Di Me

Di me 

Questions and Answers

This is an email I received from Justin, so I thought I’d just post it as my daily blog, just to answer anyone elses questions J

I am really curious about some things:
1. What are the beds like there?

My bed sucks. The sheets never stay on and the mattress is just a small pad on a wood frame. I’m not complaining though, I could sleep on anything.

2. What is your school really like? I.e. how big are your classes? Do u just cover Spanish or do u learn about the history and politics and the like?

My school is good. My classes for most of the day are only four people and we talk about everything from guys to drugs to pet management.  I think the classes are good but I feel like I’m not learning as much as I should be. I’m not blaming the school, but the curriculum is different than I was expecting. The last part of my day is the most fun, we cook or dance or go on an excursion.

3. What are the restaurants like?

The restaurants are like home, some are terrible and some are really nice. We went to a restaurant yesterday that was really nice, they gave us a three course meal (of stuff I had no idea what it was) and gave souvenirs when we left. But I think they are used to having gringos there. Everyone speaks spanish, however.

4. What is a dance club like there and how are the people?

Dance clubs are different. People dance like crazy, and to a live band.  A guy will ask you to dance, you will go out and dance for a song or two, then go back to your table, there is no pressure to give numbers or even talk after dancing. Dancing is just dancing.

5. How impoverish is it there; you said the area you are in is somewhat well off, but how close are the slummy parts or is it everywhere?

Its pretty bad. Right now there is a terrible rain storm out side, 2 feet of water in the streets, flooding staircases. I cant help but think of the people who have no roofs or just plastic coverings on their shacks.  When its hot there is no protection from the sun. There are lost dogs everywhere, everywhere.  People eat food covered in flies and bees, and food that sits in the streets for a long while. There are beggars, and there are children selling things in the markets. 50% of the country is in poverty.

6. Do you use more proper spanish or more slang when speaking to locals and the family? I only use proper spanish cause im not cool enough to use slang

7.  Do the drivers speak english?

NO. Always I have to speak spanish. Almost no one speaks English.

8. How does grocery shopping go? Do they shop everyday or is it like here where they go like once a week?

Im not really sure because I go grocery shopping on my own. But the grocery stores are different here, its very difficult to find healthy food.

9. Have you been painting at all?

No. The rain has stopped me from doing many many things. I cant go out when there is a lightning storm, because all the shops are outside. L

10. How different was the orphanage from the U.S.? They must learn and adjust and grow up faster like any child in foster care? Do the children ever get adopted there? Do they have foster homes like they do here?

I was wondering all of these things also. The orphanage was clean for the most part, and the kids seemed as happy as possible. But I don’t know if  many people adopt because everyone here is already very poor.

11. Have you been making friends outside of school and the family?

I haven’t really had a chance, once again, the rain has stopped me from being able to go out a lot. But I would really like to, my spanish would improve greatly.

12. I will answer this one privately! J

13. Does everyone there have amazing traditions that they live by within society or within individual families?
There are many cool traditions. Drinking tequila, shooting fireworks, eating tacos with strangers. There are many different things here.      

14. Could a person get by only speaking english if they had to?

No. And yes. It would be really difficult but if you had all your addresses written down you could figure it out.. but you would get taken advantage of. Ive had to talk people down a few times because they try to take advantage of us.

15. Are you getting pretty fluent with your spanish?
I  speak pretty well, but I have a lot to learn. I can get by, I can understand everything, but I get nervous when I try to put a sentence together.

16. Do you really miss me?

Of course J

17. How are the boys coming along with their spanish?

Boys are doing pretty well, they understand better than they speak it. But that’s to be expected.

18. Have you been able to play any music there?

I bought a guitar, its crappy but it’s a guitar. I played for the family and im going to take it to school tomorrow to play for the them. Other than that I bought a harpsichord type thing and a Mexican flute made out of clay, like an ocarina :P

Im going to try and scrape up a few words to say about my adventure today and I will post it asap.