Language School

For some reason I have not posted yet about the main thing we are doing right now....language school! This is the focus of our time here in Arequipa for these 3 months. We spend every morning (5 days a week) for 4 hours learning Spanish. It is a wonderful way to learn although it does get tough sometimes because you can't slack off when you are the only student! It is quite tiring and my brain is always in overload when we are done. We have two hours with one teacher and a little break...my favorite part because it involves talking in English with our friends (and a little snack:) Then we have two more hours with a different teacher. This is really wonderful because everyone has a different way of teaching or speaks a little differently so it is good to have a change. My teachers are very kind and patient with me. I have one teacher named Marie (or Mary maybe...I should have her spell her name for me sometime). I have had her since the beginning and once she warmed up to me I love her! After having a few other teachers I realized she is a wonderful teacher and this week I was almost given a new teacher to change it up...but I mentioned how much I liked Marie and I was able to stay with her. My other teacher right now is Roy. He is very kind and laughs at my jokes so that is nice:) He is extremely patient...maybe too patient sometimes (he let me speak a lot of English for a while). I had another teacher for a few weeks named Agaba (I think). I was nervous at first because I heard she was really strict. But, she was very kind and patient with me as well. I quickly realized I could get her talking (which meant I didn't have to talk as much) and so I would ask lots of questions of her. Although I didn't talk as much she taught me so much about the culture/traditions/dances/foods/history of Peru, I think it was just as valuable!

Here is a picture of the room I spend 20 hours a week him...I try to sit as close to the window as I can to try to enjoy the sun:)

Here is Tyson with one of his teachers, Carlos. Tyson really likes how Carlos teaches and is learning a lot from him! This is Tyson's "classroom". A table, chairs and whiteboard in the garden!
For the first month while we were in school Kai was watched at the school by Medalit. She cared for Kai and another baby boy. At first Kai had a really hard time...it was not easy being handed off to someone who didn't speak his language I think. But, he began to warm up to her and loved break time when he could come out and see Mom and Dad...and all the other students, of course! The problem is the school is really just a house so Kai was mostly in a little room all day and if he did go out into the garden he was disrupting the other students. So, last week we decided to look for little preschool for him...in Peru it is called a jardin (which means garden). We found one just a block away from the school that seems really great. Kai had his first day on Monday and although he has cried the last two days when he was dropped off, he is quite a happy boy when we pick him up. He is an extremely social kid so it is good for him to be with other kids, doing activities...and he will pick up Spanish much faster this way!

Below is a picture of Kai with Medalit in the garden of the school....he loved drawing on the white boards!

This is the picture of the front of our school...it is really just a big house turned into a school.

All in all we are learning a lot each day. Spanish really isn't as complicated as English...but I would never know that being a native English speaker:) But, each day we are better able to communicate with our family, Peruvian friends and professors. We have two months left to learn as much Spanish as we can! You prayers for our Spanish would be very much appreciated, it is exhausting and overwhelming at times but key for our ministry here in Peru! Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement!