So yesterday was another orientation day, but this time for Veritas University. That is the school where I take my Spanish class. Veritas is a private art university in Costa Rica. It is very small, but very cool. The buildings are amazing! The school is known for its architecture program and the design of the school is very indicative of that. It is very cool to see all the local Costa Rican art students drawing and doing projects all over campus. Right now it seems like half of the school or maybe more are international students (mostly from the U.S.) also taking Spanish classes like me.
The orientation was kind of long and boring, but Veritas offers tons or free activities to do in the afternoons that I am excited about. I am going to be taking a Salsa and Marengue dance classes a few nights a few and a cooking class once a week! There is also a conversation club on campus that I plan to go to as well. Most of the other study abroad students are staying here for 5 weeks because they are taking an elective or two along with their Spanish class. The elective classes are in the afternoons and last for 5 weeks while the Spanish classes are every morning and last for 4 weeks. Since I only have classes in the mornings I plan to be apart of lots of the activities that the offer. I am really excited about the conversation club too because I really want to improve that aspect of my Spanish.
I finally got my luggage yesterday afternoon! It was such a relief! I had a blast putting away all my stuff and wearing my clothes. There is no way it would have been that fun had I gotten my luggage in the first place haha!
Last night, some friends and I went to a place called the Jazz Cafe. A local from Veritas recommended it to us and said that it is really fun on Monday nights. Boy was she was right! It was definitely a local hangout out; not a big tourist attraction. I really liked that because I felt like I got a better taste of Costa Rican life here. Monday nights at the Jazz Cafe is world music night. They had an amazing band come in and play the most interesting music with instruments I had never seen before (so I am not sure what they are called). Then, during some of the songs, dancers came out and performed during the music! They danced tango, flamenco, belly dancing, and other ones right in the little cafe! It was awesome!
Today was my first day of class. Whew! It was INTENSE! Mi cabesa esta muy cansada! I am not sure how, but I tested into Intermediate Spanish for Health Care Professionals. My professor is really great, but she does not speak any English! She knows some words though so that helps. They whole class is in Spanish and I feel a little overwhelmed. I have Spanish Mon-Fri for 4 hours every morning. It’s going to be very intensive. I already feel so much better about my Spanish than I ever have and it’s only been 3 days! The first 2 hours of the class, I was totally freaking out and thought there was no way I should be in this class. I didn't understand half of what was going on! We had a break later and I talked to some of the people in the class and I felt a little better. Then, for some reason, the second half of the class went much more smoothly and I felt like, even though it was going to be tough, I could handle it.
The weather has been pretty predictable here. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced before though and its awesome! Every morning and early afternoon has been pretty warm and nice and then around 3 pm every day it rains! It’s usually not just a drizzle though; it down pours! I have been hearing thunder outside my room as I have been writing this! It is so cool!
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