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Living Another New Life in Cuenca

Since about two weeks ago I have been living on my own here in Cuenca.  It was great experiencing the time I spent living with Tania and her family, however cultural differences and styles of living made me come to the decision that I would like to try living on my own.  I was always worried about waking up the little kids at night if I would come home late from being out with friends and it is also easier now because I am living in the center.  I am renting a room out from an older couple that has a huge house.  One side of the house is for the family, and then the other half is for renting out.  Everything is furnished, so it is convenient.  It is all foreigners that are renting out.  There are people from Madison, Chicago, Minnesota, Germany and Spain.  Another new experience.

Now that I am living in the center it is much easier to walk where I want to go.  I have guitar lessons three days a week and then in the afternoons now I am usually spending time at the orphanage.  Some girls are little brats, but others are really sweet.  I can only try to give them what I have to offer.  Usually we are just chatting, I help them study, or sometimes I need to explain to them what their English homework is asking of them.  

Only about a month and a couple of weeks left.  I plan on continuing to volunteer and then also doing a little bit of traveling as well.  At the end of the trip I will visit my friend who lives in Quito and he will take me to the airport and everything.  I actually met him in the States at the Model United Nations conference (he studies at St. Thomas in the cities) and now he is home in Ecuador for the summer.  So, that convenience will come in handy and I'll have a personal tour guide to show me around Quito a little bit more.  

All for now,

              Kiley     

Backtracking

At the beginning of May my semester program ended and the summer began.  Now that I've been back in Cuenca for a month I'll update you about how the trip to Peru went before I returned to Cuenca.  It was a good end to the program and a nice, relaxing trip.  We rode in a bus for about six hours to the border of Ecuador and Peru and then from there flew in an airplane for an hour to Lima, the capital city.  In Lima we spent time doing city tours and enjoying the first taste of McDonald's food for over four months.  From Lima we then flew to Cuzco, Peru.  Cuzco is a beautiful city with a lot of life.  The only downside of it is that I encountered more people speaking English than Spanish.  However, besides the tourist traps, I found the life of the city down small little side streets and in shops filled with alpaca made clothing.  One other thing we encountered in Cuzco was the Luther semester group that was studying in Peru.  Only on the streets of Cuzco do I run into my fellow classmates and Spanish professor.  

From Cuzco we went in train to Machu Picchu, the infamous "lost Incan city" in the mountains.  There we spent the morning in the clouds (literally) discovering how the Incans lived and questioning why and how they made the things that they did.  After returning from Machu Picchu we rode back to Cuzco and spent some more time shopping and bargaining.  From there it was back to Lima to spend some more time before people in the group were flying home.  Out of a group of eight only three ended up flying home.  Two girls had family coming to visit for a vacation, one was staying in Cuenca for an extra week, and then another girl and myself were returning to Cuenca for the summer.  That brings you up to date until my life back in Cuenca.

I've been working in a shop of a friend of my professor for the past month to earn some extra money.  Then, next week I will be starting my volunteering in the international school where little Camila studies (part of my University here).  It's possible that after my volunteering I will have a job there teaching English in the summer camp.  However, like everything else here in Ecuador the plan is up in the air.   

So, all in all next week will be just as busy as the last:

Volunteer program begins

Guitar Lessons begin

Saturday is Camila's bday (not even half done with the scarf she asked me to knit her)

Keep me posted on any news please.  

Kiley

          

Video and Photos

Late Again

Sorry it has taken me so long again to post an update for all of you. However, I must say that this past month has been very busy. In April I was finishing up classes and my internship, then we had finals, and after that it was time to leave our host families and head to Peru.

We spent eight days in Peru and while there we visited Lima, Cusco and the surrounding areas. We saw a lot in such a short amount of time. However, the trip included 5 airplane rides within the country so that made transportation a bit faster.

At the end of the trip we were all suppose to fly back to the United States. We´ll out of a group of eight only three ended up getting on a plane. Two girls from the group had family coming down for a couple of weeks and then one other girl is staying in Cuenca for the summer like I am doing. After a plane ride and a bus adventure we arrived back in Cuenca at around two in the morning. I headed to my new home in Cuenca, which was pretty exciting. I am now living with my friend Tania, who works at CEDEI and her family. It has been an adventure already and I feel so much more at home here. It probably helps that there are two little kids in the house. Camila, who is five is always at my side.

