¡El fin de semana!

¡Hola desde Argentina!

¡Esperamos que todos estén bien! ¡La estamos pasando “re” lindo! We are having such a great time here in Argentina! With no school on Friday, our long weekend or fin de semana has been full of adventures throughout the region of Mendoza!

On Friday, the teachers enjoyed an excursion to los Reyunos. Los Reyunos is a dam and reservoir used to generate hydroelectricity. However, we visited the Lago Los Reyunos is a tourist center that serves as a place for visitors to camp, wakeboard, windsurf, swim, canoe, etc. Since it is wintertime, although we did not do any of those activities, we did enjoy a lovely lunch, a walk around the lake, as well as tirolesa or ziplining.

Here is a picture of Miss Churma, Ms. Rose, and myself getting ready to zipline across los Reyunos Lago. So much fun!

On Saturday, many of us went to sporting events (including rugby and fútbol), birthday parties, and dance classes! Others visited the incredibly beautiful mountains, went shopping in the local artisanal shops , and even met our extended host family (e.g., tías, tíos, primos, etc.). Such fun!

In fact, many of the shops include recuerdos (souvenirs), such as decorations, leather and Mate kits (the traditional Argentinian tea)! Personally, I am holding out for some alfajores, the traditional cookies full of dulce de leche! ¡Tan delicioso!

Apart from shopping, several students visited nearby monuments, cities, and sights! Like the teachers, many have been to Lago Los Reyunos. Here are some of their highlights that they would like to share!

This statue is from Los Reyunos and is located right by the lago or lake. It is such a fabulous, natural destination to visit here in the region of Mendoza, Argentina!

In addition, others went to the mountains or Valle Grande.

Some students even took a crack at the labyrinth!

I personally spent the day sledding with my host teacher and her husband in the Andes Mountains at Las Leñas! We were cold, but we had so much fun! Such an unforgettable experience!

All in all, you can’t deny the beauty of this country! The water and the mountains are just breathtaking!

On Sundays in Argentina, it is very typical for the whole family to reunite and eat an asado or barbecue. This tradition includes beef as well as other meat – usually some varieties of pork as well – which are cooked on a grill or parrilla over coal and an open fire. With very few additions and no sauces, this asado is quite delicious!

While the asado is just incredible, we can’t forget to mention the helado! There are so many ice cream shops – or heladerías – in San Rafael!

Thank you for reading this rather long blog entry and staying along for the ride!

Hasta mañana!

Miss Fallahi, Ms. Churma, Ms. Rose, and Mr. Fleischmann

Welcome Dinner!

Hola Familias,

We have been enjoying ourselves tremendously! During our first evening, Thursday, July 27th, our sister school, Colegio del Carmen, and all of the families participating in the exchange hosted a Welcome Dinner for us! What a beautiful arrival!

They were sure to include all of our names in our Welcome sign, even the teachers! The activity floor of the school was decorated for the fiesta!

The families served us very delicious food – dinner rolls with bernil, a type of Argentinian meat that is pork. The food was hot and we dug in!

The director of Colegio del Carmen spoke and welcomed us here to San Rafael! She exclaimed how excited the teachers and students were for our arrival. Since tomorrow (Friday), is the end of vacation for the Argentinians, we will start classes at the school on Monday. They will announce us in front of the entire school in the morning assembly.

Tonight, we were talking, catching up, and eating all throughout the dinner or cena!

A little tired from all of our travels, we were making it through! There was even entertainment! Two of the Argentinian students played us a song in English as well as another traditional Argentinian melody! So beautiful!

Miss Churma, Ms. Rose, and I enjoyed the evening as well!

Thank you for welcoming us! We are excited for all of our adventures together!

Signing off for now! Hasta luego! Talk soon!

Sincerely,

Miss Fallahi, Ms. Churma, Ms. Rose, and Mr. Fleischmann

¡Bienvenidos a San Rafael, Argentina!

After waiting in the Santiago de Chile Airport, we boarded our flight to Mendoza, Argentina. However, as soon as we exited the airport, we were able to view the incredible sight of the Andes Mountains right at sunrise! Absolutely breathing-taking, these mountains are situated in between Chile and Argentina, and we knew that we would be spending the next two weeks right on the other side of those gorgeous peaks! We quickly snapped some pictures (maybe even a few selfies!) before boarding the plane.

Here we go! Off to Mendoza, Argentina! Only a bus ride and a short flight stand in the way of us reuniting with our host families!

Once we had arrived to San Rafael, we were welcomed with open arms at our sister school, Colegio del Carmen!

It was so good to reunite with our host teachers as well!

After the warm and exciting welcome, our families brought us to our homes – where we will be staying for the next few weeks! We will eat almuerzo and then return to Colegio del Carmen at night for our Welcome Dinner. Stay tuned for more!

¡Hasta luego!

Miss Fallahi, Miss Churma, Ms. Rose, and Mr. Fleischmann

 

We have arrived to Santiago de Chile!

