A couple of years ago I took a class at Boise State University with 3 of my friends. It was a spanish class. We had a blast! Every Tuesday night we'd carpool down to the university and pretend that we had studied during the week and laugh and visit and learn some spanish. Sometimes after class, we would go out for dessert and once we all got together for a study session (yes, we did try to take it seriously).
Our instructor, Maria, was from Spain, and she was darling. She told us we could only speak spanish in the class, so we prefaced all our english with "Tengo un pregunta", which is something like "I have a question", and then we would ask our question in english. We would also say, "¿Cuál es el significado..." to ask what something meant. But my favorite, by far was "¿Cómo se dice...". Which is "How do you say...?"
My dear friend, Teri, would always ask funny questions like, "¿Cómo se dice butt?" or "¿Cómo se dice nasty?" Maria just would laugh at us and answer our questions. I wonder if it bothered her that we didn't take it very seriously. I don't think so. But it did bother our class mates. Some of them were VERY serious about this community ed introduction to spanish class.
Anyway, if you are wondering butt = culo, nasty = sucio.
The following video is a very funny clip about "spanish for your nanny"...
Currently I am taking a Water Safety Instructor class. It is awesome!
All my life I've wanted to be able to swim the Butterfly stroke, and all my life I have caused great anxiety for nearby life-guards and swimmers when I have tried. It is a hard stroke to learn!
But on Monday night - in a 3 hour class, I DID IT! I learned the Butterfly! I am so on cloud nine for this accomplishment. It was just so cool to finally get it. The timing, the breathing, the kicks, the stroke, it all came together. I'm not saying it was pretty, but I did it and the Master's Swim Coach who was teaching me was pleased and said she'd give it a "pass". I will be working on this a lot in days to come. And I know my shoulders will be dying tomorrow...
BUT I DID IT!!!!!
(Later, in some other post I'll tell you about me and Michael Phelps...yeah, I know him. We're tight! That's why I used a picture of him in this post.)
I'm already thinking about what class I'm going to take after the WSI class is over. I want to get back into pottery, so maybe I'll find a community ed pottery class.
Taking a class makes you feel younger, more vibrant. When you learn a new skill, you feel accomplished. And even if you don't learn a lot (as in the case of my spanish classes), if you take the class with some friends, you'll have a blast.
Why, just last night I went to a couponing class. It was so awesome! Thank you Discount Queens! I can't wait to start saving money! When I left I felt smarter, more resourceful, and I had a little spring in my step. Amazing how just one little class can do that for you!
Think about it - you could take:
a dance class
a language class
a finance class
a parenting class
a pole-dancing or belly dancing class
a gardening class
an exercize class
a religion class
a cooking/culinary class
a kayaking class
or pick any subject a the university - psychology, biology, math, education, history, etc.
you could even take a capoeira class (see video below). I have a friend, Cherie, who is very good at capoeira, she teaches it at the YMCA.
What kind of class do you want to take?
7 comments:
I want to learn spanish. And I know if I took capoeira I would end up either seriously injuring myself or someone else.;
I would also like to take a desktop design class, and sewing (even though I have no interest in sewing), and knife skills.
And I would love, love, love to take Latin dance with Jason.
Sally, I think the same about Capoeira - but I am also amazed by it. I want to audit the class at the Y - can you do that?
Also, Bill and I took dance classes together at the Fred Astair Studio. It was so much fun! They had a great introductory deal - like 6 lessons and the first three we each had our very own instructor, and the last three we learned how to dance together with an instructor, and 3 group dances to practice at. So 9 hours of instruction for $60. It was so much fun!
You should look into that. You might be able to find a weekend class. There is a mexican restaurant here in town that does a Friday night buffet followed by Salsa dancing lessons. Fun!
Congrats on the butterfly. I bet your shoulders are sore!
I want to learn to do lots of things. I was admiring the YMCA schedules just last night... dreaming. I'd love to learn a language, sew, take better pictures, cook.... the list is long!
I took Spanish a hundred years ago and did not use it much so have lost most of my vocabulary in it.
As for the class... OUCH! My body won't do those moves anymore... waaay too old.
Di
The Blue Ridge Gal
Congrats on the butterfly. Its a hard one. I coached swimming for years...
And FYI if anyone takes a pole dancing class, it should say
"pole dancing/strengthening marraige class" Seriously. Take it from personal experience... ;)
Photography and painting. I just can't find the right class nearby. Any ideas? I'm in Middleton.
Awesome ideas. Here I am, closer to 70 than to 60, let alone your age, and there are so many of these things I want to learn. How can anyone ever justify being truly bored with life? Frustrated, perhaps, but bored only if they are extremely used to being entertained by others, or extremely NOT smart.
My goal is to get my Bachelor's degree by the time I am 70. I only need about 16 credits.
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