Country Livin´

Country living really agrees with us. Tuesday was the best day yet for me. We took a day trip to Arricifes, a lovely town not too far from Pergamino. First, we did a radio interview (live) with DJ Mario on the Radio (it rhymes) at LVA radio, the Voice of Arricifes. He was a very cool guy who had actually been on a GSE team to Rockford, Illinois some years ago. Andy made a political comment in favor of the farmers during his interview, and I think Mario liked it. Apparently, Mario is anti-government, but for various reasons does not express his political views on air. So Andy´s pro farmer comment went over well. We then continued on the PR circuit, with various other media interviews, a visit to the local mayor, and a live tv interview at the local tv station. Boy it is hot in a live tv studio. Once again, Todd carried the day with his amazing Spanish.

The local Rotary president, Horatio, was a great guy with a lot of personality. We went to lunch at a beautiful place near the river, ate fresh vegetable pasta, and dined with former RI president Luis Giay and his wonderful wife, Celia. They were amazingly down to earth and friendly. Luis told us of his meeting with Dave Jay and Stewart Martin in Portland a few months ago. Luis was apparently very favorably impressed with the organization of our GSE program in District 5100. Way to go, Stewart! Luis is also apparently responsible for Bill Gates´polio plus pledge, and I could not help but get very emotional when I learned about that.

The rest of the day´s activities were fabulous. After a visit to a local egg distributor, we went to an amazing Arabian horse farm with many champion horses. The stable was a palace. We learned a lot about breeding Arabians and were totally wowed by the opulence of the place. The next stop was a huge farm where we saw soy being harvested with these huge combines. It was thoroughly interesting. We also really enjoyed the local Rotarians. They were a little younger than average, and we had fun listening to American rock music while riding around the soya farm, hearing them get so excited about their favorite American music artists, and even singing a bit to a Chicago CD (the band, not the Broadway show).

After this full day of professional activity, we went over to Luis and Celia´s home for a few hours of rest and relaxing socializing. Luis and Celia were wonderful hosts, and we very much enjoyed their stories of meeting dozens of world leaders in 69 countries during Luis´s year as international president. They offered us access to Skype, so many of the team members were able to speak with loved ones at home. I also saw my first box of tissues in a bathroom in the Giay house. I was so shocked to see a box of tissues that I realized afterwards that I never even helped myself to one.

The evening ended with a very fun Rotary meeting, and we arrived back in Pergamino very late (well after midnight).

Wednesday was another good, but exhausting day. We are getting pretty tired with the hours we are keeping. The Rotary meeting don´t start until 9 or 930, and end after midnight. We get home late, and then get up around 7 to start activities all over again. It is wonderful but pretty grueling. We spent Wednesday in Pergamino. I spent the morning with a wonderful judge, who is also a Rotarian, at the courthouse. I really increased my depth of knowledge about the Argentine legal system. At the same time, Eecole had a visit with the nutritionist at the local hospital and the other members did a stint at INTA Pergamino. Everybody reported that there activities were interesting. We ate an asado (BBQ) lunch together at INTA, and then went on a tour of the local Monsanto plant. That was pretty dry for several of us, but it could have been because we were fairly exhausted. The day ended with a Rotary meeting at one of the two Pergamino clubs, in which the District Governor, Eduardo Murphy, is a member. He is a very dear man. He and his wife gave me a letter to bring home for a former exchange student of theirs from my town, Oregon City. It ends up her family lives very close to me and her exchange was sponsored by my club (OC Rotary) about six years ago. The Murphys showed me photos they took during a visit to the student, Jane, in Oregon City, which were taken practically in front of my house. It is truly a small world.

Today, we moved on to San Nicholas, a town of around 150,000 people about an hour from Pergamino on the Parana River. The gals had a few hours to shop (our suitcases are already packed to the gills). After a wonderful homemade lunch by our host family, we visited a local farm that grows strawberries and blueberries. The blueberries grown here are almost exclusively for export. After a quick look at a local soy farm, we retired to our host families for a few hours of needed rest before tonight´s Rotary meeting. We also have another Rotary meeting tomorrow night, so that will make an entire week of very late nights. I am going to push for a later start tomorrow, if possible, as well as some free hours on Saturday so we can get some much needed rest. Despite the hectic schedule, we are really having a great time. It is truly a trip of a lifetime.