Another wonderful weekend! This time, the weekend began a little earlier in which Alex and I took the 11:30 pm bus ride to Morelia. We got there around 4:30 am, so it was really hard to wake up. But then we spent most of the day walking around the historic city. The city of Morelia has a different type of history due to the fact that people from Spain constructed that city in the 1500s. Therefore, it has more of a European touch to it. The buildings are all made of stone, as well as the streets and pathways. It was very beautiful but unfortunately I was yawning all day long due to the lack of sleep from taking the midnight bus ride.
At 5:30, we went back to the bus station and went to Maravatio, which was about one hour from Morelia. Maravatio is a town where Alex' dad was raised. Our reason for going there was to attend the 25th Anniversary party of his parents on Saturday. His dad has 11 siblings and his mom has 7 siblings, and they are all married and have 2 or 3 kids each. Therefore, on Saturday, there were almost 100 people at the party, most of whom were all family members.
At 1:00 Saturday, we went to the church where his parents had gotten married and they had a mass in which they said their vows all over again. Then they got in the jeep that they used as their shuttle on their wedding day and we all went to the building where their party was held. The party lasted from 2:15 to about 10:30 at night. At first it was pretty calm, with people eating and talking, and a mariochi band in the background. Now when I look back, it's kind of funny because I was thinking "oh, this is a really mild party". Never speak too soon! Before I knew it, another band approached the stage playing cumbia, merengue, and love songs, and all of a sudden there were a bunch of people dancing. Definitely my kind of party!
I liked seeing the different traditions at the party, such as when Alejandro (Alex' dad) had to dance with every woman, and Yolanda (Alex' mom) danced with every man. Then at the end, they danced together and kissed. Also, there was a tradition where the men picked up Alejandro and carried him around the room for about 5 minutes.
Everyone left about 10:30, but some of the aunts and uncles stayed for a while. We then went with them to the house of one of the uncles. Everyone was talking and eating until 2:00 am. They are all such a nice people! I'm really thankful for all of these experiences.
The next day, we all went to the downtown part of the town and saw a festival and parade happening. We watched the parade for over an hour. There were a bunch of different dance groups walking down the street, most of which were made up by young children. I have a ton of pictures! Then we went to another town (I don't remember the name), which was about 30 minutes away, and is the town were Yolanda was raised. We then ate lunch with her side of the family and hung around the grandparents' house throughout the afternoon. We didn't leave until 5:30, and then drove two hours to another city. We got there about 7:30 but had to wait until 9:15 to take our bus, which was then a 4 hour bus ride. Definitely an adventure! Overall, another wonderful weekend! :-)
Monday, April 29, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Day full of experiences: English and Epilepsy
It has been a great day so far! This morning I went to the university and had the opportunity to teach an English class by myself. They were a level 2 class, and I was with them for almost two hours. Honestly, I was really nervous beforehand, but once I got there, it went pretty well.
There were 15 students in the class and they all understand English fairly well. We began the class by doing 3 different exercises with grammar and vocabulary. We then went to the lab to do exercises online, but unfortunately, the computers weren't working. Luckily, the students were well-behaved and stayed on task (mostly). When we returned to the classroom, we then had a conversation in English for almost 40 minutes. The students were telling me about their hometowns in Mexico, as well as the different types of food I need to try. We then started talking about the difference between Mexican and American culture. One stereotype that I have always heard about Americans is the assumption that we only eat at fast food places like McDonalds. People are always shocked when I tell them that I hardly ever go there. haha
After the class, I went out to lunch for an hour with Alex and his two friends, one of whom has epilepsy. I am so thankful to have been able to meet someone from this culture with epilepsy. The student was telling me about the types of seizures he has had and his experience. Fortunately, he has only had 4 seizures during his lifetime, but when they occur, they are usually intense. I'm not sure what types of seizures he has had, but it sounded like they are a mixture between complex partial (like mine) and grand mal seizures. He has never lost his memory due to seizures, but when they occur, he cannot control what's going on. His eyes roll back and he shakes immensely. His past seizure occurred over a year ago, but he was alone at the time, and fell on the floor where he hit his head. When he woke up from the seizure, he was exhausted and didn't realize that his eyelid and forehead were bleeding. I told him about the event on June 15th (where I am trying to create a team here in Puebla that will walk in support of those with epilepsy). There is a possibility that I may be able to attract more people to this event.
