Well it's official! I bought my plane ticket today, and I'll be heading back to the state of dairy, beer and Cheeseheads August 8th! I'm actually very excited about my flight because it leaves at 11:40 am and I fly into Milwaukee at around 5:20 pm with only a 50 minute layover. So overall I don't think that's bad at all. I guess I'm kind of excited to go home so I can hang out with friends, but at the same time I'm really excited to stay here and continue practicing my |
Spanish and exploring the island. My Spanish has gotten so much better--even with what little I do use it-- so I'm sure my Spanish is going to be amazing by the end of summer. Although I guess I should say my "Puerto Rican" will be really good by the time I return, since everyone here says that their Spanish isn't like the Spanish from other countries. Puerto Rican Spanish is definitely more lazy and less proper, but as long as I can communicate with Spanish-speakers I'll be good. I can always learn more along the way.
It's taken me 3 months, but I'm finally starting to feel more confident with my Spanish here. Not so much with school but as long as I pass all of my classes with a C or higher, I will be more proud of myself than any other semester. It's been a roller-coaster of emotions and difficulties, but it's almost over. I only have 29 more days (counting weekends and days off) until the last day of finals. I wish I had more done than I do so that I could just relax for awhile, but so far all I have accomplished is finishing my book for history, writing the outline for the essay, and I also have a little bit of research done for my presentation. I think what is making me stress out most is the fact that I have to write the essays. Other than that I should be good. All the other stuff I have to do aren't as bad as writing essays. I know that writing essays shouldn't stress me out as much as they do, but I just really hate essays. I'd much rather put together a presentation than an essay. Good thing I'm a Communications major.
It's taken me 3 months, but I'm finally starting to feel more confident with my Spanish here. Not so much with school but as long as I pass all of my classes with a C or higher, I will be more proud of myself than any other semester. It's been a roller-coaster of emotions and difficulties, but it's almost over. I only have 29 more days (counting weekends and days off) until the last day of finals. I wish I had more done than I do so that I could just relax for awhile, but so far all I have accomplished is finishing my book for history, writing the outline for the essay, and I also have a little bit of research done for my presentation. I think what is making me stress out most is the fact that I have to write the essays. Other than that I should be good. All the other stuff I have to do aren't as bad as writing essays. I know that writing essays shouldn't stress me out as much as they do, but I just really hate essays. I'd much rather put together a presentation than an essay. Good thing I'm a Communications major.
| So here's another little birthday shout out to my favorite Puerto Rican roommate, Deidre. Her birthday is actually on Monday but that's not a very good day to go out and do something (especially since she's legal here) so we're going out to celebrate tonight with our friend, Adyam. The plan is to go out for sushi and then head to San Juan. I'm excited because we're actually doing something for once. I'm sure it's more exciting for Deidre though since she hasn't gotten to experience San Juan. I actually haven't experienced it at night either, so this will be fun. |
I'm so thankful to have this girl here with me. We didn't know each other before this but I am so blessed to have been able to meet her! I was very nervous that I was not going to have a good roommate experience, but I don't think I could have been paired with anyone better. I don't know how she puts up with me half the time but I give her props. She's so funny and nerdy and sweet and she lets me use her Netflix to binge watch shows, she's such a huge nerd but I think it's adorable, she's an amazing hair stylist and we can spend hours just talking about everything and anything. It's going to be so weird when I don't have her always by my side making fun of my accent. We may have only known each other for a little over 3 months, but this girl forever has a spot in my life. Deidre, I hope you have an amazing and happy 20th birthday! I am so glad that I am able to celebrate it with you darling!
Another girl I would like to give a shout out to is my best friend, Sarah, who I got to Skype with last night (FINALLY!). I realized that we don't have like any pictures together, as I was looking for a picture of us, which will need to change when I get back! But it was great finally getting to talk to her again. I feel like I haven't been able to Skype with as many people as I'd like as often as I'd like. I have a pretty long list of people that I would like to Skype with like ASAP! I'm sure you all know who you are. But I think this picture is adorable. This was taken the day that I got my Hello Kitty tattoo and my ribbon tattoo. We ended up having to try and jump our friend Emily's car, but it was completely dead and would not come back to life. When I get back we are getting together and having a flow session! Especially since it's Emily's turn to leave us for Florida and Sarah is graduating and heading to Oshkosh for Grad-school. |
But speaking of hula hooping, I came across the first hooping video I ever watched.
I can't believe how long it has been since I first saw this video! This is the video that really gave birth to my desire to learn how to hula hoop. This video is what really showed me not only what you could do with a hula hoop, but also what joy it could give you. Throughout the entire video she just looks so much at peace and there's genuine joy in her smile. I think I've watched it about 20 or 30 times (no exaggeration) since I started hooping. I like to go back to it and re-watch it as a way to sort of get back to my roots. Whenever I watch it, I get back a little of the emotions that I felt at the beginning of my journey. It's sad, but you start to lose them the longer you hoop and the more that life gets in the way. Once classes are over, and after I've returned to the States, I really want to get back to that. I tend to have these little periods every semester when things get stressful where I lose my motivation to hoop; even though that's when I need to hoop the most. I'm sure this video is also the reason for my obsession with Nahko and Medicine for the People because I'm always reminded of when I started hooping. I can't believe it's going to be a year and 7 months tomorrow.... That's insane! And it's even more insane that hooping is how I'm making a name for myself. I've never been known for something before, and I was never considered one of the best at anything by the people around me. But have you ever just had something that you associate with a passion? For me that's Nahko and Medicine for the People. Whenever I listen to them, I get a million flashbacks of my first months with my hoop, Spencer. Those were the good days. I could spend 1-3 hours a day hooping, challenging myself with new tricks, and learning to find my flow. I'm going to get back into it though! That is a promise to myself. I think it will also help once I get a weighted hoop because I also started hooping for the exercise side of it. Hooping with a polypro definitely is a cardio workout, but I want a strengthening workout that a weighted hoop can bring.
Well, I better get going and bring this blog to a close if I want to get anymore homework done before we have to meet Adyam's boyfriend to take us out tonight. Wish me luck!
XOXO Ericka
Well, I better get going and bring this blog to a close if I want to get anymore homework done before we have to meet Adyam's boyfriend to take us out tonight. Wish me luck!
XOXO Ericka