first Newsletter Pequeño Hogar del Señor Capilla Exaltación
/ Exaltación de la Cruz
Newsletter no. 1
Kristina Wirz & Claudia Bohnacker
After a good two months that have passed, is now finally the already awaited first newsletter from the beautiful Capilla del Senor, Argentina.
How have we decided to draft a joint circular letter, to write instead of two separate. As we work together and live here every day and spend almost 100% of our time together, and we are physically and psychologically similar situation, our reports were already almost completely overlap. We hope that for you all is well. As already
discreet inquiries have fallen, whether we would work here because even as it is only private, free-time images would we want to say again (Also in terms of this letter) that we are not allowed to publish pictures of children or to go further. Therefore, such photos exist, unfortunately only with us on the PC.
Since the 04th October 2008, we are now here in Chapel, in the "Pequeño Exaltación Hogar" - our project and have come to our decision here yet for a second regretted it.
We remember exactly how we arrived here in the home, accompanied by Nelli and Mechtild (our two most important German contact persons on location) and some other important persons for the project. We received such a warm, joyful reception, both by the children (even if extreme communication problems prevailed) and on the part of employees and the important, managerial, organizational leaders. Also, our room was prepared so lovingly embellished with details so that we are through all this just HAD to feel good-do and it still works!
"Pequeño Exaltación Hogar" is a private orphanage that is funded mostly by donations. It can do now for 15 years, moves, and restructuring behind it and is now a really nice children's home, to which most state institutions are just jealous, these are often quite run down.
live in this home for children that need to be removed from their families, da ein Leben zuhause nicht verantwortet werden kann. Dies kann verschiedene Ursachen haben, meist handelt es sich um physische oder psychische Gewalt, sexuellen Missbrauch, oder Vernachlässigung durch die Eltern oder deren Lebenspartner/innen. Im Moment leben hier 18 Kinder im Alter von 1 Jahr bis zu der Ältesten mit 16 Jahren. Dieses Heim ist im Prinzip aber nur ein „Übergangsheim“, da die Kinder (meist) entweder zurück in ihre Familien kommen (wenn sich an den Rahmenbedingungen etwas geändert hat) oder auch zur Adoption freigegeben werden und (früher oder später) dann meist auch einer neuen, guten Familie angehören.
Die Vermittlung wird jedoch selbstverständlich immer schwieriger je älter die Children / are and sometimes it can take years until the papers available for adoption release properly. However, this month we are still a few children - left to their happiness, but also new ones are arriving announced (especially for the school year now), four children already are.
As mentioned above, the Hogar is now a very nice home, at least definitely for Argentine conditions.
For the children to sleep, there are three large rooms: one for the already "older" girls with private bathroom, an "older" for the guys with private bathroom (it is thought here for sehr wichtig, dass die Kinder ab einem gewissen Alter einen eigenen Raum für den eigenen Körper bekommen und man war sehr froh darüber dies letztendlich finanzieren zu können). Letztendlich gibt es noch ein Zimmer für die jüngeren Kinder- diese benutzen unter Aufsicht und Hilfe des Personals ein Gemeinschaftsbadezimmer. Es gibt noch einen Raum zwischen Küche und unserem Zimmer in dem die Babies schlafen, die wir (leider) auch hier haben.
Ansonsten gibt es ein schönes Wohn- & Esszimmer, dass mit Sofas, TV (der fast den ganzen Tag läuft, da dies in Argentinien normal ist) und ganz vielen, schönen Spielsachen ausgestattet ist, welche leider fast alle kurz nach dem Eintreffen im Heim kaputt sind, because the children can not handle it. Next door is adjacent to the kitchen, then comes the baby room and our room and courtyard. In addition, the home has a large playroom for the children, a huge garden and two offices.
Here in the Hogar working women who are referred to as "Tias" (aunts). They work in pairs in 3 shifts (06:00-14:00 clock, clock 14:00-22:00, 22:00-06:00 clock).
your tasks are very diverse: they must be clean (at least 1x per shift the entire home), cooking, which already takes a long time, shower in the evening most of the children who are organizing things like homework and supervise care, not least of course the whole time the little rascals ... but this task is daunting, but more on that later. The women are, unfortunately, paid for their admirable work pretty bad-they are no longer here as a "normal" cleaning lady is available in Argentina. They are all ordinary women who lead in Capilla a simple, normal life, if at all in a small house with their families (in this case it is common to be very early pregnancy), usually without a car, PC or the like, as opposed to the managerial, supportive people here.
