15 de Octubre
"I am currently sitting on a bed on the veranda of our 4 star hotel in Iguazu. I love it up here! The air is moist and warm and tangible and floating with buzzing insects and bird calls. There is a world of rainforest and red earth surrounding us, beaten down viviendas painted colorfully in the mountains, red rivers, dark faces, indigenous handicrafts. THIS is South America. THIS is hat I was expecting when I came down here. This is almost not Argentina, it feels like a completely different country up here. Minus the asado and the mate it might as well be, because those are the only shreds of culture that seem to have carried over into this ttropical jewel of a place. If I could live anywhere in Argentina, this place is my favorite so far!"
16 de Octubre
"Wow! What a day! What an incredible experience! I've seen and down alot of impressive things down here but I think Iguazu trumps all of them! Every single moment of awe got better and better as we got closer and wetter and the falls just grew bigger and more impressive, and there's CoQui just smiling with her mate saying "Oh trust me... it gets better than this!" First we walked around the upper pass and saw a panoramic of al the falls and walked over them. Then we took a train through the rainforest to the othe side to see La Garganta del Diablo (The Devil's Throat). WOW. I just.... reached a point of dumbstruck-ness where my jaw just couldn't drop any lower. The sound of the water is so deep and loud and angry and the billowing mist rises up in the wind like an untamed animal. Standing on the edge of Garganta del Diablo was seriously like standing on the edge of the world! It's like the earth made a shelf and all the water in the world is just pouring over in torrents into a white cloud of mist, nothingness, and there's the sparrows zooming in and out of the clouds frm the cliffs. How I envied them!
But I think one of my favorite moments was being on top of Garganta del Diablo and screaming in hysterical laughter with Erica as the billows of mist just overwhelmed us with droplets. Such an indescribable fleeting feeling. Nothing will ever recapture it or do it justice, not this journal, not any picture, or blog. Walking back I remember thinking "If I lived my whole life never knowing that this place exists, I'd never really understand what a true wealth of beauty and wonder exists in this world."
After lunch we walked through the lower pass and got REALLY close to the waterfalls. The wind, the water, the roar, the intensity of being right up in the face of the falls vs. the sheer disbelief and breathlessness of the Panoramic of it all. It literally looked like Jurassic Park from afar, complete with circling vultures, strange South American racoons, monkeys, toucans, deer, and yellow and black striped spiders! Then, as if I wasn't wet enought yet, we went on a speed boat through the strong murky churning water, zooming us around and chargning us into the billowing clouds where the water crashed into the river. We were screaming and laughing and choking and almost drowning nas we were about crushed by these towering monsters. I kept trying to open my eyes and savor the moment but it was so intense all I got were bried flashes and blinks while I seriously thought I was going to die! Greatest moment of my life... almost.
I was talking with Erica just now about how in all our adventures, its incredible fun and amazement and we are so lucky and grateful but there is such an intense desire to share it! I want my family and friends to see with me what I get to see. I want them to understand what I'm learning and grow with me in my experience.
At sun down we went to the end of Argentina, literally! From a look-out point one cant see where the Parana river intersects with the Iguazu and see Paraguay on the left and Brazil on the right... all as the neon tangerine sun sets in a pink lavender haze over the Chaco rainforest. Moments like that just... I can't comprehend them even when I'm the one in them! I can't begin to describe them to people back home. No one will understand this as much as I would die to have them."
17 de Octubre
"I wanna talk about the Guarani village we visited this morning. They live in a pretty secluded part of Misiones, Argentina. Their village only contains 1,000 people and that is quite alot for them. They don't have a written language because they believe speech is the distinct spirit of the speaker and it is a nhonor to be able to speak without holding a paper in one's hand. They are therefore very protective of their words. They don't talk very much. They used to be hunters and getherers but there are so few animals left in the rainforest that they can't live like that anymore. They have to buy the food that they can't grow themselves, so they rely on carting light-skinned tourists through their home, showing us their huts, traps, singing us songs in Guarani, and selling us their handicrafts.
Pascua, our guide, described to us the rules that the hunters of the clan had to observe. There were 2-3 hunters per family group and they were all overseen by a "boss" figure. They set precise traps in the forest, each hunter specialized in a specific trap for a specific animal, which had to be killed without bleeding. If the animal bled then it couldn't be eaten. Also, if the animal was still alive when the hunter came upon it caught in his trap, then he couldn't kill it or it would bring him bad luck. He could also never catch more than 2 animals in one trap. If the hunter failed even just once, he would no longer be allowed to hunt.
