"Studying" Abroad

This week was all about the mid-terms. Just like my UF counterparts were preparing for their exams before spring break, I was studying too. I had 3 exams today - Spanish Language, Spanish Literature and Spanish Culture and Society.

After Jema rearranged our desks and made Emma move all over the room, we began our first grammar exam. Fortunately, it was multiple choice! Me gusta multiple choice! But unfortunately, it was on stuff that our profesora, Jema, hasn't taught us. There was a huge portion of the exam on just the uses of ser vs. estar. These are tricky verbs for English speakers because they both translate to "to be". And although I've learned the uses many times over the years, it's a subject that just doesn't stick in my head. And Jema gave us all of 2 bullet points worth of notes on them, which were not very helpful when trying to answer 20 questions about using different forms. Ahh so frustrating!

But we made it through. And it was such a relief to see Super Antonio's Literature exam, which consisted of a passage we had read and discussed in depth in class. His Culture exam was a little harder but still not as bad as Jema's torture device.

I'm just glad they're over with. Like every class, the first exams are always the hardest because you don't know exactly what format the test will be, the style of questions, and what the professor expects from you. I just have one more exam next week in Spanish Art History and then I'll be donzo until our finals on our last day of class! Woohoo!

I can't think of anything exciting that has happened since Morocco. Monday turned out to be a beautiful glorious day without a cloud in the sky. Thank goodness we were able to enjoy it instead of being cooped up in a basement for classes all morning. And it was so awesome to sleep in! Tuesday and Wednesday were not so wonderful due to the torrential downpour and wind. The weather has this crazy effect on my whole personality. I told my mom Florida is the only place for me - I don't think I could handle a place where the norm is clouds, rain and/or snow. I'm pretty sure sunshine makes for happier people.

Tonight I have another intercambio. It's such a great way to practice Spanish and meet legit Spanish people. I'll let you know how this one goes! And tomorrow we're going with our program to Cordoba, a city in the south of Spain with a lot of cool Muslim, Jewish and Christian history. Stories to come, as well.

40 days!