Day of Learning

Today, after Paula and I had fully awakened and at last were showered and dressed, we began to pick up the pace.  First of all, we spoke mostly in Spanish.  Luckily for me, Paula's friend Sonia is a native speaker and can correct me when she's around and Paula also corrects me and fills in the blanks when I cannot find the words I need.

First, Paula told me more about the test she has to take to get a job in a public school here...yeah, let's just say I already knew it was horrible...and the more I learned, the more awful it sounded and the angrier I became at the government.  So many themes to study, so many topics in each theme, and all for only 1 essay on a topic randomly chosen that Paula has to know.  Plus curriculum she has to present.  Basically, it's a bunch of hoops she has to jump through in the form of the Oposiciones exam...and like she said, even if she can prove she knows those things, that alone does not make her a good teacher.  What's worse is that the themes have all changed, so everything she studied the last time she took the exam no longer is useful.  And even if she gets a good grade, she may only get a position as a substitute and have to take the test again in 2 years.  Only if she receives a superior mark will she have a state teaching job for the rest of her life.  Que horrible!!

After that, we decided to work on rolling my r's - a very important sound in Spanish which I couldn't make.  At first I was a bit embarrassed, but practicing became more natural and Paula was able to guide me.  In addition, she put on this old song Give it Away by Red Hot Chili Peppers, which if you sing it correctly, almost makes you naturally produce the sound I was aiming for.  Well, after plenty of singing and other phrases Paula gave me to pronounce and many laughs at how silly I sounded, I can  almost make the sound.  I cannot do it in isolation or even pronounce words in which it appears, but I can do it in the context of the song and the phrases we practiced.  A great start!  Paula and I were so excited!!


It was midafternoon before we left for the museum we had planned to visit today.  We walked through it all (except the special exhibits because those cost more), and I enjoyed it immensely.  Many movements of art, many time periods, beautiful paintings, etc.  I especially loved the paintings that were based on the Bible - one with the disciples at table with Jesus in Emmaus, many depicting the crucifixion, and even one portraying the parable of the sower!  So beautiful!  I could spend hours looking at some of those paintings.  No pictures of the inside of the museum, unfortunately, but great memories.

Shout out to Cousin Sarah and my Big Sis Julie - you would have LOVED this place to pieces!!!!  I so totally wished you were there!

Below is a picture of me with a sculpture outside the museum:

After leaving the museum, Paula and I walked through a park in the middle of a large road and then ran a few errands before returning home to eat pizza for dinner.  Then Paula had her hair done and Sonia returned and we chatted until we were all tired.  Paula and I are really hoping that we'll sleep well tonight after last night's fiasco.  So I guess now it's bedtime.  Goodnight everyone!

EDIT: Finally was able to take a decent picture of the park...here it is:

Peace and Blessings,
Melanie
Spanish Words of the Day: museo = museum, aprender = to learn