Ok guys... I know I've been really awful at staying updated lately :( I have had a lot of stuff this week and next week is midterms, so please expect things to be a bit delayed for the next week or so. Fair warning. I am currently on a study break (for those of you who are wondering, and I have decided to update my blog instead of sitting on Facebook, Stumbling or something else... Lucky you! :P
As I just mentioned, this week has been rather hectic. I get caught up in the usual school stuff and I had an essay due on Wednesday in my literature class, so I've sort of lost track of time. And here I am... at Friday again. Let me see how much of the past week I remember. Most of it really isn't that exciting because I was either writing an essay, editing the essay or relaxing after my essay. But the week did have its moments.
Monday
Monday morning was spent in class and at the Residencia talking to my "abuela". Class was actually pretty good because we were talking about Don Quijote. I actually know what I'm talking about, so an class pertaining to Don Quijote is a good day! (Thank you Benda and AP Spanish Lit...) After class I headed with Jordan to the bus to make it to the Residencia on time. I enjoy going, but sometimes there are days where I would much rather just head straight home. This week we were asked to read a chapter (of our choosing) with our "abuelos". I read the chapter about the windmills (like most people). But it was easiest and something I could talk about. Among reading the chapter we also talked about my weekend (mostly... but I also just like to talk and she likes to listen) and then I asked her about hers. I learned that her son owns a bar that is right next door to my house. She keeps telling me to go in and tell him to give me a drink on her. ... I haven't quite yet made it. I'm not going to lie... I'm a bit embarrassed. 1:00pm finally rolled around and I got to go home and eat lunch. My stomach was growling quite loudly by the time I got there. Haha... After lunch I worked for hours on my Literature essay that was due on Wednesday. I worked until 10:30pm (counting a few breaks) and then watched Águila Roja with my "family" and then fell asleep on the couch. My "mom" woke me up about 1:30am and we went to sleep.
Tuesday
Tuesdays are proving to be very interesting days. This was my second week going to the elementary school out in Polígono and my chance to get a second impression. Most of what I said about last week was right. The 3rd graders are so sweet. I walked into the classroom this week to the whole class going, "Sarah!!!!! You're here!!!!!" I love that feeling :) This week the 3rd graders were learning classroom vocabulary (desk, pen, ruler, chair, etc.). The teacher had flashcards with a picture of each object that she put on the board. She'd point to each one in turn and ask the students what it's called. She ended up playing a number of games with the flashcards and also introduced a song to help them learn the words. The way she structured her class was very similar to how I would have done it. My second impression of her was just as good (if not better!) as the first one. The 5th grade teacher, however... That was a different story. For both of his classes, they only got through (barely) one lesson. I couldn't believe it. During the first of the two classes, the teacher kept shouting "SILENCE!" I had to work hard not to laugh out loud because all I could think was, "SILENCE! I kill you!" (For those of you who don't know, that is a direct quote from Achmed the dead terrorist... a.k.a. Jeff Dunham) Somehow I managed tot keep it together. What I realized this week was that for as much as the students don't respect the teacher, he doesn't respect them either. At one point he was so frustrated with them that he called them poorly educated ("mal educados"). I feel like that is something that would never happen in the U.S. no matter how frustrated a teacher is. The worst part is that after something like that, he looks at me expecting me to laugh or something, but I can't. It's just not funny to me. I was also shocked at the lack of curriculum they have. They follow a book, but it doesn't really teach English very well. Those kids can't even have a very basic conversation. I think they can read basic English, but that's about it. I've been given the two books they use in hopes that I'll come up with a better, more fun way to teach them. ... No pressure or anything. The rest of my Tuesday was pretty boring... I had class at 6:20pm (I came home, at lunch, worked on my essay, took a nap and then went to class) which was alright. I came home after class (the best part of the day... I'm on the bus between 7:45pm and 8:00pm and it's getting darker earlier this time of year, so I get this BEAUTIFUL view of Toledo all lit up on the way back home) and polished off my essay. My "dad" looked at it (for grammar) and told me that it was very well written with almost no errors. He also told me that the ones I'm making are the same ones that native Spanish speakers make, too. I was really happy to hear that!! :D After I finished my essay, I watched "Homicidios" with my "mom" and then went to bed because Wednesday is my longest day of the week.