¡Hola a todos!

¡Por fin hemos llegado a Chile! The airline, LAN Chile, was absolutely incredible! So even though we were flying overnight for 10 hours, the seats on the plane were comfortable and the food was delicious. Many of us were able to sleep!

 

The group leaving Sheehan High School in Wallingford, CT at noon yesterday!

 

The students at JFK New York Airport, waiting to board the plane to Chile!

The lines were indeed long, but we made it!

Next stop in our journey: Mendoza, Argentina! See you all there!

Gracias,

Miss Fallahi, Miss Churma, Ms. Rose, and Mr. Fleischmann

 

 

We’re on our way!!!

¡Vamos a Argentina!

¡Hola a todos! ¡Feliz verano!

This is the blog that we will be using to document our travels in Argentina! The teachers have been excitedly preparing everything for our departure on Wednesday! We will be departing from Sheehan High School at noon on Wednesday, July 26th.  From there, we will be starting a whirlwind Argentinian adventure!

A few friendly reminders…

1. Don’t forget your passport.
2. Please remember to bring any medications and self-administer forms.
3. Don’t forget to call your banks to let them know that you will be using credit or debit cards in Argentina.
4. Please remember to bring a small gift for your family as a token of appreciation.
5. Don’t forget to bring a fleece jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt. Layers are best!
6. Remember to bring comfortable walking or hiking shoes for our outdoor excursion days.

For  more information, please consult the Packing list for Argentina. The teachers will have copies of student passports as well as medical/insurance information.  On Wednesday, students will receive ID badges with their host family’s address and information.

Please feel free to check this blog periodically for information about our whereabouts and fun adventures! Looking forward to our 2nd Wallingford Public Schools-Colegio del Carmen, San Rafael, Argentina Student Exchange Trip! Stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Miss Fallahi, Miss Churma, Ms. Rose, and Mr. Fleischmann

Last day already?!

Thursday marked our last full day in Argentina. After our last day of classes, many of us went out shopping to pick up some last minute goods to start packing up. Some students went to the night performance of the musical while others spent time with their host families at home. As I was packing, I realized that buying a lot of things from Sabores on Tuesday was problematic in that it gave me a lot of glass jars to pack up! I meticulously wrapped each jar in a plastic bag and then wrapped it between clothing items for some extra protection. I was suspicious as to where all my clothes went because it seemed as though I was coming home with far less than I came with! After some switching around (our suitcases couldn’t weigh more than 50 pounds!) I was set. Ms. Churma and I enjoyed our last dinner with Nancy and her family, where Nancy gave me a set to use for drinking yerba mate – the traditional tea-like beverage of Argentina and some yummy dulce de leche filled chocolates as a farewell gift.

Bailamos, one more time

Tuesday was the second day of presentations. Once again the five groups presented to three different groups of Colegio del Carmen students about their culture. All of the Colegio del Carmen students and teachers seemed to enjoy the presentations, especially the younger students who excitedly asked many questions in English and Spanish after each presentation.

Saturday afternoon the chaperones ventured out with Mannie to Sabores, a local artisanal shop that sells homemade goods. They had a tasting in which you could sample some of their most popular items such as a garlic and almond spread, dulce de leche, raspberry vinegar, green olive and pistachio spread, cheese and various fruit jams and jellies. We tried the samples and soon realized how delicious and natural everything tasted – the jams were made in a different process than I had ever heard of – they completely cook the fruits and vegetables in the heat of the sun. After sampling some more, we each filled up our baskets with jars to bring home and share.

Tuesday night all of the students involved with the exchange, the chaperones, some other Colegio del Carmen students and teachers got together for our farewell dance. Even though we still had a couple days left, the dance had to be moved up because of the musical that was being put on Wednesday and Thursday night. The school rented out a club and we had the whole venue to ourselves. The DJ was pumping the music and the lights were blinking neon as all of the students (and some of the teachers!) danced the night away. I think that it is safe to say that a good time was had by all.

On Wednesday morning, the chaperones had the opportunity to visit the house where Jorge Luis Borges lived to get away from the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires. The family that currently runs the home took us on a tour, giving us tidbits of history and showing off the decor. We noticed that every room had its own style – my favorite was a bedroom where the floor was made from horizontal slices of tree trunk. After the tour of the inside of the house, we went outside to go through the labyrinth in the back yard. The labyrinth was designed in the early 2000’s by the tour guide’s brother as a tribute to Borges. We made our way through the think bushes only to get lost half way through. We got back on what we thought was the right track and made our way to the end, excited by our victory! Or not. Our tour guide informed us that we had not completed the maze, but rather had turned ourselves around at the halfway point and did the first half a second time!

On Wednesday night, many of us attended the musical that was put on by Colegio del Carmen’s 5th year students. The title of the musical was Make Music: It’s time to React. The theme of the musical was that it was a benefit concert to support a local hospital with money to purchase powdered milk that helps feed malnourished children. There were many “stars” performing such as: Bruno Mars, Brittany Spears, The Beatles, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc. Each group dressed up much in the style of the bands themselves and performed various songs. In between sets, the class showed various informational videos about children in the world that are suffering from malnourishment. The videos were humbling and had a serious impact on the audience – they also worked well as the Colegio raised a great deal of funds to donate to the hospital!

