The Iguazu Falls: Is the Argentinian or Brazilian side following Responsible Tourism?
Liron Baur & Max BrenssellWhen we visited both of the Iguazu falls National Parks (one in Argentina and the other in Brazil), the last weekend of February, what struck us most, besides the stunning nature and the beauty of the falls themselves, was how each National Park treated the subject of environmental preservation in that area. We were surprised to find that the Brazilian and Argentine National Parks had very different methods of raising awareness and that the results of their efforts were quite visible in the Parks themselves. For those of you who haven’t heard of the falls before (don’t worry, before we started planning our trip to Argentina I hadn’t heard of them either, even though they are incredibly beautiful and very famous around South-America - they are one of the new 7 word wonders!), here’s a brief over-view of facts and history of the falls and both National Parks: The waterfalls are located on the border of Argentina (Misiones) and Brazil (Paraná).
The falls originate from the Iguazu-river, have a total width of 2.7km and a height of 60-82m. Due to the tropical climate in the area the rainforest around the falls is home to more than 2000 plant species, 400 species of birds, countless insects (beware of the mosquitoes!) and many other animals. The Argentine National Park was created in 1934, with the purpose of preserving the waterfalls as well as the biodiversity around them. Approximately 900000 visitors come to the park each year. The Brazilian National Park was created 5 years later, it is home to many endangered species including the giant otter. Around 800000 tourists visit the park every year. On our first day, after arriving in Puerto Iguazu on Friday evening, we decided to visit the Argentine National Park, as it is larger than the Brazilian one and gives you many close-up views of the waterfalls and access to the famous ‘gargantas del diablo’ (Devil’s throat) long and narrow chasm. Entering the Park and walking towards the first tourist walkway, we saw various warning signs with information on the different animals and warnings not to feed them.
We were told to especially watch out for Coaties (raccoon-like animals that are not afraid of humans and very eager to steal your food!) as they are likely to get aggressive around food and may attack you. There were also signs asking the visitors not to leave trash lying around, which seemed to be quite effective, as even the areas around the ‘food courts’ were considerably clean. Along the walkways (there are two walkways: upper and lower), many information boards had been installed that provided the visitors with historical facts about the area, information on various plants and animals specific to the jungle that surrounds the waterfalls and the ecological changes that the environment of the falls is undergoing. We were impressed with the effort that was made to create environmental awareness and advocate the preservation of the nature around the falls. The other feature of the Park that proves its dedication to protecting the environment is the ecological train, which transports the visitors from the starting point of the walkways to the point from which they can access the Devil’s throat chasm.
The next day we visited the Brazilian National Park, which offers a complete view of the falls next to each other, which left us completely awestruck. But sadly we also noticed that the tourists here hadn’t been as considerate, as we saw empty soda and beer cans, plastic bags and wrappers, that had been carelessly left behind next to the trails, in the forest. Another thing that caught our attention was the heliport and the helicopter tours over the falls that the Park offers. In addition to that there is a large Hotel right next to the tourist paths inside the park. While these facilities create jobs for the locals of the area and boost the economy, they are a big strain on the fragile environment.
The fact that the two parks treated the issue of preserving our natural environment so differently reminded us of the responsibility we have as tourists to make sure our behavior doesn’t harm our environment and that we should always try to create intercultural exchange with our host communities. Visiting the Iguazu falls was an incredible experience and I can only advise all of you to travel there while you are in Argentina, if you have the chance. Being in the presence of such natural beauty and force gave us a new sense of perspective in regard to our environment and the way we should be taking care of it.
By Thomas Gruber and David Schweinzer Seit knapp 6 Jahren arbeitet Voluntario Global mit der Stiftung namens "Chacras de Buenos Aires" zusammen. Der Hauptsitz von Chacras befindet sich im traditionellen portenischen Stadtviertel San Telmo. Seit 2005 setzt sich die Organisation zum Ziel, durch die Umsetzung kultureller, sozialer und umweltbezogener Projekte, eine nachhaltige Entwicklung benachteiligter Gruppen und Gemeinschaften in und um Buenos Aires zu fördern. Ihre Vision stützt sich u.a. auf die Erlangung einer besseren und gerechteren Gellschaft.
