day 22 again...the university experience.

another post for today while i have a computer.

right now i am at the university, with one of my host cousins. i came to help teach some of the classes here, and it is a funny experience, to say the least. the class forgot that they had an exam, and so for the first hour i had nothing to do. but i went down to another english class, just to see if i could help out, and it turns out that there was already someone from alabama teaching the class! he was so funny. turns out he is here with another organization that teaches english teachers here different teaching techniques (which is great because they really do need it) and he was just filling in for a professor tonight. we talked for a while, he was pretty cool, but spent 2 years as a missionary in argentina. but he had great teaching techniques. if i were teaching older students like he does then he could have definitely helped me out. however, i am sooo happy to have younger students, to say the least.

i went back to my friends english class, and they were finishing up their test. the teacher could not find the tape recording with the english voices, so good thing i was there! she had me read these passages outloud for the class, acting as a tape. i felt so horrible, making these students who are like 2 years older than me learn this language from me! i didnt want to give them a test on the first day. so i spoke clear and slow. they said it was great :) yay. halfway through my reading, someones cell phone went off. and she answered it! and talked while she was taking the test! the tecaher just laughed. i definitely did too. i explained that i would probably get kicked out of the class for something like that. definitely just a tad different here.

later, we all just sat around and i talked about the US. they asked me how much college costs... and their reactions were priceless. they work hard to pay the 27 dollars it costs here. (and that 27 includes books for sure). so we talked about money for a while, making me feel very guilty. i think i tried explaining the exchange rate like every 2 minutes! i was very relieved when the topic changed to snow and weather. definitely better conversation.

anyways, we walked around town for about 20 minutes, got a cheese empanada (which was SO delicious and i want another) and a batido (which is basically a smoothie), and now i am sitting with my host cousin in her next class, which happens to be a photoshop class. they have a test today, so theyre all busy trying to create newspaper images (i wish they would just use indesign... i think my dad should teach this class. all the students are so confused, and im sure i would be too with this teacher). but either way, i get more free internet time, thus this whole new blog entry for the last few hours of my life.

also, as another sidenote, on the way here i was tlaking with one of the students, and just asking him about life as a student here. he said there is no homework, and ifthere is there is no reason to actually do it. and the classes are not necessary because everyone can pass extremely easily. i would put that in quotes if i did not translate it from spanish. he knows zero english and will pass with flags flying. should i come here for university??? (dont worry, i wont)