Halfway Mark

So things have picked up a little since the last time I wrote. I´ve been traveling on the weekends with my friend Amanda, and we´re getting ready to go to Iguazu Falls on Thursday. It´s supposed to be Niagra Falls times a thousand! I can´t wait.

As far as my work here, we´ve started giving presentations at the schools in the town, and they´ve been really nice. The kids really enjoy themselves and we´re able to promote our big event where sculptors come to teach children about art and sculpture. One of the things we talk about is what they do and do not like about their town and how they can change things. Some of the things the children talk about are really profound. We only go to elementary schools, so usually younger than sixth grade, and the children talk about how they don´t like people who sell drugs or that they don´t like when men treat women badly. It´s really interesting and a little sad to see how the children react to their environment, which is very different than mine.

I´m also working on a proposal for the Centro Cultural Quilindo. I will use this to turn into Ohio State, but it will also serve as a plan for the Centro. I´m in the middle of doing some research on the importance of art and social capital. It´s something really interesting, and Lachi-the woman who will be running the place and the lady we live with-is really optimistic. We have a lot of the same ideas, so I´m really excited to see how the proposal unfolds.

The pictures here are some random ones...from my trip to the German Village, to Cumbrecita where we hiked to the waterfall, and from Mendoza-the wine country where we went repelling down a mountain. I only have one or two more small trips planned-a weekend in Buenos Aires and maybe a venture to Alta Gracia, where Che Guevara was born, just to say I went there!

I´m busy busy busy...finally!