Since I wrote the first part, passed 6 weeks. That's how long lasted my internship in one small town of Argentina-La Plata, located 50 kilometres from Buenos Aires. All this time I was getting the impression wrote other articles on Argentina and Brazil, filming videos on travel, but to write about my experience with AIESEC here hands never came. So, it comes to this article being in the bus terminal in Retiro Buenos Aires, waiting for the bus to Iguazu. Ahead of 2500 kilometers on buses for Argentina and Brazil, 2 days in Puerto Iguazu, 5 days in Rio de Janeiro, 1 day in Sao Paulo and a long flight back to Russia. But all that I communicated with AIESEC, ended today, so I think it's time to tell about your experience while the impressions are still fresh.
How I met
So, 3-part, I finished my story on that bought a ticket to Buenos Aires from the Iguazu waterfalls. I'm not really represented, as will travel from Buenos Aires to La Plata. First, back in Russia, I have corresponded with Melisoj from AIESEC in Argentina, which prompted me that there is a cheap way to get to La Plata just 10 pesos. And even promised me to meet in Buenos Aires. But then she disappeared somewhere, some time, we in general no one answered, and later began correspondence with Avgustinoj-another party to AIESEC in La Plata. When I asked through what's up, how can I still drive on this train and whether it exists at such a low price, I replied that I have only 2 options-take some Tienda.puedes Leon to La Plata for 300 pesos and another, take some costera to La Plata Retiro terminal for 180 pesos. Even now I do not understand what she said and where took such prices. Not to experiment with trains on arrival, in the same terminal, I bought a ticket on a comfortable bus, which goes directly to La Plata, for 28 pesos. And this is his usual price.
Arriving in La Plata, I have not yet had a local SIM card. Russian SIM, unfortunately, in Argentina for some reason does not work, although in Brazil without problems. With difficulty, ob″âsnivšis′ in Spanish, I asked to call a telephone from a girl. The fact of the matter is that I did not ask the address where I live, I never said but requested to call, how come and promised to meet at the bus station. Augustine replied immediately and said that I was waiting there and soon they will come. To my surprise, over 10 minutes, came to meet me up four guys from AIESEC. Finally, I saw them live. They were all friendly and funny.
Project description, it was pointed out that as housing is available in the student dormitory. It turned out that all the dorm full and I will live alone in the Studio of a girl who is Vice President of AIESEC in La Plata.
When we came into the Studio, where I met with two guys from Brazil who came here too, through AIESEC, as I do, only on other projects. One of them is also party proved Guilerme AIESEC, only in Brazil. To say honestly, he helped me get more all and explore some nuances. He only went through the 3 days.
My volunteer project, as it turned out, did not begin March 6, as I wrote, and 14-th, so I have turned out to be quite a lot of free time. I wish I knew this in advance, then built would be the route to Buenos Aires more interesting stops along the way from Iguazu. But the times I've found myself here, I should like more with fresh forces and without a suitcase to go explore Buenos Aires.
The next day, as we have agreed with Guilirme, he went behind me in the morning with another girl to go walk around Buenos Aires. Spanish is not spoken only me and without him here, though, is much more difficult. Not a lot of Argentines who spoke English, so before BA we walked to La Plata and Guilirme helped me solve several important points. With his help I bought a SIM card as well as a plastic card for public transport Sube, without which public transport throughout Buenos Aires province must not be used. It also showed where and how you can put money. Then Guilirme helped me find an ATM where you can withdraw it is dollars, not pesos, and the exchanger, where they can be exchanged at a favorable rate. Then we went to Buenos Aires it is by train.
Suburban trains is a gosproekt, so that people from the suburbs can commute to work in Buenos Aires. And for these 50 kilometers, the fare is just 3 pesos, almost free of charge. In Russia, I couldn't believe it and thought that the price still 3 dollar as Argentines denote their currencies in the same sign as the dollar $, but now understood why so. Credit goes to the State. At the same time, new and modern trains. Color them true, add vendors, who then sell the cars. So then on the weekends, I always get to BA this way.
During these 2 days, Guilirme and his girlfriend, showed me many interesting and beautiful places in Buenos Aires. One of these places that we have visited and that, perhaps, was my favourite place in Buenos Aires, was the area of Palermo.
Apartment where I lived
So, as I said, I gave the housing that AIESEC was the Studio where I lived alone. Of course, for me, it was better than a bed in a dormitory, is that Spanish was not with anyone practicing. The truth is, the first few days, evenings, perhaps out of habit, this Studio was going to a big company guys from AIESEC. And here I had the opportunity to practice your Spanish, because some of them did not speak English, and the other is not especially like to use it. So, a lot of the conversations I did not understand, but still it was fun to be in a new atmosphere and listening to me in Spanish speech.
