Today was a tour of Cordoba in the morning and orientation to the program in afternoon. We went to Cordoba by bus and Ulysses (pronounced oo-lis-EEs) showed us around. There are stray dogs everywhere and they just roam around and sun themselves wherever. If you see them in the pics, they are not dead in the road but sunning themselves. There are many churches and plazas.  One wall has names on it that are arranged to look like thumb prints. Ulysses explained in the 1970s there were massive kidnappings of many who spoke out against government and its corruption, and

were never seen or heard from again. He said in Cordoba some had concrete tied to their feet, we're flown up in helecopters, then dropped into local lakes. If a woman was pregnant when kidnapped, her baby was taken and raised by families influential in the government to be "taught" the correct ways.  Now there are grandparents still seeking those children who belonged to their child. Their child, the kidnapped mother, was killed and no hopes of ever being found.  Every Thursday there is an area in Buenos Aires where these grandparents go looking for the grandchildren who are now grown adults, and there is a DNA bank to help match families.

Cordoba is similar to Buenos Aires in that the architecture is very utilitarian aside from old historic buildings.  One building has its exterior walls all plants and flowers!  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture, but hopefully will go back and maybe get it.

Once back in Ville Allende (pronounced vi-jzz-ay a-jzz-ende) we ordered empañadas for lunch. They bake them here instead of frying them.  Which means nothing to me because I've never had them either way before!  They are quite delicious. We then walked about a mile from the village to the volunteer house. There's a picture of a tall post with a basket on top. They are all around the village. I first saw one and someone put trash in it, and I thought how terrible is that... someone putting trash in a pretty basket. Well, that is where they put the trash out daily to be picked up.  It's obviosly on the pole so the stray dogs won't get to it.  It's just past midnight and you can hear all the dogs barking outside. They too take a long siesta in the day and party all night!

I am going to do senior care volunteering instead of adult special needs because there is nobody else placed with adult special needs and the staff at the locations speak little English if any at all, and they thought it better if I switched. I am open to help wherever needed. Tomorrow we will begin with that. Until then.... hasta luego!

PS: after spending a GREAT deal of time uploading pics I see they are in the middle of the text.  Sigh.  Since Jamie and Lane are not here to fix it for me, that's the way it's going to be for now. I'll have this figured out by the time the trip is over. :/