First quarter of high school is done - straight A's for Fede! He has had some interesting discusions in Physics (teacher is sceptical of global warming and "man's" involvement in said theory.) We have also talked about Creationism and home schooling. Having someone to ponder these topics with and discuss all kinds of theories with regularly is really invigorating for me. One of the real upsides of having an exchange student, and one of the main reasons I would recommend putting yourself out in this way. Some other upside of the program for the host family includes a slightly more pulled together home life for everyone! The piles are attended more quickly, dinners less slip-shod, and very little grumpy-mom showing up for everyone. In addition, I have actually installed the Spanish Rosetta Stone, and have done some of the lessons, a task I have been meaning to do for years. Last Thursday we attended the Rotary Annual Auction, something totally new for him, including (modeled) Rotary boxer shorts being sold! Along with a hog, and a combine ride - ya gotta love Iowa. Yesterday Fede carved a pumpkin with other Rotary students, and today he is hearing and seeing more wind than he has in his whole life. Rugby has stopped practicing for the winter, but he has been invited to play ultimate frisbee after school on Wednesdays. He has to find another activity (says me) so on Monday he will talk to the Beak 'n' Eye teacher about the school newspaper. Meanwhile his camera is in constant use.

another quiet week in Iowa

As is typical in the Midwest, I am about to talk about the weather...The morning temps have begun to drop - usually in the 40's. Fede goes out the the door each day to check it out. The first time it was 44, he told me that this was the coldest weather he had ever felt. If he were home, it would mean long undies, extra coat, scarf, the works. I just smiled, and watched as he went out in his jacket, wondering how he will survive the winter here!
I am really enjoying the Latin model of spending time together, talking and pondering. When he comes home from school, he checks in and lets me know what has gone on at school. In the evenings, he has joined us to watch debates, commentaries and John Stewart. Naturally knowing English so well has made all of this so much easier, but he also is just easy to have around. Back in Argentina, Eleanor's family wonders when families in America talk...as they eat both the noon and evening meals together most every day.

New month! October

Oops - I let too much time go by...Fede is a great student - getting all A's, basically, impressing all his teachers. He has helped at an Iowa football game with Rotary, shopped at the mall, and gone to Homecoming, with a date - the German exchange student. Poor guy, he could hardly wrap his mind around going to a dance while it was still light out (7pm) and then being home by 11pm - meanwhile, Eleanor was probably just eating supper and about to head out for a night of dancing and partying in Argentina...hmmm...I hated to tell him that this was about what the rest of the year would be like! We had another crazy rainstorm, 6" of water in short order forced the water into the basement (again.) There was Fede, mopping the floor (had never seen a mop before as all floors are washed on hands and knees at his house...) while the rest of us were moving "stuff" and taking sopping wet towels and rugs to the washing machine. (Eleanor's next blog was naturally about a fantastic time she had had that very night...) So, he's officially a part of the family!

He has his new camera purchased here, and is enjoying getting back to his photography. One of his subjects is going to be mailboxes - he was so excited to see that we really have one on a post at the road, just like in the movies! He is playing rugby with a friend from West and other high schools - the big surprise there is: playing with GIRLS! Never in a million years would that happen back home. He hasn't tackled a girl yet, and claims he can't imagine it. We'll see...

Indoctrination!

Sunday morning: Lisa works to set the tone (tone of our family? tone of the Midwest? well, anyway...)- off to church we go! Fede will experience big church (St. Paul's 9:20am service has probably 700 people attending) and then Sunday School, after a brief explanation of "what is Sunday School?" (What, indeed, I ask myself)...After lunch out at Jimmy Johns (I think his photo album is going to look like the "restaurant" section of the phone book - I am stunned how much we eat out!) and a stop at the grocery store for fruit, really. It's home: time for Lee and Nat to start the Amercian "take over the world" mentatlity with a good, rousing game of RISK!

Yesterday we enjoyed a trip to Camp Abe Lincoln for a birthday party appearance, and then off to Modern Woodsmen Park (minor league field) for an outdoor Symphony Pops concert of John Williams' music and fireworks. It was a lot of fun!

Week One

All travelers in their new homes! Typical for me, having more going on rather than less, is my coping style. So, getting Fede introduced to the neighbors, some school friends and church friends was first - so Sunday was filled with extra people around! Took Eleanor to the airport Monday, which was moderated for me by having extra people around (another girl was going on the same plane on her way to Brasil, my folks came and ET's friend Dale), and having had all my big feelings the week before, was just exciting. (Lee, however, spent the morning chopping wood from the BigStorm.) After the airport, we drove around looking for someplace to eat lunch, which in Iowa on a holiday is more challenging that one might think. We ended up at Blueport Junction, which is a biker bar/eatery near us, complete with lots of neon stuff hanging from the ceiling, wood branch cowhide covered furniture. Fede's eyes light up, "Just like what we see on tv!" Yes, you are really here, and stuff can really look like what you see on tv. Did I mention that our friends, Steve, took him on a 52 mile bike ride in the morning?? Yes, they road from Davenport to Maysville, saw a car show, ate at a pancake breakfast at the firehouse and road back. Other than the hills (which we do have here in Iowa) and the sausages, he had a great time.

Tuesday was time for school, and he was nervous. His class at home is 36 kids, and they are together the whole 5 years of high school; teachers go from class to class. Lockers? Never seen them. Combination lock on locker? Never seen them. 2200 kids in one school? never seen it. Cafeteria? never seen one. After getting set up with classes, I left him to go to the last two of the day. When I came back to get him at the end of the day, the poor guy road home in silence and sat quietly the rest of the day, pretty much. I think it hit him, he was really here, and some things might not be so easy...

Some of Fede's discoveries: we really do have mailboxes on posts at the road. Some people seem to think Mexico and Argentina are the same thing - I have made a blanket apology for Americans for the coming year....

For us, as a family, we are playing more board games together, which both Fede and Nat enjoy, so that gives them a way to connect. Lee comes home at a better time, and has eaten dinner with us more. We have enjoyed watching and talking politics with someone who is new to our system. I enjoy looking at our life here with new eyes. I have enjoyed having someone around who asks questions, listens to me answers (!) and is curious.

Eleanor has her own blog, http://eleanor-argentina.blogspot.com/
so you can read about her experience there. As a mom with someone far away, I am so thankful for email, blog and a little skype. I sometimes expect her to come home from work, etc. but, weird to say, the hole around her has filled in, leaving me excited about what she is experiencing, eager to hear whatever she'll tell me, and hopeful that we will get there next summer.

Labor Day Weekend - the Exchange Year Begins!

It's a big weekend - Fede, or Federico, arrived Saturday morning to the Quad Cities, from Argentina, and today, Monday, Eleanor leaves for Argentina. Lots of emotions on all fronts. Adding a new son to the family and sending my oldest off on the adventure of her life.