After lunch, I went back to school to tutor the student I meet with every Tuesday and Thursday. I always enjoy talking to him because he is really interested in learning English and is always willing to help me with my Spanish.
I am really enjoying this day. Thanks again for all of your support with this trip. I hope everyone is having a great week!
There were 15 students in the class and they all understand English fairly well. We began the class by doing 3 different exercises with grammar and vocabulary. We then went to the lab to do exercises online, but unfortunately, the computers weren't working. Luckily, the students were well-behaved and stayed on task (mostly). When we returned to the classroom, we then had a conversation in English for almost 40 minutes. The students were telling me about their hometowns in Mexico, as well as the different types of food I need to try. We then started talking about the difference between Mexican and American culture. One stereotype that I have always heard about Americans is the assumption that we only eat at fast food places like McDonalds. People are always shocked when I tell them that I hardly ever go there. haha
After the class, I went out to lunch for an hour with Alex and his two friends, one of whom has epilepsy. I am so thankful to have been able to meet someone from this culture with epilepsy. The student was telling me about the types of seizures he has had and his experience. Fortunately, he has only had 4 seizures during his lifetime, but when they occur, they are usually intense. I'm not sure what types of seizures he has had, but it sounded like they are a mixture between complex partial (like mine) and grand mal seizures. He has never lost his memory due to seizures, but when they occur, he cannot control what's going on. His eyes roll back and he shakes immensely. His past seizure occurred over a year ago, but he was alone at the time, and fell on the floor where he hit his head. When he woke up from the seizure, he was exhausted and didn't realize that his eyelid and forehead were bleeding. I told him about the event on June 15th (where I am trying to create a team here in Puebla that will walk in support of those with epilepsy). There is a possibility that I may be able to attract more people to this event.
After lunch, I went back to school to tutor the student I meet with every Tuesday and Thursday. I always enjoy talking to him because he is really interested in learning English and is always willing to help me with my Spanish.
I am really enjoying this day. Thanks again for all of your support with this trip. I hope everyone is having a great week!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Weekend in Guanajuato, Mexico
Another amazing weekend! On Friday afternoon, I met up with Alex and we caught the bus to Guanajuato with another group of travelers. It turned out that I was the only "gringa" (American), but probably 75% of the crowd was from Europe. It was definitely an adventure to see the cultural differences between Germans, French, Russians, Mexicans, Chinese, and Americans.
We arrived to the hotel in Guanajuato (which is 6 hours from Puebla) about 12:45 at night. Then on Saturday morning, everyone met up at 9:00 to eat breakfast, and then we left at 10:00 to have a tour of the city. Guanajuato is very historical and has various buildings from the 1500s and 1600s. It is also famous for being the city of love in Mexico. That was kind of fun to watch all of the romantic bands roam around the city all day and all night.
We saw various churches and buildings, but what I remember most are the two buildings we visited that afternoon: Museo Santa Inquisicion, and Valenciano de Minas. The first place, Museo Santa Inquisicion is a museum that displayed the different methods of torture from the 1600s. Honestly, it made me kind of nervous but it was definitely interesting. We then went to the Valenciano de Minas from the 1700s which was a gold mine. I've never been inside a mine before. It was a new experience to go so far underground, but we were lucky to have lights with us. Just imagine how dark it must have been for the miners during that time.
That night, we explored the city more and ended up sitting in a restaurant, listening to a band for a while. I loved listening to the music and just watching the various cultures that surrounded us.
