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Thats what LIFE stands for in English and its the charity I am volunteering with for the next 4 weeks.
More info www.lifeargentina.org!
I moved into my flat in Recoleta on Saturday. I have my own room with a lock, double bed, wardrobe, desk.. so a real luxury after hostelling! The office is on the 2nd floor with kitchen and the three bedrooms on the 3rd floor plus new bathroom. I have three housemates now, all LIFE volunteers. Only downside is there is no living area, as that is the office, so we hang out at desks and computers.. so feels a bit like we are staying late at the office! Free net so am easy to get hold of!
Sunday the lovely Juan (Sues friend who did the same New Zealand trek I did but in January, hes Venezualan, spent time in US.. so fluent in English.. and now lives in BA. Im very lucky to have him to look after me here!) took me to se River Plate vs Estudiantes.
Well I realise I have never seen a proper footie match! Only Swansea Uni! So in the car on the way there I saw
a lot of riot police! Plus all the visitors buses where in a huge long line flanked by police.. to get them safely to the stadium! Free parking for us and a short walk to River Stadium. Very noisey.. los of cheering, horns.. fireworks.. also River are white with red strip.. and Estudiantes are red and white striped..!!
Once there I was frisked by a woman pc in the ladies line.. then we went in to find our seats. We were in the lower tier. This is more for families and tourists.. as the loco fans go in the upper tier.. they are the most mad and passionate and possibly the ones to cause trouble though I dont want to cast apersions!!
During the match police patrolled the area between the croud and pitch.. with rotweillers.... and alsations.. who at one point looked like they were going to make a run for it and start playing with one of the match ball that landed near them!!
So first 10 mins River were not so good.. always defending.... then they got so much better. A goal was offside.. but it was so exciting to see the reactions of
the crowd when it went in.. and when it was declared void!! They had this song in Spanish.. Jump if you support River.. so most of the stadium turned into a mosh pitt!!
Hlaf time it was 0=0, and they blew up an inflatable tunnel to stop people throwing things at the players hwen they wnet in.. Incedentally the opposition had a skinhead player with a goatee that was very unpopular.. apparently he played for a UK team a few years back and was too unfit for Argentina internationally.. so he was booed most of the time he had the ball poor chap!!
Second half.. River scored by hand ball.. but the chapie was sent off.. he already had a yellow. Funny I thought in Argentina you were given a world cup when you made a hand ball goal....
Anyhow so even though River were a man down I think they played much better.. last 10 minutes very fast paced as no one wanted a draw.. and I have to say River had more shots on goal... Anyhow Estudiantes poped one in just in the dying minutes.. to make in 0=1... Estudiantes went crazy and River fans looked like they were about to burst into tears.. and went very very quiet!! Just as much fun to watch the crowd as it was to watch the footie! And the stadium was next to domestic airport.. so every now and then a plane would fly over...!
As River fans we were locked into stadium for 20 mins to allow Visitors a chance to leave safely..... and all went well! An awesome experience!
With LIFE on Sunday I had my first experience of fundraising.. ie bucket shaking in Recoleta park.. luckly the first people I saw where 3 new friends from my Gap trip.. who kindly put in some pesos!! I spoke in English.. picked US tourists etc..and Lili spoke in Spanish.. so I think it worked well!! The usual of generous people, rude ones, all sorts, I find bucket shaking etc full of highs and lows.. someone congratulatd me on my Spanish.. others were pleased to see I have come from UK to help.. and one man said their mothers should go get a job.. I repied in Spanish they had no monthers.. so he coughed up a few pesos..!!! So hard work but good to get stuck in!!
Monday was English classes... We got a minibus to greater BA.. to a soup kichen.. where children come to be safe, play, learn etc. We cant make them sit down and study, but must just encourage them. Anyhow the lesson ws on I like.. I dont like.. ie Te gusta o No te gusta type thing... so luckily I can do that in Spanish ok... still was very challenging to expalin an activity in Spanish.. and help them with English. Also we have to say hello, bye, well done etc in English... but there my best words in Spanish!!! Was very inspiring, and I got a real buzz out of it.. Hard for me at times.. and I am sure hard for the kids I was helping! But they were really sweet. Makes me realsie how bad my Spanish is in one way.. but they I also feel pleased that I id manage to amek myself understood.. and there were many other volunteers who were fluent in Spanish there.
I think being in a Spanish spekaing country in a bit of a rollercoaster.. I am so pleased when I speak Spanish in a shop.. and get what I need.. but then there are other times when I am completley lost and dont have the vocab and fell very daft!!!
Tuesday more English Classes.. differnet place and kids.. these were so sweet!! Same lesson though so I felt ok about it.
Today, Weds was school support, again in a different place. So helping with English, Maths and SpanishLang and Lit.. Liz and Emma would be in hysterics if they could have seen me. And I got told off in Spanish by a 4 year old boy for mispronouncing blue ie azul!!!
By the wway the name of the Spaish is actually castellano
All these activites are from about 2.30pm to 8pm. So in the mornings I ahve been up early.. the complete opposite of most Porteños... and wlakign around the city. HAve seen Florida Street, Santa Fe, Sna Martin Park, Palermo, Botanical Gardens, and lots more!
Tonight I ma off to a tango class.. and tomorrow the North to Missiones, for an aid mission.. like HAAD to Kosov.. we take food, aid, clothes, provide meals for the 500 people in a small indigenous village, they are vastly discriminated against, no running water, lots of problems like that. I am also helping to delice the kiddies... so today I brought anti lice spray for my hair....!!
Much love to all, and will blog again next week.. plus pics I hope!!
Besos,
Michelle
xxx
PS MJP wins the translation prize!!! (Is my Spanish really that bad!!!)
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mjp
non-member comment
A chat , look at phots & drink - no prize
Pronto usted regresará & deseando en que usted estuvo lejos otra vez - toma las cargas de fotografías y tienda arriba cargas de memorias para su vejez - yo no le veré en cena de entrega porque he tenido suficiente y lejos a Venecia para una semana, Gracias para la oferta de un premio pero totalmente innecesario - permite beber y una charla con Steve & Stephen etc Su regreso tan nosotros podemos atravesar sus fotografías. Diviértase, mjp