10th week--

 

10th week!? Happy double-digits!

 

A whole slew of cosas happened this past week. ('Cosas' is the Spanish word for 'things.') Cosas just sounds so much more pleasant than things, and it's quite difficult to choose a satisfactory English synonym for 'things.' I wonder what my professors back at home would think if I began inserting Spanish synonyms into my assignments. It doesn't seem like the right cosa to do...

 

I'll begin with Tuesday. Nobody likes Mondays...

 

On Tuesday, at my community service group, my partners and I started making slideshow-picture-movies with the boys. We used little stories broken up into short scenes that the boys had written themselves. We introduced them to the 'sports mode' on the camera, and then we would act out the story as the camera clicked away. The boys loved it. It was so great seeing the group, ages 9-13 (roughly), get so excited about the project. One boy in particular nominated himself and accepted the role of director. The next thing I knew he was spewing out ideas faster than you can say "rápidamente!" I could feel a smile creeping onto my face as I witnessed the boys' ever-increasing joy.

 

Afterwards, I was blessed with an hour and a half break during which I read some of the book Justice by Michael Sandel. (I'm getting ahead for senior Core...) Around 2 o'clock, I began to make my way through the city in order to join my Cultura Uruguaya class at the Palacio Legislativo—one of my favorite places in Montevideo. When I arrived I did not see anyone in my class, so I proceeded to read my book on one of the huge, stone steps of the Palacio. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit when I thought, "How fitting! Reading Justice at the Legislative Palace!" In fact, at that very moment, one of the two chambers was meeting to discuss the legalization of abortion in Uruguay. My heart was heavy, as the fundamental 'right to life,' throughout all stages of life, is something very dear to me. Luckily, the chamber's discussion was open to the public, so after a tour around the Palace with my class a handful of us went into the room to listen. Although it may sound silly, because I was not doing anything except listening (and trying to translate), I felt like I was a tiny piece in a part of Uruguayan history.

 

Moving on to Wednesday...I had my FIRST TEST EVER in Uruguay. School is really starting to pick up. I have a paper due tomorrow, my second test on Tuesday, and a presentation at the end of the week. Tomorrow I will also be assigned a book to read, on which I have to write a 7-10 page paper. When my professor first started telling us, I thought she was going to say seven...hundred words. Nope. Who was I kidding?! Anyways, I think the first test went pretty well, and I hope the ones to come follow suit.

 

On Thursday the weather began to warm up, and, starting with a walk around Parque Rodo, I began a weekend of outdoors and exercise. On Friday my host-padre, host-sister and I went to the gym for Uruguayan spin-class. Spin-class may be one of my favorite forms of exercise: biking, strength, endurance, music (I sneak in a little dancing)...it's a little bit of everything! When the instructor began the class with Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 on full-blast, I knew it would be a great class—I was not disappointed. We returned to the class on Saturday, with sore bodies which would only become sorer. My  (real) dad and I used to do spin-class during the summer at 5:30 in the morning. These classes reminded me of time spent with him. Miss you dad! As for waking up at 5 a.m. in the summer...I miss that not so much...

 

Today, Sunday, my host-sister Sabrina and I caught the bus to the feria (flea-market type cosa) in Parque Rodo. We weaved in and out of the aisles and the people in search for the perfect shirt for Sabrina. While she tried on clothes in one station, I had a nice conversation with the owners. Meeting nice, random Uruguayan locals has a top-spot on my list of 'Favorite Cosas To Do In Uruguay.'

 

The weather was phenomenal, so when we returned I decided to go for a run down the rambla. This, too, has a spot on the aforementioned list. I consider myself a 'people-person,' but sometimes even 'people-people' need alone time. Running on the rambla is my treasured time to myself. Usually, after I run, I walk down to the beach. I could not ask for a better place to cool off, relax, and reflect. I love basking in the sun while admiring the Río and the city's buildings in the distance. My heart fills with thankfulness, as I realize just how truly blessed I am to be studying in a foreign country and to be surrounded by such a beautiful setting. 

 

I ended my week with Mass and with a young adults group afterwards. The people within the group are wonderful—always including me and never failing to be patient with my Spanish. I hope to grow in these relationships throughout the year. I know the Lord led me to this group for spiritual support and friendship. I am forming a little parish family, which is something so comforting to me. Praise God!

 

In other random news: I received my first care-package and letter! (P.s. the international mail service was apparently on strike for the past three months...but now it's not anymore!) Bring on the peanut butter! Kidding...kind of...

