Homestays - COMMENTS on families

There is officially competition for my favorite family. Sorry, guys! I have a grandmother and grandfather named Maria and Hector who run the house. They have 5 kids and 2 who live with them named Jose, and Pelar, and Pelar has a daughter named Illari(that’s a roug phonetic translation). Illari is a Quechuan  name and I have yet to pronounce it correctly. There is a little boy named Emiliano who is also Maria and Hector’s child, but he is so much younger than his siblings that I couldn’t figure out the relation. Their house is small but they generously gave me a room of my own. There is a shower and very nice bathroom for all of us to share. Maria is an amazing cook, so I’m definitely not going to lose weight over here. They always hug me and Illari clings to me wherever I go. Jose loves American music, so I’m helping translate the lyrics of Ben Joyi and Incubus for him. I really couldn’t ask for much more. Did I mention the house has a bakery in it? Hector is a baker, so I get piping hot bread every morning. Tomorrow I’m going to wake up early(they start baking at 2 am) and see how they do it. Hasta Luego, my famllia segunda

Johnny 

It’s been two days with my homestay and they’ve been nothing short of amazing. I have four sisters, two brothers, and two nieces. My tayba (father) and mantay (mother) runs a restaurant out of what used to be a hostel and what now constitutes a huge house.  We have meals and watch TV in the open courtyard outdoors. I really love the color blocking and how open and airy the house is. I am the youngest of my siblings: Fernando, Nancy, Griselda, Eddie, Isaula, and Estefani. Griselda is the mother of my two nieces Melanie and Mafe. My oldest brother is 30 and my youngest sister turned 18 last May. My nieces are 8 and 7 respectively. My nieces are angels. Melanie even went on the hike that lasted 9 hours.. She behaved better than I did as you can imagine.  So far I’ve picked up some Quechua (the Inca language), I’ve learned to peal potatoes  with a safety knife, eaten onions, and gone hiking.  We’ve done two hikes and we have the overnight hike and the trek to Machu Pichu to look forward to. Hope all is well.

Brittani 

Hey mom and dad,

My family is great. My dad is called Valentine and my mom is Reja. I have 5 siblings – 3 older sisters that go to college in Cusco and come home on the weekends, a 10 year old sister and a little 3 year old brother who has been very hard to take care of. I don’t think he likes me very much he always tries to fight me. I really like them, they’ve taken me in so warmly. I spend hours playing cards with two of my sisters and soccer with my dad. In addition to this big family, I also have four uncles. So my dad is the first of four brothers and all of them crowded into the kitchen this morning for breakfast, it was pretty funny. My host parents are also right about the same age as you guys, which is nice.

The food has been awesome. I’ve gotten over my bad eating/sleeping habits and I’m eating a lot. My dad works as a cook, so I keep telling him how lucky I am to have been selected for his house. My room is simple and clean. Everything has been great so don’t worry. Hope you guys are doing well too!

Michael

I have lived with my homestay family for two days now, and they have been very welcoming. My madre and padre already have helped improve my Spanish and I really enjoy having conversations with them. They have a nine year old boy named Pierro as well. We have had a lot of fun playing card games, and on the playground as well as watching Spanish-language television. Yesterday we went to a wedding of my parent’s friends. Peruvian weddings are somewhat different from American ones. There are many children that run around even during the ceremony. Also dancing was a large part of the festivities. The wedding was very and  interesting. Overall, I have very much enjoyed being with my hosts and am looking forward to spending more time here.

Ryan 

                I am having a good time settling in here with my host family.  Not only is my Spanish improving but I am also learning some Quechan, the native Incan language.  My host mother, Rosa, is really nice and has accepted me as her own.   The father is a little difficult to understand, but he is also very kind.  I have four adorable “hermanos.” Two boys and two girls.  The two oldest are boys, Christiano, 11, and Gonzalo, 10.  Christiano seems smart, but he has been a little sick and tired lately.  Gonzalo has the most adorable face and good energy. I have a feeling you guys would like him, though he walks a little slow and I find myself saying “Gonzalo ven aqui” often.   Then there is Dora, 5.  She is absolutely adorable.  She doesn’t talk much, but she loves to joke around with by hiding from me and tickling me.  The first thing I thought of when I met her was a ninety your old women, Dora, I met in Cuba.  However, they are nothing alike.  Then there is a baby, I forget her name.  She is adorable, and her eyes follow me wherever I go.  All in all my family is awesome, it’s a little difficult to break the language barrier, but they are fun, nice, and make great food.  Keep Reading/Commenting on the blog.