There are some important people who are regularly pieced together into a Reunion and the children who choose to employees and organizational talk. These include the founder of the home, the current director, but not actively involved in the home, but responsible for the legal organization stuff, and the main donors / supporters, one of whom is responsible for the management and expenditure of money.
Most people who participate in the financing of the home, have a lot of money and live differently than the "normal" people here, that in Countries.
Countries are specifically designed, large residential areas that are home to the wealthy people (if they want, but it could just only the wealthy people can afford that luxury). Countries which are outwardly separated by fences and guarded by security personnel. There are a few of these Countries, which are all between the villas and green areas to find some of your own business.
These people are our project is incredibly important, because without them the home could not (this standard) exist, but they just live in a completely different world and that makes communication and collaboration with employees sometimes not easy. Your values and priorities lie elsewhere and they look things from a different standpoint. We consider relative "outsiders" these difficulties, but we can usually understand represented more the views of employees and, since we are holding just a relatively simple, normal life, with little money, no car or the like, in the home with the kids live together
... And then sometimes it's not easy for us to take the decisions out there that we can not understand or believe that in "this, our" reality are not the best way or not even feasible-even if the intentions are good, mind you, of course.
There are many more helping hands, their contribution in contribute any form whatsoever. The donation, many people clothes they no longer need to give money, toys or food or other material things. Helped
will also play with people who come regularly and deal with the children, with them, tinker or their (mostly) lost faith attempt to bring closer again.
We do not work directly for the layers of Tías, but at the times in which we are most needed. We work in two shifts and change us from a week: one from 09:00-17:00 clock and the other layer of 12:00-21:00 clock.
The schedule here is in fact as follows:
Morgens um 07:00 Uhr werden die Kinder geweckt von den Tías. Dies ist ein ziemlich hektischer Part des Tages: Alle Kinder müssen angezogen werden (zumindest der Großteil), müssen ins Badzimmer (Wasser ins Gesicht und über die Haare, ganz rasch Zähne putzen…da es nur ein Waschbecken gibt bleibt für mehr leider keine Zeit), anschließend Frühstück und frisieren und ab in die Schule um 07:40 Uhr.
Danach verläuft der Vormittag recht ruhig. Die Tías haben alle Hände voll zu tun damit zu putzen, und die (zum Teil) eingenässten Betten zu richten, irgendwann wird dann für das Mittagessen gekocht. Hinzu kommen noch die (momentan) zwei Babies (1 Jahr) die gewaschen werden müssen und Essen brauchen usw.
Um 12:00 Uhr kommen dann die ersten Kinder von der Schule Kindergarten und es gibt gemeinsames Mittagessen.
Gegen 16:30 Uhr kommen die restlichen Kinder aus der Schule zurück und es gibt „Leche“ (Milch)- das ist hier in Argentinien eine übliche Zwischenmahlzeit, bei der die Kinder Milch oder Tee o.ä. bekommen und dazu Kekse oder andere Knabbereien.
Gegen 19:00 Uhr beginnt eine der Tías die Kinder zu duschen- alle nacheinander, da es ja nur eine Dusche gibt- während die andere anfängt zu kochen.
Abendessen gibt es dann gegen 20:30 Uhr, was für argentinische Verhältnisse noch relativ früh ist, denn die meisten essen gegen 22:30 Uhr erst zu Abend. Then have the children gradually to bed.
The night shift is responsible for washing the laundry. This is done so in the yard next to our room but now and prevent the washing machine of not more noise on sleep.
After an acclimatization period, we have our own working hours chosen in principle, decided when we are most needed, our work is most appropriate.
morning, we can pay intensive attention to the babies that day unfortunately can not get enough attention or similar for meaningful games, while the Tías go about their duties in the Budget. Sometimes there are also children from different Reasons not in school and to this we can then take care of it.
from lunch at 12:00 clock overlap then our duty and we can share something with the children are there like crafts, or play, etc. - and this is really 2 people in 5 children is required!
After Leche children may be mostly (only) out, because it is not so extremely hot and then will be taken purely by and by to take a shower.
until dinner, our role primarily in the supervision of the children's activities are only marginally possible because a TIA in the kitchen must be because the babies and the preparation of dinner and Tía washes the other children. So we are alone with them and the children are an issue in itself:
Our "Smiley" system as an incentive for children to behave well.
originate As mentioned, the children here really difficult family relationships and in her short life have been a bad past.
you all live separately from their families and are therefore now currently in an emotionally stressful situation (including ambivalent relationships with the parents because they have been, after all, also love it so mom and dad after all).
