Meet my (new) Host Family!

My family from left to right: Mayra (sister), Martha (Mom), Karina (sister), Tiago and Elson (nephews), Gilberto (Dad), Erick (brother), Bruno (nephew)

This is my extended host family, in the 1st birthday of Bruno, my host nephew.  Not pictured is Bruno's mom, Amy, and her 6 year-old daughter Daniela.  Daniela is the "Niña Fexticum" of Monsefú, sort of like a junior Miss Monsefú, and she is pictured at the top of my blog.  Amy became a friend of mine through events with the Muncipality, and I went to her when I was looking for a new host family, and she immediately suggested her in-laws.  And now here I am!

I live with Martha (58), Gilberto (~59), and Mayra (26).  Martha is the sub-director of a public elementary school in Monsefú and Gilberto is a history/geography teacher in a public high school.  Mayra is studying criminal law at a private university in Chiclayo.  


Martha and Gilberto have two other adult children:

Karina (married to Fernando, not pictured) with kids Tiago (3) and Elson (1 1/2)

Erick (married to my friend Amy, not pictured) with kids Daniela (6) and Bruno (1)


Karina's family lives in Chiclayo but they visit every Sunday for family lunch, so I get to play all day with Tiago and Elson (!!!).  Mayra's boyfriend of 3 years, Lucho (nickname for Luis) also joins us every once in a while.  Lucho's friends, Mayra's friends, and all their cousins are all around my age and surprisingly not too many have kids, so this family change is drastically changing my social life too.  As much as I love my older friends who have kids, it is nice to hang out with people I can very easily relate to.


I love, love, love this family.  They are easy-going, positive, and funny.  And they love to have a good time.  On less than four hours of sleep from Lucho's birthday, we celebrated Bruno's 1st birthday and baptism starting at 12pm with the baptism, family lunch after that, short break, huge kids' party for 3 hours, followed by family party until late in the night.  At around midnight I desperately wanted to leave to sleep, but leaving early is virtually not an option at Peruvian parties, especially family ones.  Peer pressure is a super fun game to them, regardless of whatever you have to do the next morning!  "What, you want to leave?  Ohhh, my god, but listen to how GREAT this song is, let's dance!  And here's a full beer for you!"  So with Mayra's help I snuck out while everyone was dancing, to walk the quick (and safe, I promise!) 3 blocks home to my wonderful bed.


I've been drowning in details for a work project, an artisan fashion show, but once I come up for air I intend to give you guys a better update of what I've been up to work-wise.  This week I'm off to Huaraz, the capital city of the department (state) of Ancash, for a Small Business training on our youth business plan course and competition.  Can't wait to see Ancash, it is one of the most beautiful areas of Peru!