Special Classes and Presentations

Our students have been fortunate to be able to attend regular classes at the school to see what classes are like there. We (both teachers and students) have also had been treated to special classes and presentations. We have had special classes in Argentine history, art and geography, all taught by teachers at the school. This morning we were treated to Argentine Folk dances by a local troupe. I think most of us are ready to get home by this point but we have all gained immensely from this very rich experience. We will see you in Atlanta very soon!

More delicious food!

Today the 4th level high school English students and their lovely teacher Naomi Baronetti showed us, in Spanish, how to make ¨Turron de Quaker¨ (last word pronounced ¨cuaker¨). It contains butter, sugar, Quaker oats, bitter sweet cocao, milk and crackers. We mixed all the ingredients together except the crackers and then spread the mix on the crackers in alternating layers of crackers and mix. After it gelled in the fridge for three hours, we enjoyed one or two or three of them and were then ready for more classes.

Milk and its by products anyone?

On Friday we went to the Williner plant, which processes milk and produces cheeses and yogurt. It is one of the largest processors, producers of dairy products in the country and sells under the Ilolay brand. As you can see from the first picture, they made sure we were properly attired for the tour and that we were not going to be contamination agents. We toured the milk, cheese and yogurt production areas and found out that soon they will move their dulce de leche production to this location. Dulce de leche is the yummy, creamy, much better tasting equivalent of our caramel, which everyone loves! We have it for breakfast on toast, in all kinds of sweets and desserts, and you can even eat it right out of the carton. You´ll have to come to Argentina and try some yourself.

A Visit with the Mayor

On Thursday of our second week we were fortunate enough to be able to meet and chat with the Mayor of Rafaela, Omar Perotti, in his office. His children attend La Escuela de la Plaza. He asked us about our impressions of Rafaela and Argentina, how techonolgy is used at Westminster, and the US economy. Our students did a great job of responding in Spanish to his questions. I was very impressed! An obviously intelligent and capable man, Mr. Perroti was first mayor of Rafaela in 1994 at the age of 31 and is now on his third term. He worked as the mininster of finance for the province and at the Inter American Bank in Washington between his mayoral terms. After our visit we went to the roof of the municipality building where his office is, to get a better view of the city. We then visited the local historical museum. It´s not every day you get to have an audience with the mayor so we felt privileged.

A Trip to Rosario

On Wednesday we left at 6:45 am for Rosario, a city of about a million, a three hour drive from Rafaela. Rosario lies on the bank of the huge Rio Parana, a location which has always made it an important port city. It has a beautiful promenade along the river and a very important historical site called El Monumento a la Bandera (Monument to the Flag). The first Argentine flag was created and first raised here by one of Argentine´s national heroes, General Manuel Belgrano, in 1812 during the fight for independence. The site includes the impressively sized and sculpted stone strucuture pictured above which contains the tumb of Belgrano. Another part of the site contains the eternal flame, flanked elegantly by Sofia in the first picture. After visiting the monument we drove though the city, seeing a number of very pretty parks before having lunch at a nice outdoor cafe in one of the parks. We then had some free time on an pedrestrain only shopping street and returned to Rafaela at 9:00 that night. Our Argentine student hosts went with us, which made the day that much more enjoyable.

Class Presentations

Yesterday we began our presentations in English classes. All students receive English instruction, while students in the upper school of La Escuela de la Plaza get 14 hours of instructions per week. We will visit all classes before we leave. In the lower grades students receive instruction by grade and in the secondary division students are grouped according to their level of proficiency. Our first presentation was to five year olds, who sang us a few songs in English and whom we helped sing "Old McDonald Had a Farm," "Hokey Pokey," and "Itsy, Bitsy Spider." Jack also showed them how to play lacrosse. Later in the day the students presented a powerpoint on American music to level 2 high school students and a powerpoint on sports to level 3 high school students. What the Argentine students have seemed to enjoy most is the opportunity to talk to our students in small groups. The pictures above show some of this interaction. Today we made presentations to first and second graders and to levels 7 and 8 high school students. Our students talked about American food to the high schoolers. Next Tuesday the Spanish students will show us, in Spanish, how to make a dessert called "Turron de Quaker."

A Day in the Country

Yesterday we had the first of our weekly excursions. We went to a dairy, one of many important industries in this area. We then visited an old restored farm house, where we had tea/coffee and homemade bread. We stopped by a small museum in the quaint town of Presidente Roca that gave us a glimpse of what life was like back when the town was founded in the 19th century. We had great "asado" (barbecue) for lunch at a traditional ranch, followed by horse, buggy and sled rides. A fun day for all!

Photos

Whole group in Plaza de Mayo and Cafe Tortoni

Beautiful Buenos Aires and March of the Mothers

Tango show ready and Clowning around in the subte (subway)

Finally in Rafaela and In La Escuela de la Plaza

Hanging out with new Friends and Hanging out with old friends

WESTMINSTER IS IN ARGENTINA!!!

We arrived the 27th and have had been having a great time!
This is a day by day summary of what we have done:
27th- Brunch in the very elegant Cafe Tortoni, City Tour, and dinner at Portend Gourmet in Puerto Madero, a former warehouse district that has been converted into a sophisticated shopping, dinning, living and working area. The buffet style of the restaurant allowed us to try Argentine interpretations of steak, pasta, pìzza, salads and empanadas. Everyone found various dishes that they liked.
28th-Morning visit to the Insituto Espacio para la Memoria, an organization dedicated to recovering the memory of those killed during Argentina´s dirty war from 1976-1983. The director, a ¨disappeared person¨ herself showed us a powerpoint and talked to us about the disappeared. We then visited "Club Atletico", a clandestine detention center and talked with the staff about their work there. We were on our own for lunch. In the afternoon we went to the main square, la Plaza de Mayo, for the weekly march of the mothers of the sqaure. They are so called because they began to protest the disappearance of their children during the military dictatorhsip every Thursday at 3:30 (and have continued ever since). We had the opportunity to meet them afterwards. Afternoon shopping in Abasto at a mall. Dinner more great Argentine food.
29th-Morning visit to la Esma (Mechanics School of the Navy), the primary detention center during the Dirty War. Afterwards a stop at the impactful Parque de la Memoria (Memory Park), which has a Vietnam Memorial type wall with the names of all those who disappeared. After lunch some time free time to sleep (very much needed by this point) and/or shop. In the evening, enjoyable tango lessons for the students, dinner, and a tango and folkloric show.
30th-Morning free (good opportunity for more sleep) and at 3:00 on to the bus station and the almost 7 hour ride to Rafela. A very warm and excited welcome by our hosts at the bus station and an asado (Argentine barbecue) for many of us for dinner.
31st-Day with our families.
June 1st-First day at la Escuela de la Plaza. At 7:30 the daily singing of the national anthem and the raising of the flag. After an orientation session for the students, their Spanish class and regular classes at the school. The seniors prepared exquisite Choripan (sausage wrapped in bread) and empanadas for lunch and then a cooking class, showing how to make typical Argentine desserts (Chocolinas and Pasta Flora), which we really enjoyed sampling afterwards.
2nd-Back at school, getting settled into a routine, with classes but free time as well to take it all in. Students report that the first evening with their families was a little ackward (as it was for me and Sofia as well with our families) but since then great and that they are having a good time. Later this afternoon a visit to a local music museum.