Javy, January 3, 2015
We went to a very cool place called Quebrada de los Cuervos (Canyon of the Crows). It is a breeding ground for vultures. You could see four or five vultures out in the sky flying. But the coolest part about it was the hike. The hike started with two arrows pointing two ways. It was a fork. We went left. We walked until we got to a wooden boardwalk. We walked down for several minutes. Then there was an oval spot where you could take pictures and look out over the canyon. But then there was a scary-looking pathway. It was incredibly steep. There was no walkway but there were sharp rocks and the only support was a rope line. It was not the best but it made it so we were safe. But if you fell, you would be a goner. We were very happy when we got down to the bottom. There was a little stream and some rocks. It was like a tropical jungle. There were vines and palm trees and weird butterflies and plants that we would not have in Atlanta. It was very dense. The hike was very fun and rough and hot as a black car sitting in the sun. We hiked up some more steep hills and finally we got on flat ground. We went over some bridges and there was a nice little stream. Then we came back to the same fork where we started. Then we went to our car and went to a hotel. We slept peacefully that night.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Holiday Travels
Marilyn, January 1, 2015
A lot has happened in the past week! Gene and Luke have joined us, so now we're exploring as a fivesome. It's hard to believe that Teo, Javy, and I have been in Uruguay for a month. In many ways, the time has flown by.
Gene, Teo, Javy, and I celebrated Christmas Eve with a wonderful dinner with our host family. The food was typical Uruguayan, including chicken and sausage grilled on the parrilla, milanesa, fruit, cheese, and bread. For dessert, I contributed brownies made from chocolate raised on my friend Sharon's farm in Ecuador, and thought about the route that chocolate had taken from Ecuador to Missouri to Georgia and then to Uruguay. By the time dinner was over and we were all contentedly full, we could hear the celebratory firecrackers beginning in the neighborhood. At some point, we discovered that a strange dog, obviously petrified by the noise, had somehow made its way into the house seeking refuge. We did our best to comfort it, and to keep Lucas the cat, who was feeling territorial, from attacking it. At midnight, the serious fireworks began in earnest. Watching them from the roof of the house made us feel like we were right in the middle of them, and I guess we really were. Javy kept asking if the sounds were like what soldiers in the Civil War heard. It was pretty spectacular and a little frightening, but it made for a Christmas Eve we'll always remember!
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Our host's son had been thoughtful enough to buy some firecrackers for Teo and Javy, and they gleefully shot those off. Later, we discovered that there were also presents under the tree for us! Gifts are traditionally opened here after midnight on Christmas Eve, and the family graciously welcomed us into their gift exchange. When the night finally wound down, Teo and Javy had enough leftover excitement to make bedtime an even bigger challenge than usual.
Christmas morning, I got up early and walked to catch the bus to take me to the airport to meet Luke. Busses were running infrequently due to the holiday, so I allowed myself plenty of time, leaving the house well before Luke's connecting flight from Santiago, Chile, was scheduled to take off. I knew that his flight from New York had been delayed, so I was hoping that he would make the connection. As it turned out, he made it only by running across the tarmac to the Montevideo-bound plane, and about fifteen minutes after touching down in Santiago was in the air again over the Andes. He says the view was incredible, and I am hoping I get to see it someday!
Although most businesses are closed here on Christmas Day, Luke spent some time on the phone and found a restaurant that was open that night, and we had a lovely dinner. The next day was a frustrating one. In the morning, we packed up, said goodbye to our great host family, and decided to make a stop to arrange phone service for Gene before setting out for our beach vacation. Since getting my phone working had been so problematic, someone suggested to us that we just go to an Apple store and ask them what to do. We managed to find the Apple store without too much problem, but the guy there had no good advice for us, except to send us to the Antel (phone company) office down the street. The wait there was going to be an hour or so, but we decided it was worth it. Gene took a number and got in line there while Luke and I accompanied Teo and Javy to Burger King. That's about when the rain started. By the time the boys' burgers and fries were history, it was raining steadily; nevertheless, we decided to walk the three or four blocks to Antel and check on Gene's progress. On the way, we got caught it a tremendous downpour, and arrived totally soaked and dripping. (Later I learned that this was the heaviest rain in the last fifty years in Montevideo, and many roads and cars were flooded.) Teo and Javy and I stood in the lobby of the building shivering and trying not to make too much of a puddle while Luke checked in with Gene. It was fortunate that he did, as no one in the office spoke English. Luke was able to translate well enough to get my phone's issues fixed, and to explain everything to Gene. It was at that point that Gene discovered that he had left his passport, which was required by Antel, in the car, about four blocks away. He ran through the rain to retrieve it, returned as thoroughly soaked as the rest of us, took a new number, and began the wait again. In the end, it took about two more hours before we could take our functional phones and pile our wet and miserable selves into the car and set out.
