FYI, here = "not at home," "Central America," or "the place where the internet cuts out occasionally."
1. I just got locked out of my own house because I couldn't manage to turn the lock far enough to unlatch. I must have stood there for half an hour turning the key this way and that, because I wasn't even sure which way was the "unlocked" position. So, a nice (male) neighbor comes over and I ask if he can call my Central American parents, but they aren't at the only number he has (and the number I need is... yep, in the house), so I let him know I'm going to my friend's and he goes back inside his own house. I hop across the street to my friend's, and hang out there for a while until my friend's C.Am. mamá beckons me back to my house so she can try the lock for me. Of course, she gets it the first try. Oh well. The experience is what counts, you know!
2. Walking everywhere is, surprisingly, amazingly freeing. I can just step outside and I have the whole world accessible... I don't have to worry about borrowing the family car, or having enough gas (and gas money) to get somewhere, or whatnot. I could even take a bus downtown and, still, I'm out like a buck round-trip. And there are so many things within less than fifteen minutes' walking distance.... a good church, my classes, the park, the supermarket that sells anything you could possibly need. I love it.
2a. (It's a corollary.) I need to go live in a city, apparently, as much as I enjoy biking and walking!
3. I visited a church today. I could understand almost everything the pastor said (and he was definitely speaking Spanish the entire time). I recognized two, almost three of the songs that we sang. And it's a very small church, so I could actually get to know people. I think I'm going back. :)
4. I went to the beach yesterday, thought I had covered myself with sunblock, then found out I had not reached part of my back. It was bright red last night, as my C.Am. familia pointed out. But it doesn't hurt, thankfully. Anyways, the beach was... amazing. It was BIG and had nice BIG waves and beautiful BIG mountains nearby (which we got to travel through on our way there, and I took pictures of them!).
5. Classes start Tuesday, but already I've been learning new words. And re-learning a few that I always have on the tip of my tongue, but never quite seem to remember. And then re-learning some that I've plain forgotten! I love talking with my mamá--she's very patient with me as she tries for five minutes to get me to understand the simplest thing she's saying. But sometimes, we have some good conversations. I've learned so much about this culture from her.
1. I just got locked out of my own house because I couldn't manage to turn the lock far enough to unlatch. I must have stood there for half an hour turning the key this way and that, because I wasn't even sure which way was the "unlocked" position. So, a nice (male) neighbor comes over and I ask if he can call my Central American parents, but they aren't at the only number he has (and the number I need is... yep, in the house), so I let him know I'm going to my friend's and he goes back inside his own house. I hop across the street to my friend's, and hang out there for a while until my friend's C.Am. mamá beckons me back to my house so she can try the lock for me. Of course, she gets it the first try. Oh well. The experience is what counts, you know!
2. Walking everywhere is, surprisingly, amazingly freeing. I can just step outside and I have the whole world accessible... I don't have to worry about borrowing the family car, or having enough gas (and gas money) to get somewhere, or whatnot. I could even take a bus downtown and, still, I'm out like a buck round-trip. And there are so many things within less than fifteen minutes' walking distance.... a good church, my classes, the park, the supermarket that sells anything you could possibly need. I love it.
2a. (It's a corollary.) I need to go live in a city, apparently, as much as I enjoy biking and walking!
3. I visited a church today. I could understand almost everything the pastor said (and he was definitely speaking Spanish the entire time). I recognized two, almost three of the songs that we sang. And it's a very small church, so I could actually get to know people. I think I'm going back. :)
4. I went to the beach yesterday, thought I had covered myself with sunblock, then found out I had not reached part of my back. It was bright red last night, as my C.Am. familia pointed out. But it doesn't hurt, thankfully. Anyways, the beach was... amazing. It was BIG and had nice BIG waves and beautiful BIG mountains nearby (which we got to travel through on our way there, and I took pictures of them!).
5. Classes start Tuesday, but already I've been learning new words. And re-learning a few that I always have on the tip of my tongue, but never quite seem to remember. And then re-learning some that I've plain forgotten! I love talking with my mamá--she's very patient with me as she tries for five minutes to get me to understand the simplest thing she's saying. But sometimes, we have some good conversations. I've learned so much about this culture from her.
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