A Needed Rest

After a great pasta dinner Friday night in the San Isidro area (I had fresh salmon ravioli and the pasta was black--colored with squid ink), we moved to new host families on Saturday morning. Saturday night, the local club took us to a great outdoor concert put on by the municipality, Vicente Lopez. The entertainer was Xavier Calamero (spelling?), a well known Argentine singer. It was fabulous. He did a combo of rock, ballads, and the kinds of love songs you might hear in a Broadway musical. He had the Broadway moves down, too, as well as a lot of charisma. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Most all the folks in attendance at the concert were sitting on the lawn or on lawn chairs. It was pretty crowded. There were a few folks without seats who stood the whole time, and blocked the view of the people sitting behind them. The folks sitting kept yelling "Sentarse! Sentarse! (Sit down!), to no avail. At one point even the entertainer implored these rude folks to sit or move, but they did not. Nobody from security came, and periodically the arguments between those standing and those sitting behind them got pretty heated. We thought that punches might fly, but thankfully that never happened. It was an interesting cultural exchange.

While we are on the topic of public aggression, the local news is reporting nothing (other than the farmer's strike) besides fights after yesterday's soccer match in BA. The photo coverage of the fights shows amazing brutality--including men in their 60s all bloody. These folks don't look like the ones who started the fighting. These soccer fans get crazy, and we have been advised to stay away from the games.

I don't recall how much, if any, I have written about the strike in the country. There is a strike by farmers and country folk. They have been blocking the routes into the city since a couple of days after we arrived. It all stems from a steep increase in taxes on farmers which have recently gone from 25% to about 45%. It does not appear that the Kirschner government is handling it very well. Last week, the told the strikers to stop the blockage ("Paro"), and the government would open talks. So the strike stopped in most places and then the Prez went back on her word, saying she would not talk until after the weekend. So, now the farmers are back on strike and don't believe what the government promises.

I have not spoken to any Rotarians who believe that the current government is doing well in any way. All I have heard are complaints about the education system, the taxes, the inability to fire employees, the poor treatment of farmers, and on and on. This is a beautiful country, rich in resources, both natural and in people, yet it is not on a good course.

The strike is having a real impact. You can't get a salad in a restaurant because the availability of fresh produce is extremely limited. Lettuce and tomato is saved for sandwiches only. Some folks tell me the prices for such goods is really high in the supermarkets, and others say they see no change. Some say the market's shelves have less stock, and others say that is not so. So it is difficult to know what the truth is. I do know, however, from personal experience, that I have been told at least 4 times at restaurants that salad is unavailable because of the strike.

Time will tell if the strike prevents us from traveling out into the country later in our exchange.

Yesterday, Sunday, was a "free day". (Yay!), and most of us spent a lovely day in Capital Federal (which is the actual capital city of Argentina, Buenos Aires.) We went to the Recoleta again, saw Eva Peron's grave, walked a lot, went to outdoor markets, and visited San Telmo, the district of antique stores and fairs, which was very crowded with tourists. San Telmo is the birthplace of tango, and Eecole and Kelly took a tango lesson.

That brings us to today, Monday. We went on a vocational visit to the botanical gardens in Capital Federal and had a relaxing and minimally informative tour of some of the grounds.

Tonight we are doing our presentation at a Rotary meeting of another all female club. Again, they allow men, but have no takers. The male clubs in the area do not allow women. Tomorrow, we move on to another home stay in another zone.

Can´t Reply?

A couple of you have shared that you have been unable to reply or comment on the blog. Sorry, I don´t know why that is not working. However, we would love to get your comments through my email, which is vicki@yateslaw.com If you have a comment for the blog, put ¨blog comment¨as the subject in the email, and I will see if I can post them. Even if I can´t, I will share your comments with the team. So keep the comments coming, whether they can be posted or not. Thanks--we would love to hear from you. Vicki

The Judge Got The Blues

At a meeting yesterday with Dr. Esteguy (one of the judges) in his chambers, the topic of conversation somehow changed from law to music. Actually, the judge changed the subject. He wanted me to know he loves ¨musica black¨ of all types--jazz, blues, and rhythm and blues, and he was very proud that he has 8500 CDs, all originals. I told him how much I love the blues, and asked him who his favorite blues artist is. B.B. King was his response. I shared that one of my favorite blues CDs is one with B.B. King and Eric Clapton singing together. He knows the CD well, and has a copy. Then he added, rather matter of factly, ¨Eric Clapton es el Dios blanco.¨ In English, that means Eric Clapton is the ¨white god¨. How wonderful! Judge and lawyer formally dressed in conservative judicial chambers could not stop laughing at that one. We really connected on a totally different level. I will never again be able to listen to Clapton without thinking of Dr. Esteguy´s white god.

