First Day of Classes

Today was a great day because it was my first day of classes at school. I went to school a little bit early today so that I could find my class and arrive on time for the first day. My first class is Basic Spanish 2. This class meets everyday, Monday through Friday from 8am to 12pm. Luckily I get a thirty minute break in between. But, the class is so fun that the time literally flies by. In this class, I actually met someone who is from Concordia Texas! It definitely felt kind of nice to have someone from one of the Concordia's in my class. During the break, I had to find my Resident Director, Elizabeth, so she can fix my classes. I was able to add another class to my schedule and get everything straightened out. The cool thing about this class is that it is only going to be one month long. At the beginning of February, I will get a new class that will also be one month long.

 

My second class, Basic Oral Communication,  is actually taught by the same professor who teaches my first class. This class is every Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm-3pm. This class lasts the entire time I will be in Costa Rica. This will be nice because I think it will really help me converse in Spanish better. This class is very small, there is only 5 students in the class which I think will help to make it more individualized and specific to what we need to work on and improve when it comes to speaking.

 

My third class, Human Rights in Latin America, is actually really interesting. This is my only class in English! It meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 3pm-5pn and it also lasts the entire time I will be in Costa Rica. This class has a lot of students and the professor is actually from England! It makes me feel even better because English is her first language and I think the class will actually allow me to be in my comfort zone more. This class also has two field trips which I am looking forward to because since I have been at Concordia, I have only ever had 1 field trip! I think that is probably one of the things I miss most about high school and grade school. Field trips are always fun because they help to stimulate what you are learning in the classroom. The only downside to this class is that I feel like it might be a lot of work.

 

However, I think I have a pretty awesome schedule because on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays I am done with school after 12pm. In March, I will only have two classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1pm-5pm and the rest of the week I will be free. It will be nice to get time to focus on my training and on exploring more in Costa Rica.

 

Today after school, my roommates and I decided to go to the local Walmart. For the first time in my life, I think I went into a store and bought only what I was going into the store for. Usually I always walk out with extra stuff, but not today! I made a list and actually stuck to it. On the way back from Walmart, a cab driver tried to take advantage of us because we were American. Luckily we noticed the situation and took it into our own hands. Next time, I'll know exactly how to handle the situation in case this happens again. After returning to the house, we ate dinner and my two roommates went to a dance class while I just stayed in a relaxed at home. I've been so tired from all the eventful activities, that I haven't really gotten the chance to sleep more. I am definitely looking forward to going away this weekend so that I can get some sleep and relax without stressing out too much.

 

Tomorrow, I only have my Basic 2 class in the morning and afterwards, Jen and Courtney (my two friends from AIFS) are going to go check out the gym and try to get set up there. The sooner I can start my training here, the better! I definitely am feeling a bit homesick because I do miss my teammates and being at my own school. But, I am going to have an amazing experience here and I definitely am super grateful that I get this opportunity. Sorry, this lacks pictures and isn't as long as the other posts. I am literally fighting to stay away and write this right now. But, I'm off to bed and I'm excited to see what day 3 in Costa Rica has in store for me!

 

Aracelis