Well now that this is a blog about anything and everything, I guess I should give you all some updates. So yes, I am currently studying in Puerto Rico. It was only supposed to be until June but I recently had a friend ask me if I wanted to stay with her over the summer so that I could work on my Spanish more and explore since I feel like I'm just always too busy to really do anything while in school. So now I will be staying here until early August. I had also had an idea to then study in Spain next spring but I don't think that is going to happen because (although I would be living with a Spanish-speaking family instead of another English-speaking American) I will be too focused on school that I won't be able to accomplish what I want to. So I think instead I'm just going to save up money to take a year off once I graduate and live in a Spanish-speaking country. I might just come back here since it's cheap enough and I'm sure I won't have much money being a broke college student and all.
But some exciting news on the hoop front: I had my first performance the other night! There was a talent show here at the university and my roommate, Deidre, was required to go to it for her class. It was a talent show for 'English Week' so it was for her English class. She told me about it pretty late so I wasn't able to sign up originally but once we were there, some of my friends pulled some strings to get me on the list. So we went to get my hoop and I was 3rd to last to perform. I was kind of nervous because that was the first time that a pretty bug crowd had all of their eyes on me and only me. Also I was a little buzzed from drinking beforehand (I didn't know I would end up going on). But I went on and introduced myself as the exchange student and away I went. It was a rough start because of my nerves and this being my first time but everyone cheered me on even when I dropped my hoop. But I kept going. My mind went blank so I was just doing whatever the hoop wanted and forgot about half of the tricks that I would have normally had done while hooping. I had even forgotten to do my signature moves. Like how nervous do you have to be to do that? I mean I'm a communications major who is perfectly fine talking in front of people so you'd think that I wouldn't be nervous in front of a crowd. I also have hooped outside in public so many times so I don't know why I was so nervous. I guess that's what the power of 50 plus eyes all on you can do. But by the end of it everyone was cheering louder than they had for anyone else that had performed and even gave me a standing ovation. I had so much adrenaline pumping through my veins that I just stood there panting and smiling like a dork. It felt so amazing! I want to be able to teach myself to perform in front of crowds so I can do it as a side project. The feeling I got from performing was intoxicating and I want to be able to feel it again. But ever since the performance I've had people coming up to me and congratulating me and telling me how much they loved it. Deidre's class even had a discussion about how I stole the show. So I guess I'm now a little famous on campus (even though most people already know me for my teal hair). Deidre was enjoying it because she's now famous by association because she told them that I'm her roommate. So that was an incredible night.
I think I'm going to put one more update in here because I have homework that I really need to get done before break starts. I just wish I had my book so I could read it... I have to read a 232 page book in Spanish and do a report on it while also writing an essay for the same class by the end of break. It's going to take me forever to do... But to the update: My family is coming to visit me for a family vacation! I've put together a week-full of stuff for us to do since I haven't really done much since being here and they want to do as much as possible while they're here. And I'm going to use them to help me so I can get around. But I want to show them where I live and teach them little things that I've been learning, like the difference between a 'carro' and a 'guagua.' They'll be here in about a little over a week. So that shall be interesting. I know I'm going to have a lot to do during that week. Let's just hope I can do it all!
I could keep writing for about six more paragraphs or so but I'm going to have to end it here or I'm never going to get anything done.
XOXO Ericka
But some exciting news on the hoop front: I had my first performance the other night! There was a talent show here at the university and my roommate, Deidre, was required to go to it for her class. It was a talent show for 'English Week' so it was for her English class. She told me about it pretty late so I wasn't able to sign up originally but once we were there, some of my friends pulled some strings to get me on the list. So we went to get my hoop and I was 3rd to last to perform. I was kind of nervous because that was the first time that a pretty bug crowd had all of their eyes on me and only me. Also I was a little buzzed from drinking beforehand (I didn't know I would end up going on). But I went on and introduced myself as the exchange student and away I went. It was a rough start because of my nerves and this being my first time but everyone cheered me on even when I dropped my hoop. But I kept going. My mind went blank so I was just doing whatever the hoop wanted and forgot about half of the tricks that I would have normally had done while hooping. I had even forgotten to do my signature moves. Like how nervous do you have to be to do that? I mean I'm a communications major who is perfectly fine talking in front of people so you'd think that I wouldn't be nervous in front of a crowd. I also have hooped outside in public so many times so I don't know why I was so nervous. I guess that's what the power of 50 plus eyes all on you can do. But by the end of it everyone was cheering louder than they had for anyone else that had performed and even gave me a standing ovation. I had so much adrenaline pumping through my veins that I just stood there panting and smiling like a dork. It felt so amazing! I want to be able to teach myself to perform in front of crowds so I can do it as a side project. The feeling I got from performing was intoxicating and I want to be able to feel it again. But ever since the performance I've had people coming up to me and congratulating me and telling me how much they loved it. Deidre's class even had a discussion about how I stole the show. So I guess I'm now a little famous on campus (even though most people already know me for my teal hair). Deidre was enjoying it because she's now famous by association because she told them that I'm her roommate. So that was an incredible night.
I think I'm going to put one more update in here because I have homework that I really need to get done before break starts. I just wish I had my book so I could read it... I have to read a 232 page book in Spanish and do a report on it while also writing an essay for the same class by the end of break. It's going to take me forever to do... But to the update: My family is coming to visit me for a family vacation! I've put together a week-full of stuff for us to do since I haven't really done much since being here and they want to do as much as possible while they're here. And I'm going to use them to help me so I can get around. But I want to show them where I live and teach them little things that I've been learning, like the difference between a 'carro' and a 'guagua.' They'll be here in about a little over a week. So that shall be interesting. I know I'm going to have a lot to do during that week. Let's just hope I can do it all!
I could keep writing for about six more paragraphs or so but I'm going to have to end it here or I'm never going to get anything done.
XOXO Ericka