Then, at the Rotary meeting and dinner last night, which was a combined meeting of four clubs in honor of the GSE program, Dr. Esteguy got up and gave a little speech about how much the judges enjoyed my visit, and he presented me with a gift from them all. It is a beautiful book on Patagonia with wonderful photos. I was both honored and flattered to know that our exchange was as special to them as it was to me.

Today, Friday, the team visited the local lab where food is tested by the government. Unlike the US, where the USDA inspects food before it reaches restaurants and homes, in Argentina the government does surprise spot checks in restaurants on a fairly regular basis (at least at the ones that have a history of problems) and analyzes samples of food at the lab. Discussion of our differing systems was very enjoyable. The director of the lab, who is a veterinarian, said his real passion is working with race horses, and he invited us to the stables next Wednesday. Too bad we won´t be near here to take him up on the invitation.

After a wonderful parrilla lunch (Argentine BBQ), we visited the offices of the Jenny Craig/Weight Watcher equivalent in Argentina. At least it sounded that way to me. However, the Argentine Rotarians insist that the head of the company is the pioneer in Argentina for a healthy lifestyle and is committed to changing the Argentine diet to include more fruits and vegies, etc. That would be good, because many of the people we are with don´t seem to believe in eating anything but meat, cheese, more meat, bread, more meat, wine, and dessert. At a Rotary meeting at a fancy club on the river the other night, we were served a dinner of breaded and fried flank steak with french fries, bread on the table and ice cream for dessert. Not a vegie in sight. Can´t really complain, though, because the food is generally pretty darn good. And it is apparent from conversation that, at least in theory, the Argentine people are slowly accepting that they could have a more healthy diet.

Tonight we are off to a dinner at a restaurant owned by one of the local Rotarians. It specializes in fresh pasta. The Italian influence down here is very strong, and many of the Rotarians I have met are of Italian origin. They love that Kelly´s name is ¨Fregulia-Smith.¨ I am looking forward to this dinner especially because it is simply a social affair, without any Rotary meeting, and we don´t have to wear our uniforms!!! I am going to put on a snazzy outfit and have a great time.

The Law

I spent a simply marvelous day today learning about the Argentine judicial system. I spent about an hour with 6 judges, and I think they enjoyed it as much as I did. They had many questions about the American system, and it was a fabulous professional exchange. I then toured the offices of the local bar assocation, some of the court chambers, and the bar´s social building. Because the practice of law is so adversarial, the bar here (Colegio de Abogados) makes it a point to provide a place for fellowship among lawyers, to get beyond the adversarial relationships. Had lunch there with one of the judges, a Rotarian, who was my host. After 3 or 4 hours of intense talking in Spanish, however, I was exhausted, and spent many hours resting.

I have not seen the team since last night. They had a different exchange today, which I hope they write about. I will see them tonight at a meeting of four clubs, the District Governor, and the outbound GSE team to District 5100.

We love Argentina

Wow! I started to write this in Spanish, without thinking, because almost everything I am doing is Spanish. After just 5 days here, I am really thinking, living and breathing en Castellano (which is the Argentine version of Spanish). However, I must turn a switch in my brain and write in English.

So much has occurred since I wrote last. I cannot even recount it all. On Monday, we spent the day as tourists in the Delta area, which is the confluence of 3 or 4 rivers near Buenos Aires. We took a lovely boat ride for a few hours, up the river. We saw many summer homes on the shores, union retreats, and recreational areas. It was very lovely.

Oswaldo, a local Rotarian, took us to two Rotary projects that are fabulous. They are schools for disabled children built by the Rotary Club of Tigre. The club built the schools, and rents them to the govenment. The government pays the club rent for the schools, and the club uses the money, in part, to maintain the buildings, and also to save, and to use for other projects. The projects are self sustaining and very important.

