soup kitchen in Barracas

The soup kitchen family

The hustle and bustle of the soup kitchen's daily grind in suburban Barracas is an impressive sight. As the volunteers involve themselves in the humdrum, already very much alive from the early morning, I am aware of just how special this place is. Enormous hot pans steam in unison and are the piping centre piece in a kitchen equipped to feed the many hungry souls who come here. It is clear from the sheer quantities of beef, lentils, sauces, vegetables and fruit that feeding the throngs of men, women and children is no easy feat.  As the chefs prepare the food, count out the numbers of dinners and give and take instructions, I am left in awe of their will, discipline, organisation and immense energy. 

They start as the sun rises, along with the volunteers from Voluntary Global and with jovial expressions and warm spirits, face the heat of the pans, the endless chopping and occasional stirring that lays ahead of them for the rest of the day.

Mel, the regular volunteer from Germany, is being taught by one of the ladies here how to make empanadas and the look of concentration as he handles the wraps carefully between his fingers and seals each one delicately is clearly a direct result of this mentor's advice.

Despite a significant language barrier, they work efficiently and cooperatively without a drop of sweat or a hint of fatigue.

Leon, another German helper, places piles of bagged yoghurt for the dessert in the fridges as he chats to his mentor, whom he has appropriately named 'mama'. You can see why and I am almost tempted to give these lovely, characterful ladies a thankful hug for making my day and reminding me of home. They may be on a terribly tight schedule, only stopping to sharpen their knives or stir a pot but they still have all the time in the world for a smile and are grateful for the added support these boys offer.

Whilst I watch amazed at the productive atmosphere of this facility, I talk to Mel who tells me that he loves the feel of this place and describes it as 'like a family, where you feel at home, not at work'. He talks to me of the past month working for this kitchen and tells me how open, warm-hearted and helpful these people are. "People in Europe wouldn't give you something for nothing, they would not load you with food like they do here". He is completely aware of how this will change him and how perhaps he will not be able to see things the way he saw them previously at home.

When asked about the skills he has taken away with him, he laughs and tells me that other than his ability to make empanadas, he feels more involved in this type of social work, that the time he is spending here allows him to see both himself and the project change. ' I do not just want to come here one time and chop some bananas. The ideal time is at least eight weeks'

He later tells me that he is beginning to realise that this experience has taught him never to give up on his dreams, even if it is a struggle to make it all work out at first, ' You need to outgrow yourself", a line I personally appreciate as a wise lesson for all of us who come here to find out some things about us and the new world that surrounds us.

This advert for the city says ' I felt the new, the different, the incredible' which is exactly the sentiments I've had so far. Yesterday, we talked about the short film and we have an idea to base it on the growth and development of the volunteers. There's no way out of growing here in BA. Nooone can turn a blind eye to the magic or the opposite of that in this city.

The displaced

This week, I am meeting with one of the other girls from the communication team and we are planning the structure of a short film about some of the projects we have been to. Tomorrow morning, we plan to go to the city soup kitchen to interview some of the volunteers; most of these are older women who have been helping out for years but there are younger helpers too as well as the usual spread of foreign volunteers. A good idea would be to shadow them for a while, find out what makes them come back and perhaps how it has improved in recent years. There are so many homeless people in parks, squares and city doorways. You can also guarantee a few subte (underground) beggars, most of whom seem to be suffering from illnesses. One man got on the tube with his son yesterday and was asking for money. Upon closer inspection, I realised the little boy was blind and they were trying to save money for his treatment. Eye-opening, humbling and extremely sad. This city has many sides.

On one of my many walks through the city

My beautiful temporary home

Papaya, ceviche chef and Alex

Jardin japones

The japanese and papaya

I woke to sunshine pouring into my room and it brought a smile to my face, as I remembered which part of the hemisphere I was in. I practically jumped out of bed, late for a meeting with Laura in the gorgeous Japanese Garden. I could have rescheduled but they were hosting a zen meditation and shiatsu event there. It was perfect to weave my way through planted bonsais and tea rituals to attend the lectures emphasising serenity, living in the present and the Japanese culture of improving oneself to be able to help others. The fact that this garden exists here is testament to just how much is available and just how interested Portenos are in looking beyond their own good airs. 