We headed first to Atlántida to see the home that we'll move into in February and meet the owners. After that, we drove for three more hours to Punta del Diablo, one of the loveliest beaches in South America. Arriving at the hotel tired and still damp, I said something to the woman at the desk about "mucha lluvia (rain)," trying to explain our disheveled state. She responded with something about the rain not having started yet there. That sounded ominous enough to squeeze every remaining drop of optimism out of me, and checking the weather forecast only dampened our spirits all the more. It was to rain up until Tuesday, the day we were to leave.
Fortunately, weather forecasts have been known to be wrong. By Saturday morning, no more rain was being predicted until a brief shower on Monday, and later even that disappeared from the forecast. We ventured down to the beach, making our way through a maze of streets, shops, restaurants, and ramshackle houses in the little town of Punta del Diablo. Luke and Wikipedia informed us that the town has a population of well under 1000 during most of the year, and 25,000 during the tourist season, December through February. A good portion of those 25,000 seemed to be on the first stretch of beach we came to, so we set off exploring further down, where huge boulders are all piled on top of each other, making for some challenging climbing and producing numerous tide pools to poke around in. It seemed to me to be a bit like Arabia Mountain in Atlanta, only with an ocean attached. Later on, we found a less densely populated sandy beach where we spent a very pleasant afternoon playing in the waves, digging in the sand, relaxing in the sun, and kicking a soccer ball into other people's personal space. True to the guide book's description, there were plenty of stray dogs looking for companionship on the beach, too, plus a lot of other dogs who were fortunate enough to have owners accompanying them. The dogs were having a ton of fun in the surf. If I am ever reincarnated as a dog, I want to find my way to Punto del Diablo.
Sunday, Teo had his first surfing lesson! He did a great job, and is looking forward to many days of surfing once we get once we get settled in Atlántida. It was lots of fun watching him ride the waves and seeing his big smile. Later on during our stay at Punta del Diablo, Luke and Javy also took lessons. It turns out that when it comes to surfing, being shorter is better, so the little guys had the advantage over their tall brother.
Other notable activities while we were at Punta del Diablo:
A lot has happened in the past week! Gene and Luke have joined us, so now we're exploring as a fivesome. It's hard to believe that Teo, Javy, and I have been in Uruguay for a month. In many ways, the time has flown by.
Gene, Teo, Javy, and I celebrated Christmas Eve with a wonderful dinner with our host family. The food was typical Uruguayan, including chicken and sausage grilled on the parrilla, milanesa, fruit, cheese, and bread. For dessert, I contributed brownies made from chocolate raised on my friend Sharon's farm in Ecuador, and thought about the route that chocolate had taken from Ecuador to Missouri to Georgia and then to Uruguay. By the time dinner was over and we were all contentedly full, we could hear the celebratory firecrackers beginning in the neighborhood. At some point, we discovered that a strange dog, obviously petrified by the noise, had somehow made its way into the house seeking refuge. We did our best to comfort it, and to keep Lucas the cat, who was feeling territorial, from attacking it. At midnight, the serious fireworks began in earnest. Watching them from the roof of the house made us feel like we were right in the middle of them, and I guess we really were. Javy kept asking if the sounds were like what soldiers in the Civil War heard. It was pretty spectacular and a little frightening, but it made for a Christmas Eve we'll always remember!
Our host's son had been thoughtful enough to buy some firecrackers for Teo and Javy, and they gleefully shot those off. Later, we discovered that there were also presents under the tree for us! Gifts are traditionally opened here after midnight on Christmas Eve, and the family graciously welcomed us into their gift exchange. When the night finally wound down, Teo and Javy had enough leftover excitement to make bedtime an even bigger challenge than usual.
Christmas morning, I got up early and walked to catch the bus to take me to the airport to meet Luke. Busses were running infrequently due to the holiday, so I allowed myself plenty of time, leaving the house well before Luke's connecting flight from Santiago, Chile, was scheduled to take off. I knew that his flight from New York had been delayed, so I was hoping that he would make the connection. As it turned out, he made it only by running across the tarmac to the Montevideo-bound plane, and about fifteen minutes after touching down in Santiago was in the air again over the Andes. He says the view was incredible, and I am hoping I get to see it someday!
