Mi horario y unas risas...

Today I FINALLY found out exactly which classes I’ll be taking this semester and what my schedule is going to be! For the first time ever, I have no Friday classes!!! SUCH GOOD NEWS! That means that if I want to go to the beach or anything like that with my friends, that I have a three-day weekend to do so, or potentially longer if we leave on Thursday after class. I’m definitely excited about that! I’m taking four classes this semester – all advanced Spanish classes! Each class meets twice a week. Most of the classes are two hours at a time… SHEESH! Two hours for one class? I’m used to having 50-minute classes, I’m going to have to get plenty of sleep so that I won’t be falling asleep! Here are the classes that I am taking:

1. Business Spanish
2. Latin American culture and civilization
3. Advanced Oral and Written Expression
4. Advanced Grammar

Whew! Hopefully that won’t be too challenging…. Classes start tomorrow and I’m really looking forward to it! We have been very bored these last few days as all we have had to do is orientation stuff. I’m looking forward to having a schedule again and having work to do; however, a month from now I’m sure I’ll give my right leg to not have any schoolwork to do!

Ok, funny story for the day! Moriah and I were in our rooms this afternoon when our host mom (I’m going to call her mamí from now on) came and asked us if we wanted panqueques (pancakes). It was only 4:30, early dinner? We agreed and came out to the kitchen. She had some friends over so we all ate panqueques together. Well, once we finished, she asked us: What time do you want to eat dinner? A little confused I asked, “wasn’t this dinner?” “Oh no!” she replied, “This was cafecito!”. Oh yes! It’s all coming back to me now! This is not the U.S. this is Costa Rica! Hopefully soon I’ll be accustomed again to the daily life here! Well, the story get’s better. She served us dinner soon after this, and when it was finished, she got up to clear the table. She comes back into the dining room with a high stool and sits down, a level above all of us, but still at the table. Then, she whipped off her shirt! Moriah and I were sitting there taking this all in and trying to hide our shock and laughter. Then her friend came over with a bottle of lotion and started giving her a massage! We soon learned that her friend is a “professional” and used to do this for a living. She didn’t just give her a gentle massage like I’m used to seeing, no, this was a vigorous routine which involved thrusting mamí’s arms and jolting her neck to pop the joints! Since I’m going to be a nurse, they explained to me all about mamí’s back and how she has pain and this helps her. No one acted at all like this was even slightly out of the ordinary. In fact, mamí kept talking to Moriah and I, while she was sitting there with her bright pink bra on. Awww, I am certainly living in a house full of just women! Moriah and I had a good laugh about this later on!