Hildur Sveinsdóttir, student from AFS Iceland in Reconquista, having mates in her backyard - back home in Reykjavik (Iceland’s Capital City)AFS in Reconquista

E-mail: rl.reconquista@afs.org.ar 1544-4471

‘The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing’.

Albert Einstein

Digital NewsAFS Reconquista Local Chapter

Number 8, August 2011

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

Intercultural talk with teachers from Villa Ocampo

Thanks to the invitation made by the Headmistress, Mrs OlgaGrismado de Nocenti, AFS Volunteers and Local Trainers – JoséManuel Buyatti and Sergio Sanchez – travelled to this northerntown to meet 40 eager and curious teachers from InstitutoGeneral Manuel Obligado Nº 9094 School.

Several topics were introduced, such as the theory of variousauthors like Milton Bennet, Gerard Hofstede and Edward Hall, allof them connected with the concepts of Multiculturalism andInterculturalism. The intention of this session was to introduceAFS to the teachers and school authorities, as well as to givethem an overall presentation of what InterculturalLearning/Teaching is. The theory presented is meant to be usedwith AFS students when they are interacting in our classrooms,for which AFS gives it a practical approach that could be adaptedand considered by teachers in their Argentinian classrooms,which are ‘culturally’ diverse.After showing a brief account of AFS history and introducing theconcepts of Intercultural Learning, we shared some special timewith Ms Laura Martinez – Teacher of English of the school – andMrs Olga Grismado de Nocenti – Headmistress – who were reallygrateful for our visit and invited us to return soon due to the factthat they are really confident the AFS students would feel athome in the community in the near future.

We are planning to visit the town next October or Novemberwith our students so as to give Villa Ocampo’s teenagers thechance to experience Interculturalism face to face.Page 2

Sergio & José Manuel giving the talk

Some comments we received from the teachers:

‘It was really interesting. I wish it had beenlonger!’

‘The talk was really interesting and the facilitators used the appropriate vocabulary

with concrete examples. It was a very dynamic presentation.’

‘When are you coming back for another talk?’

Photography of some of the teachers who participated in the session

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

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After preparing with AFS for a year, Franquito (as we all call him), set sail to Finland last August,

16th where he will have his AFS year experience until July 2012. Best Wishes Franco in this

new enterprise you have just started living. We are all sure you will have a great time there which will help you put in practise all the

Franco Lorenzini is already in Finland, living

his AFS experience.3rd AFS Orientation for

Host FamiliesSaturday, 20th August 2011

AFS Reconquista gave its last orientation to host families just before the exchange students arrived. Along these last three

months, host families and volunteers have worked with various topics which will help then live the AFS experience

smoothly.This time together was also meant to develop and strengthen bonds between volunteers and families, as well as creating a

sense of belonging to this big AFS family and team.

Thanks to all the Host Families who have ventured to live this experience, and who have been willing to attend every meeting

which was specially prepared for them by AFS Reconquista. Thanks for the long talks

and mates shared all this time.

AFS Reconquista wants to kindly thank Dante Alighieri N° 1384

School for letting us use its classrooms for all the family and

Sending Programme orientations, thus helping the Organisation

spread the word of the Intercultural Learning Experience.

Sending Prgramme Orientation

AFS values you have learned with us. And later, you will help us accomplish the AFS Mission: Creating a Fairer and Peaceful World.

The preparation process for the Argentinian students who want to go abroad to have their Intercultural Exchange Experience in 2012/2013 goes on. Reconquista Local Chapter is currently preparing 8 young candidates through talks, practical works, and some other activities. They are all intended to prepare them to face the new challenge of living in a new community, host family and school. All of them important participants in the AFS programme.

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

Saturday, 20th August 2011

Welcome to Reconquista, Avellaneda, Malabrigo & Calchaquí

On Sunday, 21st of August, with very low temperature, the new AFS Exchange Students

arrived to Reconquista’s Bus Station. Their host families were waiting for them, together withsome other AFS students and volunteers, full

of balloons, flags and welcoming signs. One by one, accompanied by Ma. Elena Landi and Ma. Virginia Loza (both

volunteers from AFS Reconquista who had travelled to Buenos Aires to participate in the

National Arrival Camp), they got off the coach and met their host families.

