So Wednesday was Regional Coordinator Day, meaning the day we finally found out who our host families are! I think we're all aware of the fact that I have consistently won the Peace Corps lottery--first Peru, then my amazing host family (I haven't raved nearly enough about my host family--I will fix that promptly), then Ancash--and my luck continues to serve me well.
My family is made up of a dad, a mom, and two sisters, aged 11 and 5. I will be the fourth volunteer in the site (finishing the service of a volunteer who ET'ed (early terminated) in May). The second volunteer and my soon-to-be host mom were apparently best friends, such good friends in fact that my youngest soon-to-be sister was named Nicole after the volunteer. The third volunteer, who left early for reasons apparently unrelated to her site, loved her host family (aka my host family) enough to recommend them to the next volunteer (aka me). The family was kind enough to build a bathroom in preparation for her arrival, so I have a feeling I'm in good hands.
Guys, I cannot tell you how excited I am to have young host siblings in my new home. How excited I am to try my new family's food, to hear their stories, to see their home, to speak terrible Quechua and passable Spanish with them! I want to help my host sister's with their homework, play games with them, explore the town with them! I am so excited and grateful that I get to have the privilege of being welcomed into another family's home. I can't help but think of all the students my own family has hosted over the years. So many of whom we are still in contact with, so many of whom are reading this blog and have wished me luck on facebook and through email and in person. Case in point, two weekends ago when I met up with Sonia Maruenda, a Peruvian from Lima, who, while not quite an exchange student, did live with my family for quite some time.
Sonia and I at her sister's apartment in Miraflores. She was kind enough to take me around Miraflores where we toured the Peruvian equivalent to a boardwalk:
That gorgeous sculpture behind me is called "The Kiss," I assume you can figure out why.
(It's because two giant adobe people are getting it on)
The fog-covered Pacific Ocean. Note the famous Costa Verde plants in the foreground.
I hope I can be half the host-siblings so many of them were and I hope that my host family will be as kind and generous as my own parents have been over the years.
Phew, enough of that sentimental business (but really, thanks to everyone involved. Let's not be shocked or surprised by the obvious influence that having so many people of different countries and cultures has had on my life. I mean, I joined the Peace Corps for gods sake).
This Saturday is Peace Corps Thanksgiving (I'll be making my mom's stuffing--did my friend Marc and I buy enough ingredients to feed 52 people? Only time will tell) and this Sunday I will be traveling to Ancash to do my first site visit!! Get ready for some pictures of my host family!!!
And then, before you know it, I will be swearing-in as a volunteer and heading out into the wilds of Peru. My convenient life with Wifi will be cut asunder and god only knows when you all will hear from me next. Sacrifices must be made folks, from all of us (Just kidding Mom, I will find internet I promise).
Golly, I whipped this blog post out real fast. Wanna know why? Because I don't want to do my homework. Procrastination--getting stuff done since always. (Little known fact, the world was actually supposed to be done in four days).
Besos!