Although most businesses are closed here on Christmas Day, Luke spent some time on the phone and found a restaurant that was open that night, and we had a lovely dinner. The next day was a frustrating one. In the morning, we packed up, said goodbye to our great host family, and decided to make a stop to arrange phone service for Gene before setting out for our beach vacation. Since getting my phone working had been so problematic, someone suggested to us that we just go to an Apple store and ask them what to do. We managed to find the Apple store without too much problem, but the guy there had no good advice for us, except to send us to the Antel (phone company) office down the street. The wait there was going to be an hour or so, but we decided it was worth it. Gene took a number and got in line there while Luke and I accompanied Teo and Javy to Burger King. That's about when the rain started. By the time the boys' burgers and fries were history, it was raining steadily; nevertheless, we decided to walk the three or four blocks to Antel and check on Gene's progress. On the way, we got caught it a tremendous downpour, and arrived totally soaked and dripping. (Later I learned that this was the heaviest rain in the last fifty years in Montevideo, and many roads and cars were flooded.) Teo and Javy and I stood in the lobby of the building shivering and trying not to make too much of a puddle while Luke checked in with Gene. It was fortunate that he did, as no one in the office spoke English. Luke was able to translate well enough to get my phone's issues fixed, and to explain everything to Gene. It was at that point that Gene discovered that he had left his passport, which was required by Antel, in the car, about four blocks away. He ran through the rain to retrieve it, returned as thoroughly soaked as the rest of us, took a new number, and began the wait again. In the end, it took about two more hours before we could take our functional phones and pile our wet and miserable selves into the car and set out.
We headed first to Atlántida to see the home that we'll move into in February and meet the owners. After that, we drove for three more hours to Punta del Diablo, one of the loveliest beaches in South America. Arriving at the hotel tired and still damp, I said something to the woman at the desk about "mucha lluvia (rain)," trying to explain our disheveled state. She responded with something about the rain not having started yet there. That sounded ominous enough to squeeze every remaining drop of optimism out of me, and checking the weather forecast only dampened our spirits all the more. It was to rain up until Tuesday, the day we were to leave.
Fortunately, weather forecasts have been known to be wrong. By Saturday morning, no more rain was being predicted until a brief shower on Monday, and later even that disappeared from the forecast. We ventured down to the beach, making our way through a maze of streets, shops, restaurants, and ramshackle houses in the little town of Punta del Diablo. Luke and Wikipedia informed us that the town has a population of well under 1000 during most of the year, and 25,000 during the tourist season, December through February. A good portion of those 25,000 seemed to be on the first stretch of beach we came to, so we set off exploring further down, where huge boulders are all piled on top of each other, making for some challenging climbing and producing numerous tide pools to poke around in. It seemed to me to be a bit like Arabia Mountain in Atlanta, only with an ocean attached. Later on, we found a less densely populated sandy beach where we spent a very pleasant afternoon playing in the waves, digging in the sand, relaxing in the sun, and kicking a soccer ball into other people's personal space. True to the guide book's description, there were plenty of stray dogs looking for companionship on the beach, too, plus a lot of other dogs who were fortunate enough to have owners accompanying them. The dogs were having a ton of fun in the surf. If I am ever reincarnated as a dog, I want to find my way to Punto del Diablo.
Sunday, Teo had his first surfing lesson! He did a great job, and is looking forward to many days of surfing once we get once we get settled in Atlántida. It was lots of fun watching him ride the waves and seeing his big smile. Later on during our stay at Punta del Diablo, Luke and Javy also took lessons. It turns out that when it comes to surfing, being shorter is better, so the little guys had the advantage over their tall brother.
Other notable activities while we were at Punta del Diablo:
- A visit to Santa Teresa National Park, just up the beach from Punta del Diablo. The park has some beautiful areas to explore, including a near-deserted beach and a wildlife area where we enjoyed watching rheas, capybaras, and other animals. It was a surprise to us that the military administers the park, and that uniformed soldiers were doing a lot of the work that in the U.S. we would see park rangers doing.
- Learning about sea turtle rescue at Karumbé, a small conservation and education center in the village of La Coronilla. We got to see a few of the turtles, bought some t-shirts, and had a great conversation with the staff and volunteers there. I was especially interested to learn about the center's outreach efforts to the local schoolchildren and fishermen. I asked if they feel encouraged about their work in this area, and the answer was a resounding "yes!" One of the main messages they try to get across is the danger plastic poses to sea turtles and other marine animals. Plastic bags are used liberally here, and they inevitably end up in the water and in the guts of turtles. The Karumbé folks told me about the changes they are seeing in people's attitudes about littering and in their use of cloth grocery bags. Their optimism is heartening, but it's hard not to feel a bit pessimistic about the enormity of the task they are facing in trying to create a sustainable environment for turtles and for the rest of us.
