Checking in

It was a busy week and I wish I was still sleeping. My husband was on a work trip this week and the kids and I were on our own. We had a great week but I stayed up too late each night. 

Spanish class is still going great. In addition to 4 hours of class daily, we have an hour of one on one time with our teacher. This week, my teacher spent the hour asking me questions that I have always had trouble answering, like what are the costs of parenting or what is the American dream and how has it changed? I'm learning to take a moment to formulate my answer and then try to point out a few opposing views. It doesn't matter what I say, just that I say it correctly and can defend my position. My teacher pointed out that my problem is confidence and he is so right.

Last night, I started reading a book that my teacher lent me (Secuestrada: Una historia de la vida real)  and I was thrilled to find that I am reading it as if it were in English- just enjoying the story rather than struggling to understand the language. I'm proud of myself- I feel like I am really improving.

I don't think I'll be in Spanish class until June, my scheduled end. The language consultants (we each are assigned a consultant to help with language learning strategies) evaluate us periodically to see how we are progressing and whether we are ready to take the test. I think our first evaluation is in a few weeks. I've been very busy with the plans for the incoming 160th A-100 class (I'm the Welcome Committee co-chair), as well as trying to organize my life, so I haven't devoted as much time to Spanish as I'd like. But I plan to get more serious this week.

In case you're wondering, if I test out of Spanish early, I will work with my CDO (Career Development Officer) to find something to keep me busy until my Consular class starts (6/22 I think). I think they could also change my ConGen start date, but either way, I have to do something productive until my scheduled leave date in August (which is not definite yet- I will start to negotiate that with post in a month or two). I would like to take some FSI Management classes or other classes that will be helpful in my work. Another option is to find a "bridge assignment" at Main State. That worries me because of daycare and commute issues, but we'll cross that bridge later. 

My Regional Studies class (Central Am and the Caribbean) is also getting more intense. We have to read 5 chapters in this book  (although I just noticed there is an updated version of this book as this one ends in 1990 I think!) and prepare for a roundtable over the weekend.

Tonight I'm going to dinner at a Dominican restaurant with most of the current FSI students and their families going to the DR. There will be 20 of us. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone better!

Alright, time to wrap up. The kids are agitating.

P.S. My son is watching a Dora episode in which she travels around the world. He periodically pipes up with comments about his daycare friends: "R is going to Russia! K is going to China!" Love FSI daycare.