It has been one week since I have arrived to Mexico City. During the first few days, the other missionaries and I had orientation. We learned about the culture and appropriate etiquette in the Mexican culture. We learned how to take the metro and the micro; the public transportation in la Ciudad de Mexico. I am so thankful that I have traveled to places in the states where public transit was my main source of transportation. The metro here isn’t that different from the MUNI in SF or the Metro in LA. However, the micro, the busses on the local streets, are a little bit trickier. I’m slowly learning as I take tons of pictures of several landmarks in the city.
This past Friday (1/13/17), I met my host family. Jorge, my host dad; Noemi, my host mom; Cesia, my host sister who is 16; and Arantxa, my host sister who is 13, have opened their home to me! They have a beautiful home with three floors! I share a room with Cesia, their oldest daughter. Noemi, a hair dresser, has her salon attached to the house! Jorge is an accountant. Cesia and Arantxa are students at the school near their home.
They have been so kind and ridiculously patient with me as we have tried to communicate with each other. I absolutely love talking, but it’s so hard when the words just don’t roll off your tongue and you don’t entirely understand what the other person just said. However, the first night I met the family, I had an opportunity to share my testimony with them! With the little Spanish that I know and the little English that Cesia and her dad knows, I was able to share most of my testimony. I did skimp on some of the details.
Like the title of this blog says, it is like playing charades 24/7. I am constantly pointing at things, acting things out, and so much more. My host family does the same. My host mom, Noemi, points at things, describes things with her hands, and talks