Accordingly, one can not expect that this is "easy care" "Simple", is "well behaved" children.
We came here and saw children for whom it is normal to beat each other authority figures or scratch, bite, or to connect with throwing objects and foul-offending.
you all have bad manners, such as loud burping, farting, coughing or sneezing not even begin to hold the hand near the mouth, so you can see flying the mucus in the air-to say nothing of eating habits, The general did not exist when one considers that they eat with their hands, chew with your mouth open, spit out that food again, thumb sucking at the table, etc. To say that they have enjoyed at home, a poor education would be an understatement. In addition, the current difficult situation, it all has to show a result, they do not listen well to one, to almost anyone, and measures of any kind have no effect because they do not care, they get attention and they had to do much worse at home.
you have no experience with real "games" - they have never learned and can not therefore simply. They, too, lacks any reference to a financial conscience. Since they get paid here in the home all that they have no sense of how much something is worth or how much their currency is worth (eg how much I can buy $ 10 of what) How are the toys thrown around and deliberately ruined or painted or torn books, markers, etc. not closed again - because they know that if something is broken, then get they issue new toys. We have also been asked in all seriousness, or actually more encouraged. "Buy me a cell phone!"
make all these aspects are not working for us in the home simply because most of the time one is that they employed in their actions (destruction or aggression attacks to throw hysterically on the floor and scream, objects, ...) to have them try the "right direction" to . Educate
is often little room for common action, and since they will not know such a thing even the "musical chairs" or "Memory" a real adventure.
Working with children is really hard and it is a so sometimes not easy to remember even the fact that the children really can for their behavior and also because what poor creatures they are, while one example of precisely they abused, insulted, spat upon, or is beaten.
Even the simplest game, such as painting or memory is a real challenge to their own nerves and patience limits.
But there are also quite beautiful, grateful Moments that remind them again and again how beautiful and important our work is: for example if we note that the children slowly build a positive and nearly trusting relationship with us, occasionally listen to us or a particular practice (for) have, since they know that they hurt us as a person, or else we do not like as a person. Some of them fanen now on a personal bond that is due to their behavior patterns to change occasionally. But even if we embrace children joyfully welcome us with joy after we were gone, or we go before we ask when we will come back for because they are afraid that we will never come again.
And in our spare time holen wir uns den notwendigen Ausgleich zurück, um Kraft zu tanken, zu entspannen.
Nach gelegentlichen, anfänglichen Schwierigkeiten, Irritationen und auch Verwunderungen in diesem Land, haben wir viel gelernt, kommen hier nun gut zurecht und fühlen uns im Prinzip wirklich „zu Hause“.
Unser neues Zuhause Capilla del Señor gehört zur Region Exaltacion de la Cruz. Es ist ein kleiner Ort, mit ca. 15 000 Einwohnern und ist bekannt und bedeutsam wegen seines immer noch erhaltenen Kolonialstils. Auch ansonsten soll die Geschichte dieses Ortes recht interessant sein; die Mutter einer Freundin hier kennt sich mit der Geschichte von Capilla sehr gut aus und möchte uns irgendwann einmal diese aufschreiben und näher . Bring We would be happy to pass then the most important points to you.
In Argentina distances get a different meaning than in Germany-so you can to the question: "How far is it from?" Quite the answer, "Not much 2 hours drive time" will. This is also because here the distances are simply different because of the Campo (nature / landscape). Also
Chapel is surrounded by Campo, the nearest town is 20-30 minutes away by car.
Our residential and workplace, the Hogar is also located about 2km outside the town of Capilla even in the midst of the Campo. Around us, there is apart from a few yards with nature Animals such as horses, cows, or deer, and of course dogs! Dogs, there are way, almost more than human, everybody does at least have one, and everywhere there are stray dogs running around freely, or even lying around, even amid the towns themselves, is here on a leash, not a single dog, and even necklaces extraordinary.
this original-Argentine life in the Campo, rarely even lost a tourist point, with all the Gauchos, the many sandy dust, and the rest which the people have in their lives, we have become accustomed. We also have (temporal aspect) here has never felt stressed out, our nose and our neck dusty now have the Air used to and for us it is normal to see out the window and is accompanied by a herd of free-roaming horses to be seen by a Gaucho, or to welcome the craftsman or a doctor with the normal kiss on the cheek instead of shaking hands.
