Report here is my interim report I wrote for my circle of supporters:
Dear family, dear friends, dear friends, my supporters ,
Below I will tell of the first three months of my volunteer year in Argentina:
It all started on 7/24/2009 with an approximately 14-hour long direct flight from Frankfurt to Buenos Aires. After an uneventful flight we were at the airport by the coordinator of the volunteer program Chris Gillen picked up. The problem was that we were picked up by a van that just offered only one seat for each. But each of us as we had two large pieces of luggage it, it was correspondingly narrow. Finally we got everything put in, so we squeezed a little but arrived safely in our accommodation. In the course of the next day are still more volunteers arrived from Germany, so we end up with a group of 43 volunteers.
The course:
were during the first three weeks, we housed in the Protestant theological faculty of the University of Buenos Aires (ISEDET). There we had then find all sorts of Field trips and lectures on social and political issues every one morning language classes. This was (not only me) desperately needed, I like many others have arrived without significant prior knowledge. Our language teachers were students of theology ISEDET that have brought us even closer to the same environment. The course itself was of limited use for me only because I missed the grammar content somewhat. But ultimately I have found in these three weeks, still learned a lot, especially so because I always had my cards there. This way I could acquire at this time an almost perfect vocabulary. It helped me also, that we were self-sufficient during this time. That to me was initially very hard, because I do not just wont to go shopping every day was constantly cooking. But this way I have the vital vocabulary faster appropriated.
The first three weeks in ISEDET were overall very nice but very tiring. This was partly because we have lived in a big group together, but also simply because the change to a different country, a different season and a big city is always really tough. Accordingly, I was glad then when we finally went to our projects. The journey to my project was not a problem because my project, only 150 km away from Buenos Aires is located.
My environment:
My project is in Baradero, a town of 30,000 inhabitants in the middle between Rosario and Buenos Aires. Baradero is very rural. But the center can still get (almost) everything what you want. But here in Baradero is the social margin, as in all of Argentina, clearly visible. For example, in the center certainly very beautiful and very modern houses, but once you get some Cuadras (blocks) away from the center of the streets no longer paved and the houses are also becoming poorer. The roads of earth are especially a problem when it rains. Through all the mud you just go hardly the center, if one has not really an SUV. This also means that many children just do not go to school when it rains. For me it becomes very uncomfortable, because my project is located outside the city and my only means of a very old bike without fenders is. From my project to the city center, I need about fifteen minutes by bike, what with this bike really is not pleasant. Home
I do with my Mitfreiwilligen Sascha together in an apartment directly in our project. Our apartment has three bedrooms and a bathroom, which is actually pretty good. Finally, I am with our housing situation really satisfied, even if as some not quite so well. Sun breaks down as our Sink slow form because of the humidity in the bathroom and always puddles around the toilet. But we were already promised that we will "soon" move. Just so soon always very vague, so now we wait and just drinking tea. Here you can drink tea but no normal way Mate. It is in a cup made of wood or a dried gourd Yerba a special tea blend filled, and then infused with hot water. Drunk the whole thing with the Bombilla, a kind of straw. The material is really the national drink of Argentina. Here you see people constantly walk around with a thermos. Also be at work often breaks to drink Mate inserted. The Mate beverage is always a very social affair, as the material moves in circles.
My project:
My project is a former children's home in the German Protestant community of Argentina. It is named after its founder "Hogar Germán Frers. The Hogar translated, the home, is on a large yard. We not only have our own football field, but also a small woodland and fields with lemon and orange trees. In addition to these fields are on the whole area trees and shrubs with a variety of edible fruits found. So there It figs, avocados, nuts and a few other more or less exotic fruits. Besides the large main building in which we live, there are a few other buildings. That were once used almost all of the buildings for everyday home use because here up to 60 children and young people were staying. Today much of the building is only used for (weekend) camps and other types of tourism. Otherwise we have on our area nor the second oldest Protestant church in Argentina and a swimming pool.
Today the project only a day center, because the home had to close for legal reasons, about a year ago. The means that a large part of the land and the building is used at most on the weekends when we sometimes pending a camp. In come the day center during the week, every day up to 20 children. The children are always sure of a minibus to pick you up at the school and driven to our project. Here you will get something to eat and care for the afternoon. The children who come to us must be determined by two social workers of the city in coordination with us, so the staff of the Hogar. The children who come here come here at the moment, almost all from difficult conditions such as to domestic violence, alcoholism and, unfortunately, the parents of sexual abuse. But are our children Now not all from extremely poor backgrounds, so that the problems are not specific Argentinian but could then show up in Germany. Only the problems are then usually always a degree worse than ours. The team of
Hogars is quite large. Thus, besides the two teachers who care, of course, mainly the children, a cook and a maid and laundress, another cooking and cleaning woman, a housekeeper and someone who is responsible for the tourism aspect of the Hogar. And of course there are our boss, who lives in Buenos Aires, but why only two or three times a week here in Baradero. Außerdemm there are the two social workers the city, stop by regularly and assist us in working with the children. In this way we can offer children a truly comprehensive care. But the staff is not enough to keep the whole area along with agriculture going. Unfortunately, this means that there is pretty much untapped, and are also many works on the buildings just stay.
