 2008 – Buenos Aires

I finally went to Buenos Aires to actually see the city.  Florencia, my host sister went with me.  We saw the “Casa Rosada” or the pink house, equivalent to the White House.  However, the President actually lives there but is rather executive offices and a place for meetings.  In front is the “Plaza de Mayo” named commemorating the month in which they declared independence.  The Plaza de Mayo has also been come to be a traditional location for protests.  Every Thursday, the “Madres de la Plaza de Mayo” march on the plaza.  The organization formed to protest the torture and disappearances occurring during the “Dirty War” in the 70’s, which frankly takes much more explanation than I care to go into, however, there are plenty of books than can more thoroughly explain.  Anyways, they were there on Thursday, as well as another group of protesters whose cause I couldn’t quite figure out.  Until a couple weeks ago, the “campo” or collaborative “countryside” were regular protestors in Buenos Aires and the Plaza de Mayo regarding extravagant export taxes (I believe this gained international news attention – another interesting topic to look into J ).  The problem has since been “solved” and export taxes have been lowered to 35% as opposed to the proposed 48% (for soy only, other products have lower percentages.)

 

We walked down Avenida Florida which was a large pedestrian street with tons of stores of all types.  We were there around mid-day and frankly there were too many people there for my taste.  I tried to enter a few stores to look for a leather purse and shoes, (Argentina is well known for its leather products) but became exhausted by the over helpful employees and soon gave up.  We also walked up to the obelisco a huge monument similar to the Washington Monument (I think, is that the one that is a tall tower that comes to a point at the top? – I know it is bad I do not know….)  I asked my family here what it was a monument for, they said something about the Foundation of Buenos Aires and it was for an anniversary of some sort, but that is all the could come up with, so I will assume it is not that important.  However, it is a fairly prominent marker in the city.  It is located in the Avenids 9 de Julio (named for Argentina’s independence day.)  My host sister told me it might be the widest street in the world…maybe 20 lanes?  She didn’t tell me until afterwards, so I didn’t count while I was there….the two directions were split by a large median/plaza so its width didn’t occur to me while we were there. 

 

While in Buenos Aires we went to Puerto Madero which is kind of like a boardwalk type place with lots of fancy/American restaurants along the river.  They also had a museum in an old navy boat.  I toured it with Florencia which was actually probably the highlight, mainly because I had lots of questions and since she is in the military school she could answer most of them – it definitely helped facilitate the conversation.  We had a long lunch at a fairly expensive place – lunch cost almost $25 which is a lot here…it should have been like $5 each L  oh well we survived, we returned home tired.  I am glad I went and glad Florencia took me, I am not sure if she actually enjoyed it or was just doing it because here parent made her, but I appreciate all the same.  

Monday, July 21, 2008

Weather has definitely turned cold and dreary again.  This morning it was about 10 degrees Celsius, which I think is about 50 Fahrenheit, but it is also really rainy which makes it seem super cold (and there is no central air…anywhere, which means never actually getting warm L )  So I decided I had to go to my comedor to see if anyone was cooking (they don’t generally cook in the rain because the roof has leaks in it that prevents them from cooking in the rain).  There was only one women there today accompanied by her two-year-old son.  I am glad I ended up going because she needed help since she was by herself.

 

My accomplishments today – I opened 15 cans of spam (which was not easy) half of them I opened the “difficult way” until another woman came and showed me the real way you were supposed to open them.  (It is hard to explain, but it is the type of cans you are supposed to be able to open without a can opener, however, if you don’t know how it works, it makes it harder.)  Then I opened several cans of peas – however, the comedor does not have a can opener.  So I used the blade of a large meat knife (I don’t know what happened to the handle) and pounded it into the tin little by little with a knife sharpener and worked my way around the edge of the can until it was open even for me to pry the top of.  As a result I know have a cut on my finger….its a wonder I only have one.  Anyway for all that work, the food looked gross…I wouldn’t have eaten it.  But I am glad I went to help since Rosa was there by herself.  I also spent some time chatting with my supervisor Marta afterward – which really just gave me ideas for more projects that could be done for the comedor, but that I don’t have enough time here to help with.

Sunday, July 20, 2008 – Friendship Day

My host sister, Florencia came home on Friday night.  This is the second time I have seen here in the four weeks I have been in Argentina.  She attends the naval academy and they have spent the last several weeks on a “voyage”.  On Saturday she invited several of her friends over, all of which also attend the naval academy, for dinner.  I assumed the occasion was to celebrate that they were done with their trip.  However, when the clock struck midnight, everyone circled around the room giving everyone kisses, saying “Feliz Día” or Happy Day, marking the beginning of “Día de Amigo”, friendship day.  The holiday is fairly important to Argentine’s.  It seems as though everyone celebrates it with their friends – even the news reported on the “Friendship Day” festivities – mostly composed of friends either having get-togethers at home or going out to dinner. 

