learning spanish

May

05

Las Noticias de Prisa

Blog Posts / Personal / she loves to travel / 1 comments

Just a quick update…. I’m working on a mega-post about things to see in Chihuahua, and also need to get back to work on a few articles I am hoping to sumbit to an online travel website that pays. The idea of earning money because I have traveled places and like to write still seems to good to be true, but I am going to try.

Meanwhile, I am packing my bags, buying things, and eating lots of Mexican food. I had my ultimo día de clase today! =’( The good news is that I now understand that I need to use ultimo, not ultima when I’m talking about día, which happens to be el día. =) I have a despedida breakfast, Supercoldys get together, an unsure date with the girls, a lunch with my host mom and packing my suitcases to fit in antes de salir. Leaving Chihuahua in the morning Saturday and arriving in GR in the afternoon!

Michigan, you have three days to get your warm weather act together.

Oh, P.S. I took these pictures at a Vivero or Greenhouse-thing-outside Walmart. They are awful lovely if I do say so myself.

Rosa Bella

Primavera Anticipada

Lirio

Apr

24

Easter Weekend at Lirio

Blog Posts / Personal / she loves to travel / 1 comments

{Lucinda and I}

{the boys working hard carrying all the fruit in!}

{the adorable Lucinda eating limones}

{Belem, Linda and I went out for ice cream one night. They make the ice cream there in the shop and it’s super tasty.}

{walking down to the main home in the morning… It was nice to have some quiet time to myself to pray.}

{Papa Ed sending his first email! We had a little computer class, starting with the very basics.}

{Fresh Fruit. What a welcome sight at Lirio. Far to often Beans, Torillas and Rice and the only foods available. This weekend Liro was blessed with lots of fresh fruit!}

{Lovely finding a scorpion in the sugar…. Not!}

{Shelves=full. And this was taken before the second load of food was brought in!}

{Sisters}

{Linda making her famous cinnamon rolls with the kids}

Had a lovely long weekend and lily and didn’t want to come back to Chihuahua! My host family was kind enough to drop me off Thursday night, which gave me pretty much a full extra day there! Rosa and Ed were not in Chihuahua for the weekend, and my friend Belem who takes me sometimes couldn’t do it either. I was kind of worried and frustrated. One of the hardest things here is finding a ride. So excited to be home with my own car and not dependent on anyone for transportation!! I arrived late Thursday night, in time to chat with Linda who is down here working on some adoptions for two weeks.

Friday I was blessed with an amazing opportunity. Linda had been wanting to talk to one of the boys at Lirio about Christ, he is about 10 years old and has some deeps hurts and had been causing some problems. She asked me if I could translate for her. We walked over to the basketball court and sat in the shade to talk. As Linda spoke to this little boy, telling him about Christ’s love for us, and how God is always there to fill the emptiness in our lives, our eyes started to fill with tears. He accepted Christ that day and is changing his life for the better. It was such a touching experience to be used by God in the small position of an interpreter. Linda is such a neat lady and does so much with the adoptions at Lily. Pray for her while she is down here for the next weeks and also for my new little brother in Christ!

We had a service in Lily this morning, and in this link is a video from worship.

http://www.facebook.com/v/196476687062156

This was definitely a full weekend at Lirio! Looking forward to next weekend (my last!! =( ) Everything from cutting up pineapples to giving computer lessons. Now it’s back to class for the week, getting ready for the CLEP test. I’ve been told it’s easier than the school’s exam, which I have taken and did fine on, but I’m still a little nervous. The 12 year old who started packing for vacations a month ahead of time is coming out in me and I have started to pack one of my suitcases with the winter clothes I’m not using anymore… Sorting out which things I will leave behind as well… Baggage weight limits are so frustrating. Wish me luck and light suitcases!

Apr

15

“El Mapa” and other things that don’t make sense

Blog Posts / Personal / she loves to travel / 1 comments

One thing that I find confusing about the Spanish lanugage is the use of Masucline and Femine words and pronouns. I’m always saying “un” in place of “una” (See more on these little diablitos below) and completely botching the masculinity of words like “el clima” “el idioma” “el problema” and many more. I even have been known to say “Masculina y Feminino”…. Oops. In Spanish, the gender of the words changes everything. The adjectives and pronouns now have to match the gender of the noun.

The Diablitos. “Un” and “Una” + “Otra” and “Otro”. In Spanish you never say these two words together. Ever, ever, ever. (Unless you are an American botching up the Spanish language, that is.) I am always saying things like “No, no hablé con eso amigo. Hablé con un otro.” *WEEOWEEO* (bad Spanish alarm goes off) “No! No dices ‘un otro’. Dices ‘hablé con otro.” Oh the joys of literal translation. Saying “Hablé con otro amigo” in English is the equivalent of saying “I talked to other friend”, and doesn’t that sound educated? I am told that all American students have the “Un Otro” problem. My heritage has doomed me.

