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| lo sientoI am sorry. I feel guilty right now that I have only written two xanga entries for my time in Mexico. I only have 3 full days left here. I can't wait to go home! This has been a good experience but I definitely do not want to spend the rest of my life here. I feel so much more at home in Europe but oh well.
I am gearing up for my finals at the end of this week. The toughest thing will be the difference between the preterite and imperfect verb tenses.
We haven't done a whole lot of exciting things recently. Two weekends ago we went to the Guadalajara Zoo which was neat. I got to go in a monkey exhibit and feed little monkeys. I am adding the pictures so that you can see. I am getting a little sad about leaving. I am not sad to leave my classes or the country but my friends. My roommate Tiffany and I have become as close as sisters. We spend so much time together and so it will be weird for both of us to leave each other. She and her husband are moving to Ohio too so I might not see her for a long time. Even sadder is the probability of not ever seeing our Brazilian friend, Murilo, again. He is such a great guy and I will miss him a lot.
I called Starbucks in Tulsa and got my shifts for next week. I am working all in the early mornings! 5 am, 6 am and 7 am! That will be an adjustment because in the past I have always worked at night.
Well, that's all for now folks! I'll probably write again when I get back to the states.
Dios te bendiga.
Michelle
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| Senor Blue EyesI just had one of the best days yet in Mexico. I got my grade from Nivel 1: 96%!! And it will transfer as 5 credit hours back to OU. I am muy feliz.
I am enjoying my Nivel 2 class so far as well. My conversation professor is a believer and I have heard a lot of good things about his teaching from multiple people who have had him before.
To top it all off, today I walked home from school alone. It was kind of nice to do an "Oklahoma walk" as my roommate Tiffany calls it. She is from Seattle and always walks a big city fast pace. Usually that is good so that we make it to class on time. So this afternoon I enjoyed the scenery and prayed for my friends as I walked.
I am going to share with you now a special part of our walk. On our 35 minute route to and from the university, we pass two preschools. Tiffany and I always smile and say Buenas Dias to the little kids and workers. One of the workers at the school we have dubbed "Senor Blue Eyes". He is guapissimo, a real "mango" as people say here. He is Mexican but he has brilliant blue eyes. Well, today maybe because I was feeling so on top of the world, I talked to him more! It was exciting and challenging to talk in Spanish to someone who really didn't speak any English. Now I know too that "Senor Blue Eyes" has a real name: Hugo. hmm. In Spanish it is not the prettiest of names, it really sounds more like "ooogo" because the H is silent. Oh well.
Hasta luego amigos! I hope you all are doing well. It is kind of weird to update this xanga thing again. Does anyone still read it? I honestly didn't use it at all this last year. It is a good way to let everybody know what is going on when I am abroad. Dios te bendiga.
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| GuadalajaraThis entry is shamefully overdue. So I'll make it up by writing a whole lot!
Since my last entry I have changed countries! I am studying abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico for the summer at the Universidad Autonoma. I am nearing the end of my first month of level 1 intensive Spanish. Classes have been frustratingly easy. But OU told me that I have to stay in level 1 and 2 if I want to get my 10 credit hours. My professors are really great though so that makes learning numbers and colors a little more bearable.
I am living with a Mexican family of four but I have an American roommate named Tiffany. We get along very well but we talk in English too much to each other. We're going to work on that.
In some ways, I feel like I haven't left the states. Guadalajara is one of the most Americanized cities I have ever been in. My house has wireless internet, cable television with lots of American tv shows (with Spanish subtitles), there is an Applebees on the same street as my university and I have already counted 3 Starbucks.
I am blessed though because I have been able to go to two Mexican churches since I have been here. I have an Assembly of God missionary friend named Angie who has connected me with some Mexican Christians. I have teared up at each church service because I feel so privileged to worship with new brothers and sisters in the Lord. Last Sunday, I got to sing a song that my church in Limoges played in French, I have sung in American services and now learned in Spanish in Mexico! It was a taste of heaven.
My Spanish language ability is still pretty minimal but I can communicate. Knowing French helps a lot but I pronounce a lot of Spanish words in French which confuses people. C'est la vie. Tampis.
I am going to wrap this up but I have a quick funny language story to tell. My brother Brian married his girlfriend of 4 1/2 years two weeks ago. It was a beautiful wedding and a lot of fun too. It was a little crazy because I had to fly in from Mexico for the weekend but it all worked out. One of the first things I did when I got to Guadalajara (abbreviated it is GDL) was to tell my professors and the international office that I was going to have to miss Friday classes to fly home for the wedding. The Spanish word for wedding or wedding reception is BODA. The Spanish word for mouth is BOCA. I got them mixed up and told a couple people that I had to leave on Friday to go to my brother's mouth. :-} live learn and laugh at yourself.
Dios te bendiga!
Michelle
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| on rounds...So tonight I am on RA rounds. Which means that I get to patrol the hallways of Couch Center and make sure that everybody behaves. Tonight I am especially drowsy because it has been a very busy weekend! Friday night I volunteered at the 37th annual Eve of Nations. It was really neat. I handed out four boxes of programs and saw many of my international student friends. I really love being around people from other countries! Then Saturday I got up early and participated in the Big Event "OU's official day of community service" I must confess that I didn't want to do it. I was required to do it for my scholarship. But now I am so glad I got to do it. My group helped organize a co-op for foster families. It was like a store for them to go to and get clothes, strollers, toys etc for their foster children. It was really neat and run by Christians! I would like to go back there next year if possible.
That brings me to today. I worked the drive-thru at Starbucks-not the easiest thing to do. In fact, I do not have very happy feelings for the person who first decided to knock a hole in the wall of a restaurant so people could more conveniently get food. and lattes.
Well, now it is midnight and I need to make sure that all the freshmen are obeying the "no opposite sex after midnight" curfew. I hope that I don't have to cite anyone!
I also hope that you all are doing well. I know it has been awhile since I updated but not much has changed since January. I correctly predicted that I would be reading a lot in French. I think right now we've read about 12 books all together. phew.
Have a blessed week!
Michelle
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| The next four months of my life I will be reading reading reading. En
francais! In one of my 4000 level French classes we've already read 310
pages of a Balzac novel! Plus two plays by Moliere. It is a good thing
I don't mind reading but the Balzac novel can be pretty boring in
parts. I am still technically a Starbucks barista. I haven't been able
to work any yet in Norman but hopefully tomorrow. I am going home to
T-town next weekend which will be a nice break. I am really looking
forward to getting away from the dorms and seeing my awesome family.
Oh! Brian and Roxana are engaged! They are getting married the end of
May. We are all really happy for them and all of us kids will be in the
wedding.
I have been in an interesting phase of life these last couple months.
Sort of an inbetween chapters if life is a book. I am probably
going to get involved more with Wildwood Community Church in Norman.
They started a new college ministry and I really like it. I don't think
I will be going back to Chi Alpha but I am going to do a bible study
with a few Chi Alpha girls. RA life is good as always but it involves
so much planning ahead-a lot of times even months ahead!
I better go now but if anyone still reads this journal thing let me know! I don't know whether or not I should keep it up.
As always-May the Lord bless you and make his face shine upon you and give you peace.
Michelle
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