One Week In!
Greetings families and friends!
(this is a long one!)
What a week it has been! As I sit here with World Cup playing on the tv, I can't help but be inspired seeing so many people from so many different countries in one place celebrating the "beautiful game" of fütbol. The sport serves as a reminder of how big and diverse the world we live in is. It really is an awesome sight to see.
In a similar way, being with the boys in Argentina and meeting so many amazing people and seeing so many exciting places reminds me of the beauty of such cultural exchanges. Not to mention we've been playing our fair share of soccer games as well! That said, the boys have really immersed themselves in Argentinian culture and are quickly becoming well versed in the ways of the Porteños!
When I look back on the prior week, it is nice to be reminded of all that we have done. On most days, the boys go to class and follow their usual routine. We also had a couple of opportunities to get out into the city and local neighborhoods for some sightseeing and service.
This past Tuesday, our group (without their brothers) traveled just outisde of BA to a town in San Martin, Argentina. We went to visit a Fe y Alegria School called the Escuela Taller M.A. Gugliemi. Founded in 1955 by the Jesuit Fr. José María Vélaz, S.J., the Fe y Alegria network of schools provides educational opportunities and vocational training to members of poorest communities in several countries including those in Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina (founded in 1996). As I was reading up on their history, I came across their motto which I really love, "Fe y Alegría starts where the street ends". At Gugliemi, we got to meet several of their older students who ranged in ages from 16-21 years old. For one reason or another these students' education was interrupted and they are now seeking to get back on track and learn skills that could help them provide for themselves and their families.
When we first arrived, as with almost every other meet and greet with young people, awkwardness reigned supreme! This occasion followed a similar pattern to ones I have done before and I cant help but find it absolutely hilarious! Both groups start off watching, staring, and looking at the other group, trying to figure each other out. To help break through the awkwardness, an ice breaker of some sort is deployed, usually requiring students to stand in a circle. Both sides usually stand opposite one another, still awkwardly sizing each other up. To help break through that, we played a name game that required us to quickly learn the names of our new friends. As the game progressed and names were learned the guards quickly came down.
Our original plan included painting an exterior wall at the school and some walls on the inside of their building. However, the weather had other plans for us that day. It rained all day long and unfortunately it was too damp and humid to paint anything. However, the weather could not stop us from finding other ways to help and have fun! Because we couldn't paint, we had a bit more down time. Someone quickly broke out a soccer ball and someone else a stereo. By this point, the walls and awkward stares turned into soccer games, dance offs and TONS of selfies. We had an "asada" which an Argentinian bbq, and ate burgers together. Some of the boys helped prepare the asada while another group learned how to make the famed empanada from scratch in the kitchen. We finished our day with a tour of the school and a fantastic lesson on the history of "mate" (pronounced mah-tay), the ubiquitous beverage consumed by what seems like every person in Argentina! Upon leaving, we snapped 1,000 more selfies, a few group photos, and gave each other lots of hugs and kisses. As I mentioned before, I have done a few of these student meet and greets and yes, they all basically start the same way-lots of awkwardness. But the visits always end the same way too and that is with love and camaraderie among new friends. Language barriers and inclement weather could not stop that from happening. We will visit this school one more time on Monday. Hopefully, if the weather cooperates, (seems like it will at this point) we can actually paint those walls!
Wednesday was a normal day at the school. The boys built a homemade, solar powered, hot water heater that will be installed in the home of a family living in an underserved community. The units are made from plastic 2-Liter bottles, painted soda cans, and Styrofoam insulated piping. It was an incredibly creative and resourceful project and most of the material was recycled from the school's refuse. It is awesome to know that the boys played a small role in bringing hot water to a family that did not have access to it, especially during the chilly nights and mornings of winter.
Thursday brought us out into the streets of BA for some sight seeing and exploration. We ventured to the Teatro Colón, an absolutely majestic and incredible opera house located a few blocks from the school. The level of detail in every inch of this building is mind boggling. It is probably why it took 20 years to build. Photos attempt to capture the intricacies of the designs but simply do it no justice. There were rooms made with real gold, majestic stair cases made of 4 different types of marbles, and of course, an utterly grandiose, 5 story tall concert hall and stage which was just breath taking. Acoustics in this auditorium are considered to be among the top 5 in the world (we learned that Boston Symphony Hall is also among the top 5 acoustically) We had an hour long tour, in Spanish, followed by a quick stop at the gift shop where some of our boys purchased a little reminder of our time there.
With an open afternoon in front of us, the group decided to take the subway to the Jardin Japonés, a large and beautiful Japanese garden located in middle of Buenos Aires. It is something akin to our Boston Public Gardens in terms of being an oasis of greenery in the heart of a bustling city. Instead of swans swimming in the lagoon, there were hundreds of beautiful Koi fish swimming about. After spending an hour there, we broke for lunch and walked all the way back to school-about a 35 minute walk down Avenida Santa Fe.
