Daily Life

To get a feel of what (daily) life is really like down here I'll run down a quick schedule of happenings in Santa Lucia.

7:15 am - Catch the bus from Santa to Tegus. These precious twenty minutes are either filled with catching up on reading or playing helicopter on my Alcatel phone circa 2005. 

8 am - Arrive at the Pedigogica University where we take classes. We generally all grab a cup of coffee (or two) before heading off.

8:15 am - Spanish class. There are only two other students in the class, so it's necessary to pay attention to Profa Litza. She is quite a lady and always has great photos of her dog, Hipster. Yes, her dog is named Hipster. I did spell that correctly. 

9:30 am - Snack break. This generally consists of splitting cheetos puffs or having another cup of coffee. We all stay well caffeinated. 

10 am - Begin development class with either Kurt or Jo Ann. Every day we have readings and then class over the assigned topic for that day. Sample topics include: developmental theories, land rights, drug trafficking, transparency, short-term missions, child sponsorship, agriculture, fair trade, proposal writing, micro-enterprise, just to name a few. It is during these classes where we have some passionate dialogue or little revelations over facts that require a double-take. I feel blessed to study development intensely for a semester while also having visits and speakers from those working in the field. It's truly a unique experience.

12:30 or 1 pm - Lunch. Our building is near the cafeteria and a grocery store. We spilt up and fill up. 

2:30 pm - Catch the bus back up to Santa Lucia or shoot the breeze with some curly fries near the bus stop. We indulge in a little American food now and then. 

3:30 pm - Begin readings for the next day, play with puppies, watch Kardashians with mi mama or pop in an episode of The Wire.  

6 pm - Eat dinner and then resume either productive or unproductive activities depending on how much I got done before dinner. 

9 pm - Asleep. Generally aided by a Grisham or Cussler novel. 

Nothing too exciting. We certainly do work and it is not a slacking semester. It's a lot of reading, bonding, and bus riding. But there are quirky things are not so everyday but I have come to believe they are:

1. The MLB Postseason. This is a little dated, but the playoffs were a major bonding moment for mi mama and me. It was over our mutual dislike for the Yankees and love for the National League. 

2. peanut butter- a lot. My family has this jar on the table of peanut butter. Probably 20 oz. and only I eat out of it. This is a great way for me to track my consumption of that wonderful stuff. 

3. puppies. My dog, Bella, had five little squirts on a few weeks ago. They just started walking and are now loud enough for me to hear from my window at night. Still handfuls of adorable. 

4. a dog barking. This is really nothing new except for the fact that it only barks at gringos. It's on my way to the bus each morning, and it's always a lovely sight.
5. Unburnt toast. I think Jo Ann unknowingly put me with a family that makes toast exactly the way I like it. Sightly golden brown but not crunchy. Not sure how my Mama knows this about me, but it's something that I have been astounded by this whole semester.

Enjoy your Sunday everyone!