After this, I met  friend for ceviche and a delicious papaya juice and strolled around Palermo with the sun on my back. I really could get used to this life but for now, I am grateful to be immersed in it.

La tanguera

If you have never been to a milonga to dance tango, salsa, bachata, you have to because it is probably the single most enjoyable, alive thing you can do. I have never seen so many people outdo me in rhythm, style, fun and high heels. It has motivated me to get tall and find some appropriate footwear to tap out on the dance floor. I'm going again most definitely. And so should you.

La Viruta

La primavera

Spring has finally landed in BA with its new floral scents and colours. The weather has been absolutely awful in recent days and I couldn't even tell I was in another country, let alone continent. And now I can breathe a big sigh of relief as I take the hood of jacket off and finally arrive in the city.
Two nights ago, I went to the Migrant film festival and stumbled upon a brilliant Polish film set in the Republic of Abhazia. For 8 pesos (that is about 60 pence) you can go to the Gaumont cinema and it's part funded by the government so it costs nothing. I've spent the last few rainy days sitting in its warmth and soaking up the visuals. Today is tango night in the milonga and my one real worry is I have no heels ... And possibly no rhythm but we will see. I got a job teaching two four year olds English so I'm happy to be slowly finding a mini purpose here for mini people

Spring is here

Maté in red cups

Riachuelo 109.9fm

La Boca

Beats for La Boca

An incredible and enriching day and one I will find difficult to put into words. Today, I visited La Boca, a somewhat impoverished but wonderful area of BA. I went with the aim of seeing a local radio programme in action but I took a lot more away from the experience. If grass roots had a definition, it would be this exact spot, with the exact colourful murals on the walls and in the exact basic set up in the attic of an old building in what looked remarkably like a car park.  In the cold and humid conditions of early spring, it could have been a nightmare invitation but instead, I sat down over a yerba mate to talk about the fascinating and relatively fresh project that the community has established to give locals a voice or as the operator said ' donde caben todas voces'.  And all voices fit in this place, even that of Mel, a German volunteer, who kicked off the show with a description of the weekend charity 'marathon' run (a 5km shortened version of the real thing :)  And this radio station in the heart of the people's barrio supports foreigners who wish to volunteer, recognising the need to harmonise, collectivise and come together not only to act against political neglect but also to stay true to community. There is a mini but significant revolution happening within the painted walls of this attic, dotted with satirical animations and reminders of Che Guevara's infamous motto of 'hasta la victoria para siempre'. This radio laughs at propaganda and smiles at truth, not forgetting the country's harsh past, the ashes of which still glow beneath the energy and voices of this community.
If they need a 'vivienda digna' or decent living conditions, they will fight for it through every channel possible and they have helped to mobilise their people to claim their right to live. Live better, live well. All with a great sense of humour, a few cups of mate and a divine playlist. A brilliant crowd and one I will never forget.

Rumbo Sur

As I celebrate half a week here in Buenos Aires, the multiple projects I have in mind here are gathering force. Today, I had meetings with the guys at Rumbo Sur, an NGO and an organisation seeking to preserve Argentinian culture as well indigenous Latin american culture through film, literature and online presence. Ex advertising guru and graphic designer, Pablo Rey, is passionate about the project and has poured his heart into finding funding for  award-winning films and stunning photography collections. We talked about recent projects- the success of the photography collection based on the communities in Charco, the beautifully illustrated book about Porteno urban myths, all sourced straight from the older generation's mouths in true oral tradition, the book about social funding providing opportunities for financially disadvantaged but hugely talented entrepreneurs and much much more.
I am stunned by the number of the projects this association tackles and am keen to help in any way I can. Pablo has asked me to become more involved whilst I am here, perhaps even helping out with his next film. We will see but I am so excited that I am ignoring the terrible weather that keeps my cold well and truly alive.
Here is the link to the organisation for those interested:

