Post Script: A Dilemma 6.21.16

And, in case you had not heard- there was a soccer match last night! We were vastly outnumbered and outplayed but, we cheered on. Until the first half was over and sleep sounded really good!

Early flights and new friends 6.21.16

Hola Amigos,

We are back after the Feria Nacional.  This time from Salta, Argentina. This beautiful town, nestled in the mountains, is a two hour flight from Buenos Aires and the home of our service at Fe y Alegria.  After catching a very early flight, we landed here and toured the lovely little city, with its many churches and eclectic mix of architectural building styles (Spanish, Middle Eastern, Italian). Empanadas and pizza followed then we began the mission we had really come here for- meeting and witnessing daily life at the Fe Y Alegria school.

We toured the large campus of the school and then the town the surrounds it. Shocking poverty and a way of life none of us have previously witnessed was all around. What truly struck us was the joy and appreciation for life that the people there had.  Most of the students and their families live difficult lives yet they were very excited for our visit and welcomed us warmly.  The boys talked to the students and then played a mixed match of rugby together on a local field. This was clearly a bonding experience and all had a great time!

We are back to Fe y Algeria today for a full day. They have some fun plans for us! Stay tuned...

Be Well,
Marian y Elena

La Boca and Flag Day 6.15-16.16

Hola Amigos,

Miércoles was a busy day for us as we had our first sightseeing trip as a group.  We went to the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires and had a nice lunch together. Ryan made a new friend and David purchased his tango attire (aka fedora). We will be tangoing in style in a few weeks when we meet up with the ladies from Fontbonne for our lesson!  We also toured the soccer stadium (one word: wow!) and walked down the most colorful street in Buenos Aires!

Jueves brought the Flag Day celebration in which we observed the fourth graders at Colegio del Salvador promise to honor the flag in front of the seniors and parents.  The school rector (President) gave us some moving words and great advice.  We then toured Universidad del Salvador (USAL). Don't be surprised if your son wants to come back for a semester exchange here! It was impressive!

The boys will be blogging from now on. We need to put those fellows to work- no more lounging around eating empanadas and playing futbol all day! We will keep the pictures coming but I am sure you are looking forward to hearing about his experience from the boys!

Be well,
Marian y Elena

Buenos Aires Tuesday 6.14.16

Hola Amigos!

We are having a great time here. We have settled in and have spent some quality time at Collegio del Salvador. Yesterday, we had a special class on futbol and another on Argentine politics. Today, we had mate and geography classes. We also participated in a special mass, in which we participated in my offering a Prayer of the Faithful, written by our group en Espanol. We received a blessing at the end of Mass, which continued the wonderful Argentine hospitality, making us feel welcome and loved. Finally, today the boys assisted their host brothers in preparing for a debate in English with other local schools. Tomorrow, the adventures continue as we head to La Boca, where we will tour the neighborhood and see the soccer stadium.  Who knew Argentines likes soccer so much?

We are all thinking of you and wishing you well. The boys are happy, well fed and having a great time!  Here are some photos of our day.

Be well!
Marian y Elena

The Eagles have landed! 11 Junio

Our flight into Buenos Aires was long but smooth.  It was an emotional reunion with host brothers and their excited families today. I couldn't help but snap a few pictures of our tired boys because the energy upon our arrival at Colllegio del Salvador was great!  We are now settling into our homes for the next four weeks. It is amazing to be here after all our planning and preparing! We are starting to adjust to life south of the Equator, even if today was muy frio at 30 degrees F.

I speak for all members of the trip when I say that we owe all of you many thanks for making this trip happen. From the dedicated parents, who sacrificed to send your boys here to the Hyde Center staff to all the folks at Collegio del Salvador - we take fond thoughts of you with us on this adventure! Muchos gracias from Buenos Aires! Don't worry- we will make sure the boys bring you home some nice mementos of the trip :)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.
Elena Gourlis

Pre-Trip Blog 4: May 23, 2016

I can reiterate what others have said in saying that I’m a bit worried there will be a big language barrier in Argentina. I think that with studying a language, there’s one aspect of it that’s conjugation charts and studying tenses. The other side of it is actually using the language in a natural setting. I don’t have much, really any, practice with the latter.  

I don’t know just how strong my Spanish foundation is. I was surprised at how strong the Argentinians’ English was. They could function so well in the US, and I’m questioning if I could do the same in Argentina. I’m doubtful. The Argentinian students can speak English, so I feel like their inclination upon hearing our broken Spanish will be to just speak English to us, but it’s important that they speak in Spanish so we can make these mistakes and learn. Also, so much of the trip is about learning about the culture, it’s not just a study of language. The culture is probably what I’m most excited about, particularly the food, music, the lateness of the schedule there, etc. 

Patrick Phelan

Pre-Trip Blog 3: May 4, 2016

As the summer approaches the stress of the end of the year grows, but I know after it ends I will be able to have a more relaxing time in Buenos Aires. Although I have a decent spanish grade, I fear it may not be enough to work there. I know the food should be good because I have tried their cuisine before and it is similar to many other Latin countries. My exchange brother Juan and his older brother have great English, so small translation issues should not be a problem. While he was here we managed to Skype his family once and they all seemed nice. I am interested to see what new experiences will come from living with his family for about three weeks. I am excited for the different activities we will do their and to see the interesting places Juan showed me in a tourist book he brought. Th night life should be interesting because everything starts and continues later i to the evening then they do here. Once when I was talking to Juan he said that his parents tell him to get home by six in the morning. The trip should be an interesting way to start the summer.

Mark Vaccaro '18