La Escuela

I wasn't sure I was going to take a Spanish class this trip. I knew I didn't want to join an early morning group class, which usually start at 9am-- after all I am on vacation. One of the luxuries of being in a Bed &  Breakfast like this is the leisurely mornings sipping coffee, obviously having breakfast and enjoying the premises. But I worked out a couple of hours in the later morning in a private class at CIS (Centro de Idiomas del Sureste) . It was strictly conversational. After I told Francisco, my teacher, that I needed to work on my listening skills- he began to talk, and talk, and talk, but it was great. It turned out really interesting. I practiced my listening skills and he told stories and then I shared some of my own stories. 

Franciso is involved in helping women who are incarcerated in the women's prison here in Mérida. He taught a writing workshop to the women prisoners and became very involved in the cause of the inequities between the women prisoners and the men. He is very knowledgable and passionate about the conditions of prisons, especially for women and was invited to Argentina by Las Madres de Plaza Mayo.  He brought in the book that they published and told me some of their stories. 

Then I shared my own story of my friend, Rosana and her deportment back to Guatemala in 2009, and subsequent legal return to the United States in 2011, winning her court case for illegal immigrant women who have been abused. Francisco asked if I would put my story in writing and send it to him to be translated (Thank God, he didn't ask me to write it in Spanish, although I am pretty proud of my ability to tell the story in Spanish.)  He said it was a beautiful story of hope, which it really is. I was honored. 

So, I didn't learn any grammar, and barely improved the grammar I have acquired, but I believe I've moved myself a little forward in the audio processing department!