Ahh... Finals!

The dreaded week of Finals have officially arrived! On top of studying, presenting, and preparing for finals, I just received a packet in the mail of insurance, and all that good stuff. I received this on 12/16; the due date: 12/15...So, I'm kinda rushing like crazy here trying to figure this out! Half the questions don't make sense, the other half need information which is at my house, and not st school with me...like always. So I am a little busy right at the moment to keep everything updated! So, that is why I have not posted for a few days, and also why I probably won't be posting for a couple more days after this! BUT only 16 more days!!!!!!

ok, adios. Going to dive into a pool full of paper! :/

Less than a month!!

So over the last week or so, I received my home-stay information! So I found out what family I will be staying with an a little summary of them! I am so excited! I was able to get in contact with them, and so far they seem really awesome! They have two dogs and two children (older children, but children!)! I am so excited to be able to meet them in person in a few short weeks!
Also this week I met with an adviser, and found out that I have a huge possibility of doing my student teaching in Barcelona my professional semester here at MCLA!! :) The other option would be somewhere in Panama!

Then this week was my last day in the elementary school, so the students who I teach gave me a going away present! A bag, with all their hand prints on them, and the message inside says: Miss. Fuller, Please carry us with you! :)

And tomorrow... I say goodbye to a lot of my friends here at school until the end of next semester... I'm excited to go to Costa Rica, but I'm going to miss everyone here as well.

Off to do nothing on my boring Friday night! Adios!

Starting to plan!

Since I have a little over a month until I head down to Costa Rica I am finally realizing that I need to pack!! Aaahhh!!!!
 Right now I am in an elementary school for at least 2.5 hours a week observing and teaching so I can get my Elementary Education license when I graduate. And those kids just smile everyday I am there, and I just know that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life! I am still working on my dream of teaching in another country, but my destination is still up in the air. But no matter where I go, teaching will always be there for me. One smile from a student (or kid in general) keeps my hopes alive and keeps me smiling forever it seems!!

Today while talking with my mentoring teacher, I got to thinking... I have already been told that I am welcomed back anytime into the classroom and she would love to have me come back after I return from my trip, and I only have 3 more days in the classroom, so I am going to do a small presentation on Costa Rica before I go as well!

Then, I am already thinking about what I am going to do when I return with the children. I want to bring them something back... pencils and postcards maybe?

After talking with the teacher today, I started getting a little nervous as well! She asked me today if anyone else from MCLA would be going with me (answer, no), if I knew anyone who will be at the college with me for the semester (answer, no), if anyone will be traveling with me (answer, no), if I know who I am living with yet (and still, the answer is no...).

That is when it really hit me, I am leaving soon and know no one as of right now.... However, I am looking on the bright side and getting ready for the experience of a lifetime, a teaching experience, a culture shock and warm weather!

Sorry for the array of topics in this post, just a lot to talk about today! :)

Soon to be receiving my home-stay information!!

So, Not much has changed since last time. But soon, I should be receiving information on who I am living with and a brief idea of what they are like! I am still extremely excited! I keep thinking of what it is going to be like, and hoping it will be the life-time experience I need!! I have also done some research, and when I graduate, either from MCLA or a graduate school program, I am going to go to Spain and take the DELE exam to get a diploma stating that I am fluent in Spanish! That will definitely help me with my life goal!

Well, heading off! Voy a Hablar con tu pronto! :)

Awesome time...Awesome band...Awesome future?

La Excelencia! (Sorry the picture is a little blurry, took it with my phone camera!)

So This is the band La Excelencia! They really were awesome! This last weekend, I went down to Mass MoCA to a Salsa Dura Dance Party! They are a band out of New York with a lot of diverse instruments and people! My friends and I went to go dance! I did so much more than that though! Yes, we danced, but I also learned so much of the different cultures! The dance styles, and the culture in general! The band presented all of this at this one event!  Looking back, I realized I am going to have so much fun studying abroad! I love dancing already, but this is going to be a culture learning experience and a new lifestyle as well! 

Well, off to class! 

Quiero bailar!

Hola! 

So last night I wanted to procrastinate! So... I listened to some Reggaeton y Salsa! I did not want to do any work what-so-ever! Instead I did some investigating, and found out that there is a Salsa dance "party" at Mass MoCA, right down the street! So on Saturday I am doing something for myself.... and I am going to go dance the night away! This whole semester I have been told that I need to stop doing stuff for everyone else, and finally just do something for myself. Of course I have not done this what-so-ever. It has not seemed like something I had to or should do. After having a bad week, and feeling the stress of 20 credits, a pre-practicum, an extra class, and three tutoring jobs...and my dad telling me for the tenth time, I finally decided it was time to do something for myself! I am going to go dance with one of my friends, and leave my cares in my books! 