But there was still much more that we had to get used here, although we can understand it now or not yet ...
course, starting with the food: Here in Argentina is so commonly eaten an awful lot of meat. This is because that with a thick piece of meat to his family gets tired faster and cheaper than, say, a piece of cheese. We miss painfully real bread. There are in fact only White bread and baguette. Breakfast is on Argentines more unpopular if-then there are cookies, etc. and that was it. We have now given up the breakfast, as we find something abnormal biscuits in the morning, and our stomach as well.
And since all food donations are our home, there are mainly meat twice a day, with either pasta, rice or mashed potatoes, and most (if there is) there are to white bread.
also the school system is for us (still) confusing. The very fact that students have indeed compulsory, but if they do not go there (do), then they go do not. If the children of the Hogars go to the doctor in the morning, then go the rest of Tag auch nicht in die Schule, auch wenn sie noch bis 17:00 Uhr hätten. Das liegt auch daran, dass es sich finanziell nicht rentiert, da die Fahrt zur Schule für nur eine Person zu teuer wäre, da sie auch außerhalb im Campo liegt. Auch kommt es relativ häufig vor, dass die Kinder keine Schule haben, da Professoren fehlen oder die Lehrer eben alle streiken, weil sie wirklich sehr schlecht bezahlt werden.
Auch das Bus fahren in diesem Land will gelernt sein: Als erstes muss man einmal herausfinden welche Stelle am Straßenrand eine Bushaltestelle darstellen soll, und welche nicht. Es gibt nämlich meistens keine Häuschen oder Schilder. Und dann herauszufinden wie man es schafft, dass der Fahrer den Bus auch anhält und nicht just friendly, waving and greeting honks. The trick is you have to stretch the arm straight to the street. Even in the dark to find the correct place in the Campo, where you have to get off is not so simple.
too general to the road we had to get used to us. Not that the law would not be similar here as in Germany, but paper is well known to be patient and just because something is in any law book is not a long time that people think (especially here in Campo) in it or the police violations would say something.
It is the most normal thing in the world of three or four or down with a baby on a moped, of course without a helmet ... speed limit is also observed within the town complete nonsense,
indicator or a functioning speedometer completely useless, are real driving lessons it anyway (therefore people drive here), the rag you do in c. 1 week, or just keeps it from a "good friend". If you pass an intersection is honked, so that others may come to know that you're there and you can save the brakes, the evening is the one way traffic (on the highway of the adjacent lane) headlights, defeated in trucks to Check that the other driver is awake or asleep, when it shines back he's awake! Railway Barriers are a completely unnecessary invention, which is why they are usually not even mounted, and if so, why should we continue by car or by bus for contact when they are down? - As you drive through easy!
is much more important, however it 50 times in the evening to drive around the Plaza, of course, with loud music, to show that it is great that you have a car and to check what is going on because (men and women) and honk to the girls behind.
Since we are not tired of life here and therefore not drive yourself, we do everything by colectivo (bus), which is not so bad, the compounds are quite good, it's not really dangerous. Although the buses are in a state as it would have taken them in Germany is probably already out of circulation, but anyway ...
Unfortunately also the bus to get a catch: you can only pay with Monedas (small change), since at an ATM paid and the driver has no money. Problem: In Argentina there is very chronic cash shortage, no one has change!
It is often the case that you pay in a restaurant together in order to save cash, or is reduced for purchases at the kiosk or supermarket, the amount to make a price at which no change is required. In principle, yes
is good for us if we have to pay less. But since you need to Monedas such as bus driving, is to collect a daily norm change. Therefore, it is bad .. One should in principle have no small change, even if you have something, and it tries to buy that you get back Monedas.
In Capilla (and now in Cardales) we are of course well known. Everyone knows that we "the Germans" are. Except, perhaps, that Germany is in Europe, many people here know is no longer on our homeland. But as people here such a nice, helpful folk sindm helps us to be happy always on, and so we could learn quite a bit, for example, we now know that a washing machine, the laundry "all alone washed and we need to do anything, "looks like a phone and a cell phone that requires electricity and you have to turn it on.
You see, learned a lot, a lot of impressions, a lot of unusual .. Something with which we have to arrange ourselves like frogs in the shower, bestial mosquitoes or lice that we have occasionally thanks to the children. Have fun, big challenges, much has already seen, slums and poverty, but we do not have enough for a long time and do much much more to absorb this wonderful, unique country in us .. hot
Upcoming projects: departure to Uruguay wg. Visa, Christmas and New Year! In this
Sense
We wish you a peaceful rest of Advent,
Merry Christmas, a Happy
2009 and sending sunny greetings from
the hot Argentina, where we spend the
Advent days at the pool under the palms,
far as time allows it ... Saludos y besitos
Tini & Claudi
