La primera semana

Hola Chicos! I apologize for not writing sooner. It has been hectic here. My computer does not pick up internet here. I quess the wifi connections are incompatible, so I have to go to an internet cafe and use their desktop, meaning no skype. Let me give you a briefing on my life here. I live in a town in the greater Buenos Aires region called Lomas de Zamora. I stick out like a sore thumb. The clothes I brought are far too nice, and of course my red hair does not help. Nobody speaks english here, except for the woman I am staying with, Vanessa. Vanessa is from Chili and has only lived here a few months. She is a bundle of spectacular. She has the cutest laugh and a huge heart. Vanessa lives in a small apartment, but she has provided me with my own room. I have to take very short showers and use limited electricity. I also have to eat every crumb of food provided to me. Being a spoiled American, this is difficult for me, but it is definately a lesson in humility. Dang, we Americans are spoiled. I volunteer at a community center (a fort of cement with a kitchen but no bathrooms). I work 6 days a week for about 11 hours a day. The children range from age 3-16. None of them speak english of course, and a lot of them come from very difficult families. I don´t know all their stories, but I know one boy´s father makes drugs and one girl takes care of her 2 younger bothers and 2 cousins on her own. She works at a shoe factory, and she is only 15. They are all very sweet yet wild. Discipline is not as important here. About half of the kids have facial piercings, and they are allowed to swear and play fight. Most of the workers at the community center (Coy Aike) do not speak english either. So far I feel useless because I cannot communicate well, and I have been unable to help much. They want me to teach acting and singing and put on a play. This would be no problem in English, but it seems impossible to do when I don´t speak their language. I must depart for now. But I will be writiing regularly from now on. Besos Katie PS. Happy Halloween!