Last weekend we went to the country with a lot of family to make Chumales, which are kind of like corn bread cooked inside a leaf. It was really fun being able to participate in that and having the family just as interested in my life as I am in theirs. Then, after leaving the country we hurried back to the house to have Sunday family dinner here at the house. There are seven kids in Tania´s family and every Sunday everyone gets together for dinner. Being that it was Mother´s day all the little kids sang to the moms.

Tonight is another family dinner being that it is Sunday. Except today it is at Tania´s parents house. This afternoon Tania and I have to make a double batch of Apple Crisp because the family is in love with it. I introduced them to it last week and then we ended up making two pans of it. Well, on Thursday Tania´s mom came over with another bag of apples from their tree so we could make more.

That´s my day today.

Take care,
Kiley

Holy Week

 This past week was Holy Week here in Cuenca and Thursday night started off the holiday weekend.  My host parents, Leo and I did the infamous tour of the “seven churches” of Cuenca (even though there are 52 in total) and Jacinto and Rebeca (host parents) read two phrases out of a prayer book at each church.  I was utterly amazed at how many people were on the streets walking with their families to visit the churches.  Everywhere we went was packed, in fact we couldn’t even get into two of the churches because they were so full- and these are BIG churches.  It was a really moving experience.

            Unlike in the United States, Good Friday is the biggest day of the holiday weekend here in Cuenca.  There were about 24 people who came over to our house on Friday to eat a dish called “Fanesca” (Fish Soup- but in our house you can chose with or without).  I was told that Friday is a day where family is suppose to join together and not be very active- just spend the afternoon calmly together conversing.  No music, dancing, drinking or celebrating because Jesus was dead.  I got lucky and was at least able to take a nap in the afternoon.  There were people in our house from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. when we left to go to the procession in town- a.k.a. mock funeral procession.  Again, I went with Leo and my host parents downtown to partake in the festivities.  I didn’t realize that it was going to be the strongest fake procession I would ever witness in my life.  We walked down the street with a mob of people along side of a vehicle that appeared to be a hearse.  From the inside there was a loud speaker that recited verses for the people in the streets to respond to.  Besides the verses, while we were walking all the people were singing a very drab song while carrying candles.  The procession went until the New Cathedral, where we then continued to watch the rest of the procession pass by.  Within the throng of people we saw not only the hearse, but also a large cross carrying “Jesus” and then the Virgin Mary following behind because the procession is called, “The Tears of Mary”.  Very powerful.   

            Saturday I spent the day with friends looking around at the different exhibits that artists had set up in a park in town. Of course this time of year in Cuenca it has to rain at least once a day, so eventually I ended up going home to spend the rest of the late afternoon reading.

            Today, which is Easter I have yet to leave the house.  Within the day I have had a normal breakfast, lunch, and lazy Sunday afternoon. 

 

Happy Easter- wherever you are.

Kiley                     

Happy Easter and More

This past Friday I went to a city near by named Azogues with my boss and my fellow intern Lupe (She’s studying to be a psychologist).  We were doing a home visit with a family where the child’s father is in the United States working illegally and the family is now separated, as the father has a new wife and child in the States. Consequently, the little boy is suffering in more ways than one. 

It is both interesting and sad for me to see the affects that immigration is having on the families here in Cuenca.  As I am spending my days searching prisons for updates on inmates, calling morgues as a last resort, and listening to mothers cry daily because they don’t know where their child is, I catch myself wondering why they do it?  However, I am now learning more about the answer to my question through the Political Economics of Latin America class that I am talking.

In an economy where the second leading resource of capital towards the GDP is the remittances coming from the United States, it is obvious that illegal immigration is supporting many families financially here in Cuenca.  Although I agree that we must protect our borders to some extent, I also feel that we should make it more available for illegal immigrants to become citizens if they are already in the States.  We are learning that without illegal immigrants taking the jobs that Americans don’t want, the American economy would be in a lot worse shape than it already is.  Believe it, or don’t.  Anyways- I won’t keep going on that because I don’t want to have a hundred comments from all of you.  However, know that I’d be willing at any time to have a conversation about the affects that immigration has both on Ecuador and on the United States.  After the ten-page paper I am writing about it I should be an expert.     

