A (Not So) Typical Day in My Life

Warning: this post could be a bit dry, but it is still important. Today I thought I would go through a typical day in the life of me, a study abroad-er. (How's THAT for conceited! Kidding.) I realize that I have been posting mostly about specific experiences, but I think its important to explain what I have generally been up to here as well.

My day starts with breakfast, often cooked by our amazing cook Raquel, whom I am convinced has the power to make anything she touches melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and (rarely) Fridays I have classes during the day. My classes include 11 hrs of Spanish a week (talk about a headache at times... but SO good for me!), one Bible missions class (probably my favorite), a Latin American studies class, and an online literature class. The best part about classes is that they are so applicable to where I am living now. For the first time in my life, I WANT to learn Spanish and WANT to learn about this country's history. It matters because it's where I am. Lunch is cooked by Raquel and provide a nice break from class. Classes are typically done by 4 or 5 every day.

After that time, various activities consume my evening. On Mondays, we have movie night as a group. This past week we watched Stranded, a documentary about the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes mountains in the 70's. Wednesday nights, another student and I head up an English conversation club at the Alianza, a school that teaches English to locals. A group of locals come and we literally just talk to them for an hour to improve their English. We have so enjoyed this time and have gotten to know locals! Thursday nights, we do a second English conversation service, this time at the church next door. These are similar to the Alianza, except they are faith based. We have the locals read the gospels and try to incorporate Christian values into the conversation.

On weekends and free weeknights, we usually explore the bustling city. Whether it be going down the the beach to jog, drinking cortados at a local cafe, doing homework (what? we actually study here?! haha), hanging out with the teens from the local church, or finding a local event such as a concert or market, there is always something exciting to do. Sunday mornings, I am hoping to attend a church not far from the casa. Last week was my first week there, and I loved it! How amazing is it that a service in another language can still have such an impact on my spiritual walk? God is good.

That is a typical day in my life this semester. Typical isn't the best word to use, however, because every day holds something different. It is nearly impossible to have a "regular schedule." We take many trips outside the country, feildtrips within the city, or attend random events that change up everything. For example, tomorrow we are spending the day a couple hours away from Montevideo to ride horses and swim! Pray I don't fall off of the horse and I will write again soon! Chao amigos!