Happy May, everybody! The fire in the fire place is officially cracklin' here in Montevideo, as the cold weather continues to roll in.
School, teach English, study, teach English, school, study, school, teach English, school, study, school, study. That's pretty much how Monday-Friday looked this week! Aren't you jealous? (insert myself winking at you) There were, however, some little treats sprinkled into the week... for instance: Wednesday was Labor Day and the whole city shut down (including classes WOO!), so I went for a nice lil' run, and Wednesday night me and Sabri, my host sister, had a little host-sister-movie-night on the lower bunk--we watched a movie about Helen Keller in Spanish. I also had my first of four theology classes at the University where we'll be going through the Catechism. I really enjoyed it. I also was told that I looked like a Uruguayan, which is always a confidence-boost! Now I just need to nail down their accent and all of their vocabulary/grammar... check back in with me 0n that in about three months...
Here are four other little "week 41 treats" for ya:
1st treat: On Friday it was soo so rainy, windy, and yucky. PERFECT café/study weather. My friend Abby was kind enough to introduce me to a café en el centro with the most delicious (and resonably priced) food. It also has free wifi AND the staff didn't (verbally) mind us hanging out/studying in there for 5 hours. A+! A+! I had a great time chatting, eating, and laughing with Abby as I studied and she wrote letters to those back at home.
2nd treat: As I said, it was so gross outside on Friday. As I left the café and boarded the bus, the whole city just seemed dark... including the people. The sun may have been fading, but the rain kept on a'comin', and the wind, likewise. Let's just say public transportation is not the most fun in the rain. As we all sat on the bus, damp and crabby, a man boarded with a ukulele. "Damas y caballeros, muy, pero muy buenas tardes..." Oh boy, here we go. The man started to play his instrument and sing. This is nothing out of the ordinary. It happens all the time on the bus, and I usually always enjoy listening. But this time it just felt extra-special. I was looking at this man, happily strumming his ukulele and singing his heart out, and then looking at the people on the bus and at the weather outside, and I just had to smile. Such a lovely contrast: the ukulele man and the stormy weather/people. I wanted to film him with my iPhone, but I didn't know if that'd be creepy... But anyways, even though he will never read this: Thank you, kind sir, for stopping to play for us bus-ers despite the weather. And thank you for reminding me to smile despite the storm.
3rd treat: Friday night, my friend Lindsay and I went to "Joven Tango." When we arrived, we quickly realized that the people who typically come to "Joven Tango" are noooOo000ot so joven. (The word 'joven' means 'young'.) But we went in anyways, and oh boy am I glad we did! Our plan was just to watch, as neither of us really dance the tango--Lindsay had taken a couple of workshops beforehand, and I...just have never tango-ed. As we were observing, a man approached and asked if I wanted to dance. I told him I didn't know how to tango, but that I could try! It was one of those, "Welp, here goes nothin'!," moments I often have here in Uruguay. As I was dancing, a man who ended up being a tango professor asked Lindsay to dance, and from that point forward, we danced the night away! We were both in combat-type boots (because of the rain), quite different from the stilettos that adorned the other women's feet, but that didn't stop us! We danced on our tip-toes for hours and learned to tango from our guides. It was so much fun. I woke up the next day with sore legs and Lindsay with a sore back. Despite the obvious discomfort, the soreness was like a nice little memory of a nice little night of tango!
Fourth treat: I babysat last night--5 little boys and a little girl. When the boys decided to have a "Nerf war," I felt right at home. I love seeing kids just be kids.
And with that, I sign off to go for a run and then STUDY some more! WoohhOooooOo! Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I have one of my first big tests on Thursday. Essay format, in Spanish. Let's hear another "woohhOooooOo"! WoohhOooooOo!
I hope all is well and spring-y for you back in the U.S.A. BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all of my friends who graduated yesterday! So proud of you all!
Cheers--
Courtney
Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum. Delicioso!
Noooot the most convenient.
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