Well that’s my Spanish rant for the day. Yesterday went on a photo-excursion for class (last day with one of my teachers who also happens to love photography) then went out for raspados that night with some friends. Leaving for Lirio sometime today, not sure what time yet. Spending my morning looking over apartment/house plans for the fall (feels like it’s just around the corner!), editing a bunch of sweet pictures I took the other day in class (hehe, un otro día ;) There’s another one for you: Día. Who said days are masculine?!?), and having a Saturday indulgence of Oreos with Peanut Butter.

Nos Vemos!

Home-sweet-going to be crazy busy-home count? 22 days!

Mar

29

Spanish Tenses

Blog Posts / Personal / she loves to travel / 3 comments

Life is looking pretty fine as I sit in my bed with sunshine streaming through the window. Sadly, it’s not a good idea to sit outside with my laptop because home-theft has become and issue in the past couple years so I’m inside for the moment. I just finished learning the 15 tenses in the Spanish language in class this morning. *Confetti* This doesn’t mean I can use them all perfectly, far from it! Pretérito and Imperfecto del Subjuntivo were, and are, my weak spots.

 

1. Pretérito
2. Imperfecto
3. Participio Pasado
4. Futuro
5. Condicional
6. Presente Perfecto
7. Futuro Perfecto
8. Condicional Perfecto
9. Pluscuamperfecto
10. Presente del Subjuntivo
11. Presente Perfecto Del Subjuntivo
12. Imperfecto Del Subjuntivo
13. Pluscuamperfecto Del Subjuntivo
14. Presente
15. Futuro II

So I have studied through all the “hard stuff” in Spanish! Now it’s going to be review, practice, more practice and expanding my vocabulary.

Yesterday went to a Zumba class with some friends, it was fun, but hard! The teacher danced super fast and it was hard to keep up with her. We have decided to go and try out all the gyms in Chihuahua one time each… It’s free the first time around ;) Haha. Next up is kickboxing, hopefully!

Life in the States is still with me, I’ve been hunting down information about the Fall semester in GRCC’s monstrosity of a website and checking out transfer guides for GVSU… AND checking out North Central’s summer classes. I’m going to take a few there this summer- they are cheaper than GRCC, and I might as well get a little ahead so I can work more when I move to GR. This whole living-on-my-own thing is going to cost a lot of money. I’m afraid Online Shopping Binges are going to be a thing of the past. Sad face. I’m going to be non-stop when I get home…. I’m looking forward to it =) Michigan summers are the best things ever, hands down. I talked to my boss and I can come back to my previous job, and am also hoping to get some more photography jobs and maybe teach a Spanish class. Anyone interested? Shoot me an email. I will even cook Mexican food for the students if they behave ;). My host mom is going to teach my how to make MOLE today!! I’m not sure if I am more excited to learn how to make it or to eat it… debatable. I bought two jars to take home, but everything is better home made.

Well, time to finish the homework.

39 days until I see you, Michigan!

Mar

17

I actually speak Spanish!

Blog Posts / Personal / she loves to travel / 1 comments

I should be getting ready for bed…. Or sleeping… But I feel like writing instead. Oh well. I had a really fun night. I went out and had dinner with a new friend. She lived in Michigan for a year and a half, and has been to Petoskey! What are the chances? We had a lovely salad with lots of apples, strawberries, cheese and pecans. (Something she picked up in Michigan! Here a salad means Iceberg lettuce, tomato and lime. Nothing more.) We spent the night talking Michigan and Mexico… Traditions, holidays, history, where to see, animals in Michigan…. About halfway through the night I realized I was actually sitting down for dinner speaking all Spanish, understanding just about everything, and not blurting out “Que???” every other sentence. Had to say I felt rather proud of myself ;).

Mama Rosa had been in the hospital since Sunday, but today is in Chihuahua on her vacation days. Praise God she is doing better.

Also wanted to share this note from Mama Rosa and Papa Ed from Lirio, for those of you who have been praying… I got this in an email notice today:

Dear Friends,

We would like to clear up any possible misunderstanding of any past communications coming from us concerning the actions of DIF with our children. Yes it seemed that DIF was going to remove many of the DIF children of 11 years old and younger from our home  in order to fill their new orphanage. Thank the Lord that through prayer (including yours) very few if any of the children will be removed.  However please continue to pray that the Lord will continue to help and defend us in our relationship with DIF.

Thanks for your help with lots of love to all of you.

Ed and Rosa Salo

Well, that’s all I’m going to write. I need to go to bed.

Buenas Noches y que descanses! (That is in Subjuntivo if you didn’t know, and Subjuntive doesn’t exist in the English language and I have to learn how to use it. Well, don’t have to, but want to. I’ve heard lots of second-language Spanish speakers butcher the Subjuntive and even some native-Spanish speakers. I don’t want to join the ranks…. Or rather, I want to get out of the Subjuntive-butchers category.)

 

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