 Maximilian Gómez

I’m having so much fun in Peru. So far my favorite thing we’ve done is hike to the top of a mountain where the Incan quarries used to be. The sights here are absolutely stunning and the culture is so intriguing. In my homestay I have a mother and a little sister who refers to herself as “Princessa” which means princess. Although nothing would hit the spot more than a Pb&J, my mother makes me amazing Peruvian dishes. I can’t wait to tell you all about my experiences here. Hugs and kisses to my mom, dad, and brother. xoxox Jenna

Hi Mom, Dad, and Danielle! You were right, I probably should have gotten in shape before I left! Today we went on an 8 hour hike to a quarry at 5 A.M. The combination of the altitude and my lack of physical fitness made for a painful hike, but I made it (and am very proud of myself)!!!  The views are incredible, and I wish I could have taken my own pictures of the valley! We went to our homestays yesterday, and it’s been a very interesting experience so far. They are all really nice to me, but it’s hard to communicate with my family, as their English is as good as my Spanish. Hand signals have worked for some things but it’s still a bit of a struggle. Luckily, Stefano lives down the street and has told them things I don’t eat, and other things of that nature. He’s also written down useful Spanish phrases for me. I’m living with the grandparents of a family (Susanna and Antonio), their son Jesus, and granddaughter Micaela.  The house is nice; they have a store out front which sells candy, soda, and different toiletries. They also have a hot shower, which is very exciting for me. Micaela has been trying to teach me Spanish, so things are looking up! The house is located near the bull fighting arena, which is about 5 minutes from the project site and 15 minutes from the center of town. I miss you all and hope all is well at home! love you xoxo, 

Becca. PS. I’m really craving some skittles!

Hola Mom, Dad and Ara! So far my trip to Peru is great. My homestay family consists of four members. Filo is my mom, and she is amazingly nice. She is also a great cook, and she has great pride about it. The other day, I asked her “Where are some good restaurants in Ollantaytambo?” and she answered “None, I’m the better cook than all of them.” She deserves her pride. Leonardo, my pap, is very similar to Unchul except he doesn’t like Piscosour, which is the Peruvian drink. He is a very strong man able to walk 10 kilometers of mountains in the mornings. Even I can’t do that because of the altitude (RESPECT!). He’s a great guy. He used to be a professional footballer so I ask lots of questions about football. He says it’s such an easy game to play, but I told him that I severely disagree. We made a deal that he’ll teach me some skills if I teach him some basic guitar. They have two sons, but they both work in Urubamba and Cusco, bigger towns near Ollantaytambo. I don’t get to talk to them often because they only come during the weekends. They sometimes come home during the weekdays but that’s way after ten, and by then I’d be knocked asleep. I really like this country. I like it here because everybody loves to play football, there are lots of football fields (almost every street has one), and the food is very similar to Korean food with rice, meat and the sauce is very similar. Los Maises and los papas (Corns and potatos) here are the best in the world, so I’m going to chug them as much as I can before I go back to the states. I hope you have a good time, because I’m definitely having one!

Matt

When my host mother arrived at the hostel with a baby slung over her shoulder and speaking in fluid Spanish, I great nervous.  As we exited the gates and I struggled to pull my suitcase over the cobblestone streets of Ollantaytambo in the direction of my new home, my fear deepened.  But when my host mother, Anita, offered to take my bag even though she had a baby strapped to her back, I felt my self soften towards her and the new home that I was about to enter and some of my nerves evaporated.  During dinner that night, the family's quick conversations in Spanish were interspersed with slow, loud questions in basic English directed at me.  I answered in Spanish as best as I could, but it became clear that communication was going to be difficult.  However, things changed dramatically the following night when my host sister, Shura, arrived from college.  Since my host mother, father, and younger brother were away at a wedding, Shura and I had dinner together.  All throughout dinner, she played American music on her phone and we spoke (in simple Spanish) about la musica. The highlight of the night was when she played a Taylor Swift song and encouraged me to bailar.  So far, things have been going really well.  I love Ollantaytambo and the feeling of living in a small town.  I miss you both lots and when I come home I'm looking forward to relaxing in weather that is warm for the entire day.  Love, Sam