 

Hasta pronto,

 

Courtney

 



Bikes, pre-spin class. (Post-spin class pic not available to the public...)

 

Bus, pre-feria. The wheels on the bus go round and round... ♫♪


9th week--

Happy spring in Montevideo! Or shall I say, “¡Feliz primavera en Montevideo!”

Winter is officially out the door in Uruguay, as of yesterday, and let me tell you… winter slammed its door with a ‘bang!’

Said ‘bang’ looked at little bit like this: 19 septiembre 2012—the worst storm in Montevideo since 2005. I’m talking rain falling horizontally and wind that seemed to be seeking vengeance. I have experienced some pretty rough storms throughout my lifetime, but usually such storms last for an hour or two and then surrender their strength. This particular storm, however, lasted all day. When I woke up, my host-mom advised me not to go to school. I’m glad I followed her advice because, sure enough, school was canceled. Additionally, all of the malls were closed down, and my host-sister was told to leave work early in order to come home. As I looked out the window, I felt as if I were experiencing a hurricane. I’ve truly never seen anything like it.

The next day, on my way to school, I experienced the aftermath of the storm. HUGE trees had been easily ripped out of the ground, as if they were dandelions picked by a child for their mother. Dandelions, however, can be gathered into a tiny bouquet, tied with a lavender ribbon, and placed in a glass vase. Massive trees, on the other hand, cannot. Well…I’ve never seen it done. Thus, the fallen trees, and other pieces of debris left by the storm, are now scattered throughout the city of Montevideo. What a great excuse for a good ol’ spring cleaning!

In contrast to the storm, all was ‘sunny’ in the Beloqui household this weekend, as my host-family ushered in the new season with a fiesta. My host-mom planned a surprise party for my host-abuela’s 80^th birthday. Not only did I get to enjoy lots of delicious, homemade desserts, but I also had the pleasure of meeting lots of host-family members! Although, the fiesta made me miss my family even more than I already do (is that even possible?!), I loved experiencing a Uruguayan family party. Please keep my host-abuela in your thoughts and/or prayers as she celebrates another new year of life.

Speaking of things new—the arrival of spring has caused me to reflect on and renew my hopes for the year. I look forward to continually growing in the Spanish language—speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Along with my latest goal of trying to read books in Spanish, I challenge myself to further engage in situations outside of campus in which I can deepen my understanding of the language. Easier said than done, but it must be done. Also, with the support of a young adults group at a local parish, I seek to grow closer to the Lord and strengthen my values in Him. With these aims in mind, I hope to return to the United States in July as an improved version of myself—a renewed Courtney, if you will.

As for all of you back at home, happy autumn! Or shall I say, “¡Feliz otoño!” What a lovely season. I picture leaves changing glorious colors, the feeling of crisp, cool temperatures, and the growing anticipation of Halloween and Thanksgiving. Autumn also makes me think of goose bumps. Fun language lesson: ‘goose bumps’ in Spanish is, ‘piel de gallina.’ I dare you to use that in a sentence today.

Please rake some leaves into a pile as soon as possible, and jump in them in my honor.

Abrazos y besos,

Courtney

P.S. Want to experience my (real) family in under 4 minutes? This video always makes me smile, especially while I’m away and missing my family. It was made by my talented cousin, Laura. Simply click on the blue link!
 



8th week--

 

Let me start off by saying that I cannot believe I have already been here for 8 weeks! Eight weeks in a mother's womb means that a baby has a heartbeat, has grown arms and legs, and is forming fingers and toes. Eight weeks in the movie The Parent Trap (1998 version) means Hallie and Annie have finished Camp Walden, have cut Annie's hair and pierced her ears, and have devised a plan to get their parents to fall in love again. 8 weeks in Uruguay means I have been here for basically two months! Holy cow.

 

This week's blog post will be relatively simple, because my week was just that: reltively simple. It was also quite enjoyable, as I hope this post will be for you as well.

 

I spent this week marveling at many of God's greatest gifts: nature, familial relationships, art. In doing so, I would often catch myself smiling at little things I observed: a mom with five little kids heading down to the beach, a group of old men planting trees in the park, the fact that one of those old men was wearing a kick-butt pair of Converse... I enjoyed little conversations at various bus stops with women, ran along the rambla then cooled off on the beach, and savored the most delicious ice cream full of almonds, cookies, and dulce de leche. All of these little aspects of my week, and many more, helped to make it so pleasant.