Besides interning at the House of Migrant and going to class I have also begun tutoring English for a ten-year-old boy named Mateo.  His mom is paying me to do it three times a week up until I leave here in August.  Oh, and if some of you didn’t know, I’m staying in Cuenca for summer.  Surprise.  Anyway, I started class with him on Monday and it is really fun.  Right now we are just completing basic review and studying vocabulary.  He’ll have homework for English class most of the time so I won’t have to do much preparing.

Well, this weekend is Easter and it should be an interesting one.  I have learned that here Good Friday is a much bigger day than the actual Easter Sunday.  Special food is prepared that is made only out of grains and rumor has it that a bunch of family is coming over to my house to eat it Friday afternoon.  Leo told me I should wake up early on Friday and help her prepare it.  After lunch then we will all walk together around Cuenca to seven different churches- it’s a tradition.  My friend Leah is living with my host mom’s sister, so at least I won’t be the only “gringa”.  I’ll let you all know how it goes and I’ll try to take pictures. 

 

Until then, I wish you all a Happy Easter.     

Kiley

P.s. I’m attaching a picture of little Sebastian wearing the hat I knitted for him.  

BEEF

      I've been getting beef about not updating my blog as much as I should, so here I am.  It has been pretty regular week around here and I'm continuing to pursue my plan to extend my stay until August.  Today I have a meeting with the director of my program to discuss my options regarding my visa.  My student visa ends in the middle of July. 

     When I say this week has been pretty normal, I mean I have been keeping busy as usual.  This half of the semester I am working daily at "The House of Migrant" from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  After I complete 120 hours of in house work there, classes with my professor, and a 10 page paper in Spanish about immigration issues, I will receive 4 internship credits towards my Political Science major.  Lately my work has been pretty tedious- looking up laws from the states and translating them into Spanish for my bosses.  Despite the boring assignments, I'm working with nice people and I get to work independently.  However, I'm hoping to work more with the clients that come in soon.        

        During the afternoons we usually have activities planned such as: cooking class, dance class, migration lectures, ect.  Also, three days a week I have my Political Economic class, which is really interesting.  We do a lot of comparing and contrasting of the founding and development of Latin American countries and the United States.

     During the afternoons when I'm not in class and I don't have an activity I usually spend my time exploring the city more, knitting at home while talking with Leo, or lately I have been spending time with my friend Tania and her family.  Tania is 33 and is the academic coordinator at CEDEI (my school).  I've been having play dates with her kids about once a week.  Camila is 5 years old and in the international school so she is learning English.  We have fun with that, especially when she corrects her mom.  Sebastian, the little boy is 7 months and is as cute as ever.  He loves to laugh.  Pablo is the dad and is also a very nice person.  He challenges me with my Spanish, which is good for me.  So, all around they're a good family for me to spend time with, since most of you know I love little kids, Spanish and challenges.         

All for now,

Kiley

This past week we traveled about nine hours on bus to head to "the jungle".  In my mind it was more of a jungle full of tourists, but it was still fun.  We spent our Spring Break climbing through trees to find waterfalls, sleeping under mosquito nets (Mind you the hotel was beautiful), tubing down a river that branches off the Amazon, and getting our fill of amazing food.  

My favorite part of the trip was when we got out of the canoe on an island that was full of monkeys.  This part was at least not staged for the people paying money.  Later that afternoon we went to an animal rescue center as well.  We saw monkeys there too, but they weren't living there on their own.  Most of the animals there had been sold on the black market as pets and then abandoned.  We saw anything from leopards to toucans.  

On our way back to Cuenca we also stopped in a small town that has a train that tours the mountains for two hours.  However, it must not have been our day because there had been a landslide that was obstructing the tracks.  So, we headed back to Cuenca for a lazy Sunday afternoon.  

       Now, we're back to classes and I'm working about four hours a day at La Casa del Migrante (the House of Migrant).  It keeps me pretty busy searching for missing illegal immigrants, translating laws, and contacting angry people in the U.S. court systems about different cases.  I'm learning a lot of new "law vocabulary" in both Spanish and English so it is helpful.  

I will soon be starting to teach english at an orphanage here in Cuenca as well during my free afternoons.  I'll do it about two days a week and I am really looking forward to that.  

Hope you all are doing well.     

Overdue Posting

I realize that it has been awhile since I have posted anything, and I apologize to those that have been checking regularly for an update.  However, no more waiting because the post has arrived!  So much to tell in such little space.  Let me start with a couple of weeks back...  

