Mission: Urban

Last week began our second trimester of studying Spanish. Our family needed a change. The last few months have been really tough. For those who may not have known, we were at school from 7:30 until 12:10 each day. All three boys were in childcare(I previously stayed home with them) and Brian and I were in classes. We’d come home, eat lunch, the boys would take naps and then we’d have about an hour or maybe two to play. Usually they were really cranky and we were exhausted and short tempered. We’d do dinner and baths and then bedtime. It was exhausting for all of us. We went through some culture shock, not necessarily culture shock of the Tico community, but culture shock from our schedule. I wasn’t used to getting up at 5:30 each day and studying each day on top of taking care of my family. It was seriously grueling for all of us. But there’s been a really, really good change this trimester. I am staying home in the morning (one of my greatest values is caring for my kids). I go to school in the afternoon for one hour a day meeting one-on-on with a teacher. Now I have more energy to work on conversing with Ticos. Previously, it was difficult to have conversations with Ticos because our kid’s would be extremely needy and cranky in public. It’s difficult enough to hold a crying child and have a conversation in English…..it was absolutely impossible to do this in Spanish. In the morning, the boys and I have been going to a park a few blocks away. My hope is to meet Tica moms and practice conversing with them. Most people are so patient….that’s just wonderful. Today I met a lady who’s husband is a student at the Institute. She is Venezuelan, she obviously speaks Spanish and also speaks English. She told me today she would practice with me. She goes to the park with her daughter most days of the week. She’s perfect to practice with. She’s understanding and speaks slowly, but corrects me. Plus, she introduced me to Tica moms at the park. Through her I will be able to meet other moms, but then ask questions to her if I don’t understand the Spanish and learn how to say it. I still have a constant undercurrent of stress, but since class began last week it’s dropped many degrees. It’s been great to play with the boys and enjoy them. I am so excited to have energy to practice and study Spanish. This is a good change…..really, really good.