- A hike Luke and I took along the beach to find a geocache. It involved a lot of climbing over boulders and a little sleuthing, but it was a lot of fun on a beautiful evening.
- A drive around Laguna Negra where Gene was especially excited to see burrowing owls for the first time.
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| On our way to find the geocache. The barely-visible farthest point has a lighthouse which was our destination. |
Tuesday morning, we packed up and headed to our next destination, an estancia, or guest ranch, near the town of Melo near the Brazilian border. Following Google Map's directions, we drove for about ten minutes on the highway before turning onto an unpaved road that we followed for the next two hours. The landscape was beautiful with wide-open grasslands (it looked like what I would imagine pampas to be, but the key on the map indicates they are bañados, whatever that means) and blue, blue skies. We saw countless herds of cattle, several groups of wild rheas, and other birds and animals. If I am every reincarnated as a cow, I hope I can find my way to this part of the world.
The towns we passed through on the drive to the estancia show more signs of poverty than Montevideo or the beach towns. While Uruguay is considered a developing country by the International Monetary Fund, our time in the capital gave me the impression that it was pretty well holding its own economically. I'm seeing, though, that there is still a lot of developing left to be done in these small communities, where conditions remind me more of those in Guatemala and other poorer nations I've visited in the past.
The estancia, where we've spent the last couple of days, is a quiet and inviting place, where the boys got to ride a horse and Gene got to explore the grounds and the adjacent river for bugs and birds and crawly things. Luke prepared us a wonderful New Years Eve dinner last night, and a little before midnight, we climbed the steps to the roof and watched the fireworks in Melo. This afternoon, we are relaxing in the pleasant courtyard, waiting for the rain to pass, and feasting on watermelon. I'm remembering my dad, who would have been eating black eyed peas this New Years day. No black eyed peas here, but I inherited his love of watermelon, and think of him often when I get to enjoy a good one. When the weather improves a bit, we're setting out for the tiny part of Brazil's Mata Atlântica, or Atlantic Forest, that creeps across the Uruguayan border. Hopefully we'll get to see a bit of the incredible plant and animal diversity that the forest is known for.
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Surfing
Teo, December 28, 2014Today I went to a surfing lesson at 9:30 in the morning. I got into a wet suit and I got a blue surfboard. The teacher's name was Mateo. He is from Canada. When he was 9 years old like me, his family drove from Toronto to Uruguay.
The first thing we did was to draw a line in the sand. It was supposed to be the middle of the board. I lay down on it on my stomach, and then I was supposed to get up really quickly and put one foot in front of me and one foot in the back. I did that for about two minutes.
Then we went out to sea. The water was very cold. I almost instantly could stand up on the board. Mateo helped me decide which wave to stand up on. A couple times I fell off and Mateo told me it was because I was standing too far toward the front of the board. Mom and Dad and Javy were watching and they thought that my surfing was good.
Here's what I think about surfing. It is fun, exciting, fantastic, easy, tiring, and wet.
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Waiting for Dad
Javy, December 24, 2014
Yesterday when our dad arrived, Teo, Mom, and I went to the airport on a bus to go and wait for him. The bus driver was speeding and it scared me. We almost hit a motorcycle. Then we got off and walked into the airport and explored. There were three floors. On the first floor, there were chairs where you could sit, and a McDonalds. On the second floor, there was nothing much except a place where you could get a souvenir. And then on the top floor, there were bathrooms and big pots of plants and there was a very, very, very big place where you could watch out for the the planes that landed.
We waited one hour. During that time, we read a book and we watched out for Dad's plane. There was a bunch of other people that were waiting for the same plane. Finally, we saw it coming down. We were very happy and everyone started clapping and cheering.
Then we waited on the first floor while Dad was going through immigration. It took a very long time. When we saw him come out, we were thrilled to see him safely here. We hugged him and loved him!
Feliz Navidad! I hope you have a good Christmas and a good Chanukah!
Yesterday when our dad arrived, Teo, Mom, and I went to the airport on a bus to go and wait for him. The bus driver was speeding and it scared me. We almost hit a motorcycle. Then we got off and walked into the airport and explored. There were three floors. On the first floor, there were chairs where you could sit, and a McDonalds. On the second floor, there was nothing much except a place where you could get a souvenir. And then on the top floor, there were bathrooms and big pots of plants and there was a very, very, very big place where you could watch out for the the planes that landed.
