November 16, 2006
Andri's Odyssey
After Andri's long odyssey from Patagonia to Robinson Island to the Marquises to the Tuamoutus to the Society Islands to Easter Island to Argentina we have had a nice welcome in the school "Esuela Confederation Suiza" in Victoria Chile, arriving from Peter's place in Freire where we took the new opened railway.
They honored us for our help together with the support of the Swiss Ambassador Andre Regli to realize a workshop for these disabled children.
After this ceremony we traveled 300 km by bus to Valdivia with the idea, to pick up our belongings and to travel back to Argentina to get our baby there. All this because of our health insurance CSS: In the last moment they sent us the message that they will not cover the birth. In this situation the only solution was the long journey back to Argentina where the births are free. We felt like Maria and Joseph...
BUT! ... we arrived in Valdivia and soon after the pain already started. We thought that we have one more week! Fortunately we have been at Federico and Helena's house and they have been like angels to us. Salina could feel that something was wrong and so we couldn't go to the hospital immediately and we had to wait till she felt asleep. Finally at midnight after a long day with school visit and a long travel by bus, Federico gave us a lift to the hospital. Sabine has had already a lot of pain and I was afraid that the baby would come on the way. Entering the hospital her waters broke and 20 minutes after Andri was born. We were so happy that we did not feel the tiredness of the odyssey!
Our first visitors the next day were Federico and Helena, followed by Ramon, Jens and Ania, Family Meynet, Ximena, Juan-Carlos, Heidi and Avuela. To minimize costs we moved to our two angels Federico and Helena where we have had a wonderful view from our room over Valdivia and where we celebrated Andri's birth with a Swiss Fondue together with Fernando's Family.
Like always we slept all four in the same bed and that was the best for our children to become a team.
Traveling back to Victoria to plant a tree for Andri at the playground of the school "Esuela Confederacion Suiza" we were invited at Lillian’s -, Gino's - and Xiemna's place, where Salina expressed her art all over the place. We have had also some nice adventures with Peter Gruebler's family and Erico. - All of you thank you very much for your hospitality!
Finally we would like to thank you all for supporting TOPtoTOP with your membership contribution 2006 (see: annual review in news on the frontpage) and for all congratulations to Andri's birthday.
dario, sabine, salina, andri