***this should have posted monday, but there was an error***
last night for dinner we had quite the assortment. we had a fried egg, salami, potato salad that had potato, onion, tomato, and green olives, a slice of ham, and bread. for dessert i had yogurt. i stayed in last night to finish homework and relax. i love going out and doing things, but it's nice to relax once in awhile.
this morning i had class. classes here are going so well. they are completely taught in spanish. my grammar teacher is very easy going. we haven't had homework yet. he is a lot of fun and very, very laid back. he doesn't like to hear us talking in english and if he does he will throw a piece of chalk our way to get us to stop, in a joking manner of course. my conversation teacher is very energetic. she allows us to speak in english only when we don't know how to say something in spanish, and then she will translate it. i got my first homework assignment back today. i had a few small mistakes that she corrected, but i think she counts things for participation. i know that i will have 2 tests in each class the last week of classes.
after class i stopped by the program office to get help with planning our trip. i think a group is really leaning towards going to paris. after lunch and siesta we are going to meet up and look into it some more. we need to get the trip booked within the next day or two because we are really running out of time.
i've spent one full week in salamanca and i feel like this city has changed me. as americans we are so used to getting and doing everything right now. it's completely different here. everybody is so relaxed it's absolutely incredible. there's no rush to do or get anywhere. for example, if you go out to dinner and order a drink... it may take a little while for your drink to come because your waiter/waitress stopped to talk with a friend. and the same goes for getting your bill after a meal. the just expect that after you're finished eating everyone will sit back and talk.. you don't just eat and leave here. i've noticed a few times where i've gotten a little peeved that the check took forever to come or that i didn't get my drink immediately and then i realize it's just not how things are here.
i think salamanca is going to teach me patience. and for those of you that know me... know that is something i have little of. walking to class today i was trying to compare how things are done in the US compared to how things are done here. it's quite interesting. i think this city will also teach me patience for people who don't speak english. until i came to spain i've never been on the other end. here, i have thoughts and things that i want to say, but they are often far too complicated for my spanish vocabulary. knowing what you want to say, but not how to say it is extremely frustrating. at work i often have to call insurance companies and more often than not i get someone on the other end who i can barely understand. in my american world of get things done as fast as possible i get so aggravated with them and i really shouldn't. people here have been so patient with us as a group trying to live and communicate in this city. it's truly a wonderful thing. i really feel like my comprehension of the spanish language has greatly improved, but i often find myself at a loss for words, or it may take me too long to think of what i want to say. i translate everything in my head and repeat it a few times in my head before i actually say it. i try so hard to make sure that the sentences i say are correct, and maybe i should focus more on my speaking. i'm going to make mistakes, i know that. but it's better to try and make the mistakes then not speak at all. i believe that the majority of the people that i come into contact with will correct me when i say something wrong. but it's just so new to me to not always be able to communicate.
in our program office there is a quote i really like it says: "you are the one that looks different, eats strange food, needs unusual comforts, and speaks a foreign language." i really like it. everytime i stop by the office it's a nice reminder that this city and the people aren't going to adapt to me. i have to adapt to them.
on a lighter note, all through europe i have noticed how absolutely adorable the children here are. i've yet to see a child that i didn't just want to take home with me. the kids are so well dressed and so put together. little boys running around in striped suspenders with matching shoes, and girls in beautiful dresses with matching hair pieces and shoes. not that kids aren't adorable in the US, but i feel like people here spend so much more time getting their children ready, and buying very, very nice clothes for them. i'll have to try to take pictures so i can show everyone. people here don't dress down. i've yet to see people wearing sweat pants, sweat shirts, or tshirts around the city. everyone goes out in their "sunday best" every day. it's been quite surprising
for lunch today we had noodles with a very, very light red sauce. we also had broiled chicken (one of my favorite things my host mom cooks!!), and salad. i also had yogurt for dessert. i worked on homework and took a small siesta after lunch.
our program took our entire group out for tapas tonight. tapas are not to be confused with appetizers in the US. in the US we get appetizers when we go to dinner and share them amongst the entire table. in spain, tapas are a small single portion snack to tide you over until dinner. because most people have lunch between 2-2:30 and then dinner around 9:30-10 people will stop to get tapas before dinner. there are so many different kinds of tapas. i had one that had bacon, eggs, and potatos in it. it was good, but i thought it was pretty greasy. we also went to another place and i got something that resembled spanish tortilla. it was made of bread, ham, egg, and had a cheese i wasn't familiar with on top. when you go out for tapas you usually stop at more than one bar/restaurant. common drink for tapas are a small glass of beer, a clara (beer mixed with clear soda), and tinto de verano (red wine mixed with clear soda). i chose the tinto de verano at both places and it was very good.
after tapas a group of us went to get ice cream and sat in the plaza for awhile. the plaza mayor is the "hangout" since it is in the center of the city and there are always so many people there. if you want to go anywhere in salamanca you more than likely have to pass through the plaza mayor. it's a great place to people watch.
i'm going to relax and catch up on some stuff before bed!
Posted with Blogsy
No comments:
Post a Comment