Our most important resource
As I mentioned before in my last blog post, I wanted to write about a topic that has become really important to our experience here. While the training has been great, our cohort inspiring, and the food has been out of this world, it's our host family that has really made our time in Peru really incredible. There are definitely times when it feels like we'd be lost without them and so it's only appropriate that we share a little about this group of people that only two weeks ago were complete strangers in a foreign country and our now part of our family. (A quick editor's note: We're still trying to figure out the level of privacy we're attempting to maintain for people, so for now, we're not using names when referring to anyone.)
We met our host family at the end of our first full day in Peru. Our host mother, the matriarch of the family, came to collect us from the training center and take us and our massive amount of luggage back to her house a short drive (actually, a walk without 200 lbs of luggage) away. Despite the fact that she'd only found out the day before that she would be getting two volunteers this time instead of only one, we felt right at home from the moment we set our bags down. There was the double bed we'd be sharing, a dresser, a wardrobe, a desk, a private bathroom (we've come to learn this is pretty luxurious among our cohort's host-family experiences, despite the cold shower experience that we kinda hate), and, the piece de resistance, Wi-Fi. We've also learned that we're the sixth (and seventh) volunteers to stay with this particular family, which means they know all about how to treat water, that vegetables can be comfort food, and that we as trainees are just going to be exhausted and/or studying all the time.
Our host mother is an absolute wealth of information. She seems to be a kind of leader amongst the other host-mothers and always seems to know what's going on. She's the kind of person that can talk for hours and still find something new and interesting to say. She's taught us both so much, from washing laundry by hand to expanding our Peruvian vocabulary. I really hope that one day we'll be able to find a way to repay her for her kindness and generosity in opening her home to us, because I really don't think that our experience thus far would be half as great without her.
Along with our host mother is our host father (whom we unfortunately don't see too often because of his work schedule) and three host siblings. Our host father loves to chat with us, especially Angelica, but also chooses to communicate through gifts. Since we share an interest in collecting coins, he got me started on a collection of culturally themed soles (the local currency) that the government put out a few years ago. The other night he gifted me his modernized Incan sling, a kind of slingshot he says he uses to keep the packs of stray dogs at bay. And just a couple nights ago, Angelica received her first pair of ojotas, sandals made from tire.
Our host siblings are icing on the cake. The oldest brother is a 20 year old university student who studies, among other things, Japanese and English. He’s very helpful and immensely patient with my broken Spanish. Tonight he invited me to join some card games with his younger brother, I relearned how to play Crazy Eights (or in this case Ochos Locos) with some fun new rules, and felt a little more like a part of the family.
Here’s Angelica with a short description of our second host brother:
Our 11 year old host brother is a little genius. He loves chess, reading, math, the universe, and anything else Einstein would have liked. This little one is destined for an amazing future. I sat with him for 20 minutes as he taught me chess “tacticas” (techniques) as well as the founder of said technique and the history behind it. I am blown away by this kid. I hope he goes far. At the moment, there are not many resources for him to be intellectually stimulated (at least not anything that would cost an arm and a leg) but when he turns 13, he may be able to test into a boarding school within walking distance of his home where the best of the best kids in Lima study. We’re rooting for you, buddy!
Our youngest host sibling is our four-year old sister. She is somehow shy but at the same time the chattiest child in the world. I personally understand only about a quarter of what she says, but it doesn’t stop us from playing her favorite game, Jenga. Sometimes I think it’s a little hard to understand what we’re doing here, especially when we’re in our room studying. We’ll be working hard when we hear the door open just a crack and in will slide a little hand. If we don’t take the bait and start talking to her then, pretty soon the door opens up a bit more and she’ll just start into one of her stories. Despite the interruptions (we’ve taught her to knock first now!), we really enjoy our interactions with her and look forward to her greetings and requests to play Jenga when we come home every afternoon.
That more or less sums up our new family here in Peru. Although we’re only meant to be here for three months, we hope we’re able to stay in touch with them for many years to come. We’re so grateful to them for opening up their home, their lives, their country, and their culture to us. Muchas gracias, familia!
