More from Ushuaia, and Lauren's Visit...

Estela and I at a 15th birthday party for one of our students... almost as elaborate as a wedding!










With one class we learned about the Yamanas, one of the indigenous tribes of the area. Here we are making models of the people using foil and salt dough.










Working with prepositions, these adults had to describe the configuration they made with colored wooden blocks (because we are never too old to play with blocks!)










These girls had to describe to each other certain positions so that they were imitating a National Geographic picture.


















Since lacrosse sticks are too expensive and difficult to bring to a different continent, we improvised and learned about the sport with soda bottles and broomsticks. They watched videos, learned about the rules, and played a varied version of my favorite sport.







Most of them had never heard of the sport, but they seemed to enjoy it!












A fabulous group of adolescent girls, I would like to bring them all home with me!












We recorded different groups of students singing, telling stories, or doing plays to put on the website. This rambunctios group sang "Bringin' Home my Baby Bumble Bee". Stay tuned for the link :)









Ushuaia, partially covered by a massive cloud (unfortunately it was much more breathtaking at sunrise but I didn't have my camera...)











The ski resort, Cerro Castor, opened on June 15th (yes, when you Coloradoans were in 100 degree temperatures!) Here is the view of the sunrise, Mount Olivia and Cinco Hermanos from the car on the way to the ski resort.









Although it is small, there are some great wide-open spaces to explore the powder- a bit reminiscent of Arapahoe Basin.











Ushuaia from the bay, clouds painting the sky above Mount Olivia...












Daniel and I, close to the Tunel estancia, one of the first ranches that was developed in this area. Drinking mate and admiring the view of the city and the Beagle Channel.










A cormorant in the Ushuaia bay, from our canoe.


















What better way to wrap up my year in Argentina than to have a visit by the remaining
member of my immediate family that had not yet visited me! Lauren (despite a 2 day delay due to storms in Dallas) came to visit me in "El Fin del Mundo" for 10 days. Here we are on a canoe that we rented, with Ushuaia in the background.







One day we took a boat to see a sea lion island, shown here. It was incredible to see how they were crammed onto this tiny island of rock.










Lauren brought peanut butter and marshmallows, some traditional foods that would be easy to share with the students. They all loved roasting marshmallows over the gas stove, and there were some lucky few who got to try smores (many of whom cried "I want s'more!")














On a day trip to Lago Escondido, sisters in the "end of the world"...












Daniel and I in Ushuaia Bay on a breathtaking day.










Mmmmmm....Mate...


















In Tante Sara, one of the local cafes.













Daniel and I, with Lago Escondido (Hidden Lake) in the background.












Norel and I, on the boat trip with the city in the background.













Since Daniel is the creator and part-owner of a small, local brewery ("Beagle" la primera cerveza artesanal de Ushuaia...) we went for a tour. He explained the process (in Spanish.. and Lauren could understand!)








Unfortunately we were both a bit sick during her visit, but we were still able to aprovecher (take advantage of) some attractions in the area. Here we are in the national park- it was a bit cloudy and sprinkling that day, very Lord of the Rings-esque.








We had a delicious dinner with my host family and a member of my real family... Pilau, vino, bailes, todo bien...











Always ready to learn a little more, Lauren came with me to my Spanish class that I have once a week with Sol. She helped me write a story in Spanish and futher develop our main character.










Here we are teaching "The Electric Slide" to a group of teenage students(danced to country music, which I personally prefer to the namesake of the dance) . Although we didn´t have the cowboy hats and tight jeans to accompany it, they loved it!








... Then we tried to demonstrate swing dancing. It had been a while since we had practiced- not such a pretty sight. At least they laughed along with us!











Lunch by Lago Escondido.





















Eating ñoquis caseras and drinking Beagle beer...










A cheesy Jost picture for ya'-Lauren's outgoing flight was delayed a few hours so we had a "bonus track" to her visit. Here in Playa Larga, in our last few hours together in the southern hemisphere.

You Shoe Eye Ahh...

The 29th of each month is supposedly the day of Ñoquis (gnocchi). They eat ñoquis and put money under their plate to bring luck and wealth. Not that many people actually do it- this was the first time in 9 months that I ate one of my favorite foods ON the 29th, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!. Here with my host family and friends- Estela, Luis, Eugenia, Daniel, Teo, Gregorio, and Marcos.





On Labor Day (of Argentina) the weather was PERFECT and Daniel and I went to climb one of the peaks near the city. In three hours (postholing through the knee-deep snow) we were at the top, admiring the blue sky, snow covered peaks and frosted trees. By accident I hadn't charged my batteries, but fortunately we met a tourist from New York on the way up and he took photos and sent them to me.




... With a view of Ushuaia down below!













During the month of April there was an international art and music festival here in town. We went to hear a concert by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra- I wanted to be playing with them!

There were many art exhibitions throughout the city- this installation by a Brazilian artist, "Porqué Luchamos?" displayed the disapproval and abhorrence that he holds for the US government and all of the negative things it has done to countries around the world.


Many of the installations were based on the theme of climate change and its effects. This piece had wire drawings of glaciers on the wall connected to heaters that were melting large blocks of wax, representative of the glaciers that are melting away. I really enjoyed the exhibit.. very thought provoking.







This piece I want to put in my bedroom! It was a room with many fiber optic cables hanging from the ceiling, representing a field of stars. It had a deeper meaning, but it was fabulous to feel like you were walking through the stars that swayed with your movement!









Out to dance- from right to left- Daniel, me, Rachel (a girl from Ireland who is here doing the same program), Melissa, Paula and Luciana (girls from Ushuaia who work with Rachel.) It was retro night, and yes we heard some YMCA (among many others!)







On a hike with a group from the Club Andino Ushuaia.













Rock climbing in Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego. Gorgeous views with condors soaring by, but a lot of wind to freeze our fingers which cut the day short!















We made tacos with one class- it was the first time most of them had eaten tacos! Although we were missing many of the essential chilies and spices, it went over well.











Painting different scenes from a story we had just read. Agustina, the little peanut to my right, may just end up in my suitcase when I come home!

Paso Beban

We had four days off for Easter so I headed into the mountains with some new friends to take advantage of the gorgeous fall colors before they are all covered in snow (which happened two days after we returned:)









We hiked up and over Paso Beban and camped on Bahia Torito, a bay on Lago Fagnano (a large lake nearby). There were many beaver dams to navigate through (which, after a few that had covered the trails leading to extremely wet feet, became "Damn beavers!!")








I was on the trail with Steve, a guy from England who is living here in Ushuaia, and Alejandro and Alberto, who are both from Ushuaia. Ale and Alberto had already done this trip before, so they were our guides.















Much of the trail was through turba, or peat bogs. It is very cushy and could make a good bed (if you have a waterproof cover) but it was like hiking over a big wet sponge (hence the four days of wet feet:)









The colors were incredible, and some beaver dams made some gorgeous pools of crystal clear water.


















We stoped at a refugio along the way to have lunch and enjoy a short break from the rain.











Fortunately we were able to find enough dry wood to indulge in a campfire every night- used for cooking and drying out socks and boots.











Sunrise on Bahia Torito.













This is calafate, a wild Patagonian fruit that is somewhat similar to a blueberry. I was often at the back of the pack because I was grazing on the calafate.
















...as shown here, I am a bit behind the neon-pack-covered crew because I was eating:)












We had three days of intermittent rain and one gorgeous day. On the way back over the pass we were hiking through snow, some of which remained on the high peaks.












All in all, it was a mah-velous trip!