3-26-10 10:27pm

Today was out first day of school in the new city so it makes sense that our first class assignment is a scavenger hunt to get to know the city more. My group ended up getting all 30 items needed (although many would agree that we did not succeed… HATERS!) which was a lot of fun and a good way to get to know the surroundings. This of course does not mean I know where I am or where I am going. I got lost twice today! Once on my way to spanish class and the next on my way back from a huge awakening of how out of shape I am.

A couple of us went for a run in the campo where I pretty much died. I guess that is what happens when you eat nothing but fried food all day long and sweat out most of your water for the day just walking around. I hope this will become a routine and I can get back in shape. This ICT group surprisingly is very active for being computer geeks and I am so glad I have people all around me to motivate me. I just have to combat the heat now.

After getting lost and possibly kidnapped I got home and got to spend some quality time with my doña. I found out so much stuff I was actually quite impressed and proud of her. My doña told me her whole life story. Its so interesting! She even wrote a book of her journey which I will share with you. When my doña was a little girl she lived in the campo with her father and her mother. Her father was her only admirable figure in her life because her mother did not care for her at all. Apparently her skin was too dark so she was always overlooked and forgotten (sad!). She also told me that her mother had 17 children (wow) but only 9 survived because they did not have the appropriate medicines and vaccinations to combat all the illnesses that were around. She said sometimes she wouldn't even know one of her brothers or sisters died, that she would come home and they would already be buried in the front yard! My doña always dreamed and wanted to go to school. But her father was always working so he couldn't take her and her mother did not care for her so she never took her. So then she decided at 9 years old, my doña decided that she would go to the inner city and go to school. She went all by herself at 9 years old! She found her grandfathers house where she stayed at for a while but he was the father of her mother so you can imagine how much he cared for her and he threw her out as well. So she pretty much lived with distant relatives and friends all so she can go to school and be a teacher. At 13 years old, she had learned so much that she was a substitute teacher! 13! (You can see how much the education system lacks here.) Now she has so many degrees in the kitchen that she doesn't have any room on her walls for them all. Her story is such an inspiration that I just wanted to share to all of my friends. I learned 3 things: 1) About the motivation for education given by parents here 2) About my doña's struggle for her dream of becoming a profesora 3) How one's motivation to attain something can be the ultimate drive to change your life. My doña has definitely inspired me and I hope she has inspired you too!

Woo independent women! :)