Today was the first day of volunteering. There were 4 of us. Me, Ginny, Larna who is 60ish years old and a retired scientist fron NJ who was originally from the Phillipeans and stayed in the U.S. after getting her degree and very sweet and quiet, and Sally who is in mid 20s and touring South America after working to save enough $ to do so. Sally is our ace in the hole because she's pretty fluent in spanish. We told her that her volunteer program has changed and she is now "volunteering" as our interptetor.

The Senior Center is a mid size rectangular room with a big table at one end, and an open area at the other. Everything here is concrete and tile. All the seniors come in the morning, hang around the table and do whatever. Play cards, although they could not play cards today because they were confiscated when caught gambling for dineros.... ha-ha-ha..... draw, sew, read, etc. They are in good health, it's just a center to come socialize. I think it's free to them. It is unbelievable how much life and love there is in such a simple small space. Mid morning they broke out the mate and everyone had their cups and containers of mate, and thermos of hat water. The made the mate and totally, completely, and freely shared with one another. So beautiful. Then an elderly lady came to teach dancing lessons. No, teach is not the correct word because they have spent a lifetime learning the dance.  We joined in with a handful of the seniors and did a traditional dance with a partner. Uh-huh, me + dance. Thankfully there is no, and never will be, documentation of the event!  Then, the dance instructor and a gentleman at the center (there were only two) did a solo dance together. It was so beautiful. Not because they were phenomenal dancers but because the style of dance here speaks of passion and love in such a romantic way and we saw two people express the essence of who and what they are as a culture through dance.

Afterwards we hit a vegetarian buffet (the term is used loosely because it's nothing like an American buffet but a small room with tables of prepared dishes to box and go) and headed back to the house for lunch on the back garden (again, term used loosely, do not assume English garden, althogh there is a beautiful rose iñ bloom). Then we headed back into the village to get some malbac wine from Mendoza and roam a bit. We passed an older gentleman with a younger man and the older man spoke some English. We conversed with them for quite a while and he was so charming. It was siesta so the whole village came to a standstill and it was as if the streets belonged to just us.

Now we are back at the house and will have dinner in a couple hours. It is getting quite cold. When the sun is out is is perfect, but when cloudy or nighttime it is still cool. Here are dogs barking all hrouhout he distance. I am going to take a series of photos of all the dogs alone. They seem well fed and get along with each other and the people harmoneously. Hey just "are".

I only have a few pics today and hopefully they will load after these words. Here's to hoping!