On Sunday, everyone slept in, especially all of the Europeans after clubbing all night. haha We left the city at 12:30 drove to San Miguel de Allende, which is another historic town. In fact, a lot of famous Americans have houses there. I never knew it was so popular. Actually, I've never heard of most of the places I've been visiting, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. Unfortunately, we were only there for 3 hours before doing the long drive back to Puebla. It was very pretty there but because it is popular to Americans, it was more expensive and wasn't as authentic or cultural. For example, I saw about 6 Italian pizza restaurants and a burger place all within 3 streets. Luckily, we found a place with great Mexican food before leaving. I had my first chile relleno in Mexico. Muy rico! (Delicious).
Thank you everyone for all of your support with this trip. I hope you all had a great weekend!
We arrived to the hotel in Guanajuato (which is 6 hours from Puebla) about 12:45 at night. Then on Saturday morning, everyone met up at 9:00 to eat breakfast, and then we left at 10:00 to have a tour of the city. Guanajuato is very historical and has various buildings from the 1500s and 1600s. It is also famous for being the city of love in Mexico. That was kind of fun to watch all of the romantic bands roam around the city all day and all night.
We saw various churches and buildings, but what I remember most are the two buildings we visited that afternoon: Museo Santa Inquisicion, and Valenciano de Minas. The first place, Museo Santa Inquisicion is a museum that displayed the different methods of torture from the 1600s. Honestly, it made me kind of nervous but it was definitely interesting. We then went to the Valenciano de Minas from the 1700s which was a gold mine. I've never been inside a mine before. It was a new experience to go so far underground, but we were lucky to have lights with us. Just imagine how dark it must have been for the miners during that time.
That night, we explored the city more and ended up sitting in a restaurant, listening to a band for a while. I loved listening to the music and just watching the various cultures that surrounded us.
On Sunday, everyone slept in, especially all of the Europeans after clubbing all night. haha We left the city at 12:30 drove to San Miguel de Allende, which is another historic town. In fact, a lot of famous Americans have houses there. I never knew it was so popular. Actually, I've never heard of most of the places I've been visiting, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. Unfortunately, we were only there for 3 hours before doing the long drive back to Puebla. It was very pretty there but because it is popular to Americans, it was more expensive and wasn't as authentic or cultural. For example, I saw about 6 Italian pizza restaurants and a burger place all within 3 streets. Luckily, we found a place with great Mexican food before leaving. I had my first chile relleno in Mexico. Muy rico! (Delicious).
Thank you everyone for all of your support with this trip. I hope you all had a great weekend!
Monday, April 15, 2013
Weekend in Cuetzalan and Huehuetla, Mexico
What a great weekend! On Saturday morning, RosaEna dropped me off at the university at 7:00 AM and I met with 25 people. We got into two separate vans and did the 3 hour drive to Cuetzalan, Mexico. Basically it was like driving from Portland to the Gorge, but the tropical version.
We were in the mountains, so it was completely green and beautiful, but it was humid and there were lizards and different types of birds everywhere. On Saturday, we got to the hotel and ate lunch (which was delicious...I really do love the food here). We then went for a walk throughout the town. We eventually ended up at a waterfall (which made me think of Multnomah Falls in Oregon). It was beautiful!
That afternoon, we walked to downtown Cuetzalan, which isn't very big, but is very historical. We were all shopping and looking around for about an hour. I went to look in the shops and was thinking about buying something for my parents, but then before I knew it, the rest of the group was gone. Plus, it was 6:00, which meant there were only 2 hours left of daylight, and there was no cell phone service in the town. Not a good combination!
I spent an hour walking around the town and was trying really hard to stay calm and not stress out, but honestly, I was starting to get really nervous. I had no idea where I was, couldn't remember the name of the hotel, didn't have anyone's phone number from the group, and my cell phone wouldn't work. Thankfully, I ran into two women from the group. I didn't recognize them, but they knew me, so that was really lucky. They were lost too, but it was better being in a lost group rather than alone. Eventually we found our way back to the hotel about 7:30.
It took me a while to calm down, so I decided to watch the sunset from the hotel. It is definitely a different experience being a town rather than a huge city. The sunset was beautiful and I enjoyed watching the people associate with each other.
