My host family, the Moya’s, picked me up at the FSD office on Wednesday evening. They are super nice. Miriam (the mom) is very outgoing. She has dark brown/reddish (dyed) hair, and is actually fairly tall (maybe 5’7”) and slightly overweight (which is bad news for me cause it probably means they eat well here so I shouldn’t be expecting to lose weight anytime soon L ). Miriam works for the “Ministrio de Educación” which I am assuming is similar to the Board of Education. I am not exactly sure what she does yet. She also knits and weaves scarves and shawls to sell to friends and co-workers. Her husband, Claudio, is also fairly tall and fairly light skinned with brown/grayish colored hair. I unsuspectingly asked him where he works and apparently he is unemployed – however, he used to work at a flour mill, but soy is taking over production so there is no longer demand for wheat flour. So he stays at home and helps Miriam weave as part of their own microenterprise. Claudio is not as outgoing as Miriam but very nice and “tranquilo” or calm and easy going – which is a nice contrast to Miriam’s vivacious personality.
Their nephew Javier lives with them too. He is 28 and is a hydraulic engineering student. He is also plays the base in a rock band (which I think are practicing in the room next to mine right now – fortunately its not the loud obnoxious kind!) He seems pretty cool also, he is a little hard to understand because he talks fast and the words seem to all mix together like he is mumbling (at least to me that is what it sounds like!)
Claudio and Miriam also have a son and daughter. The son is 22 and lives far away (700 kilometers) and studies mechanical engineering. The daughter, Florencia, is 19 and is in the Naval Military School, which from listening to Miriam is probably similar to our military academies, it seems difficult to get into, and she seems very proud of her. Florencia is not around during the week but apparently comes home on the weekends, so I will probably meet her this weekend. Miriam says she is tall like me, she seems to think I look like her too, but I met a friend of Florencia’s yesterday and she didn’t share the same opinion, I think Miriam is just excited to have me here.
The family seems very fun. I think they get together with a big group of friends often – several of whom also host interns. And friends of their kids are around on the weekends as well. I think I will definitely get a taste of their culture living with them.
