They call me Mufasa but I go by the name of Sarah Murphy. A second year student of Applied Languages in UL, I am based in the province of Santa Fe, in a city called Rafaela for my Co-Operative experience . Rafaela is about the same size of Limerick but it is really just a big town surrounded by the flat plains of Las Pampas. There’s not an awful lot to do but there is a cinema, a lovely plaza, some decent restaurants, shops and fun boliches. The best thing about where I am is that it hardly rains and its location is so convenient for travel. I am based 3 hours from Rosario, 5 from Córdoba, 7 from Buenos Aires [this may sound like a lot to someone who has never travelled in Argentina but after 15 hours on a bus to Mar del Plata, it is nothing!]. I live with the Rios family and their basset hound, Minnie. They live in a nice suburb, 20 minutes walk from the city centre, in a homely spacious house [and pool!]. Lisandro and Maria have been welcoming as my host parents but with little English and a thick Corrientes accent, communication has been an issue! Their children are Lichi [10] Santi [6] and Agu [5]. Life with three boys in the house tends to be loud but they are very sweet and are always asking me to play with them. The best thing is that while I teach Lichi at work, Santi and Agu have taken to speaking as much English to me as they can, where they previously had none. Pat on the back for me!
The absolute icing on the cake has been my work placement. I work in the Sky Institute with my boss, friend and Spanish teacher, Vero. Vero owns the business and I assist in her classes every day. She listens to me, asks for my input, ensures I am having a nice time, brings me to soccer matches [Atletico Rafaela have just achieved first divison success – YES!] and is so kind and supportive. I know most of her family by now! I teach all ages – from 5 to 50 – and the set up and students are wonderful in Sky as are the other teachers, Flori and Vane. I work my 20 hours a week and reinforce the ideas of culture and language through games and presentations. Travel-wise, so far I have been to Mar del Plata, Córdoba, Mendoza, Santiago, Valparáiso and Buenos Aires. I’ve learnt how to make Maté, I’ve had Pisco Sours, I’ve gone horse-riding in the Alps, I’ve helped run a hostel in Mendoza, I’ve seen a proper football game, I’ve had home-made churros and made my friends here in Rafaela along with Claire O’Riordan. There is only 4 weeks left for me here before I go off to England to teach English for the summer and while at first I was happy to go home, I desperately want to see all Argentina has to offer! Unfortunately, that is not possible but the one thing [amongst many] I will take away from this experience is that all my previous stereotypes and expectations were blown out of the water. My Spanish has come along leaps and bounds and Argentina was more than I could have imagined. I am so eager to come here and really see all the country and people have to offer.
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