I've been writing and reading a lot of emails lately. and i just want to say. It's really wonderful to hear from you guys. I miss you and really like knowing what's going on with you.
It's raining here. and it's cold. really cold. and I'm poised to begin the week with all sorts of thoughts churning in my head.
culture. I may have already written this, but "cultural perspective" takes on a whole new-multi-faceted and overly complicated meaning when you're in a inter-cultural relationship. oh we see the world in so many ways the same. oh we see the world in so many ways different. and yet- it's not super easy, but so rewarding--I don't even like that word "rewarding" in this context-i really mean that its lovely. and I'm learning and reevaluating my thinking all the time. trying to not automatically privilege my perspective, trying to take lots of deep breaths when I speak in spanish about complicated "feelings" and such. HA.
I should wash my hands more often. I'm just saying. I should. I'm sick too often. oh, maybe thats because I dont have heat! ha-
It's freezing here. Windy, Wet, and Cold. I don't dislike it though, the rain is comforting.
I neatly turned in my paper on friday. well, really I just emailed it. and I'm super proud of it. I procrastinated as usual, but a 12 page research paper in spanish where I only had to look up three words in the dictionary means something people. it means progress! and not the machine, technology way.
I went to see the Director of the Postgrad lit programs last week, and I was soooo nervous, but I just did it. I mean, the thing is, when I get my nervous. . . my spanish just sucks. and I. . . needed to touch base with him and make sure it was still ok for me to be taking masters classes this semester, but I also wanted to talk to him more about me wanting to stay to do the masters here. . .so i just took a deep breath. and he was AMAZINGLY COOL. and extremely excited that I want to stay. . . he even told me he would help look for scholarships for me! and now i just have to prepare for the application and the entrance exam, which is an oral interview with all the faculty (YIKES!), but I'll be ready. . . and I'll figure out some way to calm the nerves. anyways, so that's nothing but good news.
My job is a little crazy right now because due to some rather sad and unfortunate circumstances my lovely and wonderful "big sis" Sierra, had to go back to the states, and we're not sure when or if she will come back.
so, that left me to coordinate all the native speaking professors in my program. which was at the time just me!!!!!! and by coordinate i mean like figuring out what days and times all the conversation classes will be this semester (39 classes, over 400 students), and figuring out whose going to teach them (I was slightly panicking for a few days because we still didnt have more teachers). Luckily, Barret flew in Friday. I dont really know anything about him except that he's from the states and will be working full time (thank god!). so, I feel a little less stressed. It's still a lot of work, but there are perks. Like for example, I got offered this side job to teach english to the university faculty and staff (who are soooooo coool) for 30 dollars an hour (15 mil pesos)!!!!! I know, seriously right!!!!???
so that's, ridiculously cool and hopefully i will be able to save some money. . . and maybe even buy a car (I'm looking around).
I'll fill you all in more about my classes I'm taking and teaching as they unfold.
I still miss Sally and Sierra. and I'm thinking about you Sierra.
I don't have any pictures this week. As we speak my lovely boy friend (I really like the word lovely now adays. it was sally. she rubbed the word off on me) is on his way to santiago with his brother and he's going to drop off my camera at the camera shop there. he gets major points for that.
I'm thinking a lot about culture and gender right now (well, I always am), but specifically about how the two interact and how I think that a person becomes very aware of their own identity and identity struggles when they live in another culture. I am constantly over-aware of who I am here, sometimes in good ways and sometimes not.
this entry isnt funny at all. sorry. I did flood the bathroom yesterday. but it totally wasnt my fault that the sink was clogged and the washing machine water drain was in the sink. I mean, how was i supposed to know it was clogged? we did a lot of water scooping into a dust pan.
I'm such a bad friend and haven't mailed a bday present yet that i have had for a month. I'm doing it tomorrow. seriously.
and I'm also signing up for the gym tomorrow. 7:30 aerobics here i come. no more potona around here. don't ask. somebody called me that (i think in a good way), but I'm pretty sure it means fat a**. curvy girls just can't get a break. Katherine Heigl I love you-go girl.
speaking of my favorite grey's anatomy character. great greys quote:
"Hey. I ate everything out of the fridge last night-everything-including the tub of butter. There's no judgement here."-Izzie
This quotation. is my life.
I'm not really obsessed with the show, I just watched some of the old episodes while I was procrastinating and not writing my paper.
it's raining hard. and I think I will go to sleep now. it's like 1 am or something crazy and I have signing up for aerobics to do. I promise there will be blogging about the exercising. i cant wait to learn exercise commands in spanish or be that crazy giant gringa going the wrong way because she can't understand the directions.
that was funny. maybe. a little.? love you mom. miss you and love you family.
email me people!
hoping you and yours are happy and safe,
una aurora,
Mere
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