Teacher Goes to School

<----- I can't figure out how to turn this picture... sorry. You'll have to turn your head to the side. It's me at my school. Hola! Sorry for the last post being so long. I was writing in my room and had plenty of time to think about each teeny tiny moment I had experienced (you can't imagine what I had to leave out). So at this moment I am sitting in Cafe Cuiles (?), a cafe recommended to me by the director of the school, because for some reason, my computer won't connect to the school's wireless. Darn it! I'm going to keep working on it! So school today... ahhhh school... I recall that I am not the best student and when you are in a group class it's even harder to be a pain in the butt because then you piss off other people too. I walked to school today with Mike, my new pal, and turns out he is a high school teacher from Milwaukee (waiting for his girl friend to arrive on Friday). He's very nice and since he knows more spanish than I do, he helps me out. We're going to bum around this afternoon. My teachers (yes teachers) are fine. They talk pretty fast and I am in a class with 3 other people, all about the same place as me with their spanish... or so. I quickly realized the problem with group classes though: everyone is on a different level and they know some verbs and phrases that I don't know, and vice versa. I don't feel like I am getting personal attention at all and am slightly embarrassed to ask questions. I think I will take a few private lessons from Enrique, the director, next week. Luckily 3 hours went by pretty fast. There is another teacher from NYC in my class who is very nice. Everyone wants to speak spanish over our breaks, and it's driving me nuts. I'm not feeling super motivated to struggle at this point in the week. BUT... one guy from my class later told me that he was glad I came because there is a guy in the class who is VERY slow and he said my presence really livened up the conversation. Nice to know... I ended up paying for my homestay for all 3 meals each day, although I doubt i will take them. Today I brought my backpack and followed the directions to find this cafe and BOY am I glad I did, because I found a beautiful part of town where the huge Santa Domingo church is (pictures later). Also, THANK GOODNESS... I found the SHOPPING!!! OH MY... the alebrijes!!!! (The Oaxacan animals that I collect). They are everywhere and I really have to use self control because when my mom gets here we will go to the village where they make them. They are beautiful though!! Mom... I'm gonna try not to buy any... we'll see what happens. Today is the Guelegetza, the world famous dance festival here that has been bringing some protests and uprising. I saw some police on trucks in riot gear ride through town but I don't think there are any problems. Tonight Mike and I are going to go to the Zocolo (the town center) for a Guelegetza celebration. Our school director said it was a festival and it would be safe to go. Hopefully it won't rain like it did yesterday. YIKES it was massive. Well, again, this is getting too long. I'm going to finish up here. The nervous stomach is subsiding, and I am beginning to feel better about things. There is a full schedule of activities in the afternoon starting on Weds. I'll be doing all of them and will write about them later. I just took a picture of the empanadas championes (mushroom empanadas) that I just ate. YUMMY, but greasy... I'll have to really walk this afternoon. I am moving to a different room in Perla's house today. She has one that has a private bathroom (just in case .... ya know what I'm saying???). Hasta manana... (anyone know how to get the little swirly thing over the "n" on the computer? I can't remember.