Wednesday, December 12, 2007

By the way...

...I am learning Spanish. Truly. I understand so much now and can communicate some key things. Alejandra still says I am learning very quickly...and others have said that the first two weeks are the worst. It is hard though, intense...3.5 hours of very focused study...and being confused and needing to really concentrate. I can´t cruise in this effort. It takes a lot of concentration....and I am a bit annoyed at the Spanish for the whole irregular verb thing...not cool! I have also noticed the differences between Guatemalan and Mexican Spanish (what I am used to)...certain words are not the same..the accents are different. When I return to the states I intend to hire a teacher and continue my studies...keep the momentum. And come back to Antigua, of course. Alejandra is a joy to work with...she is kind and patient and loves to laugh. She is 25 and lives with her family in Antigua...this includes her mother, father, brother and his wife and child. Her father is an artist/craftsman who makes custom iron work (gonna ask if we can visit him at work for a field-trip). Alejandra really loves her folks and today got teary-eyed talking about how hard her father works and how much gets along with him. I have shared about my family too...our Spanglish conversations are all part of the learning gestalt. But I am not out to her...think I will tell her close to when I leave. I pass here...am not queer...except at Cafe No Se....there you can be anything you want to be......

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