Yo estoy estudiando español.
This morning I learned my alphabet.
Megan learned about the history of Guatemala.
I learned the names of the days of the week.
Megan learned about traditional Guatemalan healing practices.
I learned how to say ¨food.¨
This is going to be a long month.
Other than feeling like an overgrown kindergardener, I´m settling in very nicely. We got unbelievably lucky and are staying with a family that is headed by an incredibly loving woman named Irma. Irma cooks for a living, which means that every meal we´ve had since we arrived in her house yesterday afternoon has been absolutely delicious (unlike the food we´ve had in restaurants in Guatemala). She has two teenage daughters and one teenage son. The son, like so many teenage boys, has said about three words in the past two days. His room is covered with pictures of the ladies and he watches football religiously. The two daughters, on the other hand, are vivacious and incredibly welcoming. They giggle a lot. I like them.
So now we´re spending our meal times with Irma pointing at household objects and saying their names (¨spoon¨ ¨table¨ ¨floor¨ ¨tortilla¨), while her two daughters smile gamely and ask us what music we like, to which I respond ¨todos.¨ Because it´s all I know how to say (besides the days of the week). And we´re spending our days learning Spanish at a small school called Sakribal that has been really wonderful. The handprints of the school´s previous students grace the walls and everybody smiles a lot. Megan has probably noticed more about the place because she can understand what they´re all saying. She likes it too, so I´m guessing they´re only saying nice things.
-Sarah (with help from Megan)
Tags: Guatemala, Language School, Quetzaltenango, Sakribal, Travel, Xela
admin
Well, sarah, you may feel like a kindergartener, but I already feel like a preschooler reading your entry. I don’t even now what “todos” is… or who todos are. I only know that todo’s not in kansas anymore. Or… at least I know that there’s way too many things on my todos list for me to take up spanish now…
But what a great stroke that you’ve wound up in a warm and friendly home. Please thank Irma and her family for me (for all of us I’m sure)!
Here’s to lots of fun learning!
becca
Ah, the language studies. Very frustrating. My sympathies entirely. At least studying in-country you have the advantage of being able to use each new vocabulary word immediately and it’s possible to see the benefit right off.
Do the family members speak slowly to you? That’s always been the hardest part for me– figuring out where one word ends and the next one begins…
Here, it’s Election Day. We’re going to throw the bastards out, finally. We’ll vote, and then we’ll see if the Republican Election Day machine is called Karl Rove– or Diebold. If it’s the latter, we’ll be joining you in Guatemala shortly. Wish us luck.
And buena suerte to you too.
Hola, Amigas! I just got back from my “polling place,” where I had to pass through a battery of beefy guys trying to get me to vote for Santorum. I gave them a contemptuous look and gleefully voted for Casey. Then felt bad since Casey is so unpleasant, himself. But no Santorum is no Santorum. And we all know how icky and gross Santorum is. Kate waited for me outside, since she is a damn foreigner and has no voice.
Sigh.
I’m glad you are having fun and learning Spanish. xoxox