Anxiety, nervousness and emotions were all visible.

After months of preparation, waiting and exchanging e-mails, the AFS experience gave a step

forward just after Carlo, Augusta, Bára, Jóhanna, Anne, Timothy & Ma. Grazia

walked down the bus into the cold night, but into the warm arms of their families and AFS volunteers.

Seven new exchange students have arrived to our Local Chapter

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Bára (Faroe Islands) is welcomed by her

Argentinian mum Alba.

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

Página 5

This picture shows all host families, AFS exchange students who arrived in February 2011 (Álfur & Ronja) and volunteers. They

are all together with the seven newly arrived exchange students.

The warm welcoming of that cold Sunday willhopefully remain in our hearts and memory forlong.Álfur from Iceland and Ronja from Germany, bothAFS students who have been in Reconquista andAvellaneda for the last six months, got up fromtheir beds as well, just like some other studentshad done before when they set foot in the busstation in February 2011.

After retrieving their bags, which are full of dreams,willingness to learn, have fun and grow (apart fromtheir personal belongings), it was time to take apicture of the big AFS family.

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

AFS Reconquista’s Welcome Dinner

Just like any Argentinian family would, in AFS Reconquista we like to meet and celebrate. This time we said, what would be a better reason than to gather and welcome into our lives all the new exchange students? The meeting point was Club Atlético Adelante in Reconquista, where all the families and students gathered after 9.30 p.m. Almost 90 people heard each exchange student introduce themselves in a

lousy Spanish (for now!). They made a great effort and they even introduced their own host families! After that, it was time to say goodbye to Ma. Laura Buyatti (who is going to Germany). The, Franco Lorenzini’s parents told us some of his experiences in his first days abroad (he’s been in Finland for 2 weeks already). All the 2012-2013 exchange candidates and their families were also present at the party. After midnight, the AFS volunteers gave the new exchange students the traditional AFS mate and an AFS T-shirt. After that, it was time to enjoy the cake, which was decorated with the flags of all the countries represented in the party.It was a great evening with friends and family.

Thanks to all families for

their support and trust.

Saturday, 27th August 2011

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Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

Página 6

My Argentinian experience By Álfur Birkir Bjarnason

(Originally written in Spanish)

I still can’t believe myself whenI say that 6 months havealready gone. They have beenthe fastest 6 months in myentire life and I cannot think Ionly have 4 months left.However, it’s the awful truth.

A year ago, I decided I wantedto go abroad with AFS. I thought New Zealandwould make a great choice for an exchangeyear. Luckily, there were no host familiesavailable for me there, so I started thinking:‘I’ve been to New Zealand many times, actually.And I don’t need to practice my English. ShouldI choose somewhere they speak Spanish? But Iam not interested in Spain’. So, I chose SouthAmerica. Someone had told me Argentina wasthe most beautiful country in America and Ibelieved it, I still do! In December I received ane-mail which said they had found a family forme in Argentina and I couldn’t believe it. Somedays later, I realised that I was about to live ayear without my family and friends.

‘What if...’ I wondered many times. I contactedmy host family, but just a bit. I wanted to meetand get to know them face to face, not by mail.I also started dreaming about my day at theairport, those dreams were sometimesnightmares, but the day finally arrived.

The 25th of February 2011, I said ‘goodbye’ tomy mum, dad, younger brother, grandma andaunt; and I said ‘How are you doing’ to thesecurity guard in the terminal.

Six months have passed and I onlyhave four more to go. These sixmonths have been unique and I amreally happy I chose Argentina. It islike being born again, but 17 yearsold and with a family who supportsyou all the time and in all situations.I would like to say thanks to all thehost families who venture to live thisexperience and to all those whobefriend an exchange student,because they are the ones who giveexchange students the chance tohave the best year in their lives.

