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Fabio and Josephine
The co-founders of Chacra Millalen Hola!
As we near the end of our trip, our strongest impression of Argentina is the warmth of the people we have met here. This is epitomized by the usual greeting: a cheek-to-cheek air kiss, often accompanied by an embrace. This greeting is exchanged with both old friends and new acquaintances. We received this greeting from women and men, girls and boys. Traditionally men did not embrace or air kiss each other, but (based on our experiences), this is swiftly changing.
Another manifestation of Argentine warmth is the ritual of yerba maté. The ritual centers on a single cup of delicious bitter (and highly caffeinated) tea shared by two or more people by sipping on a shared filtered silver straw ( bombilla). The cup is traditionally a gourd which is filled about three-quarters full with the yerba, and then filled by the server with hot (not quite boiling) water. The server passes the cup to a participant, who sips until the tea is consumed and who then hands the gourd back to the server. The server pours more hot water into the gourd and hands it to the next participant. The stimulating affect of the tea along with the
Juan
Josephine and Fabio´s son participation in the ritualized steps drew us into a feeling of bonding with the people with whom we shared maté. In the spirit of maté, both of us have been offered cigarettes and alcohol which we have politely refused.
We have been warmly welcomed by several people who are engaged in sustainable living methods. We learned that dozens of people in and around El Bolson are working together to develop and engage in these practices. We have met people who build beautiful sturdy homes of straw bales, mud and rocks. Others are preserving plant varieties by propagation and seed saving. Still others are teaching and practicing bio-intensive farming, an organic method of growing much food in small spaces using only hand tools. These practices and others are being developed (under the overall term "permaculture") at an experimental demonstration project in nearby Mallín.
After one long day of learning about permaculture in El Bolson, Ari and Alex (a local permaculturist) went to a nightclub to hear the band "El Tincaso." Paul, who loses steam at 8:00 p.m., declined the offer to attend. The concert was supposed to begin at midnight, but with the Argentine sense of time (or lack
English class
After tongue twisters thereof), it started at 1:45. The band, a local favorite, combines elements of rock, reggae, and indigenous music. There were electric guitars next to hand drums next to pan pipes. At one point, Alex bought a huge bottle of beer, explaining that, as with maté, it is shared with everyone around. The room was filled with smoke and people. There was about a square meter in which to move. The band said, at some point, they would take a five minute siesta, which turned into a half hour. Although the band was great, Ari and Alex needed some sleep, and left at 4:00 while the band was still going strong. We have heard this is typical of Argentine night life... Bands and dancing start up after midnight and continue until dawn.
The background to all this exploration was our life on the farm, Chacra Millalén. We spent almost every day harvesting walnuts, chestnuts or almonds. Most of the time, we two worked alone, and while collecting nuts we talked about politics, existentialism, Jungian dream analysis, and other weighty topics, taking frequent breaks for apples and dogs.
Josephine, a co-founder of the farm, speaks fluent English and teaches English
La Escuelita
A beautiful schoolhouse in El Bolson built of natural material. The windows are reused glass from bottles and car windows. The base is stone. The walls are adobe both in the brick form and as cobb(free form adobe). A living sod roof is coming soon. to local kids in the farm dining hall. Josephine invited us to attend two classes, one for twelve year olds and one for a younger group. The older kids asked us questions about Vermont and the USA. We challenged the younger kids with English tongue twisters, and they challenged us with Spanish ones.
The farm has been our home away from home for three weeks. Yesterday we said our goodbyes and received a warm send off with promises to stay in touch and with hopes of getting together again soon.
Today we are in transit in Mendoza, Argentina, on our way to the airport in Santiago, Chile, catching a plane for NYC.
Ciao for now, Ari & Paul
P.S. Once again, our apologies for being unable to respond to e-mails because of our very limited internet time. Apologies as well if anyone’s e-mail bounced back from our eggsaucer e-mail address ... it got overfull with photos. Because we will be home in just a few days, please send future e-mails to our home address, mileston@adelphia.net.
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Kate Bloom
non-member comment
warm emotions
I am transported back to esta querida comarca (this dear valley) by reading your journal entries and reviewing your photos, evoking the same feelings of warmth and love that you write of. Thank you for the vicarious journey to a place so dear to me - it feeds my soul. I am so pleased that you two have had such a wonderful trip, and I can imagine how hard the farewells may have been for you. May you have a safe and reflective journey home! Since I've returned to the US, I have missed drinking mate with others - perhaps I will be able to offer you a mate when you return!