hacer

The days I have worked have been quite repetitve, but as they are dwindling to an end I thought I would write a bit more about them.

Did I mention I paint?  Apparently they think I am a good one at that.  I have been painting walls, fences, gates, cages, you name it.  My arms (and some of my clothes) are now beautiful shades of green, orange and brown.  This brown unfortunately will not wash off in the shower...

As if the men arent bad enough, I had a parrot whistle at me yesterday as I walked past.  Como?!

Other than my daily feeding duties, I pretty much just rake.  Ive been told raking is the work of buddhist monks- and it takes all my willpower mentally and spiritually to endure 3 hours worth.

I have been telling myself I did not choose to volunteer to become a hero, save lives or end war, solely just to help where needed.  I did, however, perform one heroic act and rescued a goat that had its head stuck in the wire fence- so technically I saved one life.  Goats arent the smartest of animals.

Each day, instead, I have been wishing there was something I could do for the stray dogs in the street.  I know this problem exists in other places but I am discouraged.  People have cast out beautiful shepards and labs to now be stepped over and ignored.  But what can one do?  With more time perhaps open a shelter, educate or create an adoption program- but that would also require changing the people.

To do what little I feel I can, I set out this afternoon with a bag of dog food and a jug of water.  Through the second glances I was receiving I had one older man come up to me and say (in spanish) "the people are seeing what you are doing, bravo".

Not requiring any acknowledgment, this, and the trail of dogs following me to my doorstep made it completely worthwhile.

torpe

I am clumsy.

Why do they not build devices to withstand being tossed into a curb on a street in La Valle de San Marcos?

Went on road trip, and this is the only picture I have to show for it before my camera met its devastating demise (and its blurry to boot!).

Todays "before-was-unecessary-but-now-is-necessary" purchase:

una nueva camera

(wrist band included)

fin de semana

This past weekend was similar to the bipolar spectrum of my lifestyle, and I think its easy to tell which end I enjoyed the most...

Saturday: City

 

Plaza San Martin

I took the hour and a half bus ride to Cordoba, the second largest city in Argentina.  Although upon arriving, I could have sworn I was back in Buenos Aires.  Same crumbling buildings in the center of the city, same hoards of people everywhere, and the same lack of any sense of direction when I was trying to find my way around. "Perdon, donde esta un compass?"  I had great hopes of making completely unnecessary purchases- for example a nice pair of leather boots- to make my backpacking experience much more difficult, but I found nothing.  After every store in the city closed at 2 pm, I thought I would hit the art museum and a few other cultural spots of interests, but they too were closed.  What kind of museum is closed on weekends? 

An Argentinian one thats what.



    After a half of what I though would be a full day, I caught the bus back feeling tired, irritated, and simply unsatisfied.

    I didnt even take that many pictures in fear of my camera being snatched from my hands.



an infamous self portrait

Sunday: Country


Helen and I drove about an hour north to a town called Capilla de Monte.  We arrived at her friend Maria Helena´s house at the foot of the Sierras and I am in awe of the beauty of the land, and even more interested as we walk up to her patio filled with baskets of fruits, vegetables and nuts, a hammock swinging in the breeze and silk indian scarves lining the door. 

Having a chance to chat with Maria (in espanol, por supesto) I discover she is a teacher and healer through vegetarian cooking.  Aliementacion she called it- to recieve nourishment. 

Surviving alcoholism and breast cancer, Maria went to India for 9 years to change her life.  What she learned there she now uses to help change others.  She has only lived in Capilla for 2 years, and before that Buenos Aires.  She shows me magazine clippings and articles about her and her work when in BA and I ask her why she left this "fame" to live in the country.  "Tranquility" she says, "happiness".

I was of course most excited when she invited us to stay for lunch.  We set the table with only wooden carved bowls and chopsticks- she does not use utensils.  And her knives- ceramic, as metal kills the vitamins and nutrients in the food.  As we eat the most delicious meal I am intrigued and ask the usual questions perhaps I use as an excuse to not have this sort of diet:

"Is it time consuming to prepare these meals fresh each day?" 

"The time is for your health," she replies "That is the most important thing of all"

"Is it expensive to purchase fresh and organic?"

"It is your health" again, "The pharmacy would be much more expensive".

We fill our bodies with so much processed garbage it seems difficult to live a different way, but I left Maria´s house stuffed and thankful for having met her and showing me how simple it really is.

