Image via WikipediaAre your appetites wet for season 2? I sure hope they are! I feel like the way this blog has worked out is similar to a television series where there is a plot and a story and several subplots on the sidelines and somehow it ties in all together. Some of you out there who have been following me from the beginning of time know all the plots and the subplots. You've probably noticed that in September before a TV series starts up again, they usually start to play the last few episodes from the last season just to remind people and get them caught up on what is happening. So that is why I am writing you today, to get everyone on the same page so they can follow me properly and understand what is going on.
Alright so the main plotline is that last season I came to Buenos Aires teaching english and intending to stay only 6 months and come back to resume life here in Canada. But the church I was attending has been needing someone to teach english so I am going to come on board and work with the staff and students of Centro Estudios Nueva Vida (CENV). To date I have 40 people enrolled in a class and 15 on a waiting list. Looks like I have my work cut out for me and I don't see myself coming back to Canada until March 2011.
Although I have taught english before, I have never taught a group class to adults that have no experience whatsoever. It thrills me and scares me at the same time. Will I be any good at this? Apparently the books I am bringing are the best books in the U.S. for Latinos wanting to study english. But still I get doubts in my head and wonder if anything will come of my endeavors to see people equipped with the ability to speak english. Only season 2 will tell what the outcome will be.
But with all that aside, there are a few other subplots that are going on. I mentioned to the team that we need one or two leaders specifically for the church branch I am part of at Centro. We are planted in the busiest city and on the busiest street in all of Buenos Aires so if the people from my church branch want to reach out to others, speaking english is not an option! Good thing that there is one leader at Centro named Evelin Diaz who has had a desire to learn english for a long time. But she will be studying in her own home with some supplies I am going to give her. Will she be successful in her endeavor now that she has the chance to fulfill her heart's dream of learning english?
A good friend of Evelin is Marisa. And if you have been reading my blogs, you'll know that her name comes up alot. She is the group leader of my first Bible group that I attended when I joined and she grew quite fond of me from day 1. Basically she decided that she was going to make friends with me at all costs and she would do whatever it takes to gain my friendship. Her method of attaining this prize is that she was going to kill me with kindness and shower me with love until I couldn't take it anymore. In the end her perseverance and persistence won and I began to cave in the beginning of Dec. She must have watched with pleasure as my hard exterior began to melt.
Life has not been kind to Marisa. Like me, so often she has felt left out in the cold looking at happy families together and just wishing for a moment she could have just a fraction of what they have. When I came into her world, it was as if a light switched on inside of her and she came to life. And together the both of us realized that we could find family with each other. But it wouldn't be without it's challenges seeing as we have different cultures, languages etc. Will we be able to overcome those barriers and at long last be able to fulfill the longings in each one of us for family?
Apart from everyone's personal goals and endeavors, there is one goal that we are all united in, seeing "Rock and Vida" realized. Rock and Vida is a rock concert that the church sponsors, finances, and arranges every year since 2005. It is always held in a public open air venue and it is completely free to anyone who wishes to come or happens to be passing by. It always happens the beginning of Dec to go alongside "World AIDS Day". The rock concert is to create awareness against AIDS and it's deadly effects.
This last year I had the privilege of watching what a group of ordinary people can do when they are driven by passion. As we all know, Argentineans do not have alot of money. The average wage is said to be around $200 USD per month. That puts things into perspective! But nothing is impossible when people have a cause that they believe in. Literally, the church begins preparing for Rock & Vida in February. Every Sat nite, they have "Rock & Vida" Cafe and it is a cafe with activities, entertainment and sometimes special guest music groups. All money from food raised at the cafe goes towards Rock & Vida. Not only that, many of the church members have pledged a certain amount a year to give to Rock & Vida. My friend Diana has pledge 200 pesos per year ($50 USD) to the cause. This a classic story of ordinary people who come together cause extraordinary things to happen. You'll want to tune in to the 2nd season to find out what happens to all our endeavors to realize Rock & Vida.
Not only that, I have my own personal goals and desires and there are things that I hope to do and things I want to experience during part 2 of my adventures there Will I finally get to experience the grandness of Teatro Colon now that it has reopened? Would I get a chance to see Carlos & Alison dance tango together in Plaza Dorrengo in San Telmo? What will it be like to celebrate my 30th birthday watching Eduardo & Kikki's tango show "Una Noche Ideal"?
And just like any TV series, there is always a new twist in the story that hasn't been previously mentioned. I'm not one for giving "spoilers" but I will say one thing here. This morning I found myself emailing some developers who are developing several real estate projects in Buenos Aires in a ritzy area called Palermo Hollywood...
Tango 2 the Moon
