El Comienzo- The Beginning

Hi. My name is Hannah and I am a sophomore Spanish major at Ohio University. As most of my friends speak English rather than Spanish, I plan on writing the majority of my blog in English, so that they can understand. However, I will include lots of Spanish tidbits. I figure that the best place to begin describing my experiences this semester is from the beginning, so I will explain the important things that you should know in a list.


Listos???


1. I'm doing a study abroad program through Ohio University while at the same time doing some independent research for my undergraduate thesis on the colonization of the Yucatan in the 16th century.

                                          Hola

2. I just got assigned this blog as homework. So, if you are wondering why I am writing towards the end of my semester about what I was doing in January and February, that would be why.


3. I speak Spanish like a Costa Rican.

 Por qué?

Well, I spent my junior year of high school abroad as an AFS foreign exchange student in Costa Rica.

                    http://venconmigoacostarica.blogspot.mx

4. Why Mexico? Well, I'm really interested in the colonization of the Mayans. Also, this program was cheaper than traveling to Spain which also seems awesome.


5. I am taking a lot of tough classes- so if my stories involve homework/ thesis ideas/ research, it's because I really do spend a lot of time doing that.

                 (Image from http://gailshepherd.blogspot.mx/2011_08_01_archive.html)


6. When I am not buried under a pile of books, I like to go on adventures. And I have been on a LOT while in Mérida, México.

                                          Isla Mujeres


7. I love Mayan ruins. Maybe it's the historian in me, maybe I just like climbing temples and imagining what mayan sacerdotes saw when they looked out over their cities more than 500 years ago. Or, maybe I just think ruins are really cool.

                                         Ek' Balam

8. As this is a school blog, there are a lot of minor stories that I won't bother to put on here. However, if you are interested in learning more about studying abroad in Mexico, OU's program, or have any questions about my experience, feel free to email me at exyarur@yahoo.com


9. One of the things that this blog is supposed to cover are polito entries (like a diary that I write certain reflections in for my professor to read). So some titles will say 'polito', and they are referring to those entries.

This would be my polito. I didn't pick the design, and I am not really sure what the monkey is up to.


10. Studying abroad is awesome. Everyone should do it!


Hasta mañana!