We just received the following correspondence from Annie which is printed below. It is nice to know that our contributions to Rotary do make a difference!
Hola!
I have arrived in Buenos Aires safe and sound and am having a wonderful transition into the porteña life. I am living with a woman named Stella, her daughter who will be leaving soon to Boston to be a doctor, and another international student from the U.S.
I began my course in castellano (spanish) this week at the Universidad del Salvador. So far, it has been extremely rewarding with great teachers. The course also includes various activities and tours in order to get a feel of this huge city. We had a tour of downtown Buenos Aires, where the Casa Rosada (Pink House...same as our White House, and yes, it really is pink!) is located and the famous Plaza de Mayo. We were also shown the eclectic style of the architecture including Spanish, Italian, French, colonial, and modern buildings. The next tour was the Museo de Bellas Artes where we saw Argentine artists. Today we went to three different neighborhoods: San Telmo, Barracas, and La Boca. San Telmo is one of the oldest cities in Buenos Aires. Barracas is a poorer neighborhood that was the location of many worker´s strikes in the past. La Boca is an artsy neighborhood with multi-colored buildings and the sounds of tango in the street.
Aside from all of that, I have had a chance to experience the night life of Buenos Aires, getting to know some of the people here. They are extremely warm, and kind, and have a passion for life, despite current events. Most people I have spoken with so far are extremely skeptical of the current political situation and feel they have no options in the upcoming political situation.
As for my Rotary experience, I had no idea that there would be two other Rotary students in my course. They are both great girls and we have been able to share information about our knowledge of the Rotary in Argentina. I also was able to meet with my host counselor as well. Perla is a lawyer in Buenos Aires and we had a very good meeting. I plan to attend her club meeting soon. She also invited me to do see a tango show with her. Que bueno, no?
That sums it up for the first week, a very eventful one indeed.
I hope all is well with you!
Chao,
Annie