Walking through the heart of the rainforest , amongst swarms of mosquitos and blue and yellow butterflies, we noticed marks on the tree trunks. Pascua told us those wre taken to be used as medicines. Also the Guarani believe that Pachamama, Mother Earth their deity, had gifted the rain forest to their people and the open plains to the white people, and they were forbidden to pass in between. They actually lived near the falls area and believed that tha cataratas (waterfalls) were the incarnation of their gods, their guardians almost. I can completely understand that, after seeing how magnificent they were yesterday. I envy their profound connection to the natural world. I never was much of an outdoorsy person before, but seeing the outstanding works of nature that I've been fortunate enough to encounter down here really gives me a sense of respect and wonder. It makes me want to rediscover what being a human and living in this world really means."
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Backdated blogs (as promised): La Casita
15 de Octubre
"I skipped class again yesterday to visit the kids. They're getting a new roof over the patio in the playground! We went to the futbol cancha (soccer field) and made bracelets to give away on Mother's Day this Sunday. After lunch though, Lilian, Marisol, Daiana, and Julieta secluded themselves to the back room to pray immediately, all on their own, and again they broke themselves down into sobs! I was the only there with them so I stroked their backs and hair and held little Mauricio while he napped, trying to keep him quiet, but I really didn't know what more I could do for them. They seemed to do an amazing job of taking care of each other though. There was so much love between theses little girls that it just blew my mind. They were each praying for their own families, and struggles, and fears, as well as for eachother. But where one girl was crying, there were at least 2 more hugging and stroking her and making sure she was surrounded and supported. They took turns letting it all out. Even little Melina was supplying everybody with fresh tissue paper to wipe up the tears.
And they do that everyday! How can a kid of 13 years old have that much to cry about everyday? I couldn't functino with the weight of so much emotion! Karen, the Canadian volunteer, filled me in a little about some of the girl's situations. Two of the girls, sisters, are part of a family of 13 siblngs raised by a single mom. Their mother is dying of cancer. So not only are they facing the reality of becoming orphaned, but additionally, another sister of theirs committed suicide last year and now a brother claims that after their mother passes he plans to kill himself also. And for some reason all the siblings blame their mother's illness on the oldest daughter for causing her extra stress or something like that! How could a 14 year old deal with all that?? Feeling responsible of the deaths and degradation of her whole family? My biggest tragedy at 14 was having acne and no friends!
Also one of the girls stole some pesos out of Karen's purse for the second day in a row. Silvia talked to the kids and pointed out 4 or 5 of them who'd stolen from La Casita and its volunteers before She said we're a family here and we support and love each other and have to trust each other. The money reappeared. Apparently it was the first time they'd given anything back, so that's a good sign that they do care and despite the senses of desperation and opportunism that they've known since birth, we've taught them some integrity. The girl responsible and her 3 siblings sleep on the dirt floor and have no money at all, so I guess $20 pesos ($5 US dollars) has a much greater significance for her than to us volunteers. Still, I'm so very proud of the principles La Casita tries to instill.
"I skipped class again yesterday to visit the kids. They're getting a new roof over the patio in the playground! We went to the futbol cancha (soccer field) and made bracelets to give away on Mother's Day this Sunday. After lunch though, Lilian, Marisol, Daiana, and Julieta secluded themselves to the back room to pray immediately, all on their own, and again they broke themselves down into sobs! I was the only there with them so I stroked their backs and hair and held little Mauricio while he napped, trying to keep him quiet, but I really didn't know what more I could do for them. They seemed to do an amazing job of taking care of each other though. There was so much love between theses little girls that it just blew my mind. They were each praying for their own families, and struggles, and fears, as well as for eachother. But where one girl was crying, there were at least 2 more hugging and stroking her and making sure she was surrounded and supported. They took turns letting it all out. Even little Melina was supplying everybody with fresh tissue paper to wipe up the tears.
And they do that everyday! How can a kid of 13 years old have that much to cry about everyday? I couldn't functino with the weight of so much emotion! Karen, the Canadian volunteer, filled me in a little about some of the girl's situations. Two of the girls, sisters, are part of a family of 13 siblngs raised by a single mom. Their mother is dying of cancer. So not only are they facing the reality of becoming orphaned, but additionally, another sister of theirs committed suicide last year and now a brother claims that after their mother passes he plans to kill himself also. And for some reason all the siblings blame their mother's illness on the oldest daughter for causing her extra stress or something like that! How could a 14 year old deal with all that?? Feeling responsible of the deaths and degradation of her whole family? My biggest tragedy at 14 was having acne and no friends!
