Friday, March 7, 2008

Round 2:Me vs. The Man Inside This Computer

Alright, here we go, and hopefully all will be well. Where do I even start, it has been a little minute eh? Well, for starters this past weekend our group within the program made a little trip to the capital city, Buenos Aires for a little big city fun. No doubt, I enjoyed myself, but I´m still a man thats all about some Mother Nature, but that´s all good. The city is happenin, without a doubt, but all that movement and concrete smothers me, not to mention we more or less went the more touristy route. I will say this though, Saturday night we got the opportunity to see a Tango show with a live band in this really ritzy place, the food was off the hook!!! It was really a first class presentation. The dancers were on point and the band was on top of it as well. I also had the opportunity throughout this trip to get to know our Resident Director from Argentina, Alfredo Brunnori, who is also an English professor here. I make note of this because the things he has shared with me about the language and his experiences have been priceless. From old personal frustrations with English, to old stories from when he studied abroard in Virgina and always had to talk to ("Uncle Rick" I think was his name) and didn´t understand a bloody thing. Not to mention Alfredo is the ultimate link here between English and Spanish so his ability to explain grammatical issues, level of patience, and knowledge of sayings and slang is unmatched. I have thanked God often that we have him here as our Director. Nonetheless, shifting gears, finished up the first week of classes within the program; the others with Argentine students begin on Monday. The level of intensity in my Spanish class, granted its for advanced students (which is an even better question of WHAT I´M DOING IN THERE!!!!) We are essentially writing like crazy and for me that´s a real beast, I mean shoot, its hard enough for me to write in my own language. I´m gonna keep chuggin along as always though. I´m going tomorrow to play paintball with my tutor and his group of 20 friends. What would I do without Tomás. That guy has kept me so connected with the leisure life outside of home; not to mention I´m with Argentine folks, thank Lord once again!!! Another beautiful example of why the word coincidence should be eliminated from the English dictionary, yeahyuh!!! I interviewed for an internship here today and it looks as though all is well. What does this mean, well....I will be working in one of the offices here on campus, for free, but will receive credit for an upper level senior class since EVERYTHING will be in Spanish. I will have to write a big paper afterwards but it will be worth it. Today has been a good day with the language and last night was really good but I think its time for a chill evening. I bought the local paper earlier today, which is a great source of practice being that its more like written daily language. I think i´m gonna take it to a place called the Espacio Cultural (much like a scale down Barnes and Nobles here) catch a coffee, read a bit, and then go catch a flick afterwards. I heard Antes de Partir with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson is worth it, so who knows, we´ll see. I hope the weather has been as nice for ya´ll as it has been for me. We´re just starting to get just a little teeny taste of fall but everything is still green. You know, that perfect temperature you get during those early summer nights, but the perk to the beginning of fall is that it lasts all day!!! Really random quick side note that came to mind for Mitch and Dad. Apparently, Osvaldo told me that metal work was a really popular thing down here at one point, and I don´t completely remember, but may still be. Pardon that one, you all know how mind works, if I have a thought i have to throw it out there in that moment or I´ll just keep walkin and drop it on the ground like nothin´ happened. Well, the weekend begins, with much to do and little time to do it in, but thats the story of all our lives eh? Every single flippin one of you I love and miss dearly. Sometimes I wish I could rent a teleporter like in the old Star Trek days just for an evening of some good southern love back in Georgia.....course then my Spanish advancement would be affected...... and they´re probably really expensive anyway!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Jonahhhh!!!!! OH my gosh! this is crazy, you want to know how i found this blog?! i got a newsletter from CC-CS in my email and lord knows why i opened it because i'm not using CC-CS this summer! but anyways, they had this small paragraph written about you and how you had recieved some scholarship. congrats! haha, so i read your whole blog, it's so exciting! sounds like you are having an amazing time :) well, we miss you, hopefully i will get to see you when i come down there (June 1st!). un abrazo fuerte, Jonah! ~camille