I met my host family, la famila Vargas, on Sunday night (the day after I arrived). This picture is of my Abuelita y mis hermanitas (my grandmother and my little sisters). Abuelita doesn't live with us but she comes over every week day before lunch and leaves after dinner. My mom, July, works on some mornings as a legal assistant and is finishing her law degree at night. She wants to become a real estate attorney. My dad, Pedro, is a dermatologist at a local hospital. The girls just finished school yesterday so the house is VERY lively all the time.
This is Perla, the oldest of the two girls. She is unbelievable intelligent and has a very creative mind!! She is always coming up with new games for us to play, but her favorites are stil musical chairs and hide and seek. Tomorrow she is graduating from the first grade!! I actually think that Perla is going to teach me the most Spanish while I'm here. She is very pacient with me when I don't understand and can always take the time to explain new things to me.
This is me with the younger of the two girls, Yulisa. She is unbelievably playful (as you can see). She is the first one to run into my room in the morning once I open the door and always greets me when I come home with a big hug. She is difficult to understand sometimes but Perla always explains when I don't get it! But I am getting better!!
These are hearts that the girls colored for me on the first night I was here. They taped them to my bed so I will always know they love me!! My family is FABULOUS!
The family dynamic in this country is absolutely wonderful. I was embraced as the new "hija" the moment I arrived and was swiftly introduced to the grandmothers, aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides of the family!!
I found it really interesting that all the homes here are centered around the dining room table unlike in the United States where the house is centered around the kitchen. Every afternoon at 1230 we have a huge family lunch. July and Pedro come home from work, I come back from school, and Abuelita and the girls are here too (and sometimes other family members and friends). It's awesome!! And this practice is not exclusive to my family. Almost everyone in the country does the same thing on a daily basis. How many families in the US can say that they share a meal with their entire family at least once a day? Not many, I bet.
The best part about coming home for lunch (apart from the time I spend with everyone) is the siesta. Two sweet hours of napping bliss. I'm never leaving this country. Everyone returns to work or school after siesta completely rejuvenated and ready to start the next part of the day. We need to start something like this in the US!
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