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Published: July 20th 2006
Chris-Ninja
This is me and my Rotaract friend Virginia at a costume party for our mutual Rotaract friend Julieta's law-school graduation party.Lots of things have been happening in the past couple of weeks:
My friend Lisa's trip here went very well. We visited Iguazu Falls, along the Brazilian/Argentine border and they were absolutely spectacular. I took LOTS of pictures, but they're all still stuck on my new/old digital camera (my Dad brought down 'cause I broke my other one) because I don't have the cable I need to download them. I'll figure something out. Meanwhile, Iguazu Park and the waterfalls are really beautiful and I highly recommend visiting them to anyone who has the chance. We spent two days there, enjoying the sunshine the the vistas. We watched the last Argentine game of the World Cup (tear) from the airport on our way back to the city. Buenos Aires was obviously heartbroken when I got back, but since there are so many Italians in the city, many people could continue to cheer for Italy's team. In fact, the game where Italy beat Germany (who had beat Argentina) the city was screaming as if their own were playing.
Otherwise things are going well here. I'm right in the middle of my second trimester. My classes are fine, and I'm trying to figure out what I'll do with my week of vacation after finals in September. I started volunteering at a human rights organization doing legal research on discriminatory laws related to race, gender, and sexual orientation around all of Latin America. We're trying to put together a database of all the laws we can find.
Also, me and several other Rotary Scholars here are trying to start a project of our own. We've come up with several ideas, one of which is to create a website to connect foreigners living in Buenos Aires with volunteer activities around the city. There are lots of study abroad students who are here for a semester or two, who speak spanish, and who have lots of free time. So, we want to create a forum for socially minded expats to find opportunites to work as well as to meet new people and become more connected to the city and their community. We will also host monthly community service events and advertise other Rotary projects on the site.
Finally, I'm moving to a different neighborhood, Recoleta, next month. My apartment is great, but it's a little expensive and not in the most public-transportation friendly part of the city. So, I'm moving to a more central location. Recoleta is the most "French" part of the city in that much of the architecture is modeled after the streets of Paris. My new apartment is cheaper, more central, and in a really beautiful neighborhood.
Today is "Friend Day" in Argentina, which is kind of like Mother's Day or Father's Day in that they take it seriously. I'm going to celebrate in one of the Rotary Clubs of the city as an invite of one of the other Rotary Scholars.
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Gayl
non-member comment
Hello
Hello Chris, My name is Gayl. I am an Ambassadorial Scholar for the 2007-2008 year. I hope to be going to either Spain or Argentina for my year abroad and I am glad to see that you are enjoying yourself. Will it be okay to contact you periodically to ask questions about your process and progress abroad? Hopefully, you and the other Rotary scholars will get your project up and running in no time. Until we speak again, I am sending you greetings and support from North America (Southern Illinois). Good luck and have fun!!!!