I leave in approximately twelve hours. I will never again sleep in my tiny bed where my feet touch the end and my head touches the top, but that’s not what almost made me cry. Yesterday was my last day of work. I brought a kinder egg and a colouring book for each kid, to be given after lunch at the end of my shift. The morning was pretty typical; lots of hugs, lots of crying, lots of throwing of chairs (a favourite reaction amongst the children when I yell at them for making another kid cry), and lots of running and screaming. After lunch however, once all the kids had eaten (demolished) their kinder eggs and were looking through their colouring books, Marisol (one of the workers) told them all that today was my last day and that was why I had brought presents. The result was that I got swarmed and kissed and hugged by each and every kid. Eugenia asked me who was going to be her mom now and Estrella looked a little teary. When I went to say goodbye to the little ones (who were moved to a separate room – I’ve been working half and half for the last week) Lucia (although she definitely didn’t understand it was my last day) was clinging on to me for dear life and screaming every time I put her down. All of this made me so sad. Until now I’ve kind of been on the fence about leaving. I mean I’m excited to go to Chile, excited to come home and see my family and friends, but at the same time I really love the way my summer has been. I love the rhythm I’ve settled into, the craziness of my wonderful home (such a good home) and I’ve loved most of my time with the kids. But yesterday, when I had to say goodbye to the kids, had a lovely dinner with the whole family, went for a late night walk and ice cream run with Laura and then watched a movie with Laura, Ari, and Hubert I didn’t want to leave. Not even one little bit, I just wanted to stay.
The “Canadian meal” in case you were wondering went very, very well. They were all huge fans of the tomato sauce and the apple crumble was absolutely wonderful. We all then proceeded to spend the rest of my last Saturday night staying up too late and drinking beer and just generally chatting, which was really nice.
Currently its almost 11am in Cordoba and I have loads of things to do today. I have to buy the last two presents (food presents – naturally I’ve saved them to the last possible moment), I’m visiting the Jesuit Crypt with Laura (and hopefully if I have time the Museum of Torture too – although the guidebook warns it’s “not a happy place”), and then of course I have to finish my laundry and pack. Then I’m heading down to the Projects Abroad office in Villa Allende to get my volunteer certificate, cab money for the bus station, and to say goodbye.
Tonight I’ll get to enjoy a last dinner with the entire family (Franca, Jere, Ari, Franzi, Hubert, Lisa, Pierrick, Laura, and myself) and then I will be given my send off to the bus, which I’m not super thrilled about, but I’m sure I’ll warm up to the idea a little later.
My bus goes from Cordoba to Mendoza (ten hours – midnight to ten am) and then I have a 4 hour “layover” in the Mendoza airport (I couldn’t figure out a better bus) before checking in to my flight (which departs around 4:40pm). I will be in Santiago and with Esteban by 4:45pm (in case you are confused it’s an hour flight and I am going back an hour – back to Canadian time!).
It’s going to be a … fun (?) sixteenish hours.
Chau,
Jane
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
5 days, no im not counting...
Well, my lack of blogging has actually had a reason (besides the "I'm too busy having a phenomenal time to blog" excuse). I have spent a good chunk of this week on bed rest (I would like to think that you can visit a foreign place without seeing the inside of their hospitals but so far that hasn't proved to be true).
The doctor declared that I had a persistent fever, a throat infection, and ear infection, and just generally was lacking in sleep. At that point I concurred. When he handed me five thousand very large pills to swallow I wanted to protest, but as I've gotten quite competent at swallowing large white pills in the last few days (mmm...medicine) I didn't.
The gist of being sick is that I basically didn't work Tuesday through Friday and although one or two days was a nice rest from the crazy energy of the little children I sort of actually really (SLASH A LOT) miss then now and I'm excited to head back to work on Monday (if only for 2, maybe 3 days).
Friday however I was declared better by my host family and I went to see the movie Public Enemy with Laura. Although it was over-hyped and the boys in the row behind us kept practicing their poor, poor, oh so poor, English on us it was just the sort of pick me up I needed after lying in bed all week and exhausting all sorts of good tv shows (and even some not-so-good ones).
