Posted by Andrew
Here we are at the start of the 3rd week and I must apologise for any reports in the last week. We changed houses yesterday afternoon and having arrived into my second consecutive host home without the Internet it has been necessary to find a Locutorio in which to get at the Internet and give my own summary .
To say we have been short of time and sleep in the last week is an understatement but all the team is bearing up. This past week has seen us do our second presentation, not without some dramas with the screen and a technical glitch with Ianthie’s revised movie, but again the feedback was positive. Cultural visits have included the Congress Building, similar to that in Washington, USA and a day long visit to the Nuclear Energy Power station at Atucha around 120km from BA. Argentina has been producing nuclear power for 35 years and with 2 existing plants, one about to be commissioned and a further 2 ready to start the authorities clearly intend that it is their way of achieving a 20% production capacity by 2020. Being inside the reactor shell of the about to be commissioned reactor and being able to look into the reactor itself was a highlight. This opportunity will not be reproducible in another 12 months.
This week we were guests of the R.C San Telmo – Constiticion (DG Rene Bollag & GSE Team leader Mike Smith´s club) the R.C Buenos Aires (250 members) and the combined clubs of Villa Devoto Norte & Devoto Parque. Tomorrow we have another vocational before the opening of the District Conference tomorrow night (Friday 17th April) where we hope to catch up with the D4890 GSE team .
Our change of homes in the 3rd week has seen us move to an area about 25km North West from BA and the contrast from BA could not be more distinct. This is very much a residential area where the pace of life is a lot slower, exhibiting nothing of the noise and pace of BA. There are some suggestions that BA is the noisiest city in the world. My last home overlooked a major intersection and the roar of buses at all ours of the morning did nothing to my sleep patterns. On the other hand it was by far and away the grandest home we have seen so far with a 40 paces walk from the front door to the end of my bedroom.
We have all become quite expert at riding the 6 subte lineas (subway lines) at at 1.1peso / ride (3.66 pesos to the US$) it´s a steal but if you think Connex has issues the numbers using the subte in BA are incredible. The area of Devoto where we are now living sees all of the team in quite close proximity to one another and the quietness should allow for some well over due R&R.
Today we visited a public hospital treating 1000 out patients a day, a public library, a Basilica finishing up with an unscheduled visit to the 700 student bilingual school where Ianthie is going tomorrow for her next vocational day. There we addressed around 40 senior school students about the GSE & Rotary Youth Exchange, Australia and our professions.
Time is marching on and with a 3 day visit to Mar del Plata on the Atlantic coast about 400km from BA starting this coming Monday the 3rd week will go quickly and then we are into the home straight. I hope to be able to round a couple of team members up to come home as a couple are falling in love with the place.
Regards to all at home and please encourage others to visit the BLOG at www.9810team.wordpress.com to get a feel for how this great experience is progressing.
