School begins---Learning Spanish

Our first day of classes has arrived.  We're studying Spanish at the Academia Hispano Americana.  This language school began in 1959 and continues to be operated by the daughter of the founders.   Sitting in the courtyard of the school, I'm struck by the thought of modern-day efforts to 'age' and 'distress' furniture, building facades, windows, doors, etc.  Here I am looking at the real thing--a beautiful 17th-century colonial building still functional and currently serving as the perfect home for this language school.

After a short Spanish-proficiency test, Fred is Level 5, Max is Level 3, and I'm at the beginning, Level 1.  Class enrollment is small this session--I have one other classmate, Christopher.  We study grammar and vocabulary in the morning, then an hour each of conversation and pronunciation.  After a lunch break--siesta for some, we come back for our afternoon seminars on Mexican culture and history.  We finish at 6:30 pm--and we have homework.  It's been a LONG time since I've spent this much time attending school and studying.  

The entire session lasts four weeks, however, I notice that some students aren't able to stay that long and are still able to take classes.  While the staff and teachers are friendly and patient, this school is serious about becoming fluent in Spanish and the emphasis is on full immersion.

I'll continue to write more about the school experience.  A lot goes on in four weeks and it's a work in progress.  Here's a link to the school:

http://www.ahaspeakspanish.com/index.htm

Like so many buildings here in San Miguel de Allende, the facade facing the street is relatively simple and plain, then opens up to a beautiful inner courtyard with surrounding rooms.

See what I mean?

Just look at that amazing entry door--all original!   In the afternoons, we listen to Sergio speak in this classroom of Mexican history.  I came to realize just how little I know about this country and its past.  I understand about 65% of his lecture--Max has to fill me in later.  

My classroom

Fred and Max, ready to study Spanish!

My maestra, Teresa, and my Level 1 fellow student, Christopher.

Fiesta!! Our first night in San Miguel de Allende

After arriving in SMA and resting, we're hungry and ready to explore. We haven't bought a a map yet so we set out walking and start wandering up and down streets.  It seems that out of nowhere we find the perfect place--Tortitlan!  One of San Miguel's fast food restaurants, they specialize in many kinds of tortas, a Mexican version of a sandwich. These are huge - mine has breaded chicken, a thick slab of cheese, pineapple, tomato,  lettuce, and some delicious secret sauce.  There's interesting soda flavors here too--tamarind, mango, hibiscus.  After three large tortas and drinks, our dining tab is less than US$15.

It turns out that there's a fiesta going on this night in El Jardin.  El Jardin is the main plaza in town and is located across from La Parroquia, the tall parish church and the emblem of San Miguel.  A stage has been erected and dancers from different regions and states (Mexico has 31 states) are performing.  A highlight is the Dance of the Little Old Men (El Baile de Los Viejitos) from the region of Michoacán.  The history of the dance goes back to the time of the Spanish conquistadors and was a mockery of the ruling class.  Performers are hunched over with canes like old men and wear masks of pink faces with white hair.

Here's Tortitlan.  When we first arrived, we thought we 'discovered' it on a small side street but found out later that it was a fairly busy street just around the corner from our apartment!

Just one of many cobblestone streets in the historic section.  Beautiful, rustic, and a little hard to walk on.

                La Parroquia, Neo-Gothic design and one of the most 

photographed parish churches in Mexico.

A local mariachi group--there are many in SMA

Dance of the Little Old Men

Performers are hunched over with canes like old men 

and wear masks of pink faces with white hair.

The plaza at night, a social gathering spot

Another mariachi band warming up for their performance

A curious onlooker checking us out during dinner.

Our final view of the plaza as we leave to walk back home.

Arriving in San Miguel de Allende

At the end of May, 2011, my husband, Fred, and my son, Max, and I traveled to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.  Fred is staying a week and Max and I are staying a month.  For me, it’s a long time to be away--I’m a little nervous.  Our goal--to study Spanish and immerse ourselves in the Mexican culture.  We'll be attending the Academia Hispano Americana (AHA), a language school that opened in 1959 and is still operated by the same family.  Max is living with a Mexican family.  Fred and I are staying in an apartment belonging to my friend, Marlene.  

We fly to Leon.  The only direct flight to Leon from LAX leaves at one in the morning, so it’s a red eye.  We’ve arrived in Leon on Saturday at 6:00 a.m.   A shuttle drives us the 1 ½ hours to SMA.  We’re groggy from no sleep but immediately love the apartment.  Here it is below.  It's going to be my home for four weeks.


Please stay tuned--our adventures in San Miguel de Allende have just begun!!  I'll continue blogging about our experiences and also hope to hear perspectives from readers.

This is it!  The apartment is next to Marlene's home, 
over 300 years old!  

We're in the Centro part of the city.

Inside the entry is a gallery of art.

We walked down a small hallway and saw the living room for the first time.

Not necessary right now (it's 85 degrees outside!), 

but the wood-burning fireplace works and would be great in winter.

Small galley kitchen, probably won't be cooking large meals!

The bedroom has double doors going out into a patio with a spiral staircase up to the roof.

Here's Max and I on the rooftop.  Behind us are just a few of the many iglesias (churches) in the city.

Comments relative to subject are encouraged and welcomed!!