Das Delta Sanfernandino
Eines ihrer Projekte befindet sich im Delta des Sanfernandino dessen Fauna und Flora einzigartig auf dieser Welt scheint. Das Delta wird seit dem Jahr 2000 als Weltkulturerbe von UNESCO geschützt. Mehr als 3000 Menschen leben in diesem Gebiet, das nur mit dem Boot erreicht werden kann. Chacras unterstützt die lokale Bevölkerung beim Aufbau kleiner Häuser, die komplett aus Holz gefertigt werden. Das Wissen über spezielle Techniken für den dortigen Hausbau wird von den Anwohner bezogen, sodass diese Häuser nicht innerhalb der nächsten Jahre durch unterschiedliche Umwelteinflüsse zerstört werden können. Seit 2005 wurden 3 Häuser gebaut, wobei bereits 3 weitere auf der gleichen Insel, für das nächste Jahr, geplant sind.
Welchen Beitrag leisten die Freiwilligen?
Die Hauptaufgabe der Freiwilligen liegt darin, Marcelo beim Bau der Häuser tatkräftig zu unterstützen. Jeder kann während der Arbeit unterschiedliche Vorschläge und Ideen einbringen. Sofern Freiwillige auf der Insel übernachten möchten, wird Nikolas zusammen mit ihnen auf der Insel bleiben. Darüber hinaus ist Nikolas auch für die Fertigstellung des Hauses verantwortlich, wobei er sich nebenbei auch um die Errichtung des Bio-Gartens, der im Erdgeschoss platziert werden soll, kümmert.
Sembrando Vida - Biologischer Garten im Neuropsychatrischen Krankenhaus „Jose Tiburcio Borda“
In der Nervenklinik, die sich mitten in Buenos Aires befindet, hat die Organisation Chacras einen biologischen Garten und ein Gewächshaus angelegt, das den Patienten einen Platz der Entspannung bietet und gleichzeitig ihren Resozialisierungsprozess positiv beeinflusst. Freiwillige von Voluntario Global und auch von anderen Organisationen sorgen gemeinsam dafür, dass es den verschiedenen Pflanzen- und Gemüsesorten an nichts fehlt.
Es arbeiten jedoch nicht nur Volontäre an diesem Projekt. Die Patienten des Krankenhauses selbst nähern sich täglich dem kleinen Biogarten und helfen bei dessen Pflege, das positive Auswirkungen mit sich bringt. Einerseits sind dadurch mehr Menschen um das Wohl des Gartens bemüht und andererseits wird der Resozialisierungsprozess der Patienten unterstützt. Im Grunde wird ihnen dadurch eine sinnvolle Beschäftigung für den Tag geboten. Da sie sich um eine lebende Pflanze kümmern können, lernen sie auch wieder auf sich selbst zu achten. In den letzten Jahren haben bereits einige, wegen guter mentaler Gesundheit, das Krankenhaus verlassen dürfen. Zwei davon helfen noch immer im Garten mit. Neben der Gartenarbeit können sich Patienten auch kreativ betätigen; und zwar im Kulturzentrum welches sich nebenan befindet. Das Projekt von Chacras beinhaltet ebenso den Bau von Häusern aus natürlichen Materialien. Aufgrund des Mangels an qualifizierten Arbeitskräften steht das Projekt jedoch immer noch in seinen Anfängen. Wer gerade dabei ist, diese Zeilen zu lesen und Zeit in Buenos Aires verbringen möchte, dem sei gesagt: Es gibt einiges zu tun und tolle Erfahrungen zu machen ;)
Welche Vorteile bieten diese Projekte für Freiwillige?
Diese Projekte bieten ein unvergessliches Erlebnis für alle, die ein Teil davon sind und es sein möchten und mehr über eine völlig andere Kultur lernen wollen. Sofern du Interesse hast, andere Freiwillige aus der ganzen Welt zu treffen, die ebenfalls neugierig auf etwas völlig Unbekanntes sind - dann bist du genau die richtige Person für unser Team! Das Gebiet rund um den Tigre bietet seinen Einwohnern einen der ruhigsten Orte rund um Buenos Aires, den man als normaler Tourist auf diese Weise sicher nicht zu Gesicht bekommt. Be part of it!
L'histoire de Bernadette: Une volontaire qui revient encore et encore!
Written by Jesica FrancoPar Marti Barsoom, Sophie Zimmel and Margaux Maxwell Traduction par Jeremy Guérin
Bernadette Hoste est une professeur de français pour enfants et adultes en Angleterre. Bernadette, est en fait bein plus qu'une professeur, c'est une bénévole de Voluntario Global de longue date; depuis sa création Bernadette y consacre 2mois chaque année. En observant et en participant au développement de Voluntario Global, elle a enrichi ses sentiments envers la communauté et la vie – elle affirme que VG a changé son système de valeurs. C'est l'histoire de Bernadette, une femme qui enseigne et apprend des enfants.
