Well, guess what folks... I have a new charger and that means I can
use my own computer in the municpality... which means you guys now get
new pictures! I have some news before I get into introducing my amazing
new host family. First of all, today, I just finished my second round
of English classes. They went SO MUCH SMOOTHER this time because for
some reason the littler kids decided to take some chill pills and
listen to "Miss Ana". We did colors today and I had a few dinamicas
under my belt. All in all... I'm happy... a little upset that I don't
actually teach alongside an English teacher and I'm basically alone in
the classroom for 3 hours, but poco a poco.
I also
taught them how to say THANK YOU AND YOUR WELCOME. For some reason
these words aren't even spoken in Spanish by these little kids. So I
decided to do a side tiny mini charla about the importance of manners.
We'll see how much of it sunk in.
Now it's time to
talk about the women, the myth, the legend.... Big Mama J, also known
as Juana, also known as my host mother. Here is a photo of her with her
Cusquena Negra that only women who are "mas fuerte" drink. Juana, you
go on with your strong self.
Just hanging on the front porch for the evening.
So, I decided to take a nap after along day with Pierina and eating a mountain full of rice with my host mother. When I woke up from the nap Juana was in the middle of Sandy Tammy's dirt street buying a HUGE table with Rosa. I needed a table for my room and decided to see if I could find a smaller one. I asked the man how much for the table and he said 30 soles. Juana was not having any of that. She said the table is worth no more than 25 soles and haggled the man down. I bought the table and Juana helped me carry it in. Then, I see her and Rosa moving the HUGE table into my room with smiles on their face. Where are you goin' with that table Juana?! Oh, you bought it for me? Then why did you just haggle down a price for the table I just bought and let me buy it? "Tu eres loca, Ana. Yo compré la mesa para tí" ( You are crazy, Ana. I bought the table for you). Well why didn't you tell me Juana? So, being the gracious daughter that I am, I told her she could have the table I bought. Her response, classica Juana, "No, la mesa is bien fea! No me gusta, Ana." ( No, the table is really ugly. I don't like it, Ana). Well, sorry there Juana, but thank you for the table. It also worked out that the huge table she bought was better for my room. So, I now have two tables in my room. But like any mother, when I thought the whole subject was dropped... in the middle of dinner Juana mumbles at me "You know Ana, I told you I was buying that table. You just don't understand anything I say." So, she's probably right, I waved the white flag.... and continued eating the rest of my mountain of rice.
Yes, I sleep under a mosquito net.
For a WHOLE week Juana had been talking about how she wanted to go
Patia (a port town about 30 minutes for me) for the procession of the
Virgen Mercedes. It's a big procession of the Blessed Mother and a mass
at the end. She was all sad because no one wanted to go with her so I
told her I'd love to go. We were set to leave at 5am on Saturday, the
next day she said we were leaving at 7am, needless to say we left at
9am with the entire family because Juana has a way with guilt tripping
everyone. So me, my host sister Mercy, her two kids, my host sister
Rosa, her son Nader, and my host brother Juan were off to Patia. It was
a scorching day but pretty interesting. People with disabilties were
crawling on their hands and knees on the concrete to the statue of the
Virgen Mercedes.
After, Juana was starving and in a
cranky mood (this is why we get along. like mother like daughter). So
she made all of us, including the really tired babies, walk up and down
the beach for something. She was looking with disgust at all the
different resturaunts saying "bien fea, bien fea" "tu quieres Ana?". I
don't know Juana, I'm not hungry, you pick where to eat. Even Rosa was
getting fed up (the more upfront sister) and said "Mom, you are the
hungry one. Pick the resturant so we can eat and leave." Guess what?
Only Juana ate. She did, however, make me eat a PIECE of the carne she
was eating because "Ana is too skinny and never eats". NOT TRUE Juana,
what do you call those mountains of rice you serve me twice a day?!
Love you Juana, but I can't afford to buy new jeans because I'm fat.
We
spent the rest of the day boppin' around Patia because Juana wanted to
buy different things. At the end of the day she bought me and the rest
of the family icecream for being good sports. Juana, you are slowly but
surely becoming my favorite person in Perú. So here are some pictures
of the host family from the birthday parties of both Mercy and Rosa.
(Oh I currently just learned how to handwash my clothes with Mercy.
Juana made me learn wtih Mercy because she has the most patience for
"slower people". THANKS JUANA. It was a lot of fun and I introduced
Mercy to Lady Gaga. She loved it)
So, folks, you are lucky... here is what you've been waiting for. Pictures. MOM, I hope you're happy.
The family, minus two host brothers, for Mercy's birthday lunch.
Mercy's babies and my host niece and nephew.
The view from my porch in the afternoon.
What I see every morning. Mercy and her baby.
Mini Story: Juana's husband (who died years ago) started this garden and when he used to come home from working in the farm he'd always cut a flower and put it in her hair while she was making dinner. Juana had a man of gold.
The washing area of my house. Bathroom, shower, clothes washing.
The church and obviously a moto taxi in Tamarindo.
One of the schools in Tamarindo.
Home of my mayor, the Municipality.
My host brother and socio with his nephews.
Juana and her grandsons :)
Pops and Son
Juana and I. Best friends.
Mercy and her baby.
The goats in the backyard.
The kids in segundaria school.
for more pictures form sandy tammy please go to this link
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2239853719102.2118712.1330800173
Well, that's all I have for now. Piura is getting hot as summer starts to approach. The water situation is a little iffy these days... today I'm currently 4 days without water. Thankfully I have a regional capital meeting this weekend and I'll not only get a shower, but a HOT one! BIG THANKS to Jack Davis and Amanda Cuppi for my care packages. You guys make me smile all the way over here in Perú. LOVE YOU!
“It
is in all of us to defy expectations, to go into the world and to be
brave. to want, to need, to hunger for adventures. to embrace change
and chance and risk so that we may breathe and know what it is to be
free.”
-Mae Chevrette
No comments:
Post a Comment