     I hope when I go to Costa Rica, I do not have this much stress, and I can do a few things for myself! 

And for the record, almost all the snow is gone...but not all of it!

Hasta Luego!!

Snow storm here.... 70 degrees there!

Well, on weather.com, we have been told that tomorrow afternoon here at MCLA we will be having between 8-12 inches of snow... Thinking it was only October, I never brought any of my winter gear back to school the last time I went home. Well, I guess I will suffer tomorrow then, haha! But note to self.... bring back winter jacket, gloves, and hats!  So the only thing stuck in my head now is the song "Sunshine in my sky" by Kate Voegele.Especially the lines (chorus) " Maybe I should pack my bags and fly to Costa Rica. Put a flower in my hair, a dancing senorita. Oh put a little sunshine in my sky! Oh what a lovely day to be alive. These eyes are longing to see a side of summer, to leave my cares in the breeze. Woah....Put a little sunshine in my sky!" As you can tell from those lyrics, this was actually what the blog was named after as well! All I want, is to be down in Costa Rica right now and to just relax with no possible snow storm! 

Asi, necesito dormir! Adios!

75 days and counting...and getting excited!

The closer it gets to January, the more and more I realize that I need to start packing and get ready to embark on a new adventure in life. Sometimes I start to think if this is a good idea or not, but then I listen to some music or I speak to some of my friends in Spanish, and I just know I have to and that I will have an amazing time, I will learn so much, and it will hep me accomplish my life dream! ! I talked with my advisor this last week and she helped me pick out my classes. I will be taking 3 Spanish courses during the mornings, and then I will be taking two electives which are..... digital photography and Intro to Latin American tropical Dance! Anyone who knows me, knows that I am very active and I need to stay active to live a healthy lifestyle, so these two courses are going to be the best two classes ever for me to take! I am so excited to have had this opportunity just kind of fall into my lap, and I know I worked hard for it, And I am ready to take action and do my best work to have the best time I could possibly imagine!

Well, I guess I should get back to working on my plans to Costa Rica and finish up my homework for this semester!!

Adios y Dios te bendiga!

Picking out classes

Well, this should be interesting! I have a meeting tomorrow with my adviser on campus for My IDST major (which includes the Spanish major). So, looking through the classes that are offered at this University in Costa Rica became very interesting! I picked out a couple of classes that I thought seemed interesting, or that I could benefit from! Some of my ideas for classes : (1) Intro to Latin American Tropical Dance  (2) Selected Topics in Afro-Caribbean Studies  (3) Digital photography  (4) Creative Leadership Skills  (5) Human Rights in Latin America  ! So these seem like a broad array of subjects, but they either seem like a great opportunity or like they would help further my education! I don't know what to take though! I can only enroll in at most two of these, so... Now the process of elimination!  But first.... Off to class! T.T.F.N.

96 more days until I say "Bon Voyage"

So, even though I have a long time until I head out (which I know will go by fast) I am still very excited and packed with so much paperwork! I recently had to fill out my housing paperwork. I absolutely loved some of the options! I can live with a family with or without children; and then I had the option of living with a family with or without pets! That idea of having at least one pet was such an exciting idea! Then I thought for a moment...what if their idea of a pet is a python... or just fish... Oh well, I'll take my chances!  So I put down to live in a family with kids and pets! So excited!! For those who do not know me well, I want to teach in a Spanish speaking country; so living with children would be such an amazing experience! Well, a few more papers to fill out!
Adios y buenos saludos!

Getting Accepted!

So, last weekend I got two acceptance letters to two different programs! I received the first one for Seville, Spain, and was extremely excited just knowing I was going to be able to travel next semester! That night my roommate and I went out to a concert, and then I finally got back to my computer at 1am! When I looked at my email, I had an email from the school in Costa Rica. Nervously, I opened the email to the words, "Congratulations! You have been accepted!" I was bouncing off the wall! This was my first choice destination! I had already gone on a trip to explore the school, and because my aunt wanted to go see Costa Rica. I fell in love with the school instantly! I loved the location, right in San Jose, and the atmosphere and the idea of studying in a Spanish speaking country. (I probably should add in, that I am a double major at my home institution; Spanish, Elementary Education, while also minoring in music). So in January I will hop on a plane and live with a family right near the university, and explore the Costa Rican culture! Excited, no...Beyond excited, YES! Well, off to go buy my plane tickets!