First Night With The Host Family

Well, here I am, laying in a queen sized bed in a room the size of my parents’ bathroom watching one of the only English channels on television. Fortunately, it is The Big Bang Theory! It is increasingly difficult to hear it though because right outside my guest-house room door is the Tepoles’ rather large yard and there is currently an 8 man mariachi band whom having been playing traditional Latin music for the past 5 hours, along with approximately 25 intoxicated Mexicans sporadically cat calling and “AYE-AYE-AYE-ing” at one another. Also, I get a big bang on my door every few minutes from a shanked shot on goal by los ninos playing an intense game of soccer.

Can I just say that I am LOVING this. And that is going to sound nothing but sarcastic, but I truly am having the time of my life. I have been out there running back and forth between cat calling (without the alcohol) with the adults and scoring goals with the kids. And it has been the most exciting 5 hours I have had in a loonnggg time.

For those of you reading this that don’t know what I could possibly doing with my life, let me explain a bit…. I just moved to Tehuacan, Puebla in Mexico. I am with a program called International Language Programs (ILP) and I will be down here for 4 months. I, along with 5 other girls are volunteering at a school teaching English to children between the ages of four and fifteen. I have been adopted by Pedro and Anna Tepole who are probably in their late 50’s-early 60’s but look and act like they are in the prime of their life. Seriously. These people know how to party!!

They threw this party here for my welcoming tonight. However, I’m sure they’d be partying regardless of my arrival or not. I am very grateful for La Fiesta de Bienvenida held in my honor. They invited all of their children/grandchildren, extended family, and friends. They have a daughter my age and a son who’s 17 and then their older children live in homes just across the street with their spouses and children. It’s a family reunion todos los dias around here. Just what I’m use to!!

I have yet to figure out my way around this authentic Mexican city, as well as, choking up so bad when people speak Spanish to me! I understand so much of the things people say to me, it just takes me a few seconds to respond and by the time I figure out what to say back, I have already spit out “lo siento,” “yo no se,” or “no comprendo.” I just need to be patient with myself and really take the time to practice my 5 years of Spanish! I suppose it has only been 1 day since I got down here so maybe it just takes some time. Haha.

Well, I appreciate your interest in my exciting journey and ask that you might share your insights and thoughts with me! Until next time, buenos noches!