Monday and Tuesday

2 very busy days!!!

Monday I had class from 8 am - 11 am. We were supposed to go on a field trip today but for some reason it didn't work out, so we will be going NEXT Monday instead. I'm learning to be flexible and adjust to changes, so it wasn't a really big deal. After class I helped SC write an e-mail (in Spanish) to a tico friend from the beach, and then I headed home to have some lunch - fish and rice. Yum! It got cloudy early in the afternoon, and though I desperately longed to siesta, I packed up my books and headed to La U instead to do some SERIOUS studying since I grew terribly unmotivated over the weekend and failed to do a lot of homework. I got to school and we had to take a group picture of everyone in the program, so we did that, and then a couple of us headed to the store to get some Reeses! DB and I then went to Delicias to do some studying. We made it inside JUST in time before the rain started pouring! We didn't stay a whole hour, and then we headed back to school. I studied there until 5 or so, and then headed home before it started to get dark. I came in and hung out with AM and her sweet friend from school for a while, and then MM made MACARONI AND CHEESE for supper - SO DELICIOUS! I had a rather large helping (or two), and it was scrumdiddlyumptious, as Willy Wonka would say! We then all studied together for a while. I turned in kind of early since I had been up since 5:45.

Tuesday was also a long day, and a day I was a bit nervous about. Today, Claudia and I had to do a workshop at the hospital ALL DAY for my internship. The plan was to make some adjustments to the current vision and values that the hospital has, and to complete a table - I forget the english name....BSC, maybe? - the Cuadro de Mando Integral. I walked to La U to see if Claudia was there before I went to the hospital (had to be there at 9), but she wasn't there. So I trotted off to the hospital on the north end of town, about a 20 minute walk. The weather was nice, so it was a very pleasant walk. Unfortunately, I wore shoes that I haven't broken in very well yet, and they gave me some painful blisters on my feet. Anyway, I kept trudging onward and finally arrived at el hospital. I had to make a short presentation at the beginning, and luckily I was able to get out what I wanted to say in Spanish without stumbling! Thank you, Lord! We had to let them work in small groups for a while before and after lunch, but we got a LOT accomplished today, and they were all pleased! Someone even told us that today was the only time the hospital director and these two other people had been able to be in the same room together and get along for such a long period of time, so we must have done something right! I was able to understand a majority of what they were saying today, even those with thick accents, and it was a really cool feeling. I just wish my brain would process it a little faster! I was exhausted after it was over, but then I had to go to my evening class. It was interesting and we watched a short video about indigenous people in Bolivia. Makes me want to visit! After class, we helped her take the equipment to the office, and she offered us a ride home, which I was VERY thankful for because I do NOT like walking home in the dark, even though it was only 7 pm. (I can't say that a professor back at home has ever offered to do that for me?) Of course I accepted, and we went to her car, and I found out that she drives a RAV 4 like mine!!!!! It was a sweet moment, because I love my little savvy ravvy. Anyway, she took each of us home and I went in immediately hoping for some supper. We had some kind of beef stew, and rice, of course. I did some homework for a while and talked to my dad for a while. He and my mother are coming next week to visit and I am SO excited! AND the week after that, my dear friend Bailey and her brother Andy are coming to stay for her 21st birthday weekend, and THEN, the week after that, we have a weeklong trip to PANAMA!!!!!!!! I am so excited!!!

Tomorrow is going to be a long day too. I have early class, and I have to work all day tomorrow on a presentation I have to make in class on Thursday. Actually, I am teaching our literature class, in spanish, on Thursday. Should be interesting. I have to talk for almost 3 hours. PRAY FOR ME! I also have a take-home exam due Thursday that is kind of intense. I have to finish all of this tomorrow. AHH!!!!