My first two weeks of intensive Spanish lessons are complete. Next week I will only go two days a week for three hours each day. It had gotten to the point that I could not take in any more information. By the time I got finished with 5 hours of class and home, I did not at all feel like studying nor could I. And by the end of the week my brain was totally fried. Now that I know some basic grammar, phrases and a little vocabulary, going every other day for a shorter period of time, I am hoping to be able to concentrate my studying on the multitude of voacabulary that I was given these two weeks and just could not absorb. I'll see how this idea works. My classes will still be taught in Spanish. Immersion seems to be a great way to learn. I am trying my hardest not to convert the Spanish to English. I can understand a whole lot more than I can speak. I am keeping my fingers crossed.



Mark has been in Guadalajara (sp) the past couple of days. It has been so quiet around here. He comes home tonight. We have a three day weekend this weekend. So many holidays!! I wish I had known this one was coming and I would have booked us to go somewhere like maybe the beach. I am not quite sure what we will be doing. I do know that Mark finally has the legal authorization to enter into a contract so.... I will finally get my car!! I had to chose a car from the companies who use Makino machines. As you know, I was a bit town between the Honda Fit, Civic, and Nissan Sentra. After having been driving on the streets for a little bit now, I think I want the Fit. Some of the streets are sooooooo naarrow and the parking spaces are difficult to navigate at times. If Mark feels the Fit has the accelleration I need then that will be my little car. I think it will be a 2011 model, and I do not know at all whaat options are available. It will most likely be siver as my choice are red, silver, black, white and possibly crayon blue. Color choices are limited here in all makes of cars. I will have a bit more freedom and grocery shopping will be so much easier.

With Mark going out of town, I had to learn how to drive into the Centro (center of the city) to get to my lessons. I was scared out of my wits to learn. The streets are winding and are not marked well or even marked incorrectly. You learn to navigate soley by your surroundings ( buildings, stores, monuments). The biggest problem I have is losing my bearings. Well, that and I have a huge fear of getting lost here. Mark had great patience riding in the passenger seat while I drove to and from school for a couple of hours. I probably did the difficult part of the drive 6 or 7 times. After I learned how to get from home to school and home again, I then had to learn how to gt to school from Mark's work as I had to drop him off at work before school so I could have the car while he was out of town. I did it and only got misplaced once. Luckily i knew where I was, I jsut did not kow how to gt to where i wanted to be. A quick phone call to Mark and her navigated me back on track. Teamwork. It is the only way to survive!!
Adios mi Amigos!

Espanol

Spanish lessons have begun --uuggh! I do not think I have had to cocentrate this much in 20 years!! It is much more difficult to learn a new language at this age than in high school and college!! Maybe it will stick better once it gets into my brain, well, I guesss I should say IF.

My vocabulary is so small at this point that it is difficult to say what I want. I only know 5 or 6 verbs, three of which are the verb 'to be'. I have, however, made some progress. Mark and I went to the store to find a sewing machine and I manage to say a few things to get my point across.


My sewing room is now set up. All the wools are neatly folded and organized by color. I purchased two work tables yesterday. With the addition of the sewing machine, the mitten shop is now functioning and running.

Funny thing about that...they only sell gloves down here, no mittens!! What a market! My spanish teacher came up to me after class with a crudely made pair of mittens on her hands and asked if I owuld pick up a pair for her the next time I was in the States. What a suprise to her when I said that I make them! I told her I would make her a pair as long as she told me where I could find a sewing machine. She was immediately on the hunt and by the time I left school, we had a list of a few places to check out and had walked through the center of the city talking spanish, well, she did and I spoke my broken works, and looking into 5 or 6 stores for a machine. I can't wait to give her a pair!


Tomorrow we are going to a place to see and learn about the Otomi people who are indigenous to an area near here. We are going with the newcomers club and will be tasting the food and seeing them make their crafts. They are known for using cactus fiber to weave things. We will also learn their customs.


I had a few camera problems recently, I am still planning on getting a few more day of the dead pictures on here if I can manage to get them uploaded.

Buenos Noches!

Dia de los Muertos

Today is a national Holiday Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead. You know it as All Soul's Day. Yesterday was a holiday for many people, All Saints Day. Belowis a link to the traditional celbration by the indigenous. Put your cursor betweenthe starts and the link will show up.
*** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3obZze-V0YI&feature=related ***
I have also attached a link to a utube video of the celbration of this holiday in San Miguell de Allende. It is about 1/2 hour from our house. This kind of celbration is happening EVERYWHERE. When you see the skeletons dressed like ladies with big hats, those are Katrina Dolls and are designed to remember special things or nuances about someone who is dead. Marigolds are everywhere. the altars have favorites of the departed like breads,drinks, vices, etc. Enjoy!
Put your cursor over the space between the stars below and the link will appear, then click!
*** www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsTJ2qd4-P0 ***
Check out this parade in Oaxaca. Same thing...link is between starts
*** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86_Z0Nscs9g&NR=1 ***
When you visit these links, go ahead and clink on the other videos that are related, they are all great!