A few days later, when I started working, they began to gather already somewhere else. Me too, sometimes called at these meetings and to discos, but it was always late, I didn't know how to get there, Yes, and frankly, not particularly interesting to me. For me, it would be more interesting somewhere to walk, to see new places, which I haven't seen, but, unfortunately, they are not organized and went nowhere or I didn't know about it.
In the Studio, it was everything you need: 2 beds, table and chairs, cooker, fridge, kitchen utensils and electric kettle.
My volunteering project and internship in Wings
700 kilometers from Buenos Aires behind. Continue to remember and write about his experiences while enjoying the panoramic windows of the bus scenery Missiones province.
So, in La Plata I came the day before the draft, but then it turned out that the launching was postponed for a week. Over 5 days, with one of the participants of the AIESEC, we went to meet with the Director of the school, all show and discuss. The school was located in Villa Elisa, which is a suburb of La Plata and is 40 minutes away by bus.
What I learned in advance about the work in the Wings with the words Avgustiny and description of the project was that I would work with Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to 16:00, to teach English to children from poor families whose parents cannot pay for training and in the class will be 20-30 people. So, despite the fact that 1 year similar experience as a teacher in Thailand I have, all the same I'm a little worried, because different cultures and 2 years have already passed, as I do not work in this area.
So, when we come to school (accompanying me boy of AIESEC was here also for the first time), much to my surprise, it turned out to be a very small building. We met with Ana, a very nice and cute woman who was the Director and founder of this school. It turned out to be a small, private, language school, what we have in Russia too much. It consists of several small rooms, bathroom and kitchen. Here it was found that almost nothing about me didn't know as well as I have all that they knew turned out to be untrue. Ana said that over the past 2 years through AIESEC to him went 2 volunteer girl from Morocco and the boy from Turkey.
For me, everything was much easier than I had imagined. Private school, parents of children not poor, and have good earnings. The school has 5 teachers-Argentines who work here and the excellent teach them English. The school works only Monday to Thursday and teach I have with 14:30 to 20:00, that is, 4 lessons per day for 1.5 hours with different groups from 2 to 8 people, from 8 to 50 years. Each group of students came to school 2 times a week and belonged to a particular teacher.
It turns out that I teach them English was not necessary because they were teachers. We have classes in such a way that during these 5 weeks I was in the classroom with 4 different teachers, so that for all time, each group of children I've seen about 4 times. Volunteers from other countries, from time to time invited to diversify classes introduce students to another culture, learn a new accent and just talk about different topics and exchange views.
Depending on the age of the students, classes were held in different ways, but it all began with questions like: "How do I?", "how much?", "where I was and where I work?", "what is the weather in Russia, food, popular sports, music and so on.
All further in studying the Russian language, we deepened with the youngest group. After a few sessions we have studied the Russian alphabet, so, more or less, they may have read. Then we practiced the national anthem of Russia, as well as listened to hymns of Argentina, Brazil, Germany and France and comparing them with each other. Whew, no thought will teach here Argentine children sing the Russian anthem. I really liked it.
With another group, for example, in one of the classes, we analyzed differences in building names in Russia and Argentina. And I, and they were surprised in our difference. Argentines, like many other Nations, does not have a middle name (middle name), name them also comes from his father, but the names they usually have 2 or 3 who just invented and have nothing to do with the names of the parents. Then we have this would be something like Petr Ivanov Nikolay Andrew. I am told that we are all different-only one name, and middle name displays the name of my father.
Comparing both sides, we came to the conclusion that the Russian tradition names more logical and convenient, and allows much easier to recreate the ancestral tree. Because we know what was the name of our prapradedušek and their great-grandmothers, even if you never saw.
Other students after talking about food, the next lesson brought food and together we prepare Italian gnocchi and tortafritas. This meal just to cook and from time to time they prepare it at home, so I decided to present it. It was fun, and now I know how to cook it all.
Talking about food, under the terms of the project, I was granted 1 free lunch every day. Ana very responsibly to this came up and, given my vegetarian wishes every time tried to buy me something new and delicious, so I tried everything.
By the way, very famous in Argentina, dulce de leche turned ours is not very popular in Russia, condensed milk. And emphanades is only made cakes in the shape of a month and as toppings they use other ingredients: meat (this is the same), with spinach, cheese and tomatoes, potatoes and corn and with something else. But I can say for sure that our cakes taste better.
