Classes begin!

A lot has happened in the two days since I last blogged! Yesterday everyone doing the intensive spanish month took a placement test to see what level we should all be in. This was the first (and maybe only) time that we were all in the same place at the same time and I was surprised to see that there were at least 100 (and probably more) people there. Most everyone that I heard, talked to, and encountered was American, speaking english, and from a university program. Going into it, I didn't really know what to expect because they said that gap year students come and take these courses but I didn't realize that the CLM is actually a very big study abroad destination for a lot of universities. While waiting for the test to begin I did find a few other stragglers, who like myself are not here with any particular program and therefore did not have a group to cling to.

So we began the test with a 40 minute written section first. The questions went from easiest to hardest and we needed to use some complex grammar to answer some of the harder questions, but it was all just talking about ourselves... so therefore not very difficult (I suppose writing essays in spanish basically every day for Señora Finch paid off). And then we had an hour to answer 80 multiple choice grammar questions. So also not very hard because it was multiple choice... and again I had a grammar drill sergeant to prepare me. I was pretty sure I got quite a few wrong, but just decided to turn it in without checking my answers because I forgot how tiring taking tests is. The part I was most worried about was the Oral because speaking is pretty difficult, but actually they just called us in one by one and talked about our exam and what level we should be in.

While waiting for the oral part, I learned that there are 9 levels, so I was thinking/shooting for 4 or 5. Maybe 6. But then he called me up and we had a conversation and talked about my exam and he laughed at my answer to one of the questions that asked our current worries and emotions which was basically that I wouldn't make friends because I'm here alone. I told him that I was also worried because I can read and write much better than I can speak, and he was like "okay, I'll put you in level 8 then." ..... I was shocked. Asked if he was sure/serious. He was. So there I am feeling pretty pleased with myself but also thinking that the lower levels must be really low, etc.

Now you get to have a good laugh, today I went to my classes (which will be from 10-2 every weekday for this month, pretty sweet) and I scurry into the first session thinking I am running late, but no to worries because there were only 4 people there at that moment and the professor ended up arriving 20 minutes late (typical for Spain). So as the rest of the 9 in total people arrived we were all talking and introducing ourselves in Spanish. For 6/9 of the students, spanish is their first language. I repeat, spanish is their FIRST language. Not spain spanish, but still. Then there is an Iraqi woman in the class who also speaks as if she were a native. So that leaves me and this other girl who is also good at Spanish, but less intimidatingly so. I have very little doubt that I am the worst at speaking in the class, but I might know the most grammar. Aside from this overwhelming feeling of not being mexican, the classes were really fun and the teachers seem really cool!

Back to the daily routine, I need to get used to the whole waking up to go to classes again and with enough time to eat breakfast... that one is majorly important because we don't eat lunch until 3! And dinner is very small so if I forget about or do a granola bar breakfast, lunch is essentially 3 meals. Which leaves my American body with much hunger. There is an expression here that goes something like "eat breakfast like a noble, lunch like a king, and dinner like a beggar." I told my host family that in the U.S. that pretty much every meal is like that of a fat king and queen.

So finally for a quick pet and water update. Tortuga real name is actually Donna Flor. Luna is such a little tease, I feel like we are constantly playing cat and mouse. But I'm not sure who is the cat and who is the mouse. Just now she comes into my room with her little red ball in her mouth and drops it at my feet and kind of paws it around so I pick up the ball and try to get her excited but she just stares at it disdainfully like "what is that juvenile thing you hold?" so I throw the ball at her and nimbly moves out of the way and takes her ball onto the porch. I next start petting her and make another attempt to pick her up to which she starts screaming and brings out the claws. She leaps from my grasp and onto the ledge of the seven story building where she knows I can't follow her, leaving the beloved ball behind. As soon as my back is turned she returns and collects her ball, hides in the dead tomato plants and we eye each other cautiously. She then disappears anticlimactically and is now back in my room after she must have done her usual loop: my balcony --> building ledge --> other balcony --> inside apartment --> back into my room through inside door.

Last thing before I sign off to go to sleep, without even realizing it, I picked the city with the best water in all of Spain! Granada gets water from the Sierra Nevada mountains so it is actually mountain fresh and tasty. The CLM building where I have all my classes also has drinking fountains!