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Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

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Our exchange experience through our son, Álfur…

Álfur Birkir Bjarnason’s family share their

experience from the other side, that of the

sending family, miles away from their child.

Alfur, Baldvin, Anna & Bjarni

‘We have had relations with the AFS organisation since1983. Both me (Bjarni - Álfur Birkir’s father) and my

sister were AFS exchange students and our family hosteda student from Brazil in 1984. We still keep close contactwith my AFS family in New Zealand and we have visitedthem three times since my AFS year.

Given our positive relations with the AFS community, wewelcomed Álfur Birkir's interest in becoming an AFSexchange student. We encouraged him to apply for a non-English speaking country, since most Icelanders are fairlygood in speaking and understanding English.

The preparation period went well andthe AFS office in Iceland gave us allthe necessary information.It was also obvious that the whole procedure is wellorganized so we did not worry much about the practicalissues of the travel to Argentina or other things that younormally organize on your own when travelling abroad.

We were especially pleased with the one-weekend-preparation course that took place a few weeks beforedeparture. It gave us confidence to listen to students thathad recently been in Argentina and to have theirexplanations of the most common “problems” or“differences”.

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

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It has also been of great value to us that the AFSChapter in Reconquista is very active, and frequentlypublishes photos and news on Facebook’.

Baldvin Flóki, Álfur Birkir’s younger brother, describes his thoughts after his

brother’s departure in the following words:

‘I started missing my brother after four months, I don’t know if that is normal or not. I guess I know deep inside that he will be back and that

means he better not get a girlfriend out there. Every time I think of Álfur, I

remember how good he is at being my brother and I can proudly say that I

look up to him. I will definitely become an AFS exchange student in the future and I

will most likely go to South America’.

It was also obvious that this course helped Álfur Birkirmentally in preparing for what lay ahead.

During the last days before Álfur's departure, themultiple farewell parties had somehow become toomuch and everybody in the family had becomeimpatient.

Not that we wanted to get rid of him, it was justdifficult to have all this hovering over us. But if wethought the last days before departure were difficult,we did not know what we had coming.

The first 2-3 weeks after he left were really strange.Even if we only received good news from Álfur Birkirand his new family – we somehow felt heartbroken.

This is probably partly since we are only a family offour and thus it is a huge gap when 25% of the family issuddenly missing.

What did help is that it was obvious fromday one that he had been extremely luckywith his host family. The Moschén family haswelcomed him as if he is their own son.From the emails and phone calls we get fromÁlfur it really shows that they are warmand caring people and that they go togreat lengths in making him feel at home.We can not fully express our gratitude forhow lucky he has been with his host family.

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

In this issue’s front page, we can see Hildur Sveinsdóttir having mates in his home’s backyard in Reykjavik (Iceland’s Capital City), which is

full of snow. Hildur was a student from AFS Iceland in Reconquista from February 2006 until July 2006, in a semester programme. She lived her AFS experience

with Fabián Tortul and Mónica Urbani’s family.

Here we see Signe Barslund, who was an AFS Denmark student in

Reconquista from August 2006 until July 2007. During her exchange year in Argentina, she lived with Pablo Nardín and Viviana Nardelli’s family. Once the

programme was over, Signe travelled with her Danish family to Iceland. Just like any Argentinian would do, Signe packed her mate to have it along the trip. In this picture, she is seen with her AFS mate opposite the famous Icelandic

Geysir in its daily eruption of hot water. The name Geysir itself is derived from the Icelandic verb geysa, "to gush",

and this has been the one which gave the common name to all the sources of hot springs around the world.

The AFS mate from Island-

Connecting lives, Sharing Cultures

AFS Reconquista ContactsJosé Manuel Buyatti 1544-4471 María Elena Landi 421350 Claudia Lanteri 424507Sergio Sanchez 1545-7527

E-mail: rl.reconquista@afs.org.ar www.afs.org.ar

AFS RL RECONQUISTA