HOW CAN THIS WEEK BE OVER?

The Park Where We Held Class

There really isn't much to relate about today.  I got up, took a shower and rode my bike to class.  The jackhammering had finally ceased, so Maria Elisa and I spent the day reviewing the numerous uses of the present subjunctive.  Time has really flown.  I can't believe I only have one more day of class.  It seems like I just got here.

Since I had neglected to eat lunch and dinner yesterday, I went out to eat after class.  I had three very tasty beef (steak, not ground) tacos with homemade tortillas and a beer for a little bit less than $4.00.  After lunch, I went to the beach and met up with the girl from my class.  Today, I had remembered to change into my bathing suit, so I took a swim in the ocean.  The water was gorgeous.  It was a very pleasant temperature and the sun was warm enough to dry me off when I got out, but not so warm that I fried.  It was still a bit windy, so we didn't stay too long.  It's hard to read when sand keeps blowing into your book.

I rode home and spent the remainder of the afternoon on the computer and studying grammar.  A new student arrived about 6:00.  His name is Mauro and he is from Venice, Italy.  He doesn't speak much Spanish and doesn't speak English, either, but Rossy, her son, Allen, and I managed to converse with him for a couple of hours in a mixture of Spanish and Italian.  He seems very nice.  He will be attending a different school and doesn't start until Monday.

Maria Elisa and Me

                                                                       Friday was kind of a sad day for me.  This week went too fast.  It was my last day of school and I was sorry to leave my teacher.  I may never again have a private instructor for four hours per day and Maria Elisa is a very sweet girl.  I really enjoyed her company and probably learned at least as much from just conversing with her as I did from studying grammar.

After class, I went to the beach with my fellow students for an hour or two.  I didn't have much in common with them, but they were nice.  I didn't stay long, however, because I had a mission today.  Since Rossy doesn't cook much, I decided that the best thing I could do for her was to make a nice dinner for all of us.  Mauro needed an introduction to Mexican food and I needed an excuse to drink some wine.

I went to the supermarket on the way home to buy ingredients.  Shrimp were quite inexpensive, so I bought a kilo and used them to make shrimp tacos.  I was very surprised to discover that there were no corn tortillas in the store.  I had to get flour ones, although I did find raw ones that I could cook myself.  I sauteed onions and peppers and Rossy made some guacamole.  I cooked the shrimp in garlic and olive oil and made a salad of mangoes, jicama and cilantro with oil and lime juice.  I also bought a bottle of red Chilean wine.  Everything turned out perfectly.  Rossy's son, Allen, said I should be on Iron Chef.  All in all, I think the dinner was a success.  I will be sad to leave this house, even if there isn't any hot water.  Mauro has been a nice addition, also.  Hopefully, we can see him next week.  He doesn't start school until Monday, so he doesn't know anyone else.  It will be a bit strange for me to be in a hotel full of foreigners after having been so immersed in the local lifestyle.  I am going to miss my Barbie pink bicycle.