amorousodious

Our first morning Alicia and I woke up a little late, since we forgot to turn up the volume on our alarm clock, but we still had enough time to get ready. We had cornflakes without milk, and I had some coffee (which is made in a different kind of machine than in the US) for breakfast. Lucia went on the bus with me and Alicia to our first meeting at the center, and we got our photos taken for our ids, and had a general orientation in the auditorium. Afterward Alicia and I explored the supermercado around the corner, and then started walking back home. That’s when our adventure began.

We started out okay, we were following the map, but then there was an intersection at which we got a little turned around, and before we knew it we were in the far south of the city. We were having a great time, looking around at the different tiendas (shops) and people watching, but our feet were starting to hurt, and we couldn’t figure out where we were on the map. The bus stops, which each have several maps, some bigger with more detail and some more widespread than others, became our saving grace by telling us where we were in the city. It was easy once we knew where we were to find our way back, and we got home just in time for lunch. It had taken us close to 3 hours to walk back, however, and we were sure that it didn’t normally take that long to walk home from the center. Our lunch (which we eat at 14,30) was potato, onion and green bean soup, peas, chicken, and tostadas, or toast which we eat with every meal. After lunch Alicia and I picked a simpler route to follow on the map, and made our way back to the center. It took us around an hour, which was far more reasonable than 3, but we figured since we were still unfamiliar with the city it would take us slightly less time in the future.

We had our academic orientation, received our class schedules etc. and then we met with our advisors and talked about the extracurricular activities sponsored by the center called talleres. There is a theater group that I really want to join, and there are also dance groups, music groups, a revista (newspaper), and a service learning option. I think there are a few others, but those were the ones I was most interested in. Each one only meets once a week for an hour so I think it’s plausible to do two. The service learning sounds very exciting, but it’s also a huge commitment so I need to think about it.

Alicia and I hung out for a little bit at the center with some of our friends and then headed home. On the way we stopped at el Nuevo Centro and bought cell phones so that we could communicate with people from the center, and so that we could call Lucia if we were going to be late. When we got home we had salad and pizza for dinner, and fruit for dessert (which is also typical after lunch and dinner). We watched a show called pasapalabra in which the players are given definitions read extremely quickly by the host, and have to give an uncommon word in the correct form (noun, verb, substantive etc.). They have a limited amount of time in which to complete the circle by giving in order a word that begins with each letter of the alphabet (for letters like x and ñ the word just has to contain it). The player can say pasapalabra if he or she doesn’t know the word, and the other player can play until they get one wrong or pass it back. I don’t know if I’m explaining this very well, so if you would like to know more just ask.

We were going to go out, but we were too tired after all of our walking, so we ended up just staying in, watching the noticias and going to bed.