Ill for three weeks. This is getting boring!
Conference at Mercedes is over. I think it went well - people laughed in vaguely the right places. It was to about 100 people on sunday morning, but after 3 hours of presentations in Spanish! I can´t say i learned much, but i can say they coffee was good even if it was served in ridiculously small cups. After the conference, there was a huge formal lunch to mark the end. As we were leaving, it was announced over the microphone and we exited to a round of applause from 150+ people. Such a weird experience, you can´t help laughing!
We are now in Chivilcoy. It is probably one of the larger towns we´ve visited, with approx 70,000 inhabitants. It´s very pretty, has some great shops and the Rotary club is really friendly. I´m living with a fantastic lady called Cecelia. I love her to bits, she´s so much fun and is really living life to the full - just the way she wants it.
Since being in Argentina, i´ve put on about 3kgs. This is horrific, as i was probably carrying too much weight before i even flew out here! On Monday, I went out with Cecelia and her personal trainer for a walk/jog session. I thought this would be a great way to see parts of the city and maybe catch a few of the sparse sun rays while keeping fit. This could be the new me. A new, fitter, healthier, positive attitude me. I never run. Physical exertion does not appeal to me. We set out. It´s pretty. This area is amazingly flat and you can see for miles. I´m with lovely people, in the sunshine, keeping fit. The first few walk/jog sections are good. I could do this. I could run and even enjoy it. Then the inability to inhale, burning lungs and amazingly sore legs start hitting me. I remember why i never liked running. I struggle to stop and start with every section because my hips feel so stiff i´m sure i´m riddled with arthritis and resent it happening to someone so young. It could not remotely be that i am just unfit. The worst thing - the jogging is few and far between and mostly for one minute, with an occassional two minute jog thrown in. In fact, we probably job 8 times in 45mins. I can barely walk for the rest of the afternoon and most of the following morning. Still, i´d done it and i congratulate myself on the Monday night for being good and giving it a try. However, I have a slight lapse when I´m at a lose end and someone offers me icecream. A big tub of dulce de leche and chocolate & almond icecream is delivered and I eat it. All to myself : (
Of course, when the personal trainer phones on wednesday and says he´s feeling ill and can´t make todays session, i´m devastated!!!
Yesterday, while i was recovering, we did something in the morning (can´t remember) and the we went to a wheat production farm and we saw all about the genetic manipulations that go into making a good loaf of bread. It was quite interesting and I remembered bits from A-level biology, but not remotely as much as i should remember. We then go to a modern art museum and give a presentation at a rotary club after dinner. You´d be so proud of me. I had to do a presentation with no powerpoint and no notes. And i didn´t panic! (I was too tired). Ok, so it wasn´t great. Being in a different language is never going to be as punchy as if it were an english crowd, but i did it and didn´t spend the whole night reliving how awful it was (i spent the whole night thinking someone was trying to break into the house because ceclia was away and i was on my own and i kept hearing noises-it takes your mind off a presentation somewhat).
Anyway, it´s really nice to hear that some people are actually reading this blog and I look forward to catching up with everyone properly when we get back. Less than a week left!!!!
Hasta luego
Zara
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