Also one of the girls stole some pesos out of Karen's purse for the second day in a row. Silvia talked to the kids and pointed out 4 or 5 of them who'd stolen from La Casita and its volunteers before She said we're a family here and we support and love each other and have to trust each other. The money reappeared. Apparently it was the first time they'd given anything back, so that's a good sign that they do care and despite the senses of desperation and opportunism that they've known since birth, we've taught them some integrity. The girl responsible and her 3 siblings sleep on the dirt floor and have no money at all, so I guess $20 pesos ($5 US dollars) has a much greater significance for her than to us volunteers. Still, I'm so very proud of the principles La Casita tries to instill.
Backdated Blogs (as promised): 21st Birthday!
11, 12, & 13 de Octubre
"I have the best families in the entire world! PROVEN FACT! Well, in the Americas at least. PA PANAMERICANA! And and Jorger and the family just threw me an asado on the roof of our building! It was lovely. A salad of tomatoes, eggs, and potatoes, bread, chorizo, blood sausage, and 2 different cuts of really rich meat. I ate it, and I liked it, and I even wanted more, that's how I know Argentina has transformed me! There was red wine and a delicious torta with dulce and this really sweet syrup that Ana made for me. They sang for me in Spanish and we took lots of photos and I just love them. So much! I'm terified of being forgotten when I leave, that the next girl will be cooler than me, and that I'll never actually come back to Argentina.
This morning I received a care package from Mom at 10:30am. It was a beautiful chocolate birthday cake that read "Happy 21st Kelly!" conceived in the EEUU but baked and delivered in Buenos Aires.
Erica, Tom, Emily, and I went to the park this afternoon and it was absolutely heavenly, filled with Argentinos, performers, families, and the 4 of us eating birthday cake, sandwhiches, and drinking mate. A rasta vendor came by and gave me a free ring when they told him it was my birthday. Later that night, I brought the rest of the cake home and let it loose for the starved sugar-hungry hiyenas in my house, I stole a slice and took it downstairs to Juanito at the gate. Then we went out to the Thelonious jazz club and shared a bottle of Cabernet, the boys ordered dirty martinis just to be cool while Emily and I shared a cheese platter. I got a glass of pink champagne and a frozen mojito bought for me... CLASSIEST NIGHT OF DRINKS EVER!
The following night I went to see La Tragedie Florentine and Violanta, 2 one act operas about love triangles and death. Very impressive! The Teatro Colon is so grandiose, so lassy, and just plain gorgeous really. I felt so erudite just being there amongst the men in tuxes and women in evening gowns. The voices were spetacular also of course!"
"I have the best families in the entire world! PROVEN FACT! Well, in the Americas at least. PA PANAMERICANA! And and Jorger and the family just threw me an asado on the roof of our building! It was lovely. A salad of tomatoes, eggs, and potatoes, bread, chorizo, blood sausage, and 2 different cuts of really rich meat. I ate it, and I liked it, and I even wanted more, that's how I know Argentina has transformed me! There was red wine and a delicious torta with dulce and this really sweet syrup that Ana made for me. They sang for me in Spanish and we took lots of photos and I just love them. So much! I'm terified of being forgotten when I leave, that the next girl will be cooler than me, and that I'll never actually come back to Argentina.
This morning I received a care package from Mom at 10:30am. It was a beautiful chocolate birthday cake that read "Happy 21st Kelly!" conceived in the EEUU but baked and delivered in Buenos Aires.
Erica, Tom, Emily, and I went to the park this afternoon and it was absolutely heavenly, filled with Argentinos, performers, families, and the 4 of us eating birthday cake, sandwhiches, and drinking mate. A rasta vendor came by and gave me a free ring when they told him it was my birthday. Later that night, I brought the rest of the cake home and let it loose for the starved sugar-hungry hiyenas in my house, I stole a slice and took it downstairs to Juanito at the gate. Then we went out to the Thelonious jazz club and shared a bottle of Cabernet, the boys ordered dirty martinis just to be cool while Emily and I shared a cheese platter. I got a glass of pink champagne and a frozen mojito bought for me... CLASSIEST NIGHT OF DRINKS EVER!
The following night I went to see La Tragedie Florentine and Violanta, 2 one act operas about love triangles and death. Very impressive! The Teatro Colon is so grandiose, so lassy, and just plain gorgeous really. I felt so erudite just being there amongst the men in tuxes and women in evening gowns. The voices were spetacular also of course!"
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)