We met our host family at the end of our first full day in Peru. Our host mother, the matriarch of the family, came to collect us from the training center and take us and our massive amount of luggage back to her house a short drive (actually, a walk without 200 lbs of luggage) away. Despite the fact that she'd only found out the day before that she would be getting two volunteers this time instead of only one, we felt right at home from the moment we set our bags down. There was the double bed we'd be sharing, a dresser, a wardrobe, a desk, a private bathroom (we've come to learn this is pretty luxurious among our cohort's host-family experiences, despite the cold shower experience that we kinda hate), and, the piece de resistance, Wi-Fi. We've also learned that we're the sixth (and seventh) volunteers to stay with this particular family, which means they know all about how to treat water, that vegetables can be comfort food, and that we as trainees are just going to be exhausted and/or studying all the time.
Our host mother is an absolute wealth of information. She seems to be a kind of leader amongst the other host-mothers and always seems to know what's going on. She's the kind of person that can talk for hours and still find something new and interesting to say. She's taught us both so much, from washing laundry by hand to expanding our Peruvian vocabulary. I really hope that one day we'll be able to find a way to repay her for her kindness and generosity in opening her home to us, because I really don't think that our experience thus far would be half as great without her.
Along with our host mother is our host father (whom we unfortunately don't see too often because of his work schedule) and three host siblings. Our host father loves to chat with us, especially Angelica, but also chooses to communicate through gifts. Since we share an interest in collecting coins, he got me started on a collection of culturally themed soles (the local currency) that the government put out a few years ago. The other night he gifted me his modernized Incan sling, a kind of slingshot he says he uses to keep the packs of stray dogs at bay. And just a couple nights ago, Angelica received her first pair of ojotas, sandals made from tire.
Our host siblings are icing on the cake. The oldest brother is a 20 year old university student who studies, among other things, Japanese and English. He’s very helpful and immensely patient with my broken Spanish. Tonight he invited me to join some card games with his younger brother, I relearned how to play Crazy Eights (or in this case Ochos Locos) with some fun new rules, and felt a little more like a part of the family.
Here’s Angelica with a short description of our second host brother:
Our 11 year old host brother is a little genius. He loves chess, reading, math, the universe, and anything else Einstein would have liked. This little one is destined for an amazing future. I sat with him for 20 minutes as he taught me chess “tacticas” (techniques) as well as the founder of said technique and the history behind it. I am blown away by this kid. I hope he goes far. At the moment, there are not many resources for him to be intellectually stimulated (at least not anything that would cost an arm and a leg) but when he turns 13, he may be able to test into a boarding school within walking distance of his home where the best of the best kids in Lima study. We’re rooting for you, buddy!
Our youngest host sibling is our four-year old sister. She is somehow shy but at the same time the chattiest child in the world. I personally understand only about a quarter of what she says, but it doesn’t stop us from playing her favorite game, Jenga. Sometimes I think it’s a little hard to understand what we’re doing here, especially when we’re in our room studying. We’ll be working hard when we hear the door open just a crack and in will slide a little hand. If we don’t take the bait and start talking to her then, pretty soon the door opens up a bit more and she’ll just start into one of her stories. Despite the interruptions (we’ve taught her to knock first now!), we really enjoy our interactions with her and look forward to her greetings and requests to play Jenga when we come home every afternoon.
That more or less sums up our new family here in Peru. Although we’re only meant to be here for three months, we hope we’re able to stay in touch with them for many years to come. We’re so grateful to them for opening up their home, their lives, their country, and their culture to us. Muchas gracias, familia!
Host families are amazing!!! These relationships can last a lifetime!! I loved reading this!!! P.S. My host brother just spent 10 days with me--I moved in with him when he was still in high school. Now he is a post-grad school Fulbright Research Scholar spending a year in the U.S. These connections are so amazing!!! Sooooo happy for you!
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