Thursday night the French disappeared for a weekend in Buenos Aires (to arrive home Monday night) and the house got decidedly quieter, something that I appreciate every once in awhile. I just find it really strange that when I next see the French I will only have 48 hours with them and then I hop on to a bus to take me to Mendoza (it's doubledecker and I have a seat on the top - I'm quite excited about that actually, no big deal) and from there a plane to take me to Santiago and from there Esteban (which I'm considerably more happy about).
Today however Laura and I went for a lengthy walk, bought my bus ticket, bought groceries (we are making dinner in a matter of minutes), and ate ice cream - funny story.
Laura and I were informed that ice cream here is not sold by scoops but rather by name - several appear to be the same size with different names, a mystery we haven't solved - and should you desire to purchase a single scoop, well you will be denied.
The funny (slash really gross) part of this story came when we were walking along the street eating our ice cream. One of the scoops on Laura's cone topples off (in it's entirety) and falls on to the disgusting, dirty ground frequently inhabited by Cordoba's so so large population of mangy, stray (and sometimes really cute) dogs. Several passerby's make noises of condolence but one man hops forward, picks up the dirty ice cream ball, pops it in to his mouth (everyone was staring) and walks off down the street eating it. Gross.
Now, I must head off to eat dinner. Laura and I are preparing a "non-Argentinean" meal which basically means spaghetti bolognese and a real salad (plus apple crumble for desert). We also decided that since neither of us like wine (the drink of choice forced on us nightly by the French) that we would take advantage of their absence and hence we purchased lots of beer (yummy Argentinean beer) to be consumed shortly.
Lastly, I regret to inform myself (and I guess you too) that my blogging is coming to an end. I leave in a very short period of time (I have mixed feelings about leaving)and while I will blog just before I go, I do not believe I will be blogging while I'm in Chile.
Hasta luego!
Chau!
The doctor declared that I had a persistent fever, a throat infection, and ear infection, and just generally was lacking in sleep. At that point I concurred. When he handed me five thousand very large pills to swallow I wanted to protest, but as I've gotten quite competent at swallowing large white pills in the last few days (mmm...medicine) I didn't.
The gist of being sick is that I basically didn't work Tuesday through Friday and although one or two days was a nice rest from the crazy energy of the little children I sort of actually really (SLASH A LOT) miss then now and I'm excited to head back to work on Monday (if only for 2, maybe 3 days).
Friday however I was declared better by my host family and I went to see the movie Public Enemy with Laura. Although it was over-hyped and the boys in the row behind us kept practicing their poor, poor, oh so poor, English on us it was just the sort of pick me up I needed after lying in bed all week and exhausting all sorts of good tv shows (and even some not-so-good ones).
Thursday night the French disappeared for a weekend in Buenos Aires (to arrive home Monday night) and the house got decidedly quieter, something that I appreciate every once in awhile. I just find it really strange that when I next see the French I will only have 48 hours with them and then I hop on to a bus to take me to Mendoza (it's doubledecker and I have a seat on the top - I'm quite excited about that actually, no big deal) and from there a plane to take me to Santiago and from there Esteban (which I'm considerably more happy about).
Today however Laura and I went for a lengthy walk, bought my bus ticket, bought groceries (we are making dinner in a matter of minutes), and ate ice cream - funny story.
Laura and I were informed that ice cream here is not sold by scoops but rather by name - several appear to be the same size with different names, a mystery we haven't solved - and should you desire to purchase a single scoop, well you will be denied.
The funny (slash really gross) part of this story came when we were walking along the street eating our ice cream. One of the scoops on Laura's cone topples off (in it's entirety) and falls on to the disgusting, dirty ground frequently inhabited by Cordoba's so so large population of mangy, stray (and sometimes really cute) dogs. Several passerby's make noises of condolence but one man hops forward, picks up the dirty ice cream ball, pops it in to his mouth (everyone was staring) and walks off down the street eating it. Gross.
Now, I must head off to eat dinner. Laura and I are preparing a "non-Argentinean" meal which basically means spaghetti bolognese and a real salad (plus apple crumble for desert). We also decided that since neither of us like wine (the drink of choice forced on us nightly by the French) that we would take advantage of their absence and hence we purchased lots of beer (yummy Argentinean beer) to be consumed shortly.
Lastly, I regret to inform myself (and I guess you too) that my blogging is coming to an end. I leave in a very short period of time (I have mixed feelings about leaving)and while I will blog just before I go, I do not believe I will be blogging while I'm in Chile.
Hasta luego!
Chau!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)