Life in Ecuador

I have been back with my host family for two weeks now since Intag, and it is SO good to be back! As I was walking up the road to our house I could see into the yard and saw my host sister and Don Pedro (the family friend) killing chickens ... you guys, I was actually excited to peel chicken feathers with them! I was just so incredibly happy to be back home and with my family that I didn´t care if we peeled chickens all night, I was just so happy to be around my host family. When I saw my host mom come out of the house I just ran and gave her the hugest hug because I missed her so much. I told them all my stories from Intag and they loved them. They told me I can bathe in the river behind our house if I want to. It was so cute to see how excited they were to have me back, especially my host dad, who I´m pretty sure is my biggest fan. I love it. When we ate dinner that first night I just kept thinking, this food is soo good!!! But I think it was just that it was my host mom´s food that I am familiar with and it just made me feel so at home eating her food. It was like coming home to my real mom´s cooking, doesn´t matter what she cooks it´s just amazing because it´s a homecooked meal from your mom. It felt so good to go to sleep in my bed that night and put my things away in my room... and to wake up without beetles in my hair.

I love being back. The last month and a half have just been so incredible and I am absolutely LOVING my life here. I have gotten so close to my host family and they truly feel like real family. The relationship I have with them is something that I used to think was impossible. I have been staying at the table after dinner with my host mom and sister a lot lately and have gotten opportunities to talk with them for hours. I love getting to know them and I love how honest they are with me ... and I especially LOVE how much Spanish I can understand now! It´s truly amazing.  And, I think I have officially become a local. I walk down the street and hear ¨Hola Rebecita!¨ from the neighbors, and I am fully part of the family business. When we go into town to sell chickens to the local markets, all of our customers know me and I am fully capable of making business transactions now. They´re going to be so confused in a few weeks when their gringa isn´t there to sell them their chickens anymore! It´s crazy to me to be such a part of the community here but I absolutely love it.

Now I am just soaking up my time with my host family and this life that I have built here, because it is coming quickly to an end. Que triste...