Two weekends ago we took a trip to Cajas National Park, which is located about 40 minutes outside of Cuenca.  This by far has been my favorite experience yet in Ecuador.  The

 hiking was relatively easy besides all of the mud that was on the trails due to the rain that continued to pour.  We all had boots on, but still got plastered with mud while being drenched at the same time.  However, this added to the experience.   I actually ended up getting a little more wet than everyone else.  The adventuresome part of me told me to walk through the stream we were crossing while everyone else was walking on large rocks.  I somehow forgot that streams have pockets on the bottom were there isn't stream rock.  Luckily the new camera was safely packaged in its case inside my backpack.  Needless to say, the remaining hour of the hike I was pretty wet.  In total, we hiked for about 3 1/2 hours.       

Then we went back to a regular week of school, with the anticipation of the approaching week of Carnaval.  This is suppose to be  a time of "purification", which results in people eating and drinking way more than the should.  Water is also a major part of the festival here in Cuenca.  However, most people don't stay here in Cuenca for the vacation.  Four girls from my group and I took this time to head to the coast.  We spent Carnaval in Montañita, which is located on the Western coast of Ecuador. We spent the Saturday through Tuesday morning

living in a small little beach town that comes to life every year at this time. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure there were 

more tourists there than natives. While were weren't busy frying our skin on the beach, 

I enjoyed swimming in the ocean 

and diving into the waves. It was a nice time to relax and read in a hammock, enjoy the beach, and wander around seeing 

what the street venders had to offer.  

But man is it great to be back in the mountains...

Ahead to Saraguro

    I haven't had time to update you all because I have been too busy climbing mountains in my spare time.  This past weekend we went to an indigenous village name Saraguro, which is about three hours from Cuenca.  We spent about five and a half hours climbing mountains throughout the weekend.  On one of the mountains we attended a religious ceremony, which was beautiful.  

   Each meal we were fed local food in people's homes- including Cuy once again.  With the dinner we had on Saturday night, also came live music from the locals.  We spent the evening listening to wooden flutes, drums and guitars before we had to hit the hay before another day of hiking.  

   This week I am suppose to start my internship.  However, I have learned that internships here are not quite as organized as in the states.  Today I went to the immigration office to start my internship and they had no schedule or work for me to do.  So, we'll try again next week.  

   All for now, Alex and I are heading to a local pizza place for dinner.  We feel a little deprived from our "unhealthy riceless  American diet".                

Principal

This weekend we traveled to a small village named Principal, which is about two hours from Cuenca.  After arriving, we took an hour hike around and over a mountain.  While mountaineering we were not only surrounded by the beauty of the Andes, but we were also entertained by sights such as a random pig in the middle of nowhere, a river filled with stream rock, small children, lots of mud and finally a waterfall. 

After returning from our hike, we were taken to a home to have lunch.  This was my first experience of eating Cuy, or should I say Guinea Pig?  After being a vegetarian for months, life in Ecuador has been a bit challenging food wise.  However, this was the first time I really have had a hard time eating meat.  I was able to get over the fact that Guinea Pig is a pet in the States, but after eating a bit I found it’s little ribcage with my hand.  That was it for me- my appetite was gone.  Now I realize that it is mind over matter and that Cuy really is a delicacy in Ecuador, but I have had my share of it for a while.  The flavor wasn’t bad; the meat had the texture of chicken, but with a flavor a bit saltier.  All in all, let’s just say that if I had to choose something off a menu, Cuy would not be my first choice.  One man’s treasure is another man’s junk, right?

After lunch we had some women demonstrate to us how they make Panama hats, which are actually only made in Ecuador.  We climbed another side of a mountain to get to their greenhouse where they had the plants growing, waiting to be harvested and dried.  They told us on average it takes two to three days to make one hat if they don't have anything else to do that day.  

Today, instead of making a hat I am spending my day resting up a bit, knitting, cleaning my room and attempting to understand Spanish television.  Oh, and I should probably include homework as well.  Back to school tomorrow.  This week after classes we will be going to cultural museums, attending dance class and most important of all attempting to live the life of a Cuencan.  Have a good week, and I hope this note finds you all well!                      