 

On Tuesday my host-parents took me for a day trip to the beautiful Uruguayan city of Punta del Este. My host-padre had to work, so my host-madre and I took the car for a spin around the coast. Punta del Este is breathtaking. In addition to the gorgeous view from the coast, there are pieces of art scattered throughout the city--la estatua los dedos, el puente de la barra de maldonado, la Casa Pueblo, etc. By the end of the day, I did not want to leave. Although I am told it is a bustling, tourist-haven type of city in the summer, on this particular Tuesday Punta del Este offered nothing but fresh air, tranquility, and beauty.

 

 La estatua de "Los Dedos."

 Handstand fail in front of "Casa Pueblo."

 

This weekend in Montevideo, I discovered more of the city. Like Punta del Este, this city has art of its own. My friend Molly and I went to the Antel tower where we took a tour to see a spectacular view of Montevideo. I loved seeing the architecture of the buildings from a different point of view. It was also satisfying being able to point out and name different places throughout the city. I felt like a native Uruguayan! Afterwards, Molly and I strolled to el Palacio Legislativo--talk about architecture! The building is magnificent. The next day my friend Alyssa and I returned to sit on its massive steps and enjoy simple conversation. It may be added to my list of favorite spots in Montevideo. The list just keeps growing...

 



Antel tower view.

 

 

 Let's hear it for el Palacio Legislativo. Hip-hip-hooray!

 

Hasta el próximo domingo--

 

Los extraño,

 

Courtney

 



7th week--

 

If you so chose to compare the English and Spanish language in your spare time, you would discover many cognate words. Cognates, by definition, are quite similar to one another. Below, you will see some examples of English to Spanish cognates:

1)      Bicycle—Bicicleta

 

2)     Laboratory—Laboratorio

 

3)     Similar—Similar (Wow! There was a cognate word above ^ and you may not have even realized it!)

One final example of a cognate is the word, “routine,” in Spanish, “rutina.” And that, my friends, is the topic of this week’s blog post: routine. I just thought I’d spice up my introduction a bit with a little language lesson. I hope that I helped you learn something(s) new, and that you don’t mind learning.

So without further ado…routine.

This week has felt a tad different than the previous weeks have felt for me here. I could really feel it, and for a while it was hard for me to figure out what had changed. I think, however, that I’ve finally figured it out:

It is so easy to think throughout the day here, “I can buy this; I’m on vacation!” or “Let’s visit this place; we’re on vacation!” or, most often, “I can eat another alfajor! I’m on vacation!” (Alfajores = the best/most addicting cookies I’ve ever eaten besides Mrs. Witkowski’s seven layer Christmas cookies)… In some sense, this notion of “vacation” is true. My fellow foreign exchange students and I, all seventy-eight of us, are studying in a new country, for some of us a new continent. And it is just that—new. And exciting. And foreign (pun intended). As such, for the past seven weeks, our days have been filled with exploring the city of Montevideo and experiencing new adventures. I have visited countless museums, the bustling ferria, and theater productions…one of which was on a bus… I have even expanded my adventures outside of Montevideo, to Colonia del Sacramento and Colonia Suiza. So, in some capacity, yes, I have been on a type of vacation.

On the other hand, I need to remember that this isn’t the type of vacation to which I am accustomed. It’s not a week in Myrtle Beach, or ten days in Italy, or fourteen days at the Jersey shore. I am here for a year—for 315 more days actually, according to my computer’s calculator app. Also, I am here, primarily, to learn Spanish: to study and to master the language. With this year and with this ultimate goal in mind, certain things have to happen. I obviously need to attend class, speak, and listen to the Spanish language. But I also need to establish a routine of living, as that is exactly what I am doing—living in Montevideo for a year. I think that is precisely the thing that has felt different this past week. I finally feel like I have established a routine throughout my day-to-day life here. Although this may mean that I don’t do something particularly significant/“photo worthy” every single day, I still get to experience the little moments that make up this routine—and I am quite content with that. It consists of having mastered the bus system (mostly). It’s full of attending classes, and getting to know my classmates and professors. It means knowing that every Saturday night my host family orders Italian food from the same restaurant, and that every Sunday afternoon we have a family lunch of ravioli and masitas. For a girl who loves routines and Italian food, this is great news!  

Of course, I will continue to explore and expand my horizons—I just bought a ferry ticket to Buenos Aires, Argentina for a trip in October—but it is nice to realize that I don’t have to cram all my adventures and feelings of “vacation” into a short period of time. For a year, my life is here in Montevideo—I have time. Furthermore, I can fall asleep each night with the peace of knowing that I have established my own way of life here. My own routine. Mi propia rutina.

Can you pick out the non-cognate?

