Should be homeworking

Amanda and I have started language classes and while I should be journaling my day in the local language, I need to process a bit. (I figure I can't pour anymore in until I pour some out.)

So here are some random experiences/thoughts from the other day:

I thought I saw a trolley on Monday, only to hear honking moments later. The bus had managed to snag a low hanging phone line and pulled it half a block before the bus stopped. The driver got out, unsnagged it, pedestrians moved it off the road, and the journey continued.

Had a great language lesson on the minibus Tuesday. Some kids got on with a Spiderman comic book. They taught as I pointed to Dr. Octopus and other villians. I think they tried to teach me the word for "webslinger."

I have one major project I've been attempting but with no success - a light cabinet. Because of the humidity here, people put a five watt lightbulb in the their warddrobes, spice cabinets or whatever they want to make a bit drier. The light stays on all the time and dries the space without creating too much of a firehazzard. The problem is, how do you explain what four or five parts you need from a hardware store when you have none of the language? I'll try again today.

The most terrifying part of language class comes at the end when we are expected to roleplay without a script. My language ability is squarely in between the abilities of my two classmates - one has already been using a tutor for a month or two and the other is still jetlagged with three kids and is in the process of moving to a less infested house. Stagefright has never been one of my favorite things.

We've had our semiautomatic washing machine for less than three weeks and already the spinner doesn't work. This is a fact that the houseworker has known about for sometime but didn't mention it. Or if she did, it was somehow lost in translation. The repairman will come out today (he was supposed to yesterday).

For at least the next 17 days, I am taking morning classes while Amanda meets in the afternoon. We see eachother for breakfast and in the evenings. Lunch will consist of us exchanging important information like if the washing machine got fixed, if @ pooped in potty, or if water got delivered. If I walk home, that gives us about fifteen minutes to talk. Not cool since we're used to spending about 16 hours a day together.

I was excited the other day when at language orientation they expalined that "next we will introduce our power tools." Come to find out what they meant was a poster showing how to ask questions in the "local langauge" (a phrase from here on out to be abbreviated however I feel like next time I use it.

I had my first motorbike experience yesterday. One of my teachers lives near here and he gave me a lift home. I want one! But we agree with our friends that we won't be making any vehicle purchases until we have enough language to talk ourselves through an accident.

But I think I'm sort of enjoying this. It'll be better once @ is pottytrained. And I can spend more time exploring with my wife. And we learn the language. And we're out of the rainy season. And the roof gets fixed...