Tuesday, March 3, 2009

My real life

In what I like to refer to as my real life I would never eat ice cream at 10 AM. I also would never eat a large, wonderfully seasoned pork steak with potatoes and hot sauce at 10 AM but I have done each of these things. I have abandoned all of the social norms I hold near and dear to my heart since I have been in this country and it feels good. It´s like eating desert before dinner, it is so bad but sooooo good.

On another note, I thought I would share all of the interesting things that have been going on in my life lately. Well, just as I thought I had experienced every type of cat call humanly possible I was cat called by a man peeing on a wall in broad daylight. I know, you are probably thinking how offended I must be but really it was one of the funnier things I´ve seen lately. What a loser! My second encounter was less friendly and less funny. As I was walking to the Polleria (chicken spot) a regular Sunday ritual for me, I crossed by some friendly neighborhood assholes who of course began with their cat calls. Much to my surprise, just as I turned the corner, almost out of their site one of them screamed- PERRA! Yes, a perra is a female dog but not in the way us North Americans politely refer to women as bitches but rather a very harsh insult which I am still not totally sure of the definition. As I returned home I asked my roomate what the word meant, she looked at me and asked why. When I told her someone had called me it she was appauled. I was insulted and didn´t even know it. Oh well. Ok, lastly, I pretty much thought that after the young man who politely pissed and whistled at me nothing could really compare, oh boy was I wrong. Monday afternoon I entered the English class that I teach three times a week with the exam in my hand. One of my students is the son of a host cousin. I am in love with this little boy, he is adorrible and his story is really sad. He lives in a place with no water, no electricity and no mommy. His mom abandoned him and he is living with his father who is a really nice guy. So I sit down next to my favorite little student and realize that he does not brush his teeth. When I ask him if he does, he readily admits that he doesn´t and instead chews coca every day because according to his father that is better for dental hygiene. I told him that I wanted him to tell his dad to buy him a toothbrush and toothpaste and he agreed. After this short conversation he whispered in my ear that he had to tell me something. He told me that his father sends his regards and he wants to know if he can take me out with his son sometime and if I could please forward my phone number with his son that would be great. WHAT????? You just had your six year old son ask me on a date? So cute, so hysterical, absolutely did not give out the number ;) Such is life here. I´m a celebrity and I never knew it.

Other than that, things are coming along rather well, finishing up my community diagnostic and getting ready to present at the meeting in two weeks.

P.S. Going to harvest the corn this afternoon with my family....just another day!