My work:
My normal daily routine is on a working day as follows: wake up I usually do so soon after eight clock and then make my first coffee to wake up. Then I start still good 90 minutes until the work by ten clock. During this time, I communicate a lot with my Family and friends from Germany, since they will usually have a lunch break. At ten clock I go down then, from the building out and start to wonder what could be done. My duties in the morning are very different. I have already deleted, office work done, prepare something for the kids or just cleaned up. The morning session is usually over pretty quickly, and therefore are effective only because a half hours. Indeed, there are already at 11.30 clock lunch for us in this project, prepared by the cook. The food is usually pretty good, even if it is not always so diverse. Between twelve and half past twelve then come the kids with the "Cole" (Short for colectivo, bus) and usually start to play directly. As our work is a good part of it just to play with the children is then already asked our efforts. Be it with the Hamaca (swing) or with the basketball, and in any case, the children always ask for our participation. Thus, the work makes it even (almost) always fun, although I have done the wrists from constant throwing of children on the swings pretty painful. Sun against two clock is there always for dessert (dessert), which is usually made from self-pudding, cream of wheat or rice pudding. There is no real lunch for children who get to eat anything at school. And these are currently only three children. After it is
Postre Apoyo Escolar, which is so much like homework help and tutoring in one. Depending on whether the children have homework or not. Sascha and I too, must help. That is my feeling after the most difficult task here. And not because of the language and the difficulty of tasks, but because you are always at the same time Take care of several children needs. We have children but divided into two groups so that Sascha and I help with one teacher to a group. But that also hold for seven to ten children are on two. And the problem is that most are not able to do their homework independently. That means we should really do with individual child's homework, which is effectively not possible. For some children very quickly lose the desire to make the tasks as if they had any at all, if you can not directly take care of them. Therefore, it is often down to is that some children preferred the slightly smarter, paint or make just as we help other children with their homework. Helping itself is also mostly very hard, because some children can not read or write properly. But now I have the impression that our work really brings something to the children. Some children in the period in which I've been here already made really good progress, so I am in good spirits am also able to help others yet.
After Apoyo Escolar there really are other workshops, such as drawing and painting, for example, cooking or sports. These workshops will take place but, unfortunately, is anything but regular, as the manager (s) often have no desire or time. If a workshop is held after we play again with the children until it's time for dinner. That's about at 17.15 clock. Previously, the children should have a shower, which here is no obligation. But when a child is sometimes very dirty again, is made entirely from our side pressure that it is yet again taking a shower. But by and large is no problem with the showers. Although it never shower all but distributed over the day moves on any one time. Once a week we do a prayer before dinner with our boss, but also is about the only aspect of the Christian right day care center. Even before the dinner, there is a (self) evaluation of the day by the kids and us. We have a name list on which we paint with three colors of traffic lights points, depending on how the child has behaved. Of course, we determine the color, but the children get plenty of room to assess themselves. This is still a fairly new idea from us, but it seems to work pretty well. Also, because we have threatened with sanctions if someone has too many red dots on the list. After dinner comes then the Cole and pick up the children. Once a week we will be talking after work at a meeting with the entire team out on anything. Firstly, problems and discussed with individual children, but also, such as the organizational problem with the workshop leader (s).
addition to this regular work but there are always some other actions pending the. Thus, there are often weekend retreats and similar events in the Hogar to help where we can and sometimes should. This additional working days and we can then again take time during the week.
On fourth day of October, we have also the centenary Anniversary of the celebrated Hogars, so we had to do to run this festival a lot because had to be cleaned including the swimming pool. But despite everything, the whole work, I also heir leisure.
my free time:
my free time is limited here almost always on time after six clock and on weekends. During the week I'm going to play volleyball two nights, which gives me a lot of fun. In addition, you get in this way, most likely in contact with local young people. At the two other nights I go to language classes with a former French teacher. The word can not speak German, but because I'm learning the English only get better. In general I have to the language without too much problems. If someone talks to me, I understand almost everything and if I just listen, I understand him the most. I can speak also quite good, I am of course still many mistakes. What makes me especially to create is the English "R" that I just can not pronounce. But on the all works very well. I have even read my first book in English (Robinson Crusoe). That was quite tiring, but I finally managed with the help of a dictionary very well. Meanwhile, I'm already on it to read the next book.
The weekends I spend most of here in the Hogar with occasional excursions fish in the city or the. But it is also possible in two hours from Buenos Aires to come. And since we know there still many other volunteers, we always have a place to sleep. Therefore, we can always throw in the big city if we choose to be mute.
Greetings from the almost summer sticking Argentina
Lukas
