Wait, What Just Happened?

Welp, I’m really in it now. Been walkin’ around, lookin’ around and I. am. in it. All I’m saying is that this morning I went out back and on the same line on which we hang our laundry, I saw a filleted fish dangling amongst the newly washed shirts and socks. That’s all I’m saying.

I’ve been in my permanent site for a little over two weeks now and everything is new and different and weird and exciting. I have a new host family, and after just 2 weeks I can honestly say they are wonderful people and I feel so lucky to have been placed with such an amazing family. My host mom’s name is Margarita and she’s about 60 years old and an exceptional cook, which is extremely impressive given that she makes all of our meals on a teeny gas stove or out back in pots over coals or wood. She’s an artisan who weaves sombreros with her fingers, intricate, giant sombreros that take her 10 days to make. She is the sweetest lady ever, worries about me wherever I go and last night at dinner it was just her and me and she started crying while she told me how she never in her life imagined that she would have a person from another country living in her house and that she considered me part of her family and how much she hoped I would feel loved and comfortable here. My heart just about burst.

I also have a host sister, Lorena, and a host brother, Roberto, who live in the house and are around my age and have been so helpful in everything. There are few other brothers and sisters who live in town and come over all the time and have kids of their own, so I’ve got a lot of little baby nieces and nephews running around as well.

I’ve been working on getting my room set up and in doing so have had to do a lot of superhero activity, such as getting furniture back to my house via public transportation in a third world country and painting the 12-foot walls of my room using an old wooden ladder on a tile floor propped up against the weight of my bed keeping my fingers crossed that it didn’t slide out from under me while I painted the trim. Who does that? I do. The other day I assembled furniture with both hinges AND wheels. I am feeling extremely self-impressed. More to come on my house and life, I’ve got so much to tell! I’ll try to get pictures up of my house soon too so you can see my digs. Miss you all so much. Goooo America!

Love,

Kimberly