Wednesday
Oh Wednesdays... You are just as long as ever, but are getting to be a bit more tolerable. This week wasn't so bad because we spent part of all my classes talking about our midterms next week. Talking about them makes me a bit nervous, but also feel a bit better because they don't sound like they should be too hard. After that, classes went pretty quickly. I'm definitely loving my Literature class right now... I forgot how much I love Don Quijote! Even my professor noticed how involved I am in class lately! Hopefully that will be reflected in my grade... I don't particularly remember what I did Wednesday night, but I'm pretty sure it just involved the usual relaxing and watching TV until my "mom" woke me up to go to sleep.
Thursday
So far Thursdays have been pretty good days. I only have one class twice a day, but this week (and last week) was different: I had the same class... THREE times. Yes, three. One at 11:30am, and then another two from 2:40pm-4:45pm (with only a 2 minute break this week, too!). The morning part was fine, but the two hour sessions of sitting in the classroom suck. Especially when she only gives us a 2 minute break. Between 12:30pm (ish) and 2:40pm is lunch. At lunch, a friend of mine was telling us how she is having problems with her host mom. Listening to her stories made me realize how truly lucky I am to be living with my host family. I got home and ate lunch. After lunch, I said to my "mom", "I have a question. It's going to seem like there isn't a reason, but I promise there is." She answered, "Anything!" I asked, "Can I give you a hug?" She got really excited and said, "Of course!!! Any time you want!! I know you are hug deprived..." (Obviously I have made that clear... Lol...) I laughed and told her that that was part of it, but also that I have a friend who is having issues with her host family. I told her, "I just wanted to say that I am soooo lucky to be living with you all. And I want to say thank you. For everything." She seemed really happy to hear all of that. Let's just say that I got lots of hugs that day. :) Thursdays also mean "El Barco"! I love that show! I'm going to have to find it online when I go home because I want to know what happens. Another show I can add to my list of shows I watch :) I watched the new episode and then headed to bed (voluntarily!) because I was exhausted.
Friday
Friday was really a rather uneventful day. I quite literally spent the entire day on the couch, but for good reason! Midterms being next week, I needed to get studying. I spent all morning working on my philosophy stuff so I can study it later. I took a short break to eat lunch and then kept working. At some point I stopped and just watched TV for a bit because my hand was killing me from writing so much. A little bit after lunch, my "grandparents" came over to drop some stuff off. Before they left, my "grandma" came over and chatted with me. She said to me, "It's such a shame that you have to leave in December. You should stay with us longer!" I was sooooooo honored to have her say that! It really meant a lot to me that they don't want me to leave. I am still very touched. On top of that, my "parents" went out Friday night and came back briefly to grab jackets (it's cold for them now...). They walked in the door, I sat up (I had been dozing on the couch) and my mom walks over to me with a big grin on her face. "I have a little present for you!" she told me. What? A present? For me? Out of the blue? That's really sweet!!! She totally didn't have to do that. She handed me a small gift bag. I was afraid to open it at first in case I heard wrong and it was for someone else. That would have been embarrassing... But eventually I decided that I was right and opened it. It turned out to be a pair of earrings! They are really really pretty, too! She came back in and asked if I liked them. Rather than saying anything, I stood up and gave her a big hug and said, "Thank you!" They turned around again and left to go somewhere, leaving me alone again. It turned out to not be a bad thing because I was exhausted. I had woken up that morning at 7:00am with a bad stomach ache (for no apparent reason) and had a hard time going back to sleep after that. I was sound asleep when they got back. In fact, I didn't even hear them get back. I woke up around 2:00am on my own and sat up. I went to look at my phone and was given quite a shock when my "mom" was laying on the couch, looking at me. She waved and I sleepily waved back. I laid there for a few more minutes, but then decided that I was too tired and I should probably go to sleep in my bed rather than on the couch. So off to bed I went.
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