There will be a tail for you, a head for me... :)

Day 14, Tuesday, July 17^th

¡Buenas Martes! My happy little attitude is really just a front. I am actually pretty nervous about my speech today. So, to distract myself from it, instead of working on it, I read HP6. But after I jump in the shower, I do work on the story until breakfast... where my abuela tries to feed me cake. Yesterday cookies, today cake, what’s next? Pudding? I eat some (it’s cake!), and then recluse to my room once more to frantically scrounge together more of my story. But too soon it is time to head out. One good thing about this morning? I didn’t cough last night! I *might* be getting better. Ojala.

Once I get to school I finish outlining the story idea, but I admit I am not ready to read it. So when we get in to class, I call for a class vote. No one seems to care, so I plant the evidence that the favor leans toward the afternoon. Ronny’s fine with that, but Marissa would rather go this morning. It seems that everyone else is simply going to talk about their families. Well, should I do that? I mean, I really just plan on reading my story, but I realize that’s not great oral practice. So I ask Ronny: which would he prefer? He says reading my story in fine, so indeed, we put off the speeches till after lunch.

To fill the morning hours we do a worksheet and then play a question game. I actually like these games, as pointed as they might be. We all get a lot of practice, especially with our subjunctive. By the time break comes about, my head is swimming with conjugations. My cough has return with a vengeance (though I suppose I should be grateful that it only comes in spurts now), so I grab some coffee to counter it. And what goes better with coffee than Chikies? Good thing I’ve got some! I set to writing some more during the ten minutes I have but make little progress.

After break we do worksheets. Worksheet after worksheet after worksheet. Right up until lunch. The group makes plans to go back to the pizza place today, but I need to finish my story, so I stay behind. I consume the rest of my cookies and write like a mad woman. I know how I want this story to work out, and I realize I don’t have the time to finish it the way I wish. So I make some small changes and bring the thing to a close... just as everyone comes back in from lunch. Poo, that was close.

We all finish our last worksheet, and then Ronny sits back. “Hable y escucho.” Okay. Marissa starts and talks about her family. Then Allison and her family. Then Hannah... and her family. Families. Oh boy. Then my Hannah tells the story of Cinderella. It is a nice change of pace, and I am ashamed of some of the girls for not paying attention. We paid attention while they talked. So I decide when my turn comes around that I am going to need to do more than just read. I jump up and decide to act out my little tale. And I do. When my little rabbit hops, I hop. When Lili LaRou gives a hug, I hug myself. And when the fairy waves her hand over the césped, I wave like crazy.

And when I am done, they look at me. That’s it. No one laughs (though there are many built in funny parts), and no one says anything. Then work Hannah remarks: “That’s so sad.” Huh? Sad? Maybe the beginning, but the rest is *supposed* to be happy. Even though Hannah thinks I’m being ridiculous, my feelings are hurt. I skipped lunch for this story, and no one understood it. Or worse, they didn’t like it.

So after class I ask Ronny what he thought of it really. He says it was good, but it had quite a few errors. Yeah, I expect that. But then he says that if I’ll write it out on notebook paper, he’ll correct it tomorrow in class. Really?! That boosts my mood.

After class we make reservations for the weekend in Manuel Antonio. We go ahead and buy our bus tickets, and while at it, Beth tries to make plans for the last week. We get our reservations for Tortuguero covered, but Panama won’t accept our calls. So we’ll try again tomorrow.

Jackie, Fumi, Matt, and the three of us walk down town to the open air market to souvenir shop, and I’ll say that I am pleased with the results. I got some fun stuff for me as well as souvenirs – but I can’t tell you what they are! That would ruin the sorpresa.

I take the bus home with Jackie, Fumi, and Matt. I like these kids; they’re funny. We chat and such until their stop; mine is the one after theirs. It is nice to have someone to talk to today; it makes the ride so much shorter. I walk the rest of the way, taking in the neighborhood I will soon leave.

At home I eat again with my abuela: the same deer meat like substance with rice and chayote. It is superbly yummy. I’m gonna miss my family. We talk for a bit: I show her my souvenirs and my bungee video, and I tell her about my story. She says that if I like it, that is all that matters. That is true. :) Oh abuelas.

I retire to mi dormitorio to organize pictures and write until bed time. I rewrite my story for Ronny, but can’t bring myself to do much else. So... duermo. ¡Ciao!