Settling In To A Normal Day's Life

    Things are finally starting to come together.  I am now taking shortcuts I've discovered to get to school, I know where the local markets are, and tonight I went to my first Ecuadorian Happy Hour.  I am feeling more like a local everyday, and I must look like it too.  I'm not receiving as many cat calls from the men, or maybe that's just because I'm lazy at getting ready in the morning- Who knows?  It's just refreshing to feel that things are starting to feel like home.  

     On Sunday our group took a trip to Ingapirca; Incan ruins that are located about two hours from  Cuenca.  It was interesting to hear the history of how the Incan's also destroyed the civilization of the Canari people to create their own civilization.  Everyone always feel bad for the Incan's because of the Spanish invaders, however now my opinion is kind of like the saying, "What goes around comes around".  At least in regards to the ruins at Ingapirca that is.  

      My host parents had gone away for the weekend, and when they returned on Sunday night I looked like a little drowned rat.  The second half of our tour at Ingapirca it poured rain.  Of course I didn't have a rain jacket or an umbrella so I returned home soaked.  I was looking for a hot shower, but came home to a house with no electricity, which equals no hot water.  My host mom made me some tea and then I spent some time doing homework.  Turned out we didn't have electricity for two and a half hours.  So, our night was by candlelight and I laid on my host parent's bed talking with my host mom and "studying my vocabulary".  My host dad sat in his chair listening to his battery powered radio and answering my random questions.  They are good sports like that.  

     Last night my host mom got out her guitar for me.  She was all excited because she didn't know how to tune it for all these years (20).  It makes me happy that now I will still have music as a part of my life.  My host mom insisted that it stays in my room because, "I can't forget how to play" (said in the Spanish version of course).  They are very caring people and insist on always accommodating me.     

     Well, it's almost time for dinner.  However, it's not like at home where it's usually the biggest meal.  It's usually something light.  For lunch we always start with soup and then have another course of rice with some kind of meat.  Oh, and my favorite part of every meal is the fresh juice Leo makes.  I think tonight for my bedtime snack I'm going to eat a mango.  I hope you find something just as sweet near you!  Enjoy.

Ki

     

Leo

Last night my host family went out to the theater.  That left Leo (lay-o), the housekeeper, and I with the house to ourselves.  So, we had dinner.  She ate in the kitchen I ate in dining room #2.  After she prepared everything for me in my dining area, she went back to the kitchen and ate while watching television.  I finally got up and went to the kitchen.  I explained to Leo that I thought it was silly that there are two people in the whole entire house and they are eating dinner in separate rooms.  Now, I realize that this is the traditional relationship between live-in employees and the owners of the house, but I didn’t feel comfortable with it.  Leo explained to me that she never eats in the dining room and would feel uncomfortable doing so.  She then mentioned that my host parents sometimes eat in the kitchen.  Ah ha!  So, there I went with my plate and pitcher of juice in hand to join Leo for dinner. 

She explained to me that she has been working for the family for thirty-two years and that she is insured.  She will retire at the age of seventy-four.  Since the “masters” were gone she was excited to share with me photos of her family and stories from her life (when I asked).  However, it wasn’t long after dinner that we couldn’t see any more photos.  What I mean by that is- the power went out.  Here’s Leo and I wandering around in the dark trying to communicate with each other in Spanish.  Mind you, she wears a hearing aid so I have to speak REALLLLYYY LOOUUDDD.  We were laughing the whole time while trying to find each other and candles to light. 

We spent the evening sharing stories and learning a bit more about each other.  When she kissed my cheek goodnight, I knew that I am now more than “just a gringa” to her.  J         

Mi Familia

For all of you that have been waiting for an updated post, you are in luck because you are getting two in one day!  I had typed "On the Mountain" while I was without internet and now you have me in the present.  I'm sure that you are all curious about my living situation here in Cuenca so I will entertain you for a bit.

We arrived in the city last night after a nine hour bus ride from the small little mountain side village.  I wasn't nervous at all until the rest of the girls in my group started freaking out (there are eight of us total).  The directors led us into a room and had us all sit down.  They even pulled a curtain- I kid you not.  They then led our host families in one by one!  We all kind of felt like we were on a reality t.v. show and wondered who was going to be picked next.  Just my host mom came to get me, but it was great.  She was so warm and welcoming.  We then all had a sandwich and then parted to our new homes.  My friend Leah, who is also from Luther is living with the sister of my host mom, so we are now "primas" (cousins) and address each other's host parents as our aunt and uncle.  Very comforting.  

