Jujuy

I stayed with Augusto, Cecilia, and their son Ernesto for two months. They live in Jujuy, a town in the Andes Mountains of northeastern Argentina. I had first met Augusto three years earlier while backpacking; we bumped into each other at an airport, and he invited us to stay at his home. Since then, we’ve kept in touch, meeting up in New York and in Ålesund the year before.

During weekdays in Jujuy, I volunteered at APPACE, a centre primarily dedicated to people with cerebral palsy. My role was at a school for children with cerebral palsy, where I assisted with daily activities. Each morning, a bus picked up the children from their homes and brought them to the centre, returning them in the afternoon. Throughout the day, we engaged in various activities such as playing games, painting, and singing. The centre also had physiotherapists and even a pool for exercise sessions.

Working with children with cerebral palsy was both deeply moving and rewarding. It was difficult to see them struggle with everyday tasks that others take for granted, but it also gave me a greater appreciation for the privilege of having grown up with a fully functional body. The experience was also very challenging, especially since no one at APPACE spoke English. It was frustrating not being able to express myself and constantly searching for the right Spanish words. However, I realized that this was probably the best way to learn the language quickly.

Besides work, I joined Augusto and Cecilia for various activities, such as dinners with friends, a folklore concert at the theater, and a celebration of “Día de la Tradición” at Ernesto’s school. One morning, Augusto and I appeared on a morning TV show in Jujuy to talk about my experience living there.

When I met Augusto and Cecilia in New York the year before, they gave me a football shirt from "Talleres de Perico," a small team in Jujuy playing in the third division of Argentinian football. The shirt had a greeting to me along with the players’ autographs. Back in Trondheim, I took a photo wearing the shirt in a typical spot in Trondheim and sent it to the club. This picture was then featured on local TV, and a report was made about the club having a "fan" in Norway. When they heard that I had come to Jujuy, I was invited to a match with a VIP ticket. Before the match, I was allowed to go out on the pitch to greet the players and was included in the team picture taken before the game. I was interviewed by radio and newspapers, and I answered as if I were a genuine fan. The match ended in a draw, and afterwards, I was invited to a dinner with the club owners.

During the weekends, I went on several trips with Augusto, Cecilia, and Ernesto, along with some solo adventures. These journeys are detailed in separate posts on the following pages.Leer más