Monday Adventures

On Monday, our group went on our last excursion, which consisted of two parts. We started the cold and windy day with a tour of the Bianchi Winery. Upon arriving at the winery, we explored a little and then went on a guided tour of the whole facility. We learned a lot about the wine-making process from the growing of the grapes to fermentation and bottling. Our tour began outside, where the guide explained that the grapes are all harvested by hand and that the grape vines are trained to grow a certain way so as to get the quantity of grapes they need. We also learned that the more grapes a vine produces, the lesser the quality of the wine, so the balance of growth is very important.

After moving along the front of the winery, we got to see the tanks where the wine ferments and then watched a short video. We the descended down into the barrel chamber, where the wine sits in barrels from six months up to 2 years depending on the type of wine and quality. As we moved along, we learned about the bottling process, and even saw the cages where bottles of wine are kept before they are sold. The tour ended with an explanation of the process of making champagne, including how every bottle of champagne that is made at Bianchi has its labels affixed by hand because of the type of label it is. The tour ended, bringing us back to the room where wine was available for sale – we reminded students that they could not purchase wine even for their parents (Sorry! School field trip!), so they found other ways to buy some souvenirs to bring home – I won’t go in to any details so that I do not spoil any surprises!

We once again boarded the bus and headed back into the Valle Grande territory. Our next destinations was Euca, a park of eucalyptus trees with various ropes courses hanging between them. We learned that Argentina has the ideal climate for eucalyptus trees to grow in because it is at the same latitude as Australia. As we entered the park, lunch was the first thing on the menu. After that, we all assembled at the entrance where it was explained that there were four different courses: the yellow course, the green course, the blue course and the red course. They ranged in difficulty from 1-4 (respectively), with level 1 being 4 meters off the ground and level 4 being 12 meters off the ground. After being fitted with safety gear and harnesses, all students and teachers had to complete an introductory course to make sure they knew how to use the equipment well.

After that, everyone got started on the various courses. Some of the tasks included: walking across a tight rope, zip lining, crawling through tunnels, gliding on a standing swing, climbing ladders and walking across hanging boards. Each safety harness had 2 clips, so everyone was attached to a secure rope at all times, meaning that if they were to slip they would still be well-supported. As one course was finished, may moved on to complete the next, some going in order of difficulty, while others skipped around. I cheered on people from the ground, taking pictures and not tempting fate with my fear of heights and general lack of coordination! After 3.5 hours on the course, everyone was tired out and many easily napped on the bus ride home.

Hopefully everyone rests up because Tuesday marks the second day of presentations, followed by a dance at night!

Sunday Funday

Sunday morning all of the chaperones, their hosts and some of the other Colegio del Carmen teachers got together for a traditional Argentine asado. An asado is similar the the American tradition of barbecue, where people get together and cook meat on a grill. On the menu for the day was chorizo, steak and chicken. We left from the city part of San Rafael and drove about 45 minutes along the picturesque Argentine landscape. Along the way we saw vineyards and olive trees along with some stunning views of the Andes mountains as we entered the Valle Grande area. As we continued, we noticed a lot of cabañas, or cabins, which are available for rent and are a very popular place for visitors of San Rafael to stay. Being a semi-remote location surrounded by mountains, I could easily understand why it is such a desirable location for people to stay while visiting the area. Even in the winter with barren trees the views were breathtaking.

We arrived at the club where the asado was to take place and it reminded me much of a campground meets drive-in restaurant. There were stalls in which cars could park and next to each stall a grill to cook on. In the middle there was a large open area where some kids were playing soccer. It was all so very peaceful and serene. When we got to our assigned area, we unpacked the car and set up for our asado much in the way we set up for a picnic – chairs came out, then a table, table cloth and food – lots of food. Carlos, Mannie’s husband, lit some logs on the open grill to start getting it nice and hot for the meat. We helped set up and then explored the area a little bit. We were right next to what will be a river in the summer, but is now mostly dried up because the area is holding water in the nearby dam to save up for summer.

When it was time to eat, we all sat around the table and were served the meat of our choosing. Not being able to decide, I took a little piece of steak and chorizo. As I tasted each, I discovered that they were so tender and full of flavor. Along with the delicious meat, we feasted on vegetables, salad, and of course bread. After dinner was a yummy dessert of apple pie made by Mannie with a phyllo dough style crust and some pastries (as if we weren’t full enough from the asado!).

Before heading back into town, we all took a ride up to the dam that was holding the water from the river. We went up a long, winding road with tunnels that went through the mountain. All along the way, cars were pulled over on the side of the road and people were having picnics and enjoying the beautiful day. Once we got to the top of the dam, we were met with yet another breathtaking view.