I understand that when I reconnect to nature in my life- whether it be riding, camping, running or eating- it brings me the same tranquility and from this, happiness.



maestra

"all that I know,

is that I know nothing"

            -Helen Vilbert

blanca

i looked at myself today and thought
"what a wonderful tan you are getting, cayley"
but then was back to normal when the dirt washed off in the shower
triste

leons, tigres, y osos

I am here: http://maps.google.es/maps?q=la%20falda%20argentina%20map&rls=com.microsoft:es&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&rlz=1I7ADFA_es&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=es&tab=wl

I flew to Cordoba Saturday and found out I will be spending the next four weeks in La Falda, living with a woman named Helen in her home where she runs an English school for local children and adults.  I was relieved to discover she could speak English, orginally from Cape Town, South Africa.  Spent the weekend chatting, walking, and meeting lots of people in the town.  And of course sleeping- I think the jet lag is catching up on me. 
This area in Argentina is so beautiful, in a valley between Los Sierras de Cordoba.  Rolling hills, rivers.

I would say I have gone from "No hablo espanol", to "entiendo espanol"- I understand, un poco. 
I have developed such an appreciation for communication soley from not being able to do it very well for the past 10 days.  However I am trying to not be so hard on myself and believe that by completely saturating my brain and listening to the conversations around me, I will someday (hopefully soon) regurgitate.  I have also learned that communication involves much more than words.  Expressions, actions and body language have said so much more for me to understand, I have found my way though the art of miming.
Anyways I am usually quiet so things arent completely different.
As I was in great need, I began my first Spanish class this morning with another lady named Diana, and in the afternoon took a bus and arrived at Tatu Carreta, the park where I will be volunteering.

It is quite nice, lots of birds, llamas, monkeys, deer (oh my!) and a jaguar.  Neato!  But I think I will be staying out of that enclosure, gracias.  Had a wonderful afternoon full of shovelling goose poo, but fed most of the animals at the end of the day which I really enjoyed.  It reminds me a bit of my Flying Goose Farm days so hopefully it will be as peaceful, restorative, and labour intensive.

At 7pm I went to catch the same bus back and determined it was far too inconvenient, and it just might be possible to run the 8 km back to mi casa.  About 5 mins in and already realizing I perhaps made the wrong decision to leave the bus stop, Alejandro- the other worker at Tatu, pulls up and shouts "Estas loca!", apparently I should indeed not run home. 
Numero 17 on my things to do list: ride on a motorcycle- check.  (Earmuffs mom)  He was nice enough to give me a lift, save me the 3 pesos, and get me home safe and sound.  But lesson learned, tomorrow I will be taking the bus.
Besos

espectacular

After an early morning flight, I arrived at my hotel in Iguazu Wednesday and was a tad delighted to see how spa-esc it is.  Being at least 30 degrees I immediately went for a swim in the pool, bought a $5 bottle of wine, and had an hour massage that cost approximately $40. Buen dia.
I am quite impressed with how inexpensive things cost.  Although Im finding it difficult to utlize my math skills and divide everything by four, I think its all a pretty good deal.  For example, delicious authentico asado dinner last night, wine and dessert of course included, $25. Fantastico.
Oh and the desserts... I have grown a new love for dulce de leche.  It is in everything- cookies, cakes, pastries, coffee, gelato. Me encantalo
Yesterday was a full day exploring the Iguazu National Park.  It is one of the most specatular things I have seen.  The park is very well set up so you can have amazing view points of all of the falls (if you can squeeze past the out stretched arms feroiously snapping pictures) and at the end of the day I hiked down, hopped on a boat and got drenched by going right up to the Garganta del Diablo (devils throat).  Although being that close was difficult to do much more than put your head down and hold on,  it was like opening your eyes into in the shower facuet- cant do it.

Garganta del Diablo

mi guia (guide)

on a boat

no entiendo

bunk

Alan- my half english/irish, buenos tour guide

Cementario de Recoleta

Evita!

Almuerzo

polo with Fernando

Last night in Buenos Aires.

I am not a photographer.  However would like to be, and am determined to improve.  The great debate over whether or not to cart around an SLR with lenses wasnt hard to decide, so I am settling on my Olympius point and shooter gratefully donated to me by my aunt and uncle after my last made a Mexican cab drivers family very happy.  I usually stand firm on not experiencing moments through the camera lens, however I really want to share this experience so I am doing my best to snap here and there (and everywhere!)

I am also not patient.  Apparently they do not have turbo-dual-extra spectacular fast Internet connections in a hostel, so it has taken me almost an hour to upload these.  I will figure out how to make the pictures in a slideshow, instead of a really long post, another day.

Things have been great.  Buenos Aires isnt quite as intimidating as it was at first, but is still massive, busy, and loud!  The Argentine steak is almost as good as Albertan, and the men are as forward as I was warned.  However I have had no issues, I just use my usual defenses- avoid eye contact, walk briskly and pretend to not understand what is being said.  But in this case Im not really pretending.

"Would you be my wife?"  What? Dont you think you should get to know me better first?

Iguazu tomorrow.

Mucho amor