We waited one hour. During that time, we read a book and we watched out for Dad's plane. There was a bunch of other people that were waiting for the same plane. Finally, we saw it coming down. We were very happy and everyone started clapping and cheering.
Then we waited on the first floor while Dad was going through immigration. It took a very long time. When we saw him come out, we were thrilled to see him safely here. We hugged him and loved him!
Feliz Navidad! I hope you have a good Christmas and a good Chanukah!
Friday, December 19, 2014
Nourishing Body and Soul
Marilyn, December 19, 2014
The other boarders in our house are all dispersing for the holidays. One is returning to her home in Peru for a few weeks; two are trekking all over South America, starting with a 36 hour bus ride to Santiago; and one is flying to spend Christmas in Toronto, then coming back by way of Tierra del Fuego. I might be overcome with jealousy at this point if it were not for the travels around Uruguay that Luke, Gene, Teo, Javy, and I will be embarking upon the day after Christmas. I've heard only wonderful things about Punta del Diablo on the Atlantic coast, which will be our first stop, and about our inland destinations as well.
Before everyone scattered, our household planned a special dinner for Wednesday night. The French guys proposed that they treat us to an asada, a typical Uruguayan feast with meat cooked on the parrilla, a rather elaborate built-in grill that most homes have on their patios. The rest of us were to provide other foods. Even though it doesn't feel anything like the holiday season for us northerners, I was determined to find or prepare something with a holiday feel to it, and Javy suggested eggnog. Only our Canadian housemate had ever heard of it, so it seemed like a great thing to introduce to the others. I put the question of where to buy it to the Uruguay expats' Facebook group and got a couple of leads, but only for the alcoholic type. Since I wanted Teo and Javy to be able to partake, and since I don't enjoy the taste of alcohol, that's not what I was looking for. Recipes for eggnog are easy to find on the internet, and they're not at all difficult, but they involve raw eggs. When I asked our host about the wisdom of using raw eggs, she was wary, and we decided that the risk of giving everyone salmonella poisoning just as they were taking off to all parts of the continent wasn't a risk worth taking. So I decided it was time for our first visit to Tienda Inglesia, the supermarket where I've been told I could find most anything I wanted. I went with a Plan B in mind . . . if they didn't have eggnog, I would buy vanilla ice cream, peppermints, whipped cream, and cherries, and we'd have peppermint shakes instead. As a last resort, I might pick up a tin of peppermint bark.
The closest Tienda Inglesia is in a big mall, which also conveniently includes a Subway, much to Teo's delight. After lunch there we did a little window shopping, bought my mom a Christmas present, and finally found the Tienda Inglesia. I had expected a market along the lines of Trader Joe's. Instead, I found something more akin to Walmart. To get to the food section, we had to plod our way through aisles and aisles of random stuff, with many stops so that theboys could plead for this or that, though they did seem to realize that spending a thousand U.S. dollars on a huge tyrannosaurus was beyond the pale. Tracking down the dairy section where I hoped I'd find eggnog took awhile, and by the time I got there, I was pretty sure eggnog was not the type of thing this store would carry. I was right, but no worries, I had Plans B and C. Red and white Christmas candies, shaped like canes or discs? No lo tenemos. Peppermint bark? Not even worth trying to describe. We ended up with a box of Parisian chocolates, which everyone at dinner enjoyed quite a bit. Maybe Parisian chocolates will be my new Christmas tradition. (But, really, is there any place on earth where peppermint bark wouldn't be a big hit? Maybe I should start a business to import it.)
Though it started fashionably late by U.S standards, our household spent a lovely evening grilling and chatting and sharing new and different foods. We noted that in all likelihood, never before in the history of the world had asada been served with pumpkin polenta, Peruvian rice, and Parisian chocolates. It was especially nice to see our host, who has been under a lot of stress lately, kick back and laugh and have others take care of her a little bit. I felt so privileged to be included in this group of kind and interesting people, even though I didn't understand much of the conversation. (There was one particularly confusing segment about dead wolf pups washing up on coastal shores.) The boys and I got to bed way too late, but it was an evening we will remember for a long, long time.