So far, I'm having a great time with my homestay.  My mama, Silvia, is very nice, and she makes me feel very welcome.  Today she helped me wash my clothes.  The water was cold but I was pretty proud when I was done.  My younger sister, Sandra, is 14 and she's really nice.  She showed me a couple of music videos from some K-Pop groups that she really likes.  My older sister, Lucero, is 19 and she goes to school far away but she's at home for the weekend.  Lucero doesn't like K-Pop, but she prefers to listen to pop like Lady Gaga.  I don't live with anyone my age at home so having sisters is a welcome change.  My two brothers,  Daniel (12) and Lisandro (6), are also fun to hang out with.  Last night we watched Taken 2, pero the words were in Spanish and the subtitles were in English.  But still, it was a good time and I had so much fun bonding wiht mi familia.  -- Desiree

My homestay is past the market, where all of the locals shop for their food before every meal.  My homestay mother is Balbina, my father is Pancho.  I have two older brothers, Jonathan and Jack, an older sister, Hilary, and a younger sister, Jessica.  I have yet to get together with all of my family, but all of the people have been very nice and loving.  I washed my clothes by hand today for the first time!  It was hard but it sure made me appreciate my washing machine  back home.  Our nights have consisted of eating dinner while watching TV, and playing UNO.  Mi familia has a store, so I have helped them at the store and can't wait to buy something from them.  Yesterday I helped them roll up a ball of yarn, which was really nice.  Even thought there isn't a language barrier, I still have yet to connect completely with my family, but I know I will get there soon.  My father loves soccer and I can't wait to get closer to him.  Estoy bien mama y papa, los quiero mucho y la estoy pasando bien.  Besos y abrazos para todos. -- Danny

My host family is awesome.  As soon as I entered, I was met with open arms and delicious food.  I have three sisters, ages 14, 20 and 28.  Chaumi (?) is fourteen and we get along very well.  The first night we danced to a choreography DVD.  Gabriella is twenty and works at the plazoleta which is a market that sells sneakers, hats, etc.  I met Helen, 28, and she works at the train station.   My host mom is the oldest of 10 sisters and two brothers which means I have a lot of aunts, uncles, and cousins in Ollantaytambo.  Today, my mom Irma taught me how to eat banana pancakes which tasted delicious.  The house is very nice and cool.  My room has beautiful hard wood floors and a comfortable bed.  Overall I am having a very great time and am excited for what is in store. -- Ade

Dear family,

Well mom you're here so I guess you already know about this but you get to read this anyways.  I've been having a wonderful time here.  My host family is amazing and they love to play soccer.  Every family member plays, even the mom.  Communicating with them isn't very hard because I speak Spanish fluently, but I have been learning a bit of Quechua.  Today I was the photographer of the day and I took many artsy pictures.  I have been playing a lot of soccer so now the people on the street recognize me as a soccer player which is really sweet.  The house that I'm staying at is very nice and big.  The dog's name is Lucas like the name of my dog at home in Groton!  Hiking today was great and a really nice workout, specially when Johnny, Max, Ryan and I sprinted a 200 meter distance to a big rock.  The altitude is really increasing our VO2 max and preparing us for pre-season.  The food is amazing!  So much better than the U.S. no offense mom, but the food in Peru is just always better.  I hope everyone back home is fine.  Love you all, Stefano

In my host family there is my mother, father, two sisters, two brothers, and a grandmother.  Sister Gabby came to pick me up and welcomed me with open arms.  The house is lovely, my family have been so warm and kind to me, more so than I ever imagined.  They have tried so hard to make me feel comfortable and at home, and they have done a marvelous job.  Yesterday I told them my favorite food is spaghetti, and today that's what we had for dinner.  Even though I don't speak Spanish, it is possible to communicate which we are all slowly figuring out.  They treat me like family, which is incredible having just met them.  They are so kind to me, and I truly appreciate it, considering how nervous I was going into it not knowing Spanish.  -- Lily