The next day, we drove to another town called Hueheutla, which is a A LOT smaller than Cuetzalan and is made up of indigenous tribes. The area reminded me of a forest/jungle. It was extremely green and beautiful, but very humid. We walked up and down some hills, along a small stream, and eventually ended up at a garden where we met 15 women from the indigenous tribe. It was very interesting because they speak a different language, so our tour guide translated everything into Spanish. The women gave us homemade tamales that were wrapped in plantain leaves.
We then kept exploring and kept walking along the hills. Because it was so humid, it was getting difficult. But one of the tour guides showed me a plant that is used to cool people off. Before we knew it, the whole group had strips of these green plants all across our foreheads. :-)
We stayed in Hueheutla until about 5:00. Another group of indigenous women fed us a wonderful dinner of black beans, rice, fried cauliflower, veggie soup, and tortillas. (When in Mexico, you will never have a meal without tortillas and salsa....which I love). We then got in the car and did the 5 hour drive back to Puebla. I met some new friends this weekend and am thankful for the experience of seeing different cultures within the same country.
We were in the mountains, so it was completely green and beautiful, but it was humid and there were lizards and different types of birds everywhere. On Saturday, we got to the hotel and ate lunch (which was delicious...I really do love the food here). We then went for a walk throughout the town. We eventually ended up at a waterfall (which made me think of Multnomah Falls in Oregon). It was beautiful!
That afternoon, we walked to downtown Cuetzalan, which isn't very big, but is very historical. We were all shopping and looking around for about an hour. I went to look in the shops and was thinking about buying something for my parents, but then before I knew it, the rest of the group was gone. Plus, it was 6:00, which meant there were only 2 hours left of daylight, and there was no cell phone service in the town. Not a good combination!
I spent an hour walking around the town and was trying really hard to stay calm and not stress out, but honestly, I was starting to get really nervous. I had no idea where I was, couldn't remember the name of the hotel, didn't have anyone's phone number from the group, and my cell phone wouldn't work. Thankfully, I ran into two women from the group. I didn't recognize them, but they knew me, so that was really lucky. They were lost too, but it was better being in a lost group rather than alone. Eventually we found our way back to the hotel about 7:30.
It took me a while to calm down, so I decided to watch the sunset from the hotel. It is definitely a different experience being a town rather than a huge city. The sunset was beautiful and I enjoyed watching the people associate with each other.
The next day, we drove to another town called Hueheutla, which is a A LOT smaller than Cuetzalan and is made up of indigenous tribes. The area reminded me of a forest/jungle. It was extremely green and beautiful, but very humid. We walked up and down some hills, along a small stream, and eventually ended up at a garden where we met 15 women from the indigenous tribe. It was very interesting because they speak a different language, so our tour guide translated everything into Spanish. The women gave us homemade tamales that were wrapped in plantain leaves.
We then kept exploring and kept walking along the hills. Because it was so humid, it was getting difficult. But one of the tour guides showed me a plant that is used to cool people off. Before we knew it, the whole group had strips of these green plants all across our foreheads. :-)
We stayed in Hueheutla until about 5:00. Another group of indigenous women fed us a wonderful dinner of black beans, rice, fried cauliflower, veggie soup, and tortillas. (When in Mexico, you will never have a meal without tortillas and salsa....which I love). We then got in the car and did the 5 hour drive back to Puebla. I met some new friends this weekend and am thankful for the experience of seeing different cultures within the same country.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Everything Happens for a Reason
“Your trip to Mexico has been
canceled and we have decided that you are ineligible to study abroad.” Hearing
those words was such a disappointment, but it was not the first time that had
happened. I had actually been accepted to four different study abroad programs
throughout college. However, they were all canceled for the same reason; the
occurrence of my epileptic seizures.
When disappointments reoccur, it is
often easier to give up rather than continue to pursue one’s goals. But giving
up only leads to regret and further disappointment. That is why I initially
made the decision that I would never let my personal circumstances hold me
back.