Amor y oraciones a todos,

Courtney

6th week--

Happy septiembre!

So many things have happened this week; I don’t even know where to begin! I think a list will do.

1.       On Monday I went with my Spanish Language class to a museum of a poet named Juan Zorrilla de San Martin. It was quite interesting, and his house was beautiful! What was even more beautiful was the area of Montevideo surrounding his house/museum. The museum was located in an area called Punta Carretas. The view of the river is simply breathtaking. Because I arrived a half an hour early, I sat on a bench along the rambla enjoying the silence and taking in the scenery. I then moved under a palm tree to snack on an apple and read. I truly felt so blessed and caught myself thinking, “I actually get to live here!?”

2.      On Tuesday I completed my first day of community service. I am working at an institution for underprivileged children with a group of 8 boys and 1 girl between the ages of 4 and 13. I loved working with the kids. It was more of an introduction day, with plenty of games—and the children could not have been more welcoming. Within two minutes the little girl was hugging all over me, and within thirty I had a boy begging for a piggy-back ride. The boys were all so interested to learn about where I was from, and they jumped at the opportunity to explain different Spanish words to me. I find it thrilling to see how kids are just plain ol’ kids in every country—even if they speak a different language, live in a struggling economic situation, endure a difficult family life, etc. I saw this in the Dominican Republic as well. Although I may need to dig a little deeper to see it in some children, at the very core of a child I have always found a sense of innocence and a thirst for love. Next Tuesday we will teach the children how to make flip books. The ultimate goal for the semester is to have the children create their own story and then turn it into a short, stop-motion film. This should be interesting with a bunch of boys! I am excited.

3.      The weather this week (particularly this weekend) was incredible. On Friday my friend Alyssa and I spent the entire day outdoors. We walked around park, Parque Rodo, and spent hours talking on rocks that jutted out into the Río de la Plata. We then moved to the sand to continue our conversation and catch up on some reading. Saturday was another day spent under the sun. Alyssa and I went to the feria Villa Biarriz, which is kind of like a HUGE farmer’s market. There is everything from fresh fruit, to clothing, to jewelry. It was pleasantly overwhelming. After purchasing a delicious ice cream, I sat with my friends along the rambla admiring the river, the sailboats, and the city. Today I enjoyed the rambla once more while running with my host sister. I can’t wait for the weather to be permanently so nice.

4.      On Saturday night I went to a live, interactive theater production on a bus. If it sounds weird to you, it was. But also quite fun! I felt like I was in a dream, because I could only understand maybe 20% of the storyline and everyone was speaking so quickly and dramatically. It was comical though—one of the actors led me onto the “stage” and began to dance with me. He started to talk to me really fast and then looked at me as if expecting a response, and I met him with: “I am from the United States, and I’m not able to understand anything.” I think I can add it to my list of “the most interesting/odd things I have ever experienced." Top ten, easily.

5.      I have really felt the warm-heartedness of the Uruguayan people this week. On Monday, within about two hours, three people asked me where I was from. Two of those times, I hadn’t even said anything to tip them off with my accent. I guess I just looked very American that day! The first man asked me as I was walking out of my apartment complex and he was getting his mail. He told me he was learning English and would love to help each other out with the languages. The next person was a girl who was on my bus on the way to the museum. When we got off, she stopped and asked if I needed help getting to a particular place. She then walked the whole way to the museum with me, asking me about my life here and in the U.S., and then explained to me (without me even asking) how to get back after my tour. A few minutes later, when I was sitting on the bench on the rambla, an older man was jogging by and back-tracked to ask where I was from. After telling him why I was here, he asked, “Do you need anything?” Just because! How very nice. Furthermore, tonight at Mass I was asked to help with the collection. Another lady was helping, and when we met in the back she said something to me rápidamente (quickly) in Spanish, so I had to explain to her that I only know “un pocito” (a little) of the language. After Mass she came up to me and asked me where I was from, where I was studying, and if I had many friends. She was so excited for me! She then took me over and introduced me to another girl my age, gave me her email address, and said to contact her if I ever need anything at all. I talked to the girl for a bit, and the priest and other young people invited me to their youth group afterwards. I am going to attend next week. As I left, the same, sweet nun from last week's post sent me off with a, “God bless you.” I have really felt the Lord putting these people, and more, in my path. He seems to know exactly what I need, and I am forever grateful.

I hope all is well with you all in the States. Know how much I am praying for you and miss you. OH! And enjoy your Labor Day! I will be celebrating by attending class. Apparently, Labor Day is only an American holiday…  

Muchísimos abrazos,

Courtney