The last event of the day was a "merienda" which is basically a social gathering where we drank coffee and hot chocolate and ate desserts and pastries with the brothers. The host brothers organized the merienda back at the school. One of the brothers, Lucas Moon, started the event off with some tunes on his guitar and some dancing before we sat down to eat. We followed that up with even more singing and dancing. The warmth and camaraderie among the boys and their brothers is such a heartwarming thing to be around. I have to point out one student, Billy Donoso, who has quickly become our resident dance artist, rap freestyler, and celebrity impressionist. At both the Fe y Alegria School and at our merienda, his skills were put on display for all of our enjoyment! All in all, it was a heck of day and a really fun evening.
On Friday, we accompanied the Colegio students on a college visit to the University of Salvador, known locally as USAL, the local public university. The school has several buildings dispersed throughout this part of the city, similar to a Northeastern or BU back in Boston. Each building houses a different school/department. We visited the school of Journalism and Communications. Local students can visit each department and participate in an activity to get a feel for possible careers. Most of our boys went to the television broadcasting activity where they learned the basics of being a television news reporter. With guidance from instructors, students mock interviewed each other on camera in a room with lights, an actual camera man, and a green screen. It was a cool and interactive way to learn about the subject.
It truly was a fantastic first week. I am sure you all have spoken to your sons so I hope they are communicating the same thing to you! Jenny and I are planning on meeting most of the boys tomorrow (Sunday) to take them to the San Telmo street fair and lunch. Many want to buy their own mate mugs so they can start drinking their daily tea.
Like I said, they are quickly turning into porteños!
G. Goso
(this is a long one!)
What a week it has been! As I sit here with World Cup playing on the tv, I can't help but be inspired seeing so many people from so many different countries in one place celebrating the "beautiful game" of fütbol. The sport serves as a reminder of how big and diverse the world we live in is. It really is an awesome sight to see.
In a similar way, being with the boys in Argentina and meeting so many amazing people and seeing so many exciting places reminds me of the beauty of such cultural exchanges. Not to mention we've been playing our fair share of soccer games as well! That said, the boys have really immersed themselves in Argentinian culture and are quickly becoming well versed in the ways of the Porteños!
When I look back on the prior week, it is nice to be reminded of all that we have done. On most days, the boys go to class and follow their usual routine. We also had a couple of opportunities to get out into the city and local neighborhoods for some sightseeing and service.
This past Tuesday, our group (without their brothers) traveled just outisde of BA to a town in San Martin, Argentina. We went to visit a Fe y Alegria School called the Escuela Taller M.A. Gugliemi. Founded in 1955 by the Jesuit Fr. José María Vélaz, S.J., the Fe y Alegria network of schools provides educational opportunities and vocational training to members of poorest communities in several countries including those in Central America, Venezuela, Colombia, and Argentina (founded in 1996). As I was reading up on their history, I came across their motto which I really love, "Fe y Alegría starts where the street ends". At Gugliemi, we got to meet several of their older students who ranged in ages from 16-21 years old. For one reason or another these students' education was interrupted and they are now seeking to get back on track and learn skills that could help them provide for themselves and their families.
When we first arrived, as with almost every other meet and greet with young people, awkwardness reigned supreme! This occasion followed a similar pattern to ones I have done before and I cant help but find it absolutely hilarious! Both groups start off watching, staring, and looking at the other group, trying to figure each other out. To help break through the awkwardness, an ice breaker of some sort is deployed, usually requiring students to stand in a circle. Both sides usually stand opposite one another, still awkwardly sizing each other up. To help break through that, we played a name game that required us to quickly learn the names of our new friends. As the game progressed and names were learned the guards quickly came down.
Our original plan included painting an exterior wall at the school and some walls on the inside of their building. However, the weather had other plans for us that day. It rained all day long and unfortunately it was too damp and humid to paint anything. However, the weather could not stop us from finding other ways to help and have fun! Because we couldn't paint, we had a bit more down time. Someone quickly broke out a soccer ball and someone else a stereo. By this point, the walls and awkward stares turned into soccer games, dance offs and TONS of selfies. We had an "asada" which an Argentinian bbq, and ate burgers together. Some of the boys helped prepare the asada while another group learned how to make the famed empanada from scratch in the kitchen. We finished our day with a tour of the school and a fantastic lesson on the history of "mate" (pronounced mah-tay), the ubiquitous beverage consumed by what seems like every person in Argentina! Upon leaving, we snapped 1,000 more selfies, a few group photos, and gave each other lots of hugs and kisses. As I mentioned before, I have done a few of these student meet and greets and yes, they all basically start the same way-lots of awkwardness. But the visits always end the same way too and that is with love and camaraderie among new friends. Language barriers and inclement weather could not stop that from happening. We will visit this school one more time on Monday. Hopefully, if the weather cooperates, (seems like it will at this point) we can actually paint those walls!
