(To be honest communication in general hasn't been my thing for the last 4 months, but God has been convicting me of that so my prayer is through Him I'll be better at staying in touch.)
But I have decided the blogging world is forgiving and I resume where I left off...well, not quite where I left off.
To be honest there is no way I could catch up on 4 months of what I was thankful for everyday. Especially these past four months. Don't get me wrong I have much that I'm thankful for but to recount 4 months.
So I'll start from today. And seeing as I'm on the theme of honesty, to be honest I'm not going to continue with thankfuls for each day. Instead I'd rather paint you a picture of my life here in Spain. Give you glimpses into this extraordinary adventure God has called me - challenges and joys. Snapshots of my life here in Spain.
The snapshots I can give you are my of my students. They are the ones I see the most, they are my main focus here, and they bring the most joy to my life in place called España. They make me smile and laugh. At times they frustrate me. But since my arrival here in Spain last February God has used them to teach me, encourage me, challenge, and grow me.
Enough with the snappiness. They also provide me with comedic relief...and those are the snapshots I leave you with today.
Student D - Ugh...I just don't know why they bother to put John in the Bible?!
Me - What do you mean you don't know why they bother to put John in the Bible?
Student D - Uhh...how do I explain? Hmm Miss Munro do you know Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
Me - Yeah, why? (Wondering how this could possibly relate to Peter and John).
Student D - You see Peter he is like Don Quixote and John is Sancho Panza.
Me - So you mean that John is Peter's sidekick.
Student D - Eso es (that's it!)! See John doesn't need to be in the Bible.
Student Y - Miss Munro!
Me - Yes, what's wrong?
Student Y - My tongue. (Points to table). Table.
Me - You put licked my table?
Student Y - (Giggles) No!
Me - You put your tongue on my table?
Student Y - (Giggles again) No! Water. Mouth. Table.
Me - You drooled on my table.
Student Y - Yes!
Student D - I do not like the intellectual side of learning. I only like the physical learning.
(He gives me the most entertaining conversations by the way).
Student P to Student D - You know we speak Spanish in Cuba!
Student D - What?! No!?
Me - What did you think they speak?
Student D - Cuban!
Me - I'm from the United States and what do I speak?
Student D - English
Me - It's like that Cubans speaks Spanish, Americans speaks English not United Statesian or American.
Student D - Oh!
(a few minutes pass)
Student D to Student P - You know your and my country they are friends!
Student P - Huh? What do you mean?
Student D - Yes! Because we are both communists.
Me - Aren't you from South Korea?
Student D - Yes.
Me - They aren't communists.
(We have been on a communist kick apparently)
Student D to Student P - You are going to do this and this and this. I am going to teach you.
Student P - What?
Student D - I am the boss. You must do what I say!
Me - You know the best way to get people to work for you is to be nice.
Student D - No, we are communists this is how we do.
Me - You're from South Korea!
(I thought we had put the Cubans speak Spanish behind us...think again...)
Student D - I cannot understand your Cuban.
Student P - (rolls eyes)
Me - What do people in Cuba speak?
Student D - Cuban.
Me - No, Spanish..
Me - Um, so could you explain to me why you're walking around with an umbrella? (Student had been using it as cane)
Student D - Because I hurt my shoulder.
Me - That doesn't explain to me why you need an umbrella as a cane if you hurt your shoulder.
Student D - Yes, because my shoulder is pulled down by gravity as I walk like this (leans over). It's pulled down by gravity. It's scientific. The canemakes it stay it in place so gravity doesn't pull it down. It's scientific.
A few minutes pass...
Student D - Oh today is soccer club!
Me - How are you going to play with your umbrella?
Student D - I'm going to wail it around to protect the goal.
Me - I'm going to ask you to refrain from that. Remember it's not a sword.
My personal favorite from the quarter...
Student D - Miss Munro, what you do know about this new dorm parent thing?
Me - Well, they're coming this week and you'll all be moving in together.
Student D - I don't know how this will work. One Korean and three Moroccan Americans.
Me - Well, you and N seemed have it off well.
Student D - Ah well he believes many things but he does not believe in Santa Claus!
Me plus three girls in class - WHAT?!
Student D - Yes, he believes many things but he does not believe in Santa Claus.
Me - And do you believe in Santa Claus?
Student D - Yes! He's an old man who lives in Russia!
Me - So at Christmastime do you go and see him at the mall?
Student D - No! Those aren't the real Santa Claus, those are his helpers. No, Santa Claus is an old man who lives in Russia. I do not understand how you all cannot believe in Santa Claus?!
Student A - Um because it is a little impossible to believe that one man could go around the whole world delivering presents in one night.
Student D - Duh! It's magic! But I do not believe in magic.
These conversations pretty much make up a normal day in the ELL Room!