Because I studied sociology and
Spanish, I was determined to find a way in which I could use my Spanish
capabilities and interact with other cultures. The original feeling of
disappointment from not studying abroad eventually turned into motivation, in
which I began volunteering at different organizations and schools around the
Portland and Seattle area. Some of these non-profit organizations assisted the
impoverished and provided meals to those in need. Within two of these
organizations, I helped create a program in which we began teaching English to
the foreign attendees. To my benefit, a large majority of the population was
Latino and had come from various different countries with the hope of improving
their lifestyle. I was so thankful to have the opportunity to learn about Latin
American customs and qualities, and I realized that this experience had made me
even more determined to continue my interaction with this culture.
As I continued studying at Seattle
University, I unexpectedly found another way to practice my Spanish skills, and
that was through salsa dancing. Because I was a transfer student, I didn’t know
many people at school and was desperate to make friends. So, when two girls
asked me if I wanted to go dancing, I immediately agreed to accompany them.
When we arrived, I realized that this was a wonderful opportunity to practice
my Spanish, with most of the people being part of the Latin American culture.
Therefore, every salsa outing was used as a wonderful learning experience. For
that reason, I immediately became obsessed with salsa dancing and went out
every weekend, in which I was able to meet wonderful people whom I still
socialize with today.
Once college ended, I tried to
convince myself that I could find a job where I could use my Spanish
capabilities and help those in need. Although I was thankful for all of the
opportunities I've had, I still didn't feel completely confident with my
Spanish skills. Yet, at the same time, I told myself that I could not worry
about it, and that more opportunities would arise when the time was right.
Three months after graduation, I
underwent brain surgery in order to improve my epilepsy, and six months later,
I traveled to Puebla, Mexico, where I am currently fulfilling the study abroad
experience I never had. It is truly amazing to be able to do something that
other people thought was impossible. I have been here for about 3 weeks and
have realized that the saying is true; everything happens for a reason. For
instance, if I had been able to study abroad in this program 2 years ago, I
would have been in classes with other American students and would have lived
with a different family.
Instead, I am interacting with
Mexican students every day and am living with a wonderful family who treat me
as if we have known each other forever. One thing I've noticed about this
culture is the generosity that constantly takes place. It truly is inspiring to
be around those who may not have much, but are willing to help those in need,
no matter the circumstances.
Although I am still in the beginning
of this trip, I am continuing to feel thankful each and every day for this
experience. I am realizing that it is true; within every day there is a reason
to smile.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Weekend full of adventures
I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I have definitely had some new adventures this weekend.
To start off, I went salsa dancing on Friday night, which was amazing! I have missed salsa dancing so much! To start the night, a small car of 10 people picked me up. That was interesting, with all of us sitting on top of each other. But don't worry, we just had to drive about 5 blocks. Then once we got to the place, we all had a great time! I was dancing all night and loved it! I feel like I have some good friends now, so I am thankful for that.
On Saturday morning, I skyped with my parents (which was really nice to see them), and then I walked to the park by school where I participated in a Capoeira class. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that was developed by the descendants of African slaves. There were four of us in the class, with me being the only girl. It was definitely a workout! I've been sore for 2 days. It is hard to describe, so if you want to take a look, go to this website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwbuDYcrUOo
After that, I met up with my friend Janet and went downtown the rest of the day. We went to a restaurant for lunch, and then eventually topped it off with ice cream. We had a great time walking around, and I found out that her family has their own store downtown. I made it home about 9:00 at night.
This morning, I woke up early (really early because it is day light savings time in Mexico...so we are now 2 hours ahead of Portland). I walked to the university to meet Alex and we took a bus to Cholula. What a great day! When we arrived, we went to the ancient pyramid of Cholula and went inside. I couldn't believe it, we were actually walking through the bottom of this pyramid, in which we could see different paths and different images on the walls. I believe the pyramid was created by the Aztecs, but honestly I can't remember.
After that, we climbed to the top of the pyramid and looked out at the town of Cholula and also saw parts of Puebla. We then started walking around the town and went to a market, where I had an amazing quesadilla that had salsa, guacamole, and a certain type of flower inside of it. I can't remember the name of that plant, but it was really good. We then went to a park where a concert was occurring. We listened to the first band, who sang a bunch of romantic love songs in Spanish (which I loved). Then the final song was "Yo No Se Manana", which is a famous salsa song. Alex and I got up and started dancing, along with some other couples. At the end of the song, the band asked all of us to stay up there in front of the crowd, and asked the people to vote on who their favorite dancers were. I couldn't believe it, but we won. That was a surprise, but definitely added some excitement to the day.