With another group of students-teenagers, we have gone deep into the topic of music and movies. One of the lessons we have agreed that they will make a presentation and selection of the most popular Argentine music, and I-Russian. So now, in my Assembly on page vkontakte appeared a lot of famous Argentine music, among which the very popular is Abel Pintos.
One of the most popular Argentine films is the film "La noche de los lapices" (night of the pencils) tragic movie based on real events of genocide by the Government against the people in the 80-IES, when many students were killed.
An interesting topic of discussion was, and the weather and the seasons. In Argentina, too, have all 4 seasons only winter begins 18 June and summer-18 December. And because the country is under the equator, than the colder South. In the central part of Argentina in their winter temperatures can sometimes drop to zero at night, but there is no snow, only Frost sometimes. And here in the South of the country, closer to Antarctica, there is snow and ice and the temperature comes to -20 degrees.
So, my work in the Wings was easy and relaxed, and classes were held "for a cup of mate. In the classroom, I not only talked about their country, but for himself and learned a lot about Argentina. All the teachers with whom I have worked there, were cheerful, benevolent and around me helped.
One of them, on the day before my departure, invited me to the concert, where she and her husband and chorus, in which they participate, performed several songs, one of which was "Bogoroditse, Devo," Hail "in Russian. It was very interesting to me to hear it in their performance. In turn, I translated them to part of the text and removed their performance on video.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYD4w4Hd9Ys[/youtube]
On the last day of my work, in honor of my departure, Ana has arranged a farewell dinner, inviting me and other teachers at one very old and beautifully designed restaurant, which was in the form of newspapers. Thank you for everything!
The City Of La Plata
La Plata is a city in which I lived all the time my project. This town is not a tourist, but a student. Due to the fact that there are a lot of universities, and the rent is cheaper than in Buenos Aires, it is home to many students. By the way, education in Argentina in all State universities is free to all, including foreigners. So some come here to learn and from Europe, and from other countries in Latin America.
As a tourist, here is worth to arrive by 1 day to see a very beautiful Cathedral, as well as the Museum of La fee, which represented čučely all popular kinds of animals and mammals of Argentina. Also here are several recreated life-size dinosaur skeletons, the majority of the bones which are original! Another interesting Museum is a Museum in Republica de los ninos. This museum exhibits most of the world as a very beautiful dolls. These dolls are made by hand and dressed in the national costumes of the country concerned. Also next to the Museum there is a small farm, a feature of which is that animals are here for free. I am very attracted Lama, whom I have long wanted to see, but thought I would see them only in Peru. There are several beautiful parks.
Otherwise, the city is quite small in size, but large in population. Here the narrow carriageways and narrow and broken sidewalks. Perhaps this is because April 1, 2013 year in that city became the largest in the history of La Fee flood due to the long and heavy rain. The lower part of the city then went under the water on 2 meters and it was a great tragedy.
Like I said, get to Villa Elisa, where I worked, we had 40 minutes on the bus and in the end, I became tired, because the buses were always crowded.
Much more like Buenos Aires and there I went every weekend. Also, beautiful and tourist town is Mar del Plata, located on the coast. But he is in the 400 kilometres from La Plata and there I went only 1 time on 4 days during the long Easter weekend. At that time I first tried hitchhiking in Argentina.
Conclusion. Liked it or not?
Liked it! Definitely liked it and I have no regrets. I liked the people I met in school and how they treated me. The trip itself was released such that approximately 40% of the time was associated with AIESEC and the rest of the time I was given himself.
With regard to AIESEC I am very satisfied with their work in Nizhny Novgorod. The guys from AIESEC in La Plata were also very friendly and affable, but some points still disorganized, and everything happened spontaneously and unexpectedly for me. At least three guys from AIESEC also promised to help me with the Spanish and said "tomorrow", but "tomorrow" nothing happened. However, they are not obliged to do so. So I am grateful for what allowed me to participate in this project, provided shelter and everything organized with Wings! I myself would probably so in Argentina and not met, and then there's and Brazil captured.
You have to understand that AIESEC is an international student organization and its members are also volunteers. So here a lot depends on the mentality of young people of the country to which you travel, and each new place will not be similar to the previous one. So my advice is don't be afraid to participate in projects of AIESEC. This is a great opportunity to get a unique experience and join the culture of the country, as well as see her life from the inside out!
Previous part
AIESEC-my personal experience travel to Argentina (part 1).
AIESEC-my personal experience travel to Argentina (part 2).
AIESEC-my personal experience travel to Argentina (part 3).