Getting up Thursday morning was a challenge, but somehow we made it to class on time. Javy's teacher showed him how to make mate in his new special mug. I had my first taste of this very, very popular drink and was not at all convinced that it's a habit I need to work on developing. In my class, I continued a conversation with my teacher about the history of Jewish Uruguayans. It's not surprising that many Jews immigrated to Uruguay in the years leading up to the Holocaust. More surprising is that Uruguay also offered refuge to Nazi leaders after World War II. Some continue to live anonymously in exile here. Less anonymous are the Guantanamo detainees who, through a deal negotiated between Presidents Mujica and Obama, have arrived here in the past few days as political refugees. The discussions I've been able to have with my very knowledgable teachers about all these events have been quite interesting, and I sense that they in turn value my perspective and opinions as a U.S. citizen.
In the afternoon, we participated in another outing through the language school with kids with disabilities. This time, Teo, Javy, and I walked with an intern from the school and a U.S. pastor, who is a regular volunteer with the group, a couple of miles to the home where the children live. Upon arriving, we were greeted with much jubilation and with many kisses. The home is sparsely furnished, and I couldn't help but wonder how these fifteen or so young people fill their days. A schedule for the week was posted on the wall, and it included a couple hours of yoga classes, the activity with us, and a few other events, but mostly it was blank space. Upon request, the man in charge produced the two sorriest-looking soccer balls I've ever seen. We accompanied the joyful group to a park about six blocks from the home, and on the way, one of the boys expertly dribbled and fancy-footworked one of the squashed balls. He was clearly very talented, and I couldn't help but wonder what he could do with an adequate ball. We arrived at the park and the soccer game began on the concrete pitch. Javy joined right in and held his own quite well. Before long, though, the hot sun had exhausted everyone, and we moved to the shade to await a surprise that had been promised to the group. What was not surprising was that the wait turned out to be much longer than anticipated. However, we were kept well-entertained by a group of young men doing some pretty amazing tumbling and acrobatics.
Finally, the surprise arrived! Former students at the language school, a mom and teenage daughter from Germany, brought a life-size Papa Noel piñanta they had made. I only regret that I could not have seen them transporting it to the park on the bus. The actual piñanta part formed Papa Noel's round belly, and soon the kids had stripped away the pants and jacket, beard and hat, which they quickly discovered fit one of the boys just right. As he paraded around the park in the Papa Noel suit, the candy-filled belly was secured to a tree, and before long the kids were lined up by height (Javy and Teo first) to take their swings. It turns out that Papa Noel has quite the iron stomach, and it took a good deal of vigorous whacking to break it open, but results delighted everyone.
A few things struck me about this experience. First was the fact that these kids, who have so very little, were so eager to offer the candy they had collected to me and Teo and Javy (who had, in fact, gathered up plenty of candy on their own). It was as if part of the joy of having a possession was also having the ability to share it. Second was the way my boys reacted to these kids. They have grown more comfortable over the three weeks we've participated in these activities, but it's still a bit of a stretch for them. Javy initiated interactions and played alongside the kids more. Teo kept a bit to himself, but was observing and taking it all in. He was the one exchanging glances with me when he noticed the poverty; he was the one commenting on how much he has in comparison. Third, I am extraordinarily impressed with the generosity and kindness of the school staff and Scott, the U.S. pastor, who week after week make these outings happen. After the long walk in the hot sun to the kids' home and to the park, then an energetic game of soccer, then another walk to buy snacks for the kids, then overseeing the piñanta-whacking and walking the kids back to their home, Scott still had the energy to carry Javy on his shoulders the last several blocks back to our house, all with a smile on his face and grace to spare. Besides all that, he took the opportunity to make my boys feel valued by expressing his gratitude for their participation. That my kids would learn to appreciate a different culture in these months abroad was a given; what I did not anticipate was that they would also see so many examples of kindness, compassion, and hospitality. For those examples, I am deeply grateful.
The other boarders in our house are all dispersing for the holidays. One is returning to her home in Peru for a few weeks; two are trekking all over South America, starting with a 36 hour bus ride to Santiago; and one is flying to spend Christmas in Toronto, then coming back by way of Tierra del Fuego. I might be overcome with jealousy at this point if it were not for the travels around Uruguay that Luke, Gene, Teo, Javy, and I will be embarking upon the day after Christmas. I've heard only wonderful things about Punta del Diablo on the Atlantic coast, which will be our first stop, and about our inland destinations as well.
