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Howdy y'all!
Boy does it feel good to be able to say that. Actually, the language aspect of the trip has not been that hard. People really do speak English here in San Miguel de Allende. My family speaks some English depending on who you talk to. Most of my host siblings speak English. There is Verona age 30, Cecilia age 25, Demetrio age 16, and Jone or Yone (?) age 11. My parents are very accomodating although there are clearly differences in communication. For example my host mother, Adella, is very blunt- she definitely gets right to the point. But she also has a softer side. My host father is rather friendly and I think he knows English but he speaks to us in Spanish. Verona, the eldest daughter, has a one year old named Juan Carols. He's hilarious but he screams a lot. Listening to the family talk to him with simple phrases helps with my spanish.
My apartment situation is pretty sweet. First you go in the main apartment and go through the tv room, down the stairs into the kitchen. Then you go outside on a patio. Then you go up a metal spiral staircase that is like a foot and a half wide. My room is on the third floor and has its own bathroom and lots of closet space! You can also go up the stairs even more to the terraza. There are flowers in pots and beautiful vistas of the city. There's also a bench and a wooden cross. God's really blessing me on this trip!
There are two other girls, Kelly and Heather, that live in the apts below me. They are both teachers in California. Kelly has already been here a month so she's a lot of help. Heather's really sweet and we get along well. There is also a couple at the school about my age and they invited me to dinner at the apt they're renting. I haven't taken them up on the offer yet, but I will. Megan is a teacher in Chicago and her boyfriend Arthur does acting or something. They are in both of my classes.
I have a 3 hour class in the morning (with breaks) and 1 hr right afterwards that is a literature seminar about modern latin american poetry. I love my teacher Paola. She teaches both classes. She's probably about 30 and extremely outgoing and very well-educated. She studied in France and I think her focus is literature. I'd like to go out dancing with her some time!
I could go on and on about the people I've met, but maybe they'll enter into the story later. Right now I'm sitting in the BEAUTIFUL public library. I just got my library card so I am set. I shouldn't say I'm sitting IN because really I'm on a terrace near a fountain. The building itself is gorgeous and ancient. The funny think about San Miguel is how hard it is to find things sometimes. You really have to be an explorer. Its the same in the library. For example, the computers for internet access are up these winding stone stairs on the third floor, above a cafe. So many of the buildings and gardens are beautiful. But don't be deceived, it's still a developing country. I took a cold shower this morning. However, some things are very efficient if they save money or space. My shower shares the same floor as my toilet and sink, there are no partitions. Open windows act as my airconditioning or fan.
Supposedly it downpours in the afternoon but it hasn't rained hard the past 2 days. Now I have an umbrella with purple polka dots that I bought for 40 pesos or $4, so bring it on! Hopefully it won't rain hard this afternoon either. Ok, well I have some errands to run. I need to find an ATM to pay my family (they provide 3 meals a day in addition to my room). I also need to get photos for my school ID card. Wish me luck!
P.S. THis probably won't be posted for a few days so the timing might be off. Today is July 3rd. I decided to write on paper first and transfer it later to save time. Its almost two pages front and back. Dios Mio!
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Tia Marie
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:-)
Miss you Liz! Have fun! I can't wait to hear about some of your adventures!