Bernadette a entendu parler de VG en 2006, durant sa visite à Buenos Aires alors qu'elle essayait d'apprendre une troisième langue et poursuivait sa passion pour le voyage. Durant son séjour, l'affiche de VG a attiré son regard “Voulez vous découvrir un autre Buenos Aires”?
“J'ai pensé qu'il serait intéressant de rencontrer des locaux, des enfants du pays et d'échanger quelques idées. J'aime beaucoup enseigner et je me suis dit que je pourrais les aider en leur apprenant l'Anglais et qu'en échange ils partageraient un peu de leurs vies avec moi.” Elle a eu raison de suivre son instinct, elle travaillera ensuite dans les projets de jardins d'enfants, “Pim Pom” et “Travesuras” où elle fera des merveilles.
“Il y a trop de souvenirs préférés pour en choisir un! Des enfants qui me grimpent dessus pour me poser des questions ou me faire un bisou, voir les changements dans la garderie grâce à l'argent récolté parmi mes amis et ma famille, réaliser que les gens avec qui je travaille me considère comme “une part de leur communauté”, être capable de soudainement comprendre ce qu'ils me disent en espagnole, puis pour eux de comprendre ma réponse en “frangnole...”
Avec l'affection et l'enthousiasme de son premier séjour en Argentine, Bernadette a décidé de faire du volontariat une partie intégrante de sa vie. Elle y retourne chaque année pour prendre part à un nouveau projet. “J'aime les gens, j'aime la langue.”
Quelque chose a commencé à arriver à Bernadette depuis qu'elle a commencé le volontariat: “J'ai mis les choses plus en perspective. Les choses qui avant me semblaient importantes, d'une certaine manière le sont un peu moins aujourd'hui. J'ai découvert une autre façon de vivre, j'ai fait partie d'une autre communauté, très différente de ce que j'en savais jusque là.”
Bernadette a vu l'organisation se développer – de nouveaux projets ont vu le jour, des personnes sont venus du monde entier pour participer, son effet sur la communauté est devenu plus grand. “ Lorsque j'ai commencé avec eux, VG était une très petite organisation. Je les ai vu se développer et devenir la grande organisation qu'elle est aujourd'hui. Il y a maintenant plus de projets, plus de possibilités.”
Durant son temps à VG cette professeur a appris beaucoup sur ce que veut dire être volontaire et faire partie d'une communauté. Elle offre un dernier mot, un dernier avis pour les prochains volontaires: “Je pense que la première chose [que je recommanderais] est d'avoir l'esprit ouvert. Les choses sont très différentes de ce que vous pensez. Elles ne sont pas pires, juste différentes. Il faut l'accepter et voir comment on peut aider, sans penser “ce que nous faisons est mieux”. Il faut aussi réaliser que nous tirerons probablement plus de cette expérience qu'eux mêmes. C'est un échange, nous apportons quelque chose à partager avec les gens, et ils nous apprennent des choses sur eux, sur leurs vies, leur communauté, leur langue et leur culture. Nous devons entrer dans cette expérience en pensant que nous allons passer du bon temps, que nous allons adorer ce que nous ferons et apprendrons avec le sentiment que ce que nous faisons peu changer le monde, un petit peu.”
Bernadette Hoste is a French teacher for children and adults in England. But her life as intertwined with teaching doesn’t stop here - Bernadette is a long-standing volunteer at Voluntario Global, having dedicated two months out of every year to teach English at the program since its inception. Watching and participating in the development of Voluntario Global, her feelings about community and life developed with it - she cites VG as having changed her personal value system.
The Story of Gemma, a woman who left her "perfect job" to volunteer in Argentina
Written by Jesica FrancoGemma is an example of a vivacious, intelligent and driven woman. Her story is a reminder to never stop questioning who you are and what you are doing with your life. Originating from London, she holds a degree in Business and Information Technology. She began working at Disney 5 days after graduating from university, eventually earning the title of Toy Designer in the Consumer Products Division. After 12 years, she left what most people would call the perfect job to travel 7500 miles across the globe to volunteer in Argentina.
She made a commitment at the start of the program to do something that left her with a lifelong memory every day. “Everyday, thus far, I have made a lasting memory with ease. Although I have met some incredible people from around the world, the greatest memories I will take with me will be the times that I have spent with the people of Argentina. Cooking Milanesas with the ladies of La Boca, singing Hokey Cokey with the beautiful children (I nicknamed them the Crazy Gang!) of Angeles Traviesos in Suarez, and sitting up until the sun rises, eating asado and drinking Malbec with the the fantastic Argentinian friends I have made in BA and the surrounding towns.All of these people have contributed to the incredible memories I will keep with me forever.”
