acentos espanoles......

Hoy es el 10 de febrero de 2017. Y después 2.....sí 2.....dos.....años de etudiando español, finalamente......finalamente....yo sé como escribir acentos en mi teclado de la computadora portatíl.

¡Estoy muy FELIZ! ¡EXTÁTICO!

Mi teclado fue "US", no fue "US International".

Una vez que lo he cambiado......

á...é...í...ó...ú...ñ...Á...Ñ...¡...¿

¡Cosas pequeñas marcan la diferencia!

¡Muy Feliz!"

Ahora, no tengo que usar el Mac de mi novio para escribir mi tarea español. O mi iPad o mi movíl para escribir en el post de mi blog.

Ahora, también puedo escribir en el post de mi blog en español con mi computedora portatíl. Y practica, practica. Especialemente, escribiendo sin usando una dicionnario español.

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Por ejemplo...el ejercecio de mi clase....mira el post de mi blog se llamaba "Class Update".

Usando este palabras, ecribo una historia.....
Miércoles tarde
Calle en obras
Trizo de madera en el suelo
Caída
mucho daño en él tobillo
Taxi
Clínica
Yeso hasta el día 18
Ahora bien

El miércoles por la tarde en el diciembre, salimos nuestra casa. Tres calles de nuestra casa, era un calle en obras. Hablábamos y no veía un trozo de madera en el suelo. Me cayé y era mucho daño de la caído en mi tobillo. Rápidamente, fuimos en el taxi a la clínica. El doctor examinaba mi tobillo y sacó un radiografía. Dije 'necesitas un yeso'. Por dios, tenía un yeso hasta el 18 de diciembre. Ahora, todo bien. Mi tobillo es bien.
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¡Buenas!

Class Update .....

Yes, I am in Spanish level B.1. where it is expected that my vocabulary and grammar knowledge is far greater than A.2.  And I can draft sentences without looking up words or conjugation in the Spanish dictionary.

I can see that this is going to take ongoing practice :-) Probably for the rest of my life :-)

I am looking at what we started working on in class in pairs.  Talking about and writing a story from these words:

Miércoles tarde

Calle en obras

Trizo de madera en el suelo

Caída

mucho daño en él tobillo

Taxi

Clínica

Yeso hasta el día 18

Ahora bien

I have to laugh--my partner for this exercise knows very little English and her Spanish is like mine.  As a result, we are trying to understand each other talking in Spanish or English.  And not getting very far with the exercise of writing.  We are both still working on our Spanish pronounciation.

A friend of my friend here in Madrid used to teach Spanish to foreigners.  So he told me just remember a, e, i, o, u in Spanish only have one sound.  Unlike English, where the vowel can have several sounds.  No wonder I have such difficulty :-)

Back to my homework :-)
Practico, practico, practico.....

Intensivo.....Todo Bien..,..All Good.....

Okay...today (el 2 de febrero de 2017) I am writing in English because:

(1) my body is tired and integrating the physiotherapy appointment from yesterday,

(2) it is 20:00 and I have been to my 2-hour gramática clase, and

(3) I have been doing Spanish homework throughout the day....so I want a break.

Between attending to inflammation and pain in my left wrist, getting into the rhythm of classes from Monday to Friday, and moving/settling into a different homestay with an actual desk and working WiFi, I am finally into a 'study' rhythm.

What comes to mind as I type....unexpected outcomes provide learning experiences.

If my left wrist had not inflamed days or weeks before I departed for Madrid, I would not be in Madrid seeking practioners to assist me with getting the inflammation, range of motion back to optimal.  Here I am...spending my free time with physiotherapy.  And happy to do so, because I learned about something new yesterday with my second appointment.  Bone bruises.  

The physiotherapist felt bone bruises are a factor in the symptoms in my left wrist, forearm, and arm.  Todo Bien.  All Good.  According to the physiotherapist, bone bruises are common.  And can happen with as simple as hitting the bone which can bruise the bone tissues.  Bruises are a step below fractures and breaks.  Which explains the ache at times in my forearm.  Or the pain when I try to move my wrist.  Something new for me to learn about :-) Meanwhile, it sounds like it will take time for the bruises to heal.  Oh well.  Guess that means I continue my 15-minute hot/cold water soak in the a.m. and p.m.; gentle massage; daily ibuprofen; wear a compression glove; drink lots of water.

If I was not spending my free time attending to the left wrist (see above) and the left wrist was not inflamed, I would probably have more energy (and desire) to go early-morning-partying with the Chicos and Chicas in this study program.  Instead....the body is reminding me to choose its health and wellbeing.  And to stay true to my intention for taking this program:  further my Spanish skill on all levels.  All Good.  Todo Bien.

And I have discovered that items I easily find in the US (EE.UU. en español) are not so easy to locate here.  Epsom salt.  Compression gloves.  Thick socks.  Translation:  I have been into different stores asking en español for these ítems.  Thank goodness for el dictionario español and hand movements.

