Another side of Yucatan

Sunday July 5th, 2009 3:41 PM

I wish I was more fluent than I am. Last night and today, the Señora’s daughter, Jhenny has been over. She lived in North Carolina for two months teaching Spanish or something, and she started speaking English to me and I feel like I just want to cheat all the time because it’s so much easier. I feel like when it’s just me and the Señora and the maid, even if I don’t know what is going on I can just say sí and who knows what will happen, but when she’s here too, she can tell that I don’t understand and I feel dumb and she explains it to me in English.

I really like Jhenny. She’s 30, and works at a bank. Today she and la Señora and I went to this store, I think it’s called Charo or something, I can’t remember. But it was really American, like a JCPenney or Dillards. With the same brands and everything! It was cool to see, but the prices of the things were the same as they are at home. I wouldn’t mind Jhenny being around more because she’s nice and cool and younger, but I just let myself slip into English with her. Haha.

Today was my first time sleeping in in forever! I slept til 10:30 and it felt so good. The maid gave me another blasted hot dog for lunch. Yuch. I just eat it. I learned a mayan word. Cho’ ok, I think it is. It means vamos which means let’s go.

I’m in a dumb rut. Like I feel dumb now. At first I thought I was smart since I got put in the second highest Spanish and all, but now I feel like I hit a wall and I’m not learning like I was. I guess at the beginning I just learned a lot of common expressions I had never used, but now all I have to learn is everything else and it isn’t coming as fast.

I did homework for a couple hours this morning, I still have to finish it, but it’s not bad. In a little bit the Stephen’s friends are going to pick me up and take me somewhere. Haha, I never know what is going on.

Today I found out that me and the maid are going to take my laundry to the laundry place tomorrow, so I’m glad they solved that mystery before I even asked.

10:51 PM

Today was a good day! Got to sleep in, did some stuff different than usual with different people. In the afternoon, the people the Stephens hooked me up with, Ricardo and his wife picked me up and took me to two churches. The first one was pretty much in a garage with about five families there. The next one was a lot bigger and nicer and I think it was the one our church used to work on. If Tim Timmes or someone reads this: Ricardo could use lots of help if you are looking for a place to send mission teams. He has ideas for the church that is in the garage. My favorite part was getting to know his daughter who was the same age as me! It’s just cool to see different churches in different places.

I just figured out where I live on the map, so that’s an accomplishment, not like I can do much with that. Ricardo’s daughter told me that I live in one of the nicest areas of town so that’s pretty cool! Even though la Señora doesn’t have a car, I could tell they were well off just by how she and her daughter present themselves.

The worst thing about Mexico may be that they have so many speed bumps! Even on high ways and stuff it seems like there are speed bumps every five seconds! And not just normal ones, huge spherical ones that give you whip lash every time you pass one!

I feel like I’m in an awkward stage in knowing Spanish. I’m beyond the basics, and I can get by, but I’m not fluent. So many times I hear people talking and don’t even hear words. I feel dumb at the house a lot of times, because today they told me they have usually had grad students who are fluent and coming back to learn Mayan and crazy stuff. While I’m just a sophomore with 5 years of practically remedial high school Spanish, and hardly any experience. I keep thinking how fun it would be to go back and take or teach the beginning Spanishes again. Haha. Maybe I’ll give up on Spanish and work on mastering Mayan. That would be useful! Haha

I have not watched a TV or spoken on a phone or texted in almost two weeks, that has to be a record. I don’t miss having a phone. Less stressful to not have to deal with constant buzzing and quick responses. Just planning things and meeting. I kind of like not having a cell phone where people can know exactly where I am at all times. There are a lot of times when I think of someone to tell a friend, can’t text right then, and never remember to e-mail the next day. Haha. No es importa.