15 de Febrero, 2017
I have this handy-dandy app called TimeHop, you link your social media platforms (instagram, facebook, twitter, etc) and every day it shows you the things you've posted "On this Day" in the past.
I keep seeing posts from my time in Puebla, and I'm really starting to get homesick for México and Mamá and the home that I had there. I also miss the warmth and the sun, especially with the rain today drenching the back of my neck as I walk to class.
As I was looking back through the photos I took about a year ago, I particularly noticed how many pecas (freckles) I had. My face looked like it had been smothered in angel kisses. Comparing photos between then and now, my freckles are almost completely gone. I didn't realize how much I'd missed them until today.
I mean, just look at this picture! Even my chest has a smattering of freckles! I forgot how much I'd enjoyed just being in the sun, even if it was only for short periods of time (like walking between the bus stop and home).
Some of the things I don't miss are being catcalled dozens of times a day. It's dropped down to a few times a week, which is a significant improvement.
What I'm most proud of is how I've kept improving my Spanish back in Seattle. I'm tutoring 5 hours a week at Seattle U, and interning in two Spanish classrooms at a local high school. I'm constantly practicing, teaching and speaking Spanish, and it's starting to really show.
In class this week I kept saying solamente instead of only and I knew it sounded wrong and that I wasn't saying what I wanted too, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what was happening. It was a little nerve wracking, especially because it was only about a year ago last week when I had to go to the hospital for stroke-like symptoms. It wasn't until a friend leaned over, patted me on the arm and said "Spanish, I get it" that I finally understood what was going on.
Apparently my brain has become so accustomed to Spanish that it will just randomly switch between the two unintentionally, and without me consciously realizing it. ¡Excito!
Is this what fluency feels like? Am I nearing my goal? I guess there's only one way to find out: ¡Habla más Español! Additional Thoughts:
I really enjoyed writing blog posts somewhat regularly last year, and it's a habit I think I'm going to try and keep up. I think I'll turn this into a travel blog. I'll post about vacations/trips I take, even if they're just afternoon excursions downtown or to pike place. I think it'll be a fun habit. What do y'all think?