 

Dinner consisted of hamburgers…which my new Panamanian friend commented that he missed American hamburgers (a friend of Florencia’s from school – he spent his senior year of high school in Delaware, he appeared excited to meet me and talk in English.)  The hamburgers here are definitely lacking.  They are the premade kind so they are small and not very thick.  They put them on dry buns that are too large for the meat, never include cheese, and you are lucky to find ketchup to top them with (however mayonnaise is easy to come by as is mustard.)  After dinner we sat around for an extremely long period of time waiting for an appropriate time in which we could go out – some of her friends wanted to take me dancing.  The appropriate time to go out here is 3am….so we waited awhile.  By the time we decided to leave we couldn’t find a taxi – after calling several companies where there were hour long waits, we started to walk towards a major road about 12 blocks away to try our luck. 

 

Once we made it “Quo”, we all got in the huge line outside and one of the guys went to ask how much the cover charge was – it ended up being free for ladies, but 30 pesos for guys, which is about $10.  However, that is very expensive here as most cover charges are about 8 pesos, and the taxi to get to the club only cost 10 pesos.  So we decided we were tired and all went home.  So much for my first night going out with my host sister. L

 

So Sunday was friendship day.  I woke up to several visitors in my house.  Apparently we were having another asado (barbecue) to celebrate Friendship Day.  Today we had about 16 join us for lunch – four of which were interns (me, Amber, Jennifer, and Kelly).  Of course the asado consisted of homemade empanadas (delicious), chorizo (sausage), and various varieties of other “carne”.  Luckily today I got by with just eating empanadas and chorizo and passed on the other various meats. 

 

After lunch they taught us how to play “tejo” which consisted of throwing wooden discs to see which one lands closest to a target point.  Then we got some live music and dancing from Vivi, her husband and others.  Then Vivi did a funny skit and song she had written about her friends who were in attendance.  All in all it was pretty funny.  Another long day of entertaining!

Saturday, July 19, 2008 – Vivi’s Party

Primo and interns at Vivi's party.

Last night was “the party”.  Amber’s host mom, Viviana, turned 50 on Tuesday, so they had a big blowout party for her.  “Vivi” is a super outgoing, funny, and crazy lady, so of course any party for her will be fun.  It also just happens that nearly all the host families of the interns in my group have some sort of relationship with Vivi: my host mom works with her, lives near her and they are good friends; Jennifer’s host dad is Vivi’s brother; Kristen’s host mom is Vivi’s aunt; Samiron’s host dad is in a band with Vivi’s husband.  The only person not related was Mary Andrews – but we made sure she was invited anyway – it was Vivi’s party, how could Mary Andrews not come?

 

 

 

 

 

It was a really nice party, they rented a really nice salon – food was catered and there was plenty of wine.  Dinner started with an assortment of cheese, meat, and other “munchies”.  “Dinner” itself was strange, as we were never given plates or served a complete meal.  Rather, waiters walked around every so often with a new plate of goodies serving them to each table – we had empanadas, hotdogs covered with bacon (not so yummy), pizza, chicken bites, meatballs, and a variety of other foods.  Music was played throughout the night, but the highlight was a skit put on by Vivi’s husband, brother, brother-in-law and my host dad.  They came out dancing dressed as painters then proceeded with a “striptease” each wearing a plastic “six pack”.  It was quite entertaining.  The party lasted until 3am, which I figure is not bad for being 50!  Afterwards, I went out with Javier (my “primo”) and Mary Andrews.  All-in-all a fun night!

Thursday, July 17, 2008 – Tango

Tango Cena-Show

 

The show was really fun, it was a very dramatic series of dancing and singing.  There was probably a story line, but I didn’t quite catch it.  Very entertaining overall.  I even had my picture taken with one of the dancers – not really by choice its one of those things where they walk around and take pictures with everyone….I felt bad because no one at my table would take the picture.  I even got suckered into purchasing the photo, not really a great depiction of me – but a fun memory nonetheless.

