Life as it is
On this side of the planet, the weather's been as unpredictable as usual. In the morning, I open my window, stick my hand out, and determine how much layers of clothing I have to put on. If I'm uncertain, I look to see what passerbys are wearing. So far, my predictions have been pretty accurate. The weather's been okay the past couple of weeks, but lately it's starting to get harsher. Yesterday it remained 10-15º the whole day. Today it dropped down to about 8º and it was windy and raining. (At night I sleep with the window closed and with four blankets!)
I walked to school as quickly as possible. During my first class, my hands were so numb i was copying down notes really slowly. Thankfully, the school is equipped with radiators, and I warmed up a bit. Also, all except one of my classes are in the same building, so I don't have to go outdoors to change classes.
Speaking of school, it's been great for me. My lessons are not difficult but they're not exactly easy either. Not only am I learning new things, but I'm learning them in Spanish as well.
Literature is by far my hardest Spanish course and Español my easiest. Right now we're studying poetry in Lit. I've never had an easy time understanding poetry in English, what more in Spanish. It's also kind of hard to tell if words rhyme in Spanish because you have to pronounce the words exactly and properly to see if they rhyme. In one of the poems we took up, the last words of each verse were, aire/mar/olvida/va. The whole class thought that the rhyming pair was olvida and va, but it was actually mar and va, which the teacher explained after properly pronouncing it over and over again. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying the class, and it's giving me the chance to widen my vocabulary. Español is my easiest because we've started from the very beginning (..the very best place to start), and we're now conjugating the present tense which I must admit I think I know well enough. Everyone tellls me my Spanish is improving and I hope they're not just saying that to be polite.
What with all my Spanish classes, Spanish has really been getting in my head. In fact, when I sat down in my European Media Class yesterday, it took me a while to realize that the professor was talking in English and I could understand her!, which is good because the class is really interesting.
I've settled into a pretty normal routine. I wake up, shower, get dressed, then have breakfast. I walk to school and attend all my classes. After class I go home and have lunch in my apartment with my flatmates. I spend the afternoon doing my homework or hanging out with my friends. Sometimes I go for a walk with one of the Larrabide girls. By walk, we literally just walk around, talking, and me learning Spanish words and phrases.
In the evening I have dinner back home. Sometimes, we all gather in one of the apartments, eat and talk together, then watch either a rented movie or whatever's on TV. For some reason, I like watching "Al Pie de la Letra," a Spanish game show where the contestants have to sing the next line of the song. The songs are all in Spanish, and I don't know any of them, but it's pretty fun to watch especially when the other girls all start singing along.
On the weekends, there's always something interesting that comes up. Whether it's someone who invites me out or an activity at Larrabide.
Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of Opus Dei. To celebrate, there was a benedicción at Larrabide followed by pinchos! It was a really great night, I met more girls from Larrabide and learned more words in Spanish.
A few days ago, it was also the birthday of Carmen, one of the girls in the Larrabide pisos (apartments). All of us from the five apartments (5 apartments x 3 girls in each apartment), gathered in one of the apartments and we surprised her! There was food and fun. I really like all the girls here, they're nice and really great.
I'm meeting Marina now, my flatmate, for a walk. I hope everything is well with you, wherever in the world you are.
I walked to school as quickly as possible. During my first class, my hands were so numb i was copying down notes really slowly. Thankfully, the school is equipped with radiators, and I warmed up a bit. Also, all except one of my classes are in the same building, so I don't have to go outdoors to change classes.
Speaking of school, it's been great for me. My lessons are not difficult but they're not exactly easy either. Not only am I learning new things, but I'm learning them in Spanish as well.
Literature is by far my hardest Spanish course and Español my easiest. Right now we're studying poetry in Lit. I've never had an easy time understanding poetry in English, what more in Spanish. It's also kind of hard to tell if words rhyme in Spanish because you have to pronounce the words exactly and properly to see if they rhyme. In one of the poems we took up, the last words of each verse were, aire/mar/olvida/va. The whole class thought that the rhyming pair was olvida and va, but it was actually mar and va, which the teacher explained after properly pronouncing it over and over again. Nevertheless, I'm enjoying the class, and it's giving me the chance to widen my vocabulary. Español is my easiest because we've started from the very beginning (..the very best place to start), and we're now conjugating the present tense which I must admit I think I know well enough. Everyone tellls me my Spanish is improving and I hope they're not just saying that to be polite.
What with all my Spanish classes, Spanish has really been getting in my head. In fact, when I sat down in my European Media Class yesterday, it took me a while to realize that the professor was talking in English and I could understand her!, which is good because the class is really interesting.
I've settled into a pretty normal routine. I wake up, shower, get dressed, then have breakfast. I walk to school and attend all my classes. After class I go home and have lunch in my apartment with my flatmates. I spend the afternoon doing my homework or hanging out with my friends. Sometimes I go for a walk with one of the Larrabide girls. By walk, we literally just walk around, talking, and me learning Spanish words and phrases.
In the evening I have dinner back home. Sometimes, we all gather in one of the apartments, eat and talk together, then watch either a rented movie or whatever's on TV. For some reason, I like watching "Al Pie de la Letra," a Spanish game show where the contestants have to sing the next line of the song. The songs are all in Spanish, and I don't know any of them, but it's pretty fun to watch especially when the other girls all start singing along.
On the weekends, there's always something interesting that comes up. Whether it's someone who invites me out or an activity at Larrabide.
Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of Opus Dei. To celebrate, there was a benedicción at Larrabide followed by pinchos! It was a really great night, I met more girls from Larrabide and learned more words in Spanish.
A few days ago, it was also the birthday of Carmen, one of the girls in the Larrabide pisos (apartments). All of us from the five apartments (5 apartments x 3 girls in each apartment), gathered in one of the apartments and we surprised her! There was food and fun. I really like all the girls here, they're nice and really great.
I'm meeting Marina now, my flatmate, for a walk. I hope everything is well with you, wherever in the world you are.
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