My Status

Many of you might be wondering how I my spanish is coming along down here. I have improved dramatically since I have arrived. My English on the other hand has declined. I have reached a point where I am very confident speaking in spanish now. I am fairly fluent with what I want to say and need to say. If I don´t know how to say something, I am getting very good at describing what I want to say. I still have a problem understanding others when they talk. In my house I am very good and with my friends outside of class, I am pretty good at understanding. My problem is with the profesors, radio, tv, and such things like that.

Last Thursday I gave a 10 minute presentation on the traffic here. I did very well and my classmates said I spoke very fluently. I believe I received an A for the presentation, but as we all know, I could really care less. I was proud that I got up in front of people and talked intelligently for 10 minutes. I have trouble speaking intelligently in english sometimes.

Apparently, I am not a very good listener or "checkerer of email". We received this huge project in my art class last week or perhaps two weeks ago. Supposedly we all got an email about it. Well, a half hour before class yesterday my friend Carla asked me if I had done the homwork. I responded with an innocent Brian face, "What homework"? This girl freaked out and starting talking english to me, so that she could quickly explain the reading. Then she told me that I had to choose two paintings of art and compare them using what I learned from the reading and post them on some blog for class. Funny how I had no clue about this project.

I went to class a half hour later to find out the the profesor was ABSENT... What luck I have. But wait... the homework was to be posted on a blog online, so I actually had to do it anyway. I worked my butt off, not having a clue what I was doing because I never got the emails with the directions. I haven´t finished yet, but hope to tonight. I tried working on it before this blog, but found that my file would not open on this computer.

I don´t know why I always have troubles with my email and computers. I actually checked my email this time. I hope I get my stuff done. There´s nothing like trying to do a two week long project in a foreign language in one night. I reminded myself that this is an experience, and I can´t fail at it. I laughed all the way home last night because I realized that I am still completely lost here.

By the way, about a month ago I picked up the last paper for my Visa. I am officially legal in Argentina. Now I have to stop procrastinating and figure out my art project. After that I have to prepare a presentation for Tuesday as I am taking a vacation to Mendoza this weekend.