Part of the Family

First I would like to say, I know I don’t say it enough but I’m grateful for all you amazing people back home that find the time in your day to shoot me an email, message or snail mail. I know we are all pretty busy with our lives, but it means the world to know I have such a great group of people in my life back home. With your prayers, your words of encouragement and just general awesomeness I’m still here. With that said, read on.

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Past volunteers used to say that I’d feel more rooted in my community come my second year. I won’t feel the urge to run away to the capital city as much. I didn’t believe this when I was in Tamarindo and I wasn’t convinced I would feel like that after my site change because I was starting over with new counterparts and a new family. I had basically given up on even thinking I was going to do something I felt good about after I left. I would go to bed every night wishing the days would start moving faster.

Those volunteers, people I am so grateful to have met, were right. I was so very, very wrong.

The days need to slow down.

Over the past couple of days I felt the need to write about my host family. Daily, because of them, I am reminded that there were people back home praying that my situation here in Perú would get better. Thank-you. I have had moments recently that have forced me to do a double take to make sure I wasn’t talking to my biological parents.

Hugo, my host father, is a man who I am grateful beyond words for. I adore him even if I can’t understand him half the time. When I returned back to Vice from medical checks I got news that one of Hugo’s cousins had died in a motorcycle accident. He asked me to accompany him to a memorial. I walked in and sat down with 4 other old men and watched as Hugo told story after story about his cousin. A woman came out and asked, “Is this your girlfriend?” The shock on Hugo’s face was priceless. His response even more so: “No this is my DAUGHTER!” The woman quickly apologized. I was proud, beaming nonetheless, because it was the first time I had ever really heard him say it.

A little later on in the week I had been having a really stressful day. My Spanish had been failing me and people were changing dates to events I had planned. I also hadn’t eaten a single thing all day (we all know how I get). I came home and Hugo went about his normal routine by asking me 100 questions. Finally, I told  Hugo to leave me alone I haven’t eaten all day and I’m not having a good day. His response: COME, PUES!!!!! (Well then eat). He rushed me downstairs; fixed me some grilled chicken and poured a large glass of Inca Kola for the both of us. He spent the next hour asking me about my day and giving me wise advice. I went to bed completely surprised at how my host dad, who I met only 6 months ago and speaks a completely different language, turned my day around. My friend Kelsey has even mentioned numerous times that we have a very regular father/daughter relationship. He tells me to put pants on for fancy events, I tell him I’m not changing, he glares and I stomp upstairs and change. 

Then there is Rosa. I honestly don’t think the woman sleeps. Without her, my life would be a lot more annoying. She has hot water ready at the same time every morning for me so I can make my coffee, she cleans my room when I’m away, she washes my clothes and is always, always offering encouraging words. Oh, incase that wasn’t enough, she runs the most popular restaurant in Vice almost completely by herself from dawn to dusk, takes care of her extremely sick dad and slaves away in the chakra once the restaurant is closed. Just tonight, after thinking I completely broke her gas stove (it just ran out of gas), I was able to have a one-on-one conversation with her. This is rare because like I said she is an extremely busy woman. She told me about her sisters (all 10 of them) and in her voice I could tell she was a little jealous that she only had 2 children because most of them have 6 or 7. She told me a story of an abusive husband her sister had married and how she employs her to make sure she has her own income. She told me that, despite their occasional bickers, Hugo is a good man and she’s lucky to have him. I came away from the conversation pretty sure Rosa was going to turn into Superwoman and fly away.

Last, but certainly not least, is Dixon. He is his mother’s son. He is soft spoken, genuine, helpful and sneaky funny! He is currently studying accounting in Piura. He travels in and out of the big city everyday and on his time off he is helping his mother with the restaurant. Dixon won me over with food (he knows me too well) when Rosa had to go to Piura to take care of her dad. He invited me to pollo a la brasa (one of my FAVORITES) and we sat over dinner and talked. Just like his mother, he was patient with my Spanish and genuinely interested in my life before the Peace Corps. Sometimes girl volunteers can find it hard to relate to younger Peruvian men but I never have felt that way with Dixon, and am very happy he’s my younger brother. 

This post would run on for days if I started talking about the extended family I have also grown to adore over these past 6 months. I will save that for another day and another blog post.

I finish this post feeling settled. I don’t feel the urge to run to the capital city, and I’m overall so completely happy. Lucas called me the other day only to say one thing: “I’m proud of you”. I wasn’t sure why so I asked. His response was simple: “Because you’re still here.”

I’m proud of myself, too.

Until next time,

Brielle