We then had lunch at the ¨English Club¨, a rowing club on the river. Crew is very popular in this water haven. We walked along the river, and visited one of the best art museums I have been to in a long time. Monday evening, we had a big dinner at the home of Rene and Martin, at a giant table in a simple, but huge, communal room. We were about 25 Rotarians, friends and family. It is so nice how the Rotarians´ grown kids invite their friends to these events. We ate, drank and laughed, with three generations of wonderful folks.

Tuesday was a ¨professional day¨. We visited an INTA station, which is an agricultural station where they do experiments with cattle, raising trees (mainly poplar), and other ag projects. We saw wonderful wildlife (eagles, herons) in addition to farm animals.

We did our first presentation at a club on Tuesday night, and it went pretty well, all things considered. We will tighten it up, and work on our pronunciation. This particular club had only women members, although there is no prohibition against men joining. The club is all women, because, although there are coed clubs, some clubs are still all male, and this has led to the formation of all woman clubs. I am told that the all male clubs do no allow women! We´ve come a long way baby, but we are still not there.

Today, we changed locations, and are now with new families. It was a tourist day in the morning, and we visited the San Isidro cathedral, and a couple of museums. One of the museums is normally closed today but it was opened especially for our visit. We then toured Villa Ocampo, a wonderful home (kind of reminded me of the Pittock Mansion), which was owned by an important writer and patron of the arts. We lunched outdoors in a fabulous setting with the mansion in the background, the incredible garden in front of us, and the wonderful company of our new Rotary hosts. I felt transported back in Victorian times- all that was missing was a fancy bonnet, white gloves and croquet.

I can´t begin to describe how wonderful our hosts are, their hospitality, friendliness and desire to please. We have made some wonderful friends already. It was difficult to change host families today because we were so comfortable with our previous hosts.

The only downside so far is that there is some political unrest in Argentina, due to the economic policies of the government. There are picketers blocking some routes up north, and travel is being diverted. This has been going on since Monday. A trip that usually takes one hour is taking four or five hours because of these diversions. Our hosts tell us that our itinerary may have to be changed if it continues, because it may be difficult to travel where we are scheduled to go. Yesterday, some protests and small riots broke out in Buenos Aires. It is all over the news. Our host families are worried, but we are not in any danger. I don´t think they are worried because of their safety, but because they are distressed with the political environment. Please, I don´t mean to worry anyone. All is calm. We are in a beautiful suburb about an hour north of Buenos Aires and all is well.

I am looking forward to tomorrow, when I get to meet with lawyers and judges on my own personal ¨professional day.¨ Good night and stay tuned.

lunch not to be forgotten

my goodness..a quick note to say.. we had lunch in one of the most romantic, ideallyc (i dont know how to spell that word!).. magical settings today. i felt like i was in the movies.. out by the grass.. a long table set for just us (about 14).. noone else around.. the green parrots flying above us in and nestling in these beautiful trees above.. green lawn and the most romantic little pavillion behind us.. and a sunset orange mansion in front of us...the house of a woman writer. now a museam .. ok i know it was Virgina something.. but i wasnt feeling well and didnt pay attention to her last name.. but did pay attention to her house, the garden, the weather, the food, and the company. It seems the Argentinians place a great deal of value on their social gatherings.. they are magnificant.. really.. it makes me want to have a great big family where we cook and eat and laugh and drink together..around a great long table... often.

love and hope,
eecole

day 2... Easter Sunday

I would say today was a lazy day.. a lot of talking.. and eating.. and lounging.. perhaps this is the pace of Argentina.. pero.. i think because of the holiday.. things were slowed down even more than usual. The boys and the girls split up today.. wonder how the chicos are doing...? We met Miriam and Oswaldo, Laura and Armondo, Valiria and her many children and adorable grandchildren. Oswaldo teaches how to auction at the university .. and we asked for a demo.. He obliged with the auction of churro uniqua that I happen to win with my proposal of 36 pesos..It was quite a hilarous scene. Laura set an incredibly elaborate table at which we ate what seems to be the typical Argentinian treat of danish, churro and croissants.. tea and cafe. Then off to lunch for more wine and MAS bife.. and a great salad lunch.. thank the easter bunny for salad.... mucho neccisito .. to balance out all the bife intake..
We took a long walk and ended up at Valiria´s house.. the view here is outrageous.. lots of sailboats on the RIo Plata.. Us girls took a nice walk.. Vicki found an outdoor antique market to visit, kelly went on a much needed run.. and i found a bird sanctuary and ecological restoration site along the river.. sat for a few moments in extraordinary peace and just listened to the birds and absorbed the mass of green before my eyes. muy bonita.