She hopes that she can keep this commitment until the end of her days, “When I am old I hope that I can take my last breath with a smile on my face, knowing that I have done everything with my life that I wanted to do, been everywhere I wanted to go, and been everything I wanted to be.” Her independence and thirst for life has kept her from settling down, though she has been engaged twice. Now in her mid-thirties, she feels ready to start a family, “now all I have to do is find Mr. Right!”
She grew up in a single parent family, but had describes her mother as a wonderful role model. Coming from England, she feels lucky to have the same opportunities as men. “I am lucky to come from a country where you have the opportunity to do anything as a woman - you can get an education, have a career, travel the world, and become a mother! So for me to be a woman, means to experience everything that this life can offer. What brings me the most joy as a woman is the feeling of empowerment that I get from knowing that I can do all of this. My only struggle is the constant conflict I feel with regard to wanting to continue to experience the world at a million miles an hour and wanting to settle down at the same time. Unfortunately, I can only choose one!” Gemma has held many positions at Voluntario Global, including working in the community center kitchen in La Boca, preparing lunch for the community, working in a kindergarten in Suarez, helping the ladies that work there, looking after the children, and playing with the kids.
Her final views on the matter of being a woman is “Women rule, we always have, we always will! (Just don’t tell men that).
On arrival in Buenos Aires, almost all volunteers experience some form of culture shock. Feelings of isolation, homesickness and uncertainty are common when you find yourself totally immersed in an unfamiliar environment. It can take anything from a few days to a couple of weeks to adjust to your new surroundings, but with input from other volunteers I have compiled a list of suggestions to facilitate the process of settling in.
1. Talk to other volunteers It’s always reassuring to discover that everyone else has been through the same thing- unlike your friends and family from back home, other volunteers will understand exactly how you feel and be able to make suggestions to help you through the first few days. Furthermore, you’ll be inundated with invitations to go out and see the city- tango shows, sampling local cuisine at one of the many cheap restaurants, or even just wandering around a street market.
2. Interact with the locals By far the easiest way to adjust to life in Argentina is to make friends with the locals, known as porteños. Arriving from England, I was initially taken aback by the friendliness of the Argentinian people- it seemed that everyone, from taxi drivers to supermarket cashiers, was genuinely interested in where I had come from and what I was doing. Having local friends to show you round is not only a great way to practise your Spanish, but also helps you to see the less ´touristy´side of the city.
3. Get involved with your volunteer work The more time you dedicate to your work as a volunteer, the more you will get out of it. As well as being a hugely worthwhile way to spend your time, it also keeps you busy, helping to distract you from thoughts of home; since it often involves working in poor and run-down areas, volunteering gives you a sense of perspective.
4. Learn something new While it is impossible to take advantage of everything that Buenos Aires has to offer, learning a new skill- dance lessons, for example, are popular among the volunteers, as are Spanish classes- is one of the most effective ways to combat culture shock. Not only will it distract you from homesickness and help you to feel more involved, the sense of achievement serves to counteract any uncertainty about moving thousands of miles from home.
5. Go exploring There is something interesting round every corner- tango performers, colourful street art, quirky themed cafes, and so on. Wandering the streets in the sunshine with a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice from one of the many roadside vendors is an ideal way to get to know the city and learn to love its eclectic architecture and friendly people, all of whom are always eager to help a lost ‘extranjero’.
Traveling during the holidays is always a difficult time for an expatriate no matter what country he/she comes from, but if you take advantage of the time, it is a great opportunity to learn the customs of a different culture and experience a new holiday! First of all, in the beginning of 2012 I would never have imagined myself living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but if you are like me, you also don’t know where you will end up by tomorrow. With an open mind your possibilities are endless and so that is how I spent Christmas 2012 in a very unlikely place, Buenos Aires, Argentina. During Christmas Eve and Christmas in Argentina, I had the luxury of living with an Argentine family that generously invited me to all of their family events, including Christmas Eve with their entire family. Christmas Eve happened to be one of the hottest days in Buenos Aires, with a sweltering 45 degrees Celsius. Yet all 20 of us still gathered in the grandmother’s apartment in Retiro, unfortunately her apartment did not have air conditioning so we all passed around hand fans to keep ourselves sane in the insufferable humidity. The evening started casually with drinks and small talk around the table, then appetizers of fried zucchini were passed around. After those delicacies, the main courses including many cold salads and "pionono" which consists of canned tuna mixed with mayo, green and black olives, sweet peppers, and a small amount of thin banana slices, all rolled inside of a breading. I was not accustomed to the types of food being served, but all the same, I tried everything that was offered because I didn’t want to miss out on any of the Argentine specialties.