http://www.rumbosur.org.ar/RumboSur/inicio.html

Taking on BA

Today was the first day of the project and this meant meetings with the organisation as well as the volunteers. The 20 or so projects in and around BA were explained in detail and we were each assigned our personal project, as well as the activities we are expected to carry out. The organisation is more of a cooperative of many organisations and projects working to improve the lives of disadvantaged communities in BA.  They are unique in character and include youth projects aiming to get young people into work and finding new ways to fund their future studies. There are also not-for profit orphanages, schools, hospitals and many more. It was incredible to hear the stories of those involved, the role the volunteer plays and the overall objectives of the NGO. Of course, my part is small and seemingly insignificant but our help and contribution play a wider role, one which I hope I can steal a glance throughout my time here on the communications team. My role as observer of all the projects across the board means that perhaps I get to dig a little deeper than most to assess the validity of these projects and measure in some way their sustainability long-term.

touch down

Finally, after many false hopes and tail-chasing, I managed to get hold of an adaptor to accompany my best traveling friend, the MAC and can at long last share some impressions. I arrived a few days ago; tired, excited and decidedly overwhelmed by the enormity of such a trip. As the plane circled over the misty morning view of Buenos Aires,  I was able to acknowledge the sheer size and beauty of the view beneath me and something stirred. I wanted to know more...

My studio is a gorgeous mix of cosy and cool and I love that it is tucked away in residential Recoleta, where portenos roam freely alongside their urban puppies and elegant friends. I am in the thick of the middle classes on Austria street with some quaint little cafes on French street and phenomenal embassies and grandiose buildings a block away.  A far cry from trendy Palermo but quieter than the dizzying heights of downtown. The perfect mix. And although adapting to the changes of season, time, food and people has been hard (I caught a horrible cold which prevented the letter M from ever uttering my congested self), I have seen some truly wonderful parts of this city. Highlights include the Malba ( contemporary art Argentine style) where an installation of disappearing lights had me confused but intrigued, Palermo Viejo which should perhaps join the ranks of cultural heritage sights and is by far my preferred location to hang out and practice the almost long lost yoga I so adored back home (!) and of course San Telmo on a Sunday. I have been spoiled by scenes I could previously only imagine in films and have been encouraged by locals to take up the romantic dance of tango as soon as I find a milonga willing to take such a debutante on. Exciting times... but of course, I miss you all and homesickness really does happen. It is not just the jetlag or too much Yerba Mate :)

the wait

When I woke up this morning, the feeling was hard to shake off. It wasn't just the start of the week, it was my last full day in London ahead of the big viaje to the south of the americas. Hard to even fathom when life has been on such rotation for so long. The difference is amazing and I keep having to pinch myself to check that it is all actually real. So today is about wrapping my head around the travels ahead and also wrapping up the very last of the material objects which, for one reason or another, have made the shortlist to accompany me there. Vitals like camera and a pair of tango shoes are unquestionable but the rest? I am beginning to think I should just start from scratch with the clothes on me and I will dance into the city with my tango shoes already worn in from the journey, ready to burn their fiery heels in the first place they see.

On second thoughts, maybe I will take a case :) 

shedding layers

I have started to sort through the innumerable clothes I have, realising with each irrelevant top and each indistinct skirt just how much I have accumulated over the years. It is the perfect moment to do away with it, to adhere to the useful minimalism that many are already happily doing with no regrets. I look forward to a time when I don't feel crowded or stifled by it all; the somewhat useless comfort blankets we choose to own when the rest of us doesn't feel quite right; the endless need to fit in with people who they themselves are just fitting in. So, out go the various patterns of my material existence these last few years and in comes experience, travel and new perspectives. I am shedding layers and gaining strength. And if the strength doesn't come, I'm sure to come across an H and M somewhere :)