Dinner started off slow and quiet.. until the gang arrived.. 3 adults..and 5 children arrived to kick up the speed.. its funny.. at first we really didnt have much converstion.. but after a while.. we all started to engage and it was much more fun. looking at pictures... sharing stories as best we can.. messing u p the language and saying things like hombre instead of hambre.. that tell a different story than intended..and make you all laugh.. i suppose that is what this trip will really be about.. people, language, family, sights and stories. hopefully laughs, connection, and richness. I loved having all of Valiria´s children around. t reminds me how importante family is.. and to have it is such a blessing. so i imagine this trip will also be about insight..
Here´s to mas y mas insight...
Buenos noches,
Eecole

A great first day in Argentina

After much needed naps, the entire team took the train into Buenos Aires, a thirty minute ride. We walked to La Recolleta, a very nice area of the city, to see the graves of Eva Peron and some other famous Argentines. On the way, we stopped at a huge artisan market and shopped. I bought a mate cup made from calabaza (a hollowed out gourd) and several bombillos, which are the straws you drink the mate through. I took a photo with Victor, the artist who made the mate cup. By the time we got a bite to eat, and checked out a cool church, the cemetary was closed! So we never got close to the famous mausoleums. We had agreat time anyway. Then we walked quite a ways to El Centro, a busy, noisy, overly commercial area without cars and a zillion shops. I was unimpressed until we happened upon tango dancers entertaining in the street. Of course we took photos. Then we went to La Estancia, for our first Argentine BBQ. We ordered a meal for three, and the five of us could not finish it all. There were short ribs, pork, kidneys, sweetbreads, tripe, veal matambre, chorizo, some other great sausage, blood sausage and, get this---udder. The udder was disgusting. I almost got sick from it. The blood sausage, tripe, sweetbreads and kidney weren´t too great, but definitely edible and worth sampling. I guess we didn´t finish everything because we didn´t want to! We couldn´t have asked for more on our first day in Argentina--friendly Rotarians, miles of walking through the city, shopping, tango and interesting food.

We have arrived!

We are in Buenos Aires! After a long, but uneventful flight, we touched down in B.A. and were met by Governor Eduardo, GSE Chair Liliana, Outbound team leader Marcos, and other Rotarians, as well as Kelly and Eecole. Our Argentine counterparts are very nice, and are doing everything to make us feel welcome and comfortable. They took us to an historic hotel, Posada de San Isidro, which is about 200 years old. A local Rotarian owns it. We all took long naps (much needed) and we are now ready to get on the train for 30 minute ride to downtown Buenos Aires. We have a ¨free day¨ today--no supervision and no Rotary gigs until 10 am tomorrow. So we are going to see some sites on our own, bond, and party!

Liliana, her partner, Alfio, and Marcos, speak excellent English. If the inbound team is as fluent as Marcos, no worries about communication for our local District 5100 Rotarians. Liliana and Alfio have both also been team leaders, so they are extremely sensitive to the need for rest, etc. Rest assured we are in excellent hands.

We gave the GSE caps to Liliana and Eduardo, and GSE pins to everyone who met us at the airport. We have a great photo of Eduardo in his baseball cap standing in a batter´s stance. He is lots of fun. Stay tuned for lots of blogging.

We leave tomorrow!

Kelly and Eecole are already in Argentina, being tourists before the official start of the exchange. Andy, Todd and I are leaving tomorrow for Argentina. We are all ready to go and we are very excited. Our hosts, DG Eduardo and GSE Chair Liliana have made us feel very welcome already in their emails, and we are anticipating a trip of a lifetime. The next time I write, it will be from Argentina.

Near Lift off

WEll- we are nearly off.. over the country and through the clouds into the Atlantic skies we go! HOpefully the plane knows the way.. cause once i leave here.. i'm sure not going to! More to come soon...

Cheers,
Eecole