After filling up on all of the different dishes, we went downstairs to make the midnight mass service at the church below, but strangely enough the church was closed! So we went back to the apartment just in time for midnight. Midnight is when all of the presents are brought out from hiding and handed to each recipient. It was exciting to watch the faces of the children when they received their presents and began immediately playing. I was very surprised when the mother of the family I was living with handed me a present. She had bought me a beautiful turquoise hair clip, which are very popular among the women in Buenos Aires to hold back their mile long hair. Everybody had opened their presents and it was time for the next course- dessert. Small chocolate cakes with dulce de leche on the inside formed into “popsicles” were a huge hit! Of course there was also pan dulce (sweet bread) which is another traditional food during Christmas time in Argentina. While dessert was being digested, a political discussion started brewing. No evening is finished until there is talk of politics, everybody has his own opinion and everybody is very opinionated.
As Christmas Eve quickly became Christmas day, everything started dying down around 3am and the heat became exhaustive so we piled into the car and drove back home. I will always carry fond memories with me of Christmas in Argentina. I am also ever grateful to the host family for allowing me to become a temporary member of their family and treating me as their own daughter.
By: Charisse Hazlett
What events in your life have made you into the person you are now? Think about it. Was it when you graduated from your university? Was it the time you tied the knot with your significant other? Or was it when you actualized your ability to help others accomplish their goals and become autonomous.
Whatever your answer may be, one thing is always true, when you help others you learn more about yourself and inherently you develop into the person who you are today. Helping others help themselves is what volunteering is all about, and on International Volunteer Day, we each shared our stories of when we were able to help others. The evening started with a great spread of Argentine food like chorizo with cheese on toast and Brahn beer. We all gathered at the Voluntario Global house and sat in a large circle to watch an inspiring videoby novelist Chimamanda Adichie. She spoke about how everybody has their own stories which makes you who you are. It is critical to learn about other culture´s stories in order to avoid judgement and misunderstandings but instead enhance understanding. After watching the video, we each went around the room and told our personal stories influenced by our own unique cultural background and discussed our feelings of purposefulness and sometimes despair while volunteering, and encouraged each other.
Jimena, the VG Volunteers Coordinator, shared her story of how children have made a huge difference in her life. When she started volunteering, she was “a little frightened of children”, meaning she was not sure how to relate and interact with them. However, after working in the orphanages at Pimpom, her previous outlook had changed 100%. Her initial fears completely gone, she believes that the best way to change the current situation of a country, is to start teaching the children. “Children are the future of Argentina, we must begin by changing their lives”.
In the end, everyone was able to debrief and bond over the experiences we have had as volunteers. We discussed our concerns and celebrated our accomplishments since being in Argentina. Then we wrote a personal word on the mirror that means "what it is to be a volunteer". All in all, International Volunteer Day at the VG house was a complete success and a great way to share life as a volunteer.
By Ana Velde and Charisse Hazlett 
Last Friday, the 30th of November, we celebrated the grand re-opening of the Laundry Project "Su Lavandería". The cooperative is entering a new phase in their project, so there were plenty of reasons to celebrate! We took a tour from one of the workers, and received an explanation about the new machinery - which increases the capacity of the laundromat. After this brief tour, we had the opportunity to talk with the new team of young people working there. It was a very special occasion to meet the individuals whose lives had been changed in great ways because of this project. The team was very hospitable to us by treating us as friends and offering us drinks, delicious empanadas and cakes. While we were chatting away, there were several activities going on in the Laundry Project. For example, to promote the project, it was possible to get your sheets and towels cleaned for free! Also, there was a screening of a video about The Laundry Project - also made by volunteers - showing the developments of the last few months. The video showed the typical life in the shantytown Villa Soldati where most of the workers are from, and the video showed some interesting interviews with the youth that works in the project. As a goodbye present, we all received a cute little washing machine, made out of wood, to take home as a souvenir. 
All in all, we enjoyed getting to know the youth of The Laundry Project and were amazed with the improvements that they have made. We admire their ambition and recommend everybody to take some interest in this project!
VOLUNTARIO GLOBAL
Voluntario Global helps local communities by being available to discuss anything that local organizations need, and offering ideas for further change and development.
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CONTACT
Location: General Pacheco. Buenos Aires. Argentina
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