Dear friends,

I had the privilege of spending a long weekend in Buenos Aires getting to see the sites where the other three volunteers are working. Every 90 days I have to leave the country to renew my tourist visa so they won't send me home or to prison! (prison might be an exaggeration :) Anyway, it's always a good excuse for a quick vacation or just a break from the normal and sometimes stressful routine.
I arrived in Buenos Aires with my program coordinator and I was glad that I was not alone. It is a HUGE city and figuring out the public transportation system is much easier with guidance from someone who really knows the ins and outs of it all. With very specific directions and a map of the train line and all of the stops, I hopped on a train for a 45 min ride to Jose C Paz, a province on the outskirts of the city, where I was met by my good friend and fellow volunteer Cristina. The train ride was nuts! I was jam packed in there as tightly as a can of sardines and the whole way I found myself literally nose to nose with this guy. Neither of us really knew where to look, and as fun as it might be to gaze deeply into the eyes of a strange man, I tried to look out the window while at the same time keeping a firm hold on my extremely large and awkward backpacking pack and simply tried to remain on my feet. The whole experience really reminded me of group building activities that we do on the challenge course... just how many people can you fit in one train car and how are you going to lean on one another to keep your balance during the bumpy ride. Next time I'll try it blindfolded to increase the level of difficulty!! Let's just say I am finding new and creative ways to keep up with my facilitator skills... When I finally arrived at my stop, I was thankful to be filing out of the crowded train and to regain at least a little bit of my personal bubble.
Cristina guided me through her stomping grounds and we arrived at her little one bedroom apartment tucked in nicely between the house of Rosy and Ernesto and the next door neighboring tire shop. We had just enough time for the grand tour before heading out to the community center in Barrio Providencia. It was the middle of a work week, so I got to see the project in action. I'm not sure what I was expecting... I had heard stories of Barrio Providencia and the poverty for which it is known, but hearing about it is different from seeing it which is also different from meeting and knowing the people who live within the neighborhood and attend the community center. We arrived a bit early and were greeted with smiles and kisses from lots of kids waiting for the center to open up. I was surprised at the amount of kids who were hanging around outside and even more so by their quick acceptance of me, a strange new person in their space. The community center had a unique feel, something that I have a tough time expressing in words, but it really embodied the spirit of community. There was a level of safety and trust that was evident to me by the way the kids behaved. There was an underlying sense of gratitude as they worked and played together and with the other volunteers.
In college I studied community development as it relates to recreation. We were always discussing different theories, what is community and how does one go about creating it within a space like Barrio Prividencia where there is poverty, injustice and fear of the other. I don't know exactly how it is that they went about building up the community center into the place that it is today, (and I'm not referring to the building or the physical resources which are far less than adequate, but they make due) but I do know that the space and time dedicated is essential to the lives of those kids and to the life of the neighborhood. This is what it's all about.

My long weekend in Buenos Aires was full of many more adventures, conversations and reflection. Since we only see each other once every 3 months or so, we had a lot of catching up to do. I also got to see the other sites where Cristina works, the Lutheran church and a home for the elderly as well as the sites where Chris and Rachel spend their days! Together with our coordinator and her family we shared a meal, some fine Argentine wine and lots and lots of good company! A big thank you to everyone who hosted me and guided me on the crazy train/bus system over the weekend. You all are amazing.

Well, that's a brief look at my latest adventure. There are so many stories that sometimes it's tough to pick and choose. I hope this update finds you well. Thinking of you as the month of may is quickly coming to a close!
With Love,
Kate