Rosario

Our group, plus a few teachers (a little blurry, but oh well)

A week ago I started Spanish classes at the Universidad Nacional de Rosario. I tested in at level 4 (yay!), but I still have lots to learn. The interesting thing is that I apparently have one of the highest levels of Spanish in our group. This has been an interesting role for me because it has pushed me to use my Spanish more. When I am out with a group, they often ask me to do the asking or the talking, which has been good. I have been pushed out of my comfort zone as far as navigating taxes, buses, subways and walking around town.

The building where our Spanish classes are held.

Because a couple of the other girls in our group are not taking Spanish this term, I happen to be on my own with my teacher. This has been a good challenge and has forced me to openly admit every time I don’t understand something. There is no happy head nodding just to get through the class because I can’t get away with not understanding. I have really appreciated Nora’s (my teacher) patience and willingness to adapt lessons to fit what I need to learn. My favorite part is that she is often pushing me to list synonyms or say things in different ways, which I am hoping will build my limited vocabulary.

The other thing about Rosario (and Argentina in general) is that I have had more coffee in the last two weeks than in the rest of my life combined! I have coffee every morning for breakfast and usually some coffee at some other point during the day. I have learned, though, that I can get a lagrima instead of a straight coffee. Lagrima means tears (crying) in Spanish and therefore translates to hot milk with just a “tear” of coffee. I have also discovered chocolatadas or Submarino Havanas which are pretty much hot milk with chocolate melted in it. Yum!

I am finally adapting to the eating schedule here- breakfast when I get up to go to class (7:30am or 9:00am depending on the day), lunch at 2pm, coffee around 5:30 or 6:00pm and then dinner around 9:00pm. My only complaint is that I hate eating and then going to bed, but since bedtime doesn’t seem to be until 12:00am (or if you go out, closer to 4am since most things start around 1am) it allows for a little time for food to settle before bed. Good thing I will have two weeks to try and readjust before going back to teaching when I return!