This afternoon was kind of
frustrating, but I’m trying to tell myself that everyday is a new adventure.
Kristin and I went to the cell phone store (which by the way, they also sell furniture
and washing machines?) with my host mom because we needed help understanding
the cell phone people after what happened yesterday. Anyways, we bought a phone
line and a “chip” but once they put them in our phones they still didn’t work!
So now we have a phone number and a sim card but no phone for it. Seriously? This
simple thing is becoming quite complicated!! The people in the cell phone store
were talking sooo fast and I was so thankful my host mom was there to help us-
the man would talk to us and Kristin and I would immediately look at my host
mom for help. She would repeat it for us slowly so we could understand J I bet the people in
the store thought we were stupid because all we gave them was one blank stare
after another! My host mom is so nice and understanding (and funny!), and I’m
so grateful to have her helping me everyday with Spanish. My strategy in life
here is “when in doubt look at my host mom” because she always knows what I
need help with or what I’m trying to say. She also has made every situation
better for Kristin and I when we’re feeling embarrassed about our language
barrier or just frustrated. Today after we got back to the cell phone store the
three of us were telling my 2 aunts what happened and my host mom stops us and
says “even though it was frustrating, everything is okay because the boy
helping us was very cute!!” She can always help us find a way to laugh J
Afterwards Kristin and I met some
friends at the park where the fiestas are happening right now and we tried some
food that a lot of people had on their plates. I think it was called a
Chorreada or something along those lines…EW. Seriously, it was so nasty!!!!! It
was this corn tortilla/pancake looking thing with a white glob of stuff on top
(which looks like mayo according to Kristin), but the sign said it was “dulce” (sweet), but no! I almost couldn’t swallow it
because it was so bad, and I was laughing which didn’t help either! Kristin
took a photo of my expression which I’ll have to post later-you’ll understand
how bad it was then...now below). But as we were
ordering, this lady came up to us and asked if the stuff on the counter was
sugar and we shrugged so she took some, and we decided to take some too. Turns
out this “sugar” was actually salt which did not help with the taste of the
nastiness white mayo looking stuff. Needless to say I had one tiny bite and I
decided I was full.
Lunch is the main meal of the day
here, and we come home for lunch everyday around 12:30. Most families also
don’t eat dinner-which is really different for me because usually I have a
small lunch and a larger dinner. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately,
probably due to nerves, so I haven’t been wanting dinner at night but I’m
pretty sure my host mom thinks I hate her cooking because I’m always saying no
when she offers me food. The food here is a lot different than I expected.
Almost everything we eat is pretty plain, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but
almost too plain. There are certain foods that don’t have a taste at all or
they taste completely different than they do at home. Like yesterday we had
spaghetti with a sauce I’ve never seen before, but the spaghetti didn’t taste
like the kind we have at home. The sauce had vegetables in it that were all
sorts of colors and even though I have no idea what they were, they tasted
pretty good! Every morning my host mom makes me eggs with rice and beans, I
don’t like eggs at all, but these eggs have a different texture so I can eat
them a little easier, as long as I have a big glass of juice to help. Oh, also,
my family thinks I’m crazy for not liking coffee.
I’ve made a list of embarrassing
things that have happened to me:
1.
My little sister tells everyone I meet that I am
a “gringa” who doesn’t speak Spanish.
2.
Everyone comes up to my friends and I on the
street to ask for directions. It might be because we’re always standing on a
corner trying to figure out where we are, but why on earth would you ask the
only tourist-looking people for directions?!
3.
I can’t lock the gate to my house. My host mom
has to come help me every single time.
4.
I can’t count money to save my life! I stand
there looking at every coin trying to figure out what is what and under all the
pressure I can’t add it up! I really hope more places start taking my credit
card.
5.
Every time I walk in the door my host mom asks
me “se pierde?!” (did you get lost?!) Yes. Always yes. Part of my problem is
that I have to look down when I walk because the sidewalks have tons of holes
and cracks, and in front of every house is a different type of sidewalk or tile
on a different level. I can’t look up very often or I’m going to fall so I
don’t know what store is where, since again, NO STREET SIGNS.
6.
Kristin and I have to hold hands when we cross
the street or a car will hit me. It’s already almost happened twice-she had to
put the mom arm out to stop me.
7. I was speaking Spanglish to Kristin yesterday at her house and her brother who speaks English couldn't stop laughing at me.
I could go on but I can’t think of anything else right now,
even though there are more than a million embarrassing things that happen to me
everyday. That’s about all I have for now, but I’ll update you with new
adventures that have occurred over the weekend. ¡Hasta luego!
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