Wednesday was a normal day at the school. The boys built a homemade, solar powered, hot water heater that will be installed in the home of a family living in an underserved community. The units are made from plastic 2-Liter bottles, painted soda cans, and Styrofoam insulated piping. It was an incredibly creative and resourceful project and most of the material was recycled from the school's refuse. It is awesome to know that the boys played a small role in bringing hot water to a family that did not have access to it, especially during the chilly nights and mornings of winter.
Thursday brought us out into the streets of BA for some sight seeing and exploration. We ventured to the Teatro Colón, an absolutely majestic and incredible opera house located a few blocks from the school. The level of detail in every inch of this building is mind boggling. It is probably why it took 20 years to build. Photos attempt to capture the intricacies of the designs but simply do it no justice. There were rooms made with real gold, majestic stair cases made of 4 different types of marbles, and of course, an utterly grandiose, 5 story tall concert hall and stage which was just breath taking. Acoustics in this auditorium are considered to be among the top 5 in the world (we learned that Boston Symphony Hall is also among the top 5 acoustically) We had an hour long tour, in Spanish, followed by a quick stop at the gift shop where some of our boys purchased a little reminder of our time there.
With an open afternoon in front of us, the group decided to take the subway to the Jardin Japonés, a large and beautiful Japanese garden located in middle of Buenos Aires. It is something akin to our Boston Public Gardens in terms of being an oasis of greenery in the heart of a bustling city. Instead of swans swimming in the lagoon, there were hundreds of beautiful Koi fish swimming about. After spending an hour there, we broke for lunch and walked all the way back to school-about a 35 minute walk down Avenida Santa Fe.
The last event of the day was a "merienda" which is basically a social gathering where we drank coffee and hot chocolate and ate desserts and pastries with the brothers. The host brothers organized the merienda back at the school. One of the brothers, Lucas Moon, started the event off with some tunes on his guitar and some dancing before we sat down to eat. We followed that up with even more singing and dancing. The warmth and camaraderie among the boys and their brothers is such a heartwarming thing to be around. I have to point out one student, Billy Donoso, who has quickly become our resident dance artist, rap freestyler, and celebrity impressionist. At both the Fe y Alegria School and at our merienda, his skills were put on display for all of our enjoyment! All in all, it was a heck of day and a really fun evening.
On Friday, we accompanied the Colegio students on a college visit to the University of Salvador, known locally as USAL, the local public university. The school has several buildings dispersed throughout this part of the city, similar to a Northeastern or BU back in Boston. Each building houses a different school/department. We visited the school of Journalism and Communications. Local students can visit each department and participate in an activity to get a feel for possible careers. Most of our boys went to the television broadcasting activity where they learned the basics of being a television news reporter. With guidance from instructors, students mock interviewed each other on camera in a room with lights, an actual camera man, and a green screen. It was a cool and interactive way to learn about the subject.
It truly was a fantastic first week. I am sure you all have spoken to your sons so I hope they are communicating the same thing to you! Jenny and I are planning on meeting most of the boys tomorrow (Sunday) to take them to the San Telmo street fair and lunch. Many want to buy their own mate mugs so they can start drinking their daily tea.
Like I said, they are quickly turning into porteños!
G. Goso
The school and church of Colegio del Salvador
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| Colegio Del Salvador |
Lounging in the Cantina before our day of service.
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| bus ride to Fe y Alegria School Gugliemi |
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| The boys receiving a quick lesson on this history of Fe y Alegria |
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| Fe y Alegria School-Escuela Taller MA Gugliemi front entrance |
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| Awkward circles! |
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| Starting to warm up! |
Now it's a party!
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| Did I mention we took a ton selfies? |
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| Our new friends showing us how to make empanadas |
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| never a bad moment for a selfie! |
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| finished product |
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| Yum! |
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| Receiving a tour from Marcos, the Executive Director of this school |
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| Mate: A history lesson and tasting |
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| Leaves of the Yerba Mate |
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| their own school branded Mate |
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| That face says it all! |
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| As does his! |
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| Empanadas y Mate |
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| They truly became our friends after one afternoon |
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| until next time! |
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| Hard at work building a solar powered hot water heater for a deserving family |
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| Teatro Colon on a beautiful sunny morning |
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| model of this magnificent building |
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| Our group as we wait for our guided tour. The two people in front are a teacher and one student who came to BA from Georgetown Prep. Their headmaster is a BC High alum and he specifically requested a pic with us! |
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| These pics do no justice in terms of capturing the level of detail in all the designs. It was a sight to behold. |
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| Japanese Garden in the middle of BA |
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| Taking a break from feeding the Koi for a quick pic! |
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| very zen scene |
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| Eugenia explaining what a "merienda" is |
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| The famed Alfajores. I suspect many, if not all of you, will be able to try this deliciousness when we get back to the states |
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| Christian and Chris captivating audiences, per usual! |
I think Billy needs a record deal!
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all exchange groups and host brothers together at the end of the merienda-BC High, Georgetown Prep, Loyola of Los Angeles, and 1 student from France
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