running out of benchmarks

I've been taking my job lightly and it's working out fine. I do prepare sufficiently but I don't worry too much, and I don't think I've done a bad job as a volunteer. I rode home today from school on my bike and it is the last time I will make that ride. I was conscious of that, and today was a day I had been waiting for for the past week and restless half; but the unravelling of the days sped itself up with the start and swift end of my final week in the Laorden household, and I was left to contemplate it on a still, humid day in Rafaela.

I came home and packed everything up and am just after meeting my new host family. Their name is Balangero, and are all skinny as rods - a contrast to the roundish Laordens - which will perhaps be best for me, to lose some of the alfajor weight I put on and get in shape for the 4-day hike to Machu Picchu. Jorge Balangero is an architect, the mother is a non-practicing lawyer, they have a daughter my age who studies in Buenos Aires, and a son in one of my 2nd grade classes at La Plaza. It'll be a short little stretch before I leave - a departure which until now hasn't seemed like a reality. Transience makes everything more precious - but obviously, DK, obviously.

And now it is 9:00, and I am off in an hour and a half to the bus terminal, to get to Buenos Aires by 6 or 6:30, to catch my 9:30 AM flight to Rio de Janeiro with 6 of the other Irish. I don't think I've looked forward to a trip within this trip so much until now - on this my second trip to the Brazilian Portuguese-speaking city (I will be the only one there semi-fluent in Portuguese, hooray) I have plans to fill in the gaps of my sights seen there, other views, other neighbourhoods - and the part I'm most excited for, PARAGLIDING. Also our hostel has a pool table and a hot tub and is only $20 per night.

After Rio (we're coming back Tuesday the 27th), I'm spending the rest of the week going up to northern Argentina, to Salta. I'm banking on the beautiful, multi-coloured mountains and the sweet ruins I've been promised. One of the Irish (well, the Polack) is coming with me for this trip. Then I'll be back the following Sunday. I won't be coming back here - I'll be heading for my first night in the house of the Balangeros.

I played some games in class this week and gave out 4 bags of Sun Chips to the winners of certain activities. They all enjoyed and I have no Sun Chips left; menos mal. Then yesterday I celebrated my final day here swimming (it was hot), beating Thomas in pool again, losing then barely to Guido, then going to the joint where they make the best hamburger in town. Sweet. Then linguistics class - we moved into a new room where they have a petrified alligator, some preserved fetuses and a few petrified armadillos - and finally home. All the good things in one day, because I knew it would be the last time I could feel somewhat permanent here. For when I return, it will be, in most respects, but a 3-week goodbye to good ol´Rafaela.