Once we got to the house my "mom" showed me around and led me to my room.  I have my own bathroom connected to my room so that is nice.  It is a very large house and their family business is in the back.  He is an economist- that's as much as I know.  

Today I met our maid.  She lives in the house four days out of the week.  It was a bit strange today at lunch when she served us all and then ate in the kitchen with another employee.  She will wash my clothes everyday and leave them folded on my bed.  This will take a bit of getting use to. 

        All in all, my host family is wonderful.  Time to go home... I'll write more later.        

On The Mountain

Right now I’m sitting on the side of a mountain writing this.  We’re supposed to be able to see a volcano from where I am sitting, but there is too much fog.  We just arrived at the hacienda that we are staying at tonight, and tomorrow we will head to Cuenca.  I wish I could tell you the name of the closest city, but the truth is I have no idea.  More importantly, it’s so peaceful that I can hear a stream running near by.  Lush green covered mountains, greenhouses, and sporadic houses encircle me.  That is all that is insight besides a cow and a few horses that are mowing the field near by. 

            It’s interesting because the masses of greenhouses that I am looking at seem to be just as embedded into the ground as the cornfields that surrounds them.  I found out today that the flower industry is even a bigger deal than I thought for the economy of Ecuador.  On our way here we stopped at a flower plantation where we saw the process in which roses are grown, cut, packaged and shipped to countries like the United States to sell.  It was interesting to see all the different kinds of roses and how they are harvested.  My favorite part of the tour was when I was lagging behind taking photos and one of the women workers appeared from the bushes and asked if I’d like a rose.  Best flower I’ve ever received. J  Oh, and I should probably mention that after the tour we all got a dozen roses, however I’m going to give them to my host family when I arrive at their home tomorrow at around 5:00 p.m. 

            During our travels today we also stopped in a little town where about 80% of the population is indigenous.  I felt a bit like an intruder as we drove through their cobblestone streets with our bus that is labeled “Tourismo” across the front.  However, we arrived to a home of an indigenous family that was waiting to greet us with smiles and kisses.  It’s important to know that it is becoming more common for indigenous people to put their “lives on display” so to speak, to share their disappearing culture and to make a living in this country that is becoming more and more Westernized. 

They played traditional music, fed us lunch from the food they have grown themselves, demonstrated how they string yarn and where the dyes they use come from.  The first dye we were shown is extracted from cacti.  Or should I say the worm that lives inside.  I had to face my fear of worms as the woman squished it in-between her fingers and extended her hand full of worm blood for us to rub on our lips.  Me+worms= a phobia.  However, I managed to face my fear, as you will soon see in my photos.  In spite of this, I have to say that I will not be using worm blood for lipstick in the future.                

Phone Call

Well, the beginning of this adventure has already been comical.  I received the information today about who I will be living with.  Jacinto and Rebeca Espinoza-Abad will be my parents for the next five months.  So, I thought, "Why don't I give them a call to say hello and let them know that I'm excited to meet them?"  Sooooooo, I did.  My first attempt to call a man answered saying something really strange that I didn't understand at all (figured out later that it probably was his last name). CLICK.  I panicked and hung up.  Woops.  Second try- a young guy answers and I tell him my name and ask if he is Santiago?  I just guessed because my sheet told me that was their youngest son living in the house.  He said yes, but I don't think either of us understood what the other was saying.  BUT, we figured it out that he wasn't even in Cuenca and I called the wrong city number.  However, I did find out that he doesn't have a brother, a nephew or a cousin that is named Santiago.  Good conversation with a complete stranger.  Third try is the charm I guess.  My host mom answered the phone and we established right away that she is Rebeca and lives in Cuenca.  Besides thinking I was one of her past students calling to wish them a happy new year it was a great introductory conversation.  Then she told me that there might be another student coming at the end of January.  Shoot, what?  I then had to try to explain in Spanish that I am the new student and I'll be there next week! Ha ha.  However, it was a great feeling when we both were laughing at the fact that they had no idea that I was about to be living with them for the next five months!  She didn't seem to mind though.  She called me their new daughter and said that she is excited.  She had such a carefree attitude about her that I could sense even through the phone.  Refreshing.  She told me that they would be waiting until I arrived.  So, there ya go.  The adventure has already started!  

Dad: 64

Mom: 63

Sons: 39, 35, 29

Housekeeper

Dog

I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences with you!