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Published: March 7th 2006
Very sticky keyboards in Spanish (important keys in different places) and very sticky mice, combines with my normal shaky hands made worse under time pressure (cost) are making this task less fun but I won't stop! Today was my second day of Spanish lessons. Yesterday I attended a three hour colleg elevel bible study course at an Anglican church, led by a Presbyterian who could teach in any of our churches in UCC, attended by RC's, evangelicals, and lots of professionals as well as others - they all pay to take it as it is a credit course but I jsut sat in. a friend I made at San Marcos Anglican on Sunday translated some of it so it was OK. Hearing the language spoke is important. I could have went on a tour to a well-known highly painted RC church somewhere in the countryside.
I have a large blister on my foot today from all this walking on rough cobblestones/cement/etc. I ahve been walking about 1 hour or more a day - mostly fairly fast walking. I almsot bought a used cellphone from a friend of a friend who has a store, but took it back today. They are quite cheap here - start at about Q350 and there are 7.5Q per $US. The guy wanted $US50 with a Q50 card which had to be sued in 15 days. I learned today that was very high and manyt cards are good for 30 days. I won{t buy one until I find a bank which will let me access my VISA, which so far the machines have refused. I ahve travellers cheques of couryse but don't want to use them up.
I've met many interesting people, at the school and at the Anglican church where the Scouts meet. Thsi weekend I'm going with the church youth to a nature refuge or park outside the city somewhere (leaving at 7AM). When we get back there is a Scout gathering of some sort a tthe church I will attend. the church is about a half hour walk from the house I stay at, less by 10 minutes from the school. the city is fairly compact and they say you can walk across it in an hour. It is fairly safe for men but there ahve been one or two recent incidents of foreign men being robbed especially late at night. They recomment not carrying your apssport or other documents hard to replace. But you need your apssport to cashg a travellers cheque
The Spanish is going OK. My teacher is a woman named Veronica and she is very friendly and encouraging, though like most she has very poor English. I have made a bunch of flip cards with verbs and tonight must make a bunch more with adjectives. Soem I know from studying on my own but there are lots of new ones. I ahve learned to conjugate verbs that are regular, and some irregular ones. There are two verbs for "to be" and it si a bit trickyt knowing and remembering when to use each one - they are not interchangeable!
I'm still glad I came. It's usually warm or hot outside though it can be chilly inside the buildings which are mainly cement. I bought an energy efficient light bulb for my room today because the bulb there is rather dim for reading. I took a taxi back from getting rid of my cell phone today becasue of my sore foot, and that was fine - the driver found the school even though I was not sure fo the street and got it wrong.
This afternoon at the school we had a 90 minute talk and discussion on the history of the fighting here, let my a fellow from the archbishop's human rights office. Most of it I knew from reading before I came. Tomorrow most of us are going to a public school to teach English to kids - that should be interesting! They say knowing Spanish is not important and they ahve given us a lesson outline to work from. These kids would not ahve teachers if volunteers like us did not do this they say. Public eduation is free but not the books, pencils, etc so many do not go to regular schools. I'll know more tomorrow.
Still haven't got pics ready to send but will try later this week, when I can take someone with me who speaks English. Most of these connections are slow so not sure how many I can send. There is a place near the school I'm told which is good for that and will also burn them to disks if you want. The one I've been using is about 5 blocks from my home.
Guess that's about it for now. My foot is really hurting so I want to go home and deal with it! ¡Hasta luego!
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Mark
non-member comment
Settling in!
Looks like you've settled in well and have made yourself at home there. I am sure you will have no trouble finding things to occupy your time and that your time there will seem like a heart-beat. Happy trails and keep the updates coming.