I can finally roll my "R´s"!

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That´s right... after months of working on my spanish, I am finally able to fool the native speakers. Not that they think I am from Latin America or anything, but they don´t think that I am from the United States! So- just to be clear about why this is such an accomplishment... as Americans we notoriously are known to have a terrible time with the pronunciation of the R´s and the D´s in the spanish language- we just don´t seem to be able to wrap our tongues around these sounds. Especially, not as well as the Europeans for sure!

So, when I started my spanish classes up again this week- after some conversatin, the teachers would ask me- ¿De donde eres? (Where are you from?)- I would answer with a cocky "¿Adivina?" (guess!) and they could never peg me as an American- always German, Dutch, even French!

Great success here in Granada!

By now, the crutches are causing callouses to form on both my hands, my wrists, and my attitude here in Central America. In a good way though. I am less shocked by the mayhem around me and able to take in the gritty, more real side of Nicaragua. Things that would have annoyed me or scared me before, are now every day occurences.

For anyone reading the blog wanting info about Granada- my hostel Oasis is very nice and I would recommend it. The school I am going to is called One-on-One and I am impressed by how structured and professional the teaching style is. You have a different teacher for each subject: vocabulary, grammar, conversation, and exercises. Different than the one teacher for the whole 4 hour block in Guatemalan schools that I experienced. Also, some great restaurants to check out here: Kathy´s Waffle house, Tercer Ojo, and Asia Latina.

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Photos

Las Islas- in Granada
New blue cast and crutches on boat tour through string of islands on lake in Granada

Volcan Mombacho
from boat on Islas tour

Monkey
4 monkeys live on one of the 374 islands... but they are fed by the local people visiting the islands b/c no food there for them.

La Iglesia San Francisco
Steps are no longer an obstacle with the crutches

La Iglesia San Francisco 2
Blue cast blends right in with church

Granada
View from Church with Volcan Mombacho in background

Comments

[Kate]

Hi there
Looks like you're having fun. I like the blue cast, it looks good in the pictures :)