Mi horario

Mi horario para el periodo de la continuación:

MTW: 11-12 Geografía Regional de España a la Universidad

MW: 5:10-7:10 Crossroads: Spain & Immigration

Tues: 1-2 Cultural Realities of Spain

TTH: 5:10-7:10 Spanish Cinema

4-5 Regional Folk Dance

Mi Puesto de Voluntariado: La Guardería Jardín

W: 12:30-1:30 & Th: 11-2

ME ENCANTA LA VIDA

chungo!

Más pensamientos míos

Why are you a spanish major? Good question. I got some insight today though. Most spanish classes I have taken concentrate on expressing personal states, feelings and opinions, and that aspect makes me uncomfortable. What if I don't say the "right" answer? Why does anyone CARE anyway? Instead of freezing up and making up answers, expressing what I'm feeling in the classroom here is imperative so I can do the same at home. It's a safe space since we're all learning. Pero, lo mas importante es just being honest with myself, no matter where I am. What a challenge! And what a great way to practice then learning another language. In spanish, since I have to lace every word together, I only say what's most significant, what I'm truly feeling. That is a good habbit to get into and I hope to keep to it in english. What's at the core? No babbling.

I either need to write these in spanish or stop blogging (so much), because every night I am recollecting and recording the events of the day in english. And I need to stop thinking in english because that makes speaking spanish mas difícil. Es mucho mas facil para hablar el español cuando oigo mucho el idioma y continuo hablarlo constantamente. Ayer, daba un paseo por la Universidad de Sevilla, que magnifico, y probé un cafe Bailey's con Elisabeth anterior, aye que rico la crema! Hablaba con muchas personas nuevas de mi programa y me caen bien. Estoy muy animada para empezar y explorar la Universidad!

Tengo sueños ahora. Buenas noches

Que buen dia hoy! I noticed I was becomming very angry and sad during my morning class, and when I feel this overwhelmed, I can't listen well (english, and def not spanish). No me importa nada... After waking my mother (TY Mom!), crying and talking with her during my walk home, I was greeted by another mother. Que te paso? Digame...Soy tu madre Sevillana! I felt the support and love of a family today at lunch. Once I stopped thinking about all my personal goals and stressing about changing them (to the point of giving myself a headache), I was able to relax and have more patience with myself. I need to be flexible in allowing myself to adapt my goals as I go along, since when I made them, I was not living this. Poco a poco...mi senora me dijo. I feel really frustrated that I cannot understand everything my host family, teacher, or people in stores and restaurants say to me and that I cannot speak colloquially yet. I don't want to be rude and not know that I am being perceived that way. I know text book spanish...and grammar, not the things I need to know here. I spent a lot of time with Cristina and Ana today, and managed to do my tarea tambien. Sometimes when Cristina and I are talking, I forget that we are natives to two very different languages and almost blurt out an english phrase here and there. Our connection transcends languages-after all, all languages are incapable of expressing the amazing capacities of the human mind.

I am extremely happy I followed through with expressing myself to my family, regardless of my fears in knowing I am not capable of articulating these complexities clearly. Magdalena told me many stories of how girls come to her for advice and then they feel better...and in that moment, I felt so connected to everyone in the room, by the universal human experience of emotions. I felt most comfortable at today's lunch than any other meal with them, just allowing myself to be. Though I took my first authentic siesta today, estoy cansada. Buenas noches!

Today did not go how I planned, in the least. That did not make it bad by any measure however. I put my strict I-will-only-speak-spanish-rule I have been trying to embrace aside since one of my very good frineds was homesick. Absolutely more important. I learned a lot about her and myself. Initially, Spain found a way to bring us together and continues to bring us closer.

Aprender

I have been leanring so much from just relaxing, spending time and talking with my host family. I got to know Ana, Magdalena's granddaughter who lives with us, better today~I have a running and shopping buddy now. =) This weekend has reinforced my belief that the majority of the learning will occur outside the classroom. For this reason, I am going to sign up for a few classes that look interesting and useful, complete the work thoroughly and quickly, and spend a lot of time with my host family. No burrying my head in the books this semester! I am ready to start my intensive language class though, since I think some structure (and the perspective of the teachers) will help. Lo empiece manana.

El viernes, por la manana

I had an interesting experience during our walking tour through downtown Sevilla. I asked the profesor who was leading us if he knew anyone in Spain who is Christian, but not Catholic. I got a simple, No. Then, he added, Spain is 94% Catholic. There is a small amount of Muslims and an even smaller amount of Jews, he reiterated. Some Muslims, like her, he said, blatently raising an arm and pointing toward a black lady walking down the calle toward us, come from Africa (Morocco) and bring their religion. I was initially very surprised and felt uncomfortable at his obvious and seemingly rude gesture toward this stranger. The majority of the people in Spain are white Catholics, he reminded me. So my thoughts that there exist no Protestants in Spain were confirmed by this educated Sevillano. It was interesting to see his attitudes toward race.

So my mom just told me she was able to translate my last post into english, que bueno! Now, I will blog more often in spanish when the mood strikes me. There is only one word that came to mind throughout my first shower here yesterday: torture. Two or three minutes of steaming-hot-you-can't-stand-in-the-stream-water, then ice cold. Good thing yesterday was not a hair wash day. Today was much better though~Gracias a Dios!! I was able to warm up in the shower for quizas 4 minutes and clean myself after my morning run. Still very exhausted from traveling and also overstimulated with all this spanish, everywhere. It is a lot to absorb, but I am lovin it! Oh, and Gretchen, frolicking down the streets of Sevilla yesterday, I had that beautiful, I-love-my-life-and-everything-about-it-moment...well, in reality it lasted a few hours.

Ahora Esta en el cafe indias y estoy en la zona espanola...la zona wifi, claro que si!! Hable con mi familia todo el almuerzo y la siesta :-D I feel so lucky to have such a patient family~I am learning sooo much! I absolutely love Cristina, Magdalena's daughter, and am excited to see her apartment today...I can't wait to go out with her sometime! We communicate very well, though she does not speak english to me. Ayee, soo much, need a siesta ahora though. <3

Bienvenida a Sevilla

Day One en Sevilla...is that really all it is? I definitely feel more comfortable having roamed these streets once or twice before. After a safe and smooth, but terribly long day of traveling yesterday (aka the single day that is wed-thurs to me) today we explored. And met our host family, claro que si! Even though I spoke to Magdalena twice on the phone, I felt very nervous and overwhelmed at first, especially unpacking. Nothing more than random verbs and frustration came out of my mouth regardless of nine years of studying spanish, se me fue. Almuerzo, was my turning point. The meal was delicious and after my roommate and I gave gifts to our very appreciative, new family. They were so excited about the photo album I made for them, and I don't know where the cookies I baked with my mom have disappeared to since, but they were impressed that we baked them. I can handle this...Yeah! Magdalena tucked me in on the couch next to her while we watched an American dubbed movie. She explained details to me during the commercials and I felt the collaborative teaching/learning juices flowing:) Dinner was also delicious, meat and brocolli. Hasta manana.