Week One

Week 1


Once again I have gotten through the first week whirlwind of things happening all around me and not even sure what I am doing.

Monday (Jan 14, 2008)The flight down was fine. I met a few girls on the plane heading to the same program. My biggest concern was if Mexican Immigration would write the correct number of days of my trip on my tourist visa. If they wrote my days in Mexico less than my trip, I would have to go to the Immigration office here. I haven't heard a good thing about that process. Fortunately, the woman at the immigration desk was friendly and I suggested 150 days (my trip is 120) she asked me what I was doing, I told a student for a semester, so she wrote 180 days!!! Wow, I was thrilled! I later found out that if she had written 150, I think I would have had to go to Immigration anyways. She saved me a lot of headaches.

I met my "mom", Esmeralda at the school around 9:30pm. She seemed like a very nice lady. Hard to tell much after only a few minutes! I went to bed pretty much right after I got home. School the next day was very long. 8am-6:30pm.

Tues- Orientation about all the rules and regs of the school, how things work in Puebla and the school. Tour of the school, tour of Puebla on one of those double decker buses. At the end of the day, I was exhausted and still didn't know what my classes where or how the schedule worked. During the orientation I took a Spanish placement exam! Those generally don't bring me good news!! If I place below my level that I signed up for then they want me to drop down or sign a contract saying I understand I am in classes above my level, I accept whatever bad grade I earn!! Isn't that nice!!!

Wed.- Finally find out about my classes. I have registered for 4 classes via Univ. of Houston. 3 are required for my bachelors, the 4th is a spare! Due to time conflicts I had to drop the spare but since I still open times in my schedule, I added 2 more classes, which is really one. It is 2 advance grammar classes, one is 7 weeks the other is the following 7 weeks. So once I got my schedule all worked out, I have classes Mon-Thur but different classes on M-W and Tu-Thr, with gaps between classes so I can email or do homework.

Mon-Tue-Thr I get out of school either at 1p or 2p, but Wed. I am there till 5pm. I have Fridays off!!

Oh, my placement exam place me at level 2! I am signed up at Level 4!!! Oh well!! I am staying at level 4. If I wasn't in over my head then it wouldn't be normal!! I told the director, my testing issue is that I don't write very well as the program at UH doesn't really have a writing component . Consequently, I have done very little writing, therefore, my grammar isn't that great. But I will do level 4, work very hard and I will survive!!! So far he hasn't presented me with the contract, maybe today!! I found out I won't have to sign the contract (I think) since this advance level 4 classes is audited. Meaning I receive no grade!! Just experience!!

All of my professors stress how "advance" these classes are, the level of Spanish required is very very high!! It seems to me, every step of this process is very advance and if it wasn't advance it wouldn't be worth taking. My disadvantage is my small vocabulary and grammar weakness but I can make up for it in hard work. Today in a state of mild confusion, I decided this is my education, my money and my time. If I want to be challenge than I will do it! There!! So I get a C- in these classes so be it! I will know I tried my best and that is all I can do!! But I won't quit!!

I found out what my internship will be. I will be the 'tech lady" at a small art college. I was stunned. Apparently after reading my resume, that I submitted, they saw my job at Alcott Elementary and decided that I would be a fit! Yikes, my time at Alcott was 10 years ago!! Once again, hold my breath and jump! I go over to the school tomorrow (fri) to meet the owner/boss. More to come!!

There are about 25 students in the program from all over the US. Including one guy from Humboldt State and a Japanese exchange student who attends Chico State! Small world!
Also one of my professors told us, her husband is a PhD from Univ. of Texas, Austin, she has one daughter attending Chico State, one in college in Germany and one in college in Scotland! Her 4th daughter is here in high school.

I am the only student in the program (and I think the whole school) over 25! Other tidbit, of the 25 or so kids here in my program only 4 are guys!! Lots of girls!!!

Time to head to school.