Before everyone scattered, our household planned a special dinner for Wednesday night. The French guys proposed that they treat us to an asada, a typical Uruguayan feast with meat cooked on the parrilla, a rather elaborate built-in grill that most homes have on their patios. The rest of us were to provide other foods. Even though it doesn't feel anything like the holiday season for us northerners, I was determined to find or prepare something with a holiday feel to it, and Javy suggested eggnog. Only our Canadian housemate had ever heard of it, so it seemed like a great thing to introduce to the others. I put the question of where to buy it to the Uruguay expats' Facebook group and got a couple of leads, but only for the alcoholic type. Since I wanted Teo and Javy to be able to partake, and since I don't enjoy the taste of alcohol, that's not what I was looking for. Recipes for eggnog are easy to find on the internet, and they're not at all difficult, but they involve raw eggs. When I asked our host about the wisdom of using raw eggs, she was wary, and we decided that the risk of giving everyone salmonella poisoning just as they were taking off to all parts of the continent wasn't a risk worth taking. So I decided it was time for our first visit to Tienda Inglesia, the supermarket where I've been told I could find most anything I wanted. I went with a Plan B in mind . . . if they didn't have eggnog, I would buy vanilla ice cream, peppermints, whipped cream, and cherries, and we'd have peppermint shakes instead. As a last resort, I might pick up a tin of peppermint bark.
The closest Tienda Inglesia is in a big mall, which also conveniently includes a Subway, much to Teo's delight. After lunch there we did a little window shopping, bought my mom a Christmas present, and finally found the Tienda Inglesia. I had expected a market along the lines of Trader Joe's. Instead, I found something more akin to Walmart. To get to the food section, we had to plod our way through aisles and aisles of random stuff, with many stops so that theboys could plead for this or that, though they did seem to realize that spending a thousand U.S. dollars on a huge tyrannosaurus was beyond the pale. Tracking down the dairy section where I hoped I'd find eggnog took awhile, and by the time I got there, I was pretty sure eggnog was not the type of thing this store would carry. I was right, but no worries, I had Plans B and C. Red and white Christmas candies, shaped like canes or discs? No lo tenemos. Peppermint bark? Not even worth trying to describe. We ended up with a box of Parisian chocolates, which everyone at dinner enjoyed quite a bit. Maybe Parisian chocolates will be my new Christmas tradition. (But, really, is there any place on earth where peppermint bark wouldn't be a big hit? Maybe I should start a business to import it.)
Though it started fashionably late by U.S standards, our household spent a lovely evening grilling and chatting and sharing new and different foods. We noted that in all likelihood, never before in the history of the world had asada been served with pumpkin polenta, Peruvian rice, and Parisian chocolates. It was especially nice to see our host, who has been under a lot of stress lately, kick back and laugh and have others take care of her a little bit. I felt so privileged to be included in this group of kind and interesting people, even though I didn't understand much of the conversation. (There was one particularly confusing segment about dead wolf pups washing up on coastal shores.) The boys and I got to bed way too late, but it was an evening we will remember for a long, long time.
Getting up Thursday morning was a challenge, but somehow we made it to class on time. Javy's teacher showed him how to make mate in his new special mug. I had my first taste of this very, very popular drink and was not at all convinced that it's a habit I need to work on developing. In my class, I continued a conversation with my teacher about the history of Jewish Uruguayans. It's not surprising that many Jews immigrated to Uruguay in the years leading up to the Holocaust. More surprising is that Uruguay also offered refuge to Nazi leaders after World War II. Some continue to live anonymously in exile here. Less anonymous are the Guantanamo detainees who, through a deal negotiated between Presidents Mujica and Obama, have arrived here in the past few days as political refugees. The discussions I've been able to have with my very knowledgable teachers about all these events have been quite interesting, and I sense that they in turn value my perspective and opinions as a U.S. citizen.
In the afternoon, we participated in another outing through the language school with kids with disabilities. This time, Teo, Javy, and I walked with an intern from the school and a U.S. pastor, who is a regular volunteer with the group, a couple of miles to the home where the children live. Upon arriving, we were greeted with much jubilation and with many kisses. The home is sparsely furnished, and I couldn't help but wonder how these fifteen or so young people fill their days. A schedule for the week was posted on the wall, and it included a couple hours of yoga classes, the activity with us, and a few other events, but mostly it was blank space. Upon request, the man in charge produced the two sorriest-looking soccer balls I've ever seen. We accompanied the joyful group to a park about six blocks from the home, and on the way, one of the boys expertly dribbled and fancy-footworked one of the squashed balls. He was clearly very talented, and I couldn't help but wonder what he could do with an adequate ball. We arrived at the park and the soccer game began on the concrete pitch. Javy joined right in and held his own quite well. Before long, though, the hot sun had exhausted everyone, and we moved to the shade to await a surprise that had been promised to the group. What was not surprising was that the wait turned out to be much longer than anticipated. However, we were kept well-entertained by a group of young men doing some pretty amazing tumbling and acrobatics.