The next band was an indigenous group. It was so interesting to watch them. They were dressed like true natives, with feathers in their long hair, red paint all across their bodies, big beads around their necks and ankles, and no shoes. There were about 6 of them playing the drums while four of them were dancing. Afterwards, they asked everyone to come up and get something that was similar to a blessing. It was definitely a good experience.
Really quick update in regards to seizures, I had 3 seizures today, but don't worry, they were all very small. Alex was very patient with me and we sat in the shade for a while until I came back to normal. I have a feeling I've been overly excited from all of the new experiences, and plus it's not the best for me to be in the sun. But I didn't lose my memory, and I only spoke slow for about 20 minutes after each one. I think the worst part was the headache, which really isn't that big of a deal compared to how it used to be. I still think I am improving, so I am happy!
Sorry this one is so long. I hope you had a great weekend! Thanks for reading these. :-)
To start off, I went salsa dancing on Friday night, which was amazing! I have missed salsa dancing so much! To start the night, a small car of 10 people picked me up. That was interesting, with all of us sitting on top of each other. But don't worry, we just had to drive about 5 blocks. Then once we got to the place, we all had a great time! I was dancing all night and loved it! I feel like I have some good friends now, so I am thankful for that.
On Saturday morning, I skyped with my parents (which was really nice to see them), and then I walked to the park by school where I participated in a Capoeira class. Capoeira is a Brazilian martial art that was developed by the descendants of African slaves. There were four of us in the class, with me being the only girl. It was definitely a workout! I've been sore for 2 days. It is hard to describe, so if you want to take a look, go to this website: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwbuDYcrUOo
After that, I met up with my friend Janet and went downtown the rest of the day. We went to a restaurant for lunch, and then eventually topped it off with ice cream. We had a great time walking around, and I found out that her family has their own store downtown. I made it home about 9:00 at night.
This morning, I woke up early (really early because it is day light savings time in Mexico...so we are now 2 hours ahead of Portland). I walked to the university to meet Alex and we took a bus to Cholula. What a great day! When we arrived, we went to the ancient pyramid of Cholula and went inside. I couldn't believe it, we were actually walking through the bottom of this pyramid, in which we could see different paths and different images on the walls. I believe the pyramid was created by the Aztecs, but honestly I can't remember.
After that, we climbed to the top of the pyramid and looked out at the town of Cholula and also saw parts of Puebla. We then started walking around the town and went to a market, where I had an amazing quesadilla that had salsa, guacamole, and a certain type of flower inside of it. I can't remember the name of that plant, but it was really good. We then went to a park where a concert was occurring. We listened to the first band, who sang a bunch of romantic love songs in Spanish (which I loved). Then the final song was "Yo No Se Manana", which is a famous salsa song. Alex and I got up and started dancing, along with some other couples. At the end of the song, the band asked all of us to stay up there in front of the crowd, and asked the people to vote on who their favorite dancers were. I couldn't believe it, but we won. That was a surprise, but definitely added some excitement to the day.
The next band was an indigenous group. It was so interesting to watch them. They were dressed like true natives, with feathers in their long hair, red paint all across their bodies, big beads around their necks and ankles, and no shoes. There were about 6 of them playing the drums while four of them were dancing. Afterwards, they asked everyone to come up and get something that was similar to a blessing. It was definitely a good experience.
Really quick update in regards to seizures, I had 3 seizures today, but don't worry, they were all very small. Alex was very patient with me and we sat in the shade for a while until I came back to normal. I have a feeling I've been overly excited from all of the new experiences, and plus it's not the best for me to be in the sun. But I didn't lose my memory, and I only spoke slow for about 20 minutes after each one. I think the worst part was the headache, which really isn't that big of a deal compared to how it used to be. I still think I am improving, so I am happy!
