A bad day of classes

I came to a harsh realization today: I’m not as good at Spanish as I was thinking I was.  I mean, sure, when I was getting ready to come here I was nervous that I wouldn’t remember anything, and I got here and found that it was relatively easy to understand the conversational Spanish that was happening around me.  Then, I started orientation and we all spoke English to each other, and so I wasn’t practicing and Spanish, except enough to get by in my house to tell Tía Blanca that I was going to class, or leaving the house for whatever reason.  Then I started going places in the city with other IES students…that was my downfall.  I was able to order at a restaurant and ask for the bill while other students couldn’t, I was able to get on the bus and tell the driver “uno venticinco” so that he could push the button and I’d put my 1.25 in the machine and get my ticket,  I heard the other students speaking Spanish and I was able to tell that my accent was much better than theirs.  Then we started classes at IES and I was able to follow along really easily in all of them.  I knew what the professor was saying pretty much the whole time, while other kids in my class would leave saying they had understood about 60% of what was said.  All of this made me think that I was really, really good at Spanish.  Then I had my UCES class.

I got there and for the first part of class, the profesora was talking about basic things of the class and she wrote some things on the board (I still don’t know what it was for…I just know it was a bunch of names, and I couldn’t read her handwriting).  I know that she said something about the reading material for class (but that’s about all I know) and I’m pretty sure she talked about then final and such…but I’m not entirely certain.  All I do know, is that I was really lost.  After about 20 minutes of her explaining the class, she put us into groups based on what row we were in (there were three rows, so three groups).  I was in a group with 4 guys.  So she tells us what we’re supposed to be doing (looking through 2 books of paintings and finding one that we think is interesting.  So we start flipping through and they start talking really quickly to each other.  I then piped up that Spanish is not my first language and that I’m from the U.S.  The mood of the group changed instantaneously, they all became super nice and tried to talk more slowly so that I could understand.  Then the prof. came over and asked me a question (I still don’t know what she asked) and after a few dumbfounded seconds, they came to my rescue…saying that I don’t know the language very well -_______________-

She then asked me where I was from, I told her the States, and so she announced to the rest of the class that I am an exchange student from the States.  Then they all got excited, and the prof. asked if anyone knew English so that I could speak with them if I needed anything.  One girl piped up and said I could talk to her, and one of the guys in my group (who is actually from Guatemala) told me (in English) “You can speak to me in English too”.  So they were super nice…but then class went on and I was pretty much sitting dumbfounded listening to these guys talk about this painting.  They tried to include me, they really did, but I would always have to ask “Cómo [What]?” and I felt really bad.  So because it’s a three hour class, there’s a break (ok, in my shortest classes there’s a break so this was expected) we took a break about halfway through.  The prof. said to take 30 minutes (it ended up being more like 45).  Well, I was going to go sit outside by myself for a bit, but when I stood up, the group of all girls asked if I wanted to sit and talk with them (like I said, they were all super nice to me).  So for 45 minutes I was listening to these girls talk…trying to at least.  They asked me a few questions, but I needed them repeated two, three, sometimes four times and then gave a short response.  Or, they would be talking about something (but be talking super fast) and then turn to me and I would be dumbfounded (still/again) and they would laugh apologetically, then repeat the shortest part of the question again. 

Then class was resumed and…well it was a lot like the first half, I was struggling to catch what was happening and what people were saying, and what the assignment was for next week, and where we needed to get our books (and what our books were), and I felt really really overwhelmed by the end of it.  By the time the class ended I made up my mind to find a different UCES class, perhaps one that will transfer more easily?  Hopefully one with an easier set of materials.  I felt bad, but I told my group (oh, there was a group project due next week) that I wouldn’t be returning, and they looked sad, but they understood.  Then I went and told the girls I was leaving, and they also were bummed.  Then I told the prof and she said she understood and she wanted to make sure that I knew that if I wanted to change classes I needed to do a drop/add thing. I left feeling so much dumber than when I had come.

I thought I was getting better at Spanish…but this single class, this three hour time period, made me question my knowledge of the language.  Pretty much my first time being in a place with no English speakers, and it was incredibly difficult.  I just…thought I was better at Spanish…but now I’m realizing, I’m not.

But tomorrow is another day…and I’ll have to pick another class…and register for it, and make it fit in my schedule and yadda yadda yadda.  For a bit of good news: I got a Sube card today. yay.

Here’s hoping tomorrow is better.

Kiki

P.S. And unfortunately this is not a good P.S., I was 40 minutes late to my other class today because I came home to take a nap, was lazy and hit snooze, woke up later than I should have, went to go catch the bus, it didn’t come in 5 minutes, and so I decided to walk.  So now I know it takes a little over an hour to walk to the IES center.  I wish I had found out under different circumstances (like, for example, me having a day off and wanting to time the walk), but I didn’t.  And so when I got there, they were taking their ten minute break.  So I just snuck in for the second part of class…I’m not sure if he noticed or not.  So today was just not a good day for classes.  Man, this weekend cannot come soon enough.