 

*Funny side note:  I have to share (I am sorry Samiron.)  So Samiron is the one lonely guy in our intern group (the group that came before us had no guys.)  He is a good sport about everything and fun to hang out with – though I think he is missing fellow male company.  Anyway, the majority of our families here overfeed us and are constantly concerned we are not eating enough – except Samiron’s family.  He lives with a young couple that works all the time and are rarely around and so he is not quite getting his full share of food.  One weekend when his “host parents” were out of town he was hungry and couldn’t find anything to eat in the house so ended up eating two containers (probably pint size) of dulce de leche straight from the jar with a spoon.  We all found the story so funny most of us shared it with our host families.  Mary Andrews host fathers now refers to him by name and constantly asks when he is coming to her house to eat.  It is just ironic  that the one guy in our group gets the only family that isn’t constantly trying to shove food down them!  Now every time my host primo (cousin – who lives with me) sees him he points and asks if that’s they guy who ate all the dulce de leche. 

Monday, July 14, 2008

I am still not feeling very well.  I went to a pharmacy in El Tigre, but it was getting dark, and when it gets dark they lock the doors, but will still let you buy things through a window.  I told the lady (at least I thought I did) that my throat hurt and I was congested.  She asked if I had a cough, which I did, and she sold me some cough medicine.  Once I had a chance to examine it better I realized it was bronchitis medicine, which I do not need since my cough is a direct result of being congested.  Of course they don’t give receipts so I couldn’t take the medicine back – and it was kind of expensive too!

 

I am still super congested and nothing I have taken has really helped much.  I couldn’t even get out of bed this morning to go work at the comedor L  I know, I am becoming super lazy.  I am going to try to find a pharmacy today and get something to help. 

Weekend, June 12 – 13, 2008 – El Tigre

My intern group minus me...

 

Saturday morning we boarded “El Tren de la Costa”, the touristy train that goes from the center of Buenos Aires to El Tigre, ending at the “Parque de Diversiones”, largest Argentine amusement park.  There are nine stops along the way that offer a variety of activities.  Our boarding passes allowed us to partake in as many of the stops as we wished.  I stuck with the group of six interns that started at the same time as me and we got off any the first four stops.  The first stop only offered a cute café, so we started to hop back on the train and try the next stop.  The second stop was at a park with a nice view of the river and another café, so we stopped and had coffee before continuing the trip.  The fourth stop was a “fería de antiguos” or an antique fair.  The sidewalks were lined with stalls with varying antique artifacts – interesting to breeze through, but not really my forte.  The next stop was San Isidro, which had the most activity going.  There were various restaurants (this is where we decided to eat lunch – it was already 2pm!), shops, and a hug artisan fair, including various live entertainment.  We stayed at San Isidro until almost five o’clock and then hopped back on the train and went straight to El Tigre.  Each train ride was absolutely packed and we ended up standing for most of it, but since each leg of the trip was so short it wasn’t really a big deal.

 

Once in El Tigre, we looked for hostel, which actually ended up being a fairly nice hostel.  We then went to the famous “Puerto de Frutos” which is actually just another artisan fair.  The thing about artisan fairs, is once you have seen one, you have basically seen them all.  I think I have had a good taste of what Argentine has to offer in terms of “authentic handmade” souvenirs. (You should all know that I only bought a $2 pair of earrings and some olive oil.)  That night we went back to the hostel and had a short “taller” or workshop, talking about what needed to be done before leaving the country (the first group of summer interns will be leaving in two weeks.)  Marcela (FSD director) and her friend made us pasta for dinner.  I crashed early.  I had a head cold which is no fun at all and was not in the mood for hanging out.

 

Sunday we went on a boat trip.  The area of El Tigre is surrounding by various interlocking rivers, creating islands all over the area.  Apparently, people live on these islands, they have some normal amenities including electricity, telephone, gas (via propane tanks) and water (filtered from river for use, potable water must be bought.)  It was pretty interesting to see, there is no vehicle access to the islands, they must be reached by boat.  However there are schools, churches and stores, including “floating” medics, supermarkets, and boat “omnibuses”.  Children also get picked up by a boat to take them to school.  It was pretty interesting.

 

We had a typical Argentine “asado” or grill out on Sunday afternoon at a park on one of the islands.  The meal consisted of meat, meat and more meat (and a little salad and some bread.)  We started out with carne empanadas, and then each were given a chorizo (sausage) and morcilla (blood sausage – which I tried but do not think I like.)  We were then give the “main course” which was meat with bones (they eat so much meat here, I am not sure what the English equivalent is), seconds of meat with bones and then meat without bones.  Luckily we had ice cream for dessert!  I am a little sick of the meat here…I can handle a little, but a meal that consists of four types of meat is not exactly my favorite.

 

We had the afternoon free, in which we went to the “El Tigre Museo de Arte” which is in the historical casino building, which was beautiful (can’t say I am much of a fan of the actual art, but the building was pretty cool.)  We then met back up at the hostel and headed home.