Mi familia

It is day 5 of my stay in Quito and I am learning a lot about families in South America. There are a lot of things that are similar to my family but there are also things that are different. My host family consists of my mom, Annabelle, my father, Guillermo, my host brother, Carlos, and our dog, Cody. I also have some more host siblings that live on their own. Also everyday after school Annabelle's granddaughter stays with us until her mom gets done with work. My family is actually from the coast of Ecuador so they do things a little differently than families in Quito.

A normal day for the family would be like this. Everyone wakes up at the time that they need to get to what they need to do. My host mom makes breakfast for each person, after which we wash our own plates. Mostly so far for breakfast I eat some fruit and juice (I am not much of a breakfast person). Then we all do what we need to do. I take the buses to campus and eat lunch there. Then we all come back when we are done and have dinner at 7. We all eat dinner together and talk for awhile. My host mom also sometimes makes different food for each member of the family (she is a great cook).

My host family is really close to each other. They use a lot of words and nicknames to show affection. Something that is different from my family back home, is when you come home you try and make sure that you greet everyone that is home. Also when you leave you have to say goodbye to each member of the family. We greet each other with a beso (kiss) on the cheek. Also before dinner each member usually stays in their own room. There is no television in the living room (which is different from my family). The main television is in my host parents room and that is where we will all watch a movie or a soccer game together.

Also children in Ecuador usually live with their parents until they are married. They will live at home through their schooling and also once the graduate and have a job. Families are really close here which is like my family but some families in the United States are not as close as families here. I am really glad that I got put with the host family that I have. They are really caring and make sure that I am comfortable. They also have been very helpful in getting me around the town and helping me learn important things about the city.