See Gale Go…

Learn, Gale, Learn!!

Posted by litlfish18 on August 29, 2012 · 7 Comments 

By now I am 2/3 of the way done language school. (When I started writing this I was halfway done but then wordpress deleted the post while publishing it so frustration and procrastination got the best of me and it has now been over a week since that happened.)  Language school has been a wonderful experience so far.  I’ve met people from all over, made some new friends, gone on some cool excursions and learned a whole lot of Spanish.  I will be sad once it is over.  There is still so much more to learn!  But in just six short weeks I have come so far.  I can understand what people are saying way better then before and I can hold a conversation past just pleasantries.  I have been able to go into my bank and sign up for online banking, get internet set up in my apartment (with the help of my teammates) and ask for help from my neighbors and explain that I don’t have hot water and can’t get the butane heater to work.  All of which would have been impossible when I first arrived.  I knew that the only way I would ever learn a language is if I had to.  Well, now I have to and I’m actually doing it!  (slowly but still doing it) It is just like when I wanted to learn stick shift so I bought a manual car.  I knew that eventually I would learn because there was no other option. (not to say I was the most pleasant of students.  Sorry about that Mom!) Living with a Spanish family was great.  I got to know some other students were also staying there and eat a lot of traditional, Galego food.  My host mom, Marie Carmen was the sweetest lady and I hope I can continue to visit her while I live here in Santiago.  Every day I learn something new here and its exciting. 

Here are some other things I have learned thus far:

– That I can sweat just as much when its cold and rainy as when its hot and sunny (thanks coastal climate humidity!)

– That God has provided me with wonderful neighbors who don’t mind when I ask for help in broken Spanish and Mime (I’ve been told that is rare in Spain, not the miming, i see that every day from the street performers, but the helpful neighbors.  People are pretty private here)

– That Sherry stomachs are the bottomless pits I once believed them to be.  Thanks to Marie Carmen’s wonderfully delicious and rich lunches, where your portion could could feed three, I am shamed to say more often then not I could not clean my plate.  (I once thought the giant bowl of soup was my entire meal and the other plate she was making was for me and Gunther to share, until she gave us each our own giant plate of meat, potatoes and half a loaf of bread.  The soup was just the starter)

– That One tiny letter can make a BIG difference in the meaning of a word

– That I need to plan ahead.  Most everything shuts down here at 2pm for lunch and not everything reopens again.  Sundays and holidays/festivos also mean everything including grocery stores are closed.  It’s no fun to run out of TP the start of 2 consecutive days of Festivos.

– That telling time by the cathedral bells is cheaper then buying clocks.  Once you learn the system its great… unless you stop paying attention half way through or start counting too late.  Then you have to wait an hour to start again.

– The Spanish love to march, shout and sing.  Whether it be for a festival, protest, parade, or religious; I happened upon more here, on any given day, at any given time then anywhere I have ever been.  Its very entertaining and usually involves instruments, carrying a giant statue, shouting through a megaphone, traditional clothing or banners and flags.

A cultural dance performance in the plaza near my house

Me and My host mom, Marie Carmen

Out with some friends from school.

Marie, a fellow student and pilgrim. She walked 2,000 miles to Santiago. She filled 5 pilgrim passports with stamps!

my walk to school with my housemate Gunter or Gunty, as Marie Carmen called him 🙂

Apparently its ok to let your dog bath in the fountains

I love this stairwell. Its gorgeous

standing at the bottom of the three spiral staircases in the Galego Musuem