Last night Ericka and I had a good time making up great things to go with the "salchichas," which is a hot-dog-like sausage, that we've had a most meals...Salchichas and rice, salchichas and tortilla, salchichas and plantains, salchichas and cereal...haha. It was fun. :)
Today was day 2 of classes for us. At 8am every morning, all of us students meet at the school. We find our professor and each take our own corner in the school. For four and a half hours (with one half hour break...which I didn't take today, I decided to keep reading), we sit at a table with our prof and talk Spanish. Since I'm taking a literature class, I've been given a novel to read (La mujer habitada by Gioconda Belli, a Nicaraguan author), so our class has consisted of me reading aloud, and us talking about different literary devices used and words, concepts, and phrases that I don't understand. (Yesterday we talked about the difference between "peine" and "pene." Look it up if you're really curious.) I have learned so many new words already.
Today we also talked about my life back home. I told her about my brother Josh and his family, and she told me more about getting married in Guatemala. She found it very peculiar that my brother (who had no kids before marriage) married someone with two daughters. It was interesting. It was also interesting to tell her about my involvement in the church, because it's been widespread and when I told her I was "Christian," she insisted that I needed to be a more specific Christian, haha. I personally would rather just label myself a Christian at this point, but I told her that I was mostly involved with the Lutheran church. It was kinda weird talking about the ELCA's involvement in Latin America to a Guatemalan woman.
Overall my class is really good, and I'm already learning a lot. And my professor is very fun. :)
Please pray for my motivation as I read through this novel! It's quite a challenge to read in a different language. Pray for our continued adjustment to this culture. Also, please pray for Proyecto Linguistico Quetzalteco (PLQ), this school. It is a really great program, and just pray for its continued support and raising awareness for issues in past and present Guatemala.
For now, I gotta run! Vamos a un cafe de chocalate! :) Un abrazo.
Hi, this is Janelle, even though this thing is being difficult about letting me post a comment... anyway.... HANNAH! i'm finally caught up with your blog! oh my goodness, your host family sounds so sweet! they sound like such great people, and definately people you would get along with and have fun with. :) i'm so happy you're having fun, and i know you can keep up with the reading if you just keep going. motivational chicken! bak bak!
ReplyDeleteoh, Janelle again, i also love your picture. it's so amazing!
ReplyDeleteSo I totally forgot to mention this on the last one but I am so glad you get some animal attention while you are staying there :) We had a pet tortuga as well, try feeing it sometime, its so hilarious and lovely to watch it eat!!! And a pet dog, is it actually pet-able??? Or not a wise thing to be touching??? Their pets down in Nicaragua seemed to carry a little bit of a different connotation as I am sure you are maybe aware, even pets just werent like "kids" in the States as you see with many house animals back home...oh boy am I glad to hear those intense classes are going well :) So I know this wasn't on your prayer request list but I am praying that you have an opportunity to attend a wedding while you are in CA...its a beautiful thing and really makes you begin to evaluate the whole tradition of our weddings as well. I can explain that better when we talk if you are curious as to what I mean, but I prefer to wait til hopefully you get an experience and then we can talk :) Motivate her God motivate her, give Hannah energy & enthusiasm as she reads her Spanish, that the words may come more to life than she ever imagined...and that that might continue to overflow into her conversations. THANK you Lord for such a beautiful woman you have blessed not only us with knowing but also the people of C.A. LOVE YOU!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could "like" Janelle's comments. tehe. I shall send you a motivational kiwi. ;)
ReplyDeleteYour host family sounds cool. what year is the girl in? Keep on reading and learning in your class studies girl! I know you can do it!!
Praying for you!
Jenn