Along with normal spanish classes every day from 0900-1300, we have culture classes 2-3 evenings during the wk. This week's topic is about common mistakes non-spanish speakers make when using common phrases in a BAD way. We are also learning about common idioms that are used in spanish ("I woke up on the wrong side of the bed")...I can't help but think of my sister saying they were teaching the same stuff to some of her non-english speaking students back in MN.

One of the phrases we learned was "ser fodonga" which is a slang term which means "to not care about one's appearance or what others might think about your appearance." Our teacher used the example he'd "heard" that college students in America often go to class in pajamas for morning classes....I agreed that this was often the practice...and the other students from around the world were absolutely shocked!!!! I also was telling this story to my "host-mom" and she was appauled too. In the Mexican culture, appearance is VERY important, and even people that have nothing here are dressed in perfectly bleached and ironed clothes, hair neatly combed, etc.

I also had the privilage of working with Yunko in class today, a girl about my age from Japan. I think I'm doing a pretty thorough job of taking notes and doing my homework...YOU SHOULD SEE HER NOTES...all color-coded, recopied, and neatly organized. The workethic of all Japanese students here at school is really something I could learn from!!!