Sean in Ecuador: Mi vida en Cuerpo de Paz: Mi Familia Nueva

It was awesome to meet our new families for the first time. My little host brother Toni and my Host brother Carmen came to meet me at our family announcing. It was a little interesting the way it went because it felt a bit like the draft where the our coordinator would call out our name and then the family. Some of the reactions and ways that us gringos first interacted with family was pretty hilarious. All in good fun though. I was definitely nervious to meet the family I would be spending the next 11 weeks with. So Carmen, Toni and I hopped into a family friend’s car and they took me to my new home. Sitting in the back right seat, I smiled and waved eagerly to all we passed by. When we arrived at my new family’s home, I was shocked to see how well off they were considering my experience in Guatemala was a bit rougher. However, it was a pleasant shock, all though I know the experience will not be very realistic to my future site.

Above my Host brother Toni and I enjoying a market bfest

We then went to the KFC in the comerical centro to get lunch, yea I know I was expecting a bit of traditional food, but I was honored to go to KFC since it is pretty expensive here. In the centro, I met my older host brother Matteo who was really cool and worked that the Movistar outlet there. Later we headed to meet up with Marcelo my new host father. The family is super nice and very accommodating. The first weekend we spent our time traveling around Tumbaco, checking out the square and all there is. I also spent considerable time sharing stories and pictures of family member. Carmen showed me all her pictures of Toni from when he was kid until now, he is 7 years old. The next day we went to meet Marcelo’s mother, Maria, She was very kind and It was great to her here life story and that she had hosted volunteers in the past. It was cool to feel a part of and experience the history of Peace Corps through my abuela’s eyes. It was interesting to learn that my family also lived in Madrid for close to 14 years and just recently had returned to Ecuador. My experience with my host family has been awesome, most definitely an adjustment, however it has been very comfortable.

Toni testing his photo skills with my Host mom Carmen

So far I’ve taken a lot of time to just hang out with the family. Although we have long days I find it enjoyable to chat with them at the end of the day. I have found many things that Matteo and I connect over in terms of a love of soccer and reggae for one. We spent one night just watching some hip hop , rap and reggae videos of his favorite songs and we found many similarities between our music tastes. Music crosses all boundaries.

Toni Likes the music at the market

The second weekend my family held a large birthday/ celebration party for a few people. We all headed over to where my host grandmother lives, and there we took part hours of merry making. There were many traditions such as salsa dancing and dancing with a bottle filled with water and trying not to drop the bottle. It was awesome cultural jamz.