Mark's Adventures

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Location: Abilene, TX, United States

Friday, January 25, 2008

Hamburguesa con queso, por favor

So one week down and I feel that this is going to be a pretty fun semester. So far I’ve been able to get around quite easy with the map Kelsey Young gave me that she used last semester. We have been to the beach and have enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon at the park where I read underneath a huge shade tree. It is fun just to get out of the house and see what you’ll find next.
Last Saturday we went in search of a fast, cheap meal around Casa ACU. We found a Hamburguesa cart…stall…street vendor…I’m not exactly sure what you call it. We walked up and ordered. “Hamburguesa con queso, por favor.” Which was followed by a “huh?” or say it again. We repeated ourselves and they understood. Let me back up. There are three girls about my age working at this stand and we are the only customers at the time. So they then asked something in Spanish that I guessed was asking what we wanted on the burger. I took a chance and got the “chimichurri sauce.” One of the girls figured out that we don’t speak much Spanish and she tried to use her English skills with us. It was fun trying to order and the hamburguesa was pretty good for a dollar. Since then I have been back several times and the girls always laugh when they see me or someone from our group.
Classes are going fine. We have lots to read, but very interesting readings (and if you hear that from me you know something is up). One thing about the actual classroom is that it is hot and small. Also the desks are very small and hard to get comfortable when you have one class after another. Our Spanish teacher Amelia is very funny and is whipping us through our Spanish book at lightning speeds. She makes it fun, but I can tell it is frustrating for some that have never had Spanish before.
Our final story for the week is quite funny. Last night was the first parade to start the Carnaval season. This is the lead up to Fat Tuesday and lent things…I believe. Well we walked down to a part of Av. 18 to get seats right before the opening float came by at about 8:45. Then we sat and sat and didn’t realize that there would be 10 minutes between all 71 floats. We watched as little kids ran in the streets squirting confetti stuff everywhere and on everything. We saw different “acts” that would come down the street dancing or doing some routine. It was fun just to watch the people around us and see their reactions to the things going on. Around 10 o’clock several of our group decided to head back to Casa ACU because we knew the parade was not going to be over until at least 1 or 1:30. After they left we watched a group of tango dancers come by and then a truck drove by with “dancers” decked out in feathers and scandalous costumes. As the trucked passed by there was a pole in the middle of the truck where a “dancer” was doing her thing. Everyone’s reactions were hilarious. It was funny to also think about how ACU paid for us to see this since they are the one who bought us the seats. After a few more floats we head back through the crowds of smoking drunken people to arrive again safely back at Casa ACU with funny stories to tell.
No class on Fridays so we have been kind of lazy this morning. I woke up about 10:30, but this afternoon we are going to the Pre-Colombian museum for our INTS class. Tomorrow we are going to Punta del Este, a resort beach town. Chau!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Bienvenidos Montevideo!

Hola!!! This is our first Monday in Uruguay and we started classes today. Since our first day here we have been getting to know the area around Casa ACU. We found where we can buy groceries, Disco, where we can get soap and shampoo, TaTa, and where we can eat really good emapanadas, Molto Bene. It has been fun just to be able to get out and try to learn where things are and practice the VERY little Spanish I know and feel comfortable using. The area of town that we live in is bustling with busses, cars, bicycles, and lots of people walking as well. I enjoy trying to catch someone’s eye and seeing if they will smile back at me.
So far the Casa ACU “family” is getting along well and we are learning to cope with late nights and early mornings. We all love the food Raquel and Mariella cook for us during the week and I can smell the wonderful aromas right now as I write this blog. Also yesterday we had a big warm welcome from the Iglesia de Cristo on the other side of our building. We enjoyed many kisses, Spanish miscommunications, and wonderful food and fellowship. I can tell it will be necessary to go to bed pretty early on Saturday night so I will have enough energy to understand the service and the side conversations afterwards.
Also another thing to tell about…yesterday, Holly, Josh and I rode the bus to la playa de Positos where I proceeded to lay on the beach without any sunscreen and now my back is totally sunburned and is feeling quite warm at this moment.
Hope all is going well with you and pass on this blog to whomever you think will enjoy reading about my adventures abroad. Adios!!!