Spanish Class, Nearly a Diaster...

My feelings and thoughts on my Spanish class waiver.  For instance, this week I felt I had really digressed. I couldn't understand anything anyone said to me.  All of this came to a head today when I had to give a presentation about the United States.  Obviously, I had written out my dialogue before and prepared some fun facts.  

However, I couldn't exactly prepare for the classes' questions.  I couldn't understand a single questions someone asked me or at least not in its entirety.  The teacher told me that all Spanish people think Americans don't even know all 50 states, which I said was probably true.  Then, she asked me to see if I could list all 50 on the board.  Unfortunately, I don't know that damn states song that most kids learn in elementary school.  Curses Miller Perry, curses!

It was a daunting task, but I enjoy geography and really wanted to prove them wrong.  In the end, I only had 41 states.  Without a map, it is super difficult to think of them all... I am confident that if I had a blank map I could name them without a problem.  What was worse was that one student, an Indian guy, listed at least two I hadn't thought of.  Many people kept yelling out cities convinced that "Los Angeles" or "Chicago" or"Boston" were all states.  We couldn't figure out the last state, and I just now realized it was Rhode Island... little bugger. 

There is one super obnoxious, old Brazilian lady in my class.  She is the type that talks to herself aloud, talks to her neighbor when the teacher is talking, talks to her desk, talks to talk, and has no regard if anyone else is talking.  She speaks something more like Spainguese than actual Spanish.  Today she went on some tyrant about racism in Brazil and was comparing it to the racism in the U.S.  Not sure at exactly what she was driving at, simply that she was on that road for about 10 minutes straight.

The teacher, who was behind her, sat with the most nettled expression, which seemed to mimicked by the entire class. I think everyone had the same idea, "Quick, immobilize her tongue!!!"  We all sat through her incomprehensible blabber.  Then, since she was REALLY stuck on the race issue, asked me to give my thoughts and opinions on the current president, who is black like her mind you.  I can barely say where I am from and what I want to eat in Spanish much less go into some political debate.  She truly is a pest. 

Overall, I believe my presentation was painful for all those involved.  I really need to buckle down and start studying every day....