Sorry it's been a while since we've been able to update. Compounded with slow internet (yay, it's getting better again!) and us being out of the country (we were in TL for a couple weeks)...internet time was a rare commodity. (Leave me a message here if you don't know what TL means, and if you want more details. I will gladly e-mail you!)
There's so much to share with you... where to begin? Well, here are some recent things in our "daily" life...
First off, there was the superbowl. As we live here, there are moments of sadness when we realize how many events we miss because we are not home in the States (such as a cousin's engagement, friends' babies being born, weddings). But not the SuperBowl. Why? Because they decided to broadcast the superbowl LIVE here on our regular network TV. (Yes, here in E.A, a place where people think "real" football is soccer, and American football is too violent.) Downside? Must wake up at 7:30am to watch it. No American commercials. No half-time show. Commentary in foreign language. And commentators didn't look too eager to comment. But you know what? We took what we got. We all woke up bright and early to catch the game, meanwhile trying to translate what the commentators are saying (the few words we know) -- "He's running. Look! Look!"
Oh yes, language classes. We ended our fall semester at the end of January with a final exam that our teacher assigned us: Write 300 word essay about a topic. (The good news? It's open book. Phew!) And we got to choose from ONE of the following topic: 1) Going to the store, 2) My Friend, 3) Studying, 4) My Day. And with our limited vocabulary, our essays had a variety of something like this (in order to fill the 300 word requirement): "I wake up in the morning. I put on my shirt. I put on my pants. I put on my socks. I put on my shoe. Then I put on my jacket..." Our poor teacher, who must endure our articulate literary attempts.
My English, where did it go? I wish I could say that because I live here, I have now proficiently mastered a new language. I WISH. Rather, it's another phenomenon: While I am slowly learning a new language, my English is disporportionately deteriorating. I find myself saying certain things as if it's normal (without even flinching): "Please have a sit." "You go here." "Thank you all the same." "What a pity that you make bad grade" [In trying to sympathize with a friend]. And the funny thing is, my American friends and I hardly notice bad spoken English anymore. Perhaps it's called desensitization...
Well, I've written enough for today. I'll save the rest of my other stories for another time, so I won't inundate you with too many words at once. Here are some random recent pics from my camera:
(Below: No one's shy about their laundry.)
(Below: Apparently, a great place to store dried meats is outside your window.)
(Below: While in TL... we trekked up a mountain, visited a tribal village, and slept in a straw hut. And the view on top of the mountain is breathtaking.)
Happy belated (Lunar) New Year! =)