Sorry this one is so long. I hope you had a great weekend! Thanks for reading these. :-)
Friday, April 5, 2013
Making New Friends Each Day (I love this culture)
Hi everyone,
It is Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week. I've really been enjoying this week. The people continue to surprise me by how kind and generous they are. On Thursday, I helped out in my regular English classes, and then was asked to come back at 4:00 in order to lead an English 6 class in a conversation for an hour. The professor had already left so it was just me and the students, but it went extremely well.
Last night, I met up with a friend who I met two weeks ago at school. His name is Alejandro (Alex) and he lived in Portland for 3 months a couple of years ago. Last night we went out to a restaurant where there was a live jazz band playing. There were a lot of people there. I then had an opportunity to try the Mexican version of pepperoni pizza. It was actually really good, just with thinner crust and different spices on it. We listened to the jazz music for about 3 hours and were talking the whole time. Good Spanglish conversations. He speaks English fluently, but I asked him if we could speak Spanish, so it kind of turned into a combination. Overall, it was a really nice night. It's nice making new friends.
Today, I went to my first English class at 9:00. Honestly, I wasn't completely awake, but eventually I started to help out with the grammar exercises. Then, towards the end of class, one of the students (Monica) asked me if I wanted to go with her and her family to visit one of the museums downtown after class. I was supposed to help teach the second English class at 11:00 but the professor told me that I should go with Monica and learn more about the culture.
We picked up the rest of her family and went to the Santa Monica Museo, which is an ancient convent that was turned into a museum. It was actually really interesting to learn about how the nuns used to live. I don't remember when this was, but at some point in time, I think in the 1500s, women had to be married by the time they were 15, and if they did not find a husband, they had to become a nun and join the convent. In this particular convent, they were no longer able to be in contact with their families and could not leave the property. Wow! Things have definitely changed over time.
I got back to the house about 3:00 and started relaxing because I am planning on going out salsa dancing tonight. However, the weather changed and all of sudden, there was thunder and lightening. I'm the biggest wimp when it comes to lightening. I don't know why, but I have always been this way. We aren't used to having thunder storms in Portland or Seattle. The rain got heavier and really started coming down. I was trying to stay calm but Tonio (my host dad) could see that I was nervous, so he took me outside and started asking people "es una tormenta?" (Is this a thunder storm?) He asked about 5 different people and they all started laughing and said no. I just have to get used to this I guess. I am trying to calm down now so I can still go out dancing later.
I hope you have a great weekend! Talk to you soon. :-)
It is Friday! I hope you all had a wonderful week. I've really been enjoying this week. The people continue to surprise me by how kind and generous they are. On Thursday, I helped out in my regular English classes, and then was asked to come back at 4:00 in order to lead an English 6 class in a conversation for an hour. The professor had already left so it was just me and the students, but it went extremely well.
Last night, I met up with a friend who I met two weeks ago at school. His name is Alejandro (Alex) and he lived in Portland for 3 months a couple of years ago. Last night we went out to a restaurant where there was a live jazz band playing. There were a lot of people there. I then had an opportunity to try the Mexican version of pepperoni pizza. It was actually really good, just with thinner crust and different spices on it. We listened to the jazz music for about 3 hours and were talking the whole time. Good Spanglish conversations. He speaks English fluently, but I asked him if we could speak Spanish, so it kind of turned into a combination. Overall, it was a really nice night. It's nice making new friends.
Today, I went to my first English class at 9:00. Honestly, I wasn't completely awake, but eventually I started to help out with the grammar exercises. Then, towards the end of class, one of the students (Monica) asked me if I wanted to go with her and her family to visit one of the museums downtown after class. I was supposed to help teach the second English class at 11:00 but the professor told me that I should go with Monica and learn more about the culture.
We picked up the rest of her family and went to the Santa Monica Museo, which is an ancient convent that was turned into a museum. It was actually really interesting to learn about how the nuns used to live. I don't remember when this was, but at some point in time, I think in the 1500s, women had to be married by the time they were 15, and if they did not find a husband, they had to become a nun and join the convent. In this particular convent, they were no longer able to be in contact with their families and could not leave the property. Wow! Things have definitely changed over time.