Besides I get to find different places to do my homework and have a merienda since dinner is not served until 9.  See photo for one of many meriendas :-) No....NOT in one day :-)

Yes...this is definitely a Camino of a different feel and look (to me) than the Camino Frances and Camino Finisterre I walked in 2012.  And yet a Camino as I probably walk Monday to Friday, in getting to and from Universidad Complutense (where my classes are held) and occasional errands before/after class.....about 6 km.  In 2012, I walked about 7 to 10 km daily.  Plus I am learning a lot about me, myself, and I :-)

¡Buen Camino!

Muy Intensivo..,,

Muy Intensivo.  ¡Y Todo Bien!

Todas semanas...17 horas en clase.  4 horas de escritas español, 4 horas de orales español, 4 horas de gramática español, 5 horas enseñado en inglés sobre "Culture ans Civilization of Spain".

Mi 'homestay hostess' habla español solamente.

Definitivamente la mejora de eschucar, hablar, escribir.

Cuando yo no entiendo que ella habla, ella usa los manos y explica con muchas palabras.  Ella es paciente mientras yo busco palabras en SpanIshDict.

Y estoy aprendiendo sobre 'young life' en Madrid.  Mis compañeros de programa son jóvenes.  Esta noche (el 23 de enero de 2017), van a ir este fiesta.  No voy a ir este fiesta, voy a dormir :-)

http://nightlifemadrid.com/nightlife-madrid-events/fuckin-monday/

:-)

Saludos!

almuerzo...desayuno...cena...comida...qué rico

Here's my lunch today (el 6 de enero de 2017) with mi compañero de la programa.  Wow...copa de vino solemente 2.50 €.  Más de ensalada :-). Spinicina con champiñones y queso con copa de prosecco.  Mi compañero comó ensalada que yo almuercé ayer--rucla con porchetta.  ¡Qué Rico!

And she's studied Italian in Italy before.  And this is an Italian cafe.  So she wanted to have a slice of the homemade panatone.

Bueno!  Not too sweet!

Several hours, a Metro ride, and a stroll in a different neighborhood later...time for bathroom break :-). Copa de taxakoli!  Delish!  2.70€ ¡Muy burrato en comparación de Estados Unidos!  Vino es delicioso!

And time to head back to home stay for dinner.  Dinner is served at 8:30 pm unless I tell Señora that I won't be there for dinner.  Because I did not leave the apartment until 2 pm, I did not get far.  Yet my body and especially my wrist is telling me to take it slow.  Restore myself before going full-blast exploration.

Time for another bathroom break :-)

And in the walk to the homestay, there is this place on a side street, so I stop in.

The tapa is gratis.  And tasty.  Plus I like the coziness of this place.

The tapas menu looks good so I order pulpo.  YUMMMM!

Now to get to homestay for dinner.

Perfect and delicious meal...white bean (judias) soup with chorizo, morcilla, y torino.  And empanadas.  Fruit for dessert.  Soup is perfect as it is cold outside (30's).

My left wrist loves that I am not cooking.  And I am loving the adventures in eatting something different than what I generally eat.

Buen Provencho....

Forgiven....

It's Monday, January 23. 2017.  I am waiting for my Spanish class to begin.  And decided not to read my reading for Thursday's class...instead I read this article that came into my Inbox....

http://m.dailygood.org/story/1495/coming-in-peace-2017-tracy-cochran/

Source is giving me a new practice to add to my gratitude practice.....forgiven.  Thank you for this catalyst as I need this one.

Saludos....

First times.....Primeras veces.....

Hoy domingo, el 8 de enero de 2017.

Recuperando de efectos de jet lag, inflamación en mi muñeca izquierda (comenzó 7 días antes de que dejara San Francisco :-|, privación de sueño, y dolor en muñeca.  Por Dios :-) 

MUY FELIZ Y CONTENTA...los classes no empiecen hasta martes!  Mucho tiempo para recuperar, desde llegué el 3 de enero -- 4 days.


As I stare off into space....a number of firsts on this trip come to mind....

--Traveling because of a study program so this does not feel completely like va-cay or holiday.  I'll be in Spanish language class five days a week--generally 2 hours each day.  Plus a  2-1/2 hour Culture In Spain class on Tuesdays And Thursdays in English.  As I am here to study Spanish....every day is a school day :-)  The brain is definitely getting a workout as I listen to people chatting away in Spanish as I sit on the Metro or walk down the calles.  Or my homestay hostess chatting away with me in Spanish.  Or reading signs everywhere in Spanish.

--Staying in one place for more than 30 days. The only time I traveled and stayed in one place was Napoli, Italy for 4 weeks.  Fun to get to know where places are close by....market, post office, bakery, restaurants, pharmacy.  And where to buy things because each country is different than the U.S.  For example...Epsom salt.  Went to farmacia..nada.  Herbolario...nada.  Ecocentro...nada.  Oh well.

--Traveling in weather that I am not fond of -- cold :-) No me gusta el clima frio.  Para mí hace mucho frío ( 30's F at night).

--Staying in a home stay.  Although...after reading the homestay handbook provided on Day 1, it has me think of staying with family or friends.  Guidelines for homestay apply regardless if your host/hostess is family, friend, or stranger.

--Being on a WhatsApp group chat with 9 other participants who I am guessing, as I have not asked each one, are all in their 20's.  They are a lot of fun.  It's fun to wake up to 50+ messages and 'hear' where they went while I was sleeping.

Interesting to notices differences and similarities with my life experiences.