Day 1 - Old San Juan

Today was our first day in San Juan. We started the morning with a Spanish class for beginners. Since the professor was only speaking in Spanish, things got very confudida very quickly and when you don't have much to draw from, this can be very stressful. Surprisingly, a lot came back to me from my Spanish classes in high school, but it is very draining, physically and mentally, to listen to a lecture in another language because your mind is focusing on and trying to interpret every word. After a while, I literally began to shut down. Now I know how that is for some of my students when things get so difficult or confusing that they give up. Personally, I have not had experience with an ELL student in my classroom, but now I can relate to them more than I would have been able to prior to this trip. Another interesting thing we learned in our Spanish class was the difference between Spanish cultures. Despite the fact that their language is the same, there are so many differences between the countries from the foods they eat to certain words that they use or do not use. As a teacher, I need to be aware of where my students come from and determine what is acceptable or not acceptable in their culture.

After our Spanish class, I had to go lie down because I was still not feeling well from yesterday's flights. After a short nap, I met everyone for lunch before we headed to Old San Juan. We learned a lot about the history of Puerto Rico. The city is obviously very old and dilapidated, but there is a current movement for renovation, in which people are contributing towards renovations because if they do so, they are then able to not pay taxes for 10 years. That's quite an incentive that is paying off! Here are some pictures from today's sights:

Jardines de Casa Blanca (Casa Blanca's Gardens)

City Streets of Old San Juan

Casa Ayuntamiento (City Hall)