I got back to the house about 3:00 and started relaxing because I am planning on going out salsa dancing tonight. However, the weather changed and all of sudden, there was thunder and lightening. I'm the biggest wimp when it comes to lightening. I don't know why, but I have always been this way. We aren't used to having thunder storms in Portland or Seattle. The rain got heavier and really started coming down. I was trying to stay calm but Tonio (my host dad) could see that I was nervous, so he took me outside and started asking people "es una tormenta?" (Is this a thunder storm?) He asked about 5 different people and they all started laughing and said no. I just have to get used to this I guess. I am trying to calm down now so I can still go out dancing later.
I hope you have a great weekend! Talk to you soon. :-)
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Assistant English Professor
I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and a great weekend! It is now Wednesday and I am finally starting to get used to being at school all the time. Yet, the difference is, I get to help teach the classes rather than having to worry about homework, essays, and tests all the time.
I am now a professor's assistant for teaching English classes, and currently have 3 classes that I attend each week. There is one on Mondays and Wednesdays, two on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and all three take place on Friday. These English classes are all Level 1, which is probably why most of the students think I speak extremely fast and can't understand me. The good news about helping in these classes is that it is allowing me to meet the Mexican students.
Today, something very unexpected happened. I went to my boss' office after teaching English 1, and my boss told me that one of the English professors called in sick and that there was nobody to take his place. She asked if I would go in and teach the class. I just started laughing, but realized that she was being serious. I told her that I am not a certified teacher, but she sent me in there anyway. The students were given an assignment on the board, and then were told to have conversations with me in English. This class was Level 3, so it was a bit different than what I am used to, but at the same time, these students still thought I spoke extremely fast. :-)
I enjoyed helping out in this class because I was able to say things in English, and then translate into Spanish. The students would listen to both dialects and then respond in English (sometimes Spanglish). I am happy because I feel like I am actually improving my Spanish-speaking capabilities. I also am meeting a lot of great people, which I am very thankful for. My boss told me that she is going to put a flyer on the school's website for students who need an English tutor. It sounds like I am going to be busy each day from 8:00 to 1:00.
After school, I walk back to the house and eat lunch with the family around 2:30 or 3:00. I relax for a while, and then go for my daily walk to watch the sunset. You know me, I will probably never change and will always be obsessed with sunsets.
This is a short blog, but I have some plans these next few days, so I am sure I will have some stories to tell you by the time the weekend comes. Keep enjoying your week! :-)
I am now a professor's assistant for teaching English classes, and currently have 3 classes that I attend each week. There is one on Mondays and Wednesdays, two on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and all three take place on Friday. These English classes are all Level 1, which is probably why most of the students think I speak extremely fast and can't understand me. The good news about helping in these classes is that it is allowing me to meet the Mexican students.
Today, something very unexpected happened. I went to my boss' office after teaching English 1, and my boss told me that one of the English professors called in sick and that there was nobody to take his place. She asked if I would go in and teach the class. I just started laughing, but realized that she was being serious. I told her that I am not a certified teacher, but she sent me in there anyway. The students were given an assignment on the board, and then were told to have conversations with me in English. This class was Level 3, so it was a bit different than what I am used to, but at the same time, these students still thought I spoke extremely fast. :-)
I enjoyed helping out in this class because I was able to say things in English, and then translate into Spanish. The students would listen to both dialects and then respond in English (sometimes Spanglish). I am happy because I feel like I am actually improving my Spanish-speaking capabilities. I also am meeting a lot of great people, which I am very thankful for. My boss told me that she is going to put a flyer on the school's website for students who need an English tutor. It sounds like I am going to be busy each day from 8:00 to 1:00.
After school, I walk back to the house and eat lunch with the family around 2:30 or 3:00. I relax for a while, and then go for my daily walk to watch the sunset. You know me, I will probably never change and will always be obsessed with sunsets.
This is a short blog, but I have some plans these next few days, so I am sure I will have some stories to tell you by the time the weekend comes. Keep enjoying your week! :-)
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