Finally, the surprise arrived! Former students at the language school, a mom and teenage daughter from Germany, brought a life-size Papa Noel piñanta they had made. I only regret that I could not have seen them transporting it to the park on the bus. The actual piñanta part formed Papa Noel's round belly, and soon the kids had stripped away the pants and jacket, beard and hat, which they quickly discovered fit one of the boys just right. As he paraded around the park in the Papa Noel suit, the candy-filled belly was secured to a tree, and before long the kids were lined up by height (Javy and Teo first) to take their swings. It turns out that Papa Noel has quite the iron stomach, and it took a good deal of vigorous whacking to break it open, but results delighted everyone.
A few things struck me about this experience. First was the fact that these kids, who have so very little, were so eager to offer the candy they had collected to me and Teo and Javy (who had, in fact, gathered up plenty of candy on their own). It was as if part of the joy of having a possession was also having the ability to share it. Second was the way my boys reacted to these kids. They have grown more comfortable over the three weeks we've participated in these activities, but it's still a bit of a stretch for them. Javy initiated interactions and played alongside the kids more. Teo kept a bit to himself, but was observing and taking it all in. He was the one exchanging glances with me when he noticed the poverty; he was the one commenting on how much he has in comparison. Third, I am extraordinarily impressed with the generosity and kindness of the school staff and Scott, the U.S. pastor, who week after week make these outings happen. After the long walk in the hot sun to the kids' home and to the park, then an energetic game of soccer, then another walk to buy snacks for the kids, then overseeing the piñanta-whacking and walking the kids back to their home, Scott still had the energy to carry Javy on his shoulders the last several blocks back to our house, all with a smile on his face and grace to spare. Besides all that, he took the opportunity to make my boys feel valued by expressing his gratitude for their participation. That my kids would learn to appreciate a different culture in these months abroad was a given; what I did not anticipate was that they would also see so many examples of kindness, compassion, and hospitality. For those examples, I am deeply grateful.
Monday, December 15, 2014
The Gaucho Museum
Teo, December 15, 2014
Today Javy and our mom and I went to a museum about the gauchos. Gauchos are like cowboys except that they are in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. The golden age of gauchos was in the 1800s but there are still some gauchos today. The museum was a huge, fancy mansion that someone used to live in. It was like being in the president's house. It was humongous. There were really, really slippery stairs and Javy almost fell down. There were three or four fake horses to show the saddles and other items that gauchos used. There were lots of antique guns, and antique bolas, stirrups, and drinking mugs that were made out of cows' horns. I thought it was a very good museum.
Today Javy and our mom and I went to a museum about the gauchos. Gauchos are like cowboys except that they are in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. The golden age of gauchos was in the 1800s but there are still some gauchos today. The museum was a huge, fancy mansion that someone used to live in. It was like being in the president's house. It was humongous. There were really, really slippery stairs and Javy almost fell down. There were three or four fake horses to show the saddles and other items that gauchos used. There were lots of antique guns, and antique bolas, stirrups, and drinking mugs that were made out of cows' horns. I thought it was a very good museum.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Markets
Javy, December 14, 2014
I am very happy that Christmas is coming up. There are markets here where you go and buy stuff for Christmas. We have been to two markets. On Friday, we went to a market in the park. There were clowns and a puppeteer and bands and lots of people. People were selling candy and shirts and jewelry and pottery. I liked the puppeteer.
Today we went to a second market. It was very big. It was on a main street with a lot of people selling stuff. I saw a saxophone, an ancient baby carriage, and ancient video games. There were watches, guns, bullets, and army canteens, and lots more things. I bought a mate cup and Teo got a newspaper about the Twin Towers when 9/11 happened.
I am very happy that Christmas is coming up. There are markets here where you go and buy stuff for Christmas. We have been to two markets. On Friday, we went to a market in the park. There were clowns and a puppeteer and bands and lots of people. People were selling candy and shirts and jewelry and pottery. I liked the puppeteer.
Today we went to a second market. It was very big. It was on a main street with a lot of people selling stuff. I saw a saxophone, an ancient baby carriage, and ancient video games. There were watches, guns, bullets, and army canteens, and lots more things. I bought a mate cup and Teo got a newspaper about the Twin Towers when 9/11 happened.
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