Hola de La Republica Dominicana!
As my blog title denotes, I know approximately zero spanish. This is something I was not aware of until my first night in my home stay with Doña Tata and Don Mariano. They would ask me the simplest questions to which I would give the "dumb look" and smile and they would laugh and Mariano said "Ella no sabe español." And though I understood that he just said "she doesn't know any spanish" I'd have to agree with him. My thoughts on this are that the sheltered world of American High School and College language classes are just shy of being a joke since all of my profesoras spoke slowly enough for me to get it. Consequently, when you're not a Spanish teacher, you don't speak slowly to the lost looking American girl.
On a lighter note, I've only been with my traning class for a few days now and they are ALL my new best friends (sorry old best friends, but we only have each other). Everyone is so nice and motivated, and seemingly just as overwhelmed and probably scared shitless as I am. I'm not scared of anything except for not improving my Spanish and thus being worthless here. Also, the Dominican accent is HARD to understand. Imagine never using an 's' in the English language. Ever. Even when said s is in the middle of the word. or at the front of the word. Or at the back of the word.
So as to not make this too long and boring for you dear readers, I would like to impart to you somethings I have taken for granted in my life that I'm sure most of you have too (with the exception of my fellow PCT's):
1) The action of Flushing. Yes, flushing. Sometimes the toilet flushes. Sometimes it doesn't. And of course when it doesn't, it's usually after a numero dos. Sorry to gross you out dear American readers, but I don't anticipate this to be my last entry about number 2's.
2) On the same note, showers. Don't get me wrong, I actually "shower" more here than I did in the states, but to shower is to take a recepticle (bigger than a glass, smaller than a bucket) full of cold water and dump it down your body starting at your hair. Then you soap. Then you do the water again. Then you're done. Don't feel too bad for me, the cold water actually feels AWESOME in the humidity.
3) Google. I miss google. A lot. When I look up words in my dictionary, I often wish I could then Google the English word if only for appropriate context. I also miss the babelfish instant translator, as inaccurate as it may have been.
4) Electricity. We have electricity in all of our homestays here in Pantoja (north of la capital) but that by no means means that it's reliable. "Se fue la luz" was one of our first learned phrases and it wouldn't matter if it didn't mean that the fans also turn off--and we NEED the fans.
The good news is that we came here during the hottest most humid time of year, and yes that is good news because it means that it will get better. And hopefully my Spanish will get better. Well, it has to get better. And finally, I have kept strong so far, I have not cried yet. I will, but I haven't yet. Although my arms really hurt because the ruthless (though funny and nice) nurse is sticking us with various vaccines every other day.
If you're in the states, I miss you all terribly. If you are here, I'll see you in the morning.
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Wow. It doesn't sound too bad, though. You could be eating those cow tongues. Actually, now that I think of it, I have eaten cow tongue and it isn't bad.
ReplyDeleteWe were wondering if Hurricane Bill was affecting your island?
Lisa
I imagine it is beyond difficult, BUT, I have to wonder if it wouldn't help to "relax into the Spanish". You know, kind of like Yoga and breathing? You think the breathing is so pointless and you want to get on with the movements and stretching, until one day, you realize that your really ARE in fact "breathing" and that it does help and that you find yourself "breathing" with purpose when stressed and it helps. This is what I mean, try to relax and breathe and let it come. Deep cleansing breaths, a full four counts IN and a full eight counts OUT... works for me.
ReplyDeleteLove, Mom
what about those of us that arent there with you or in the US? do you miss us already too? jokes, i make jokes!
ReplyDeletesounds like you and me got one more thing in common now...no freakin idea how to communicate to the people around us! im finding that gestures is the way to go for sure! so strange to me that the one word that every and i mean EVERY japanese person knows is "OKAY!". you say it and they nod and smile like youre really having a conversation now. i dare you, give it a try there and see what happens. it just may be the universal word that we didnt know existed because we didnt need to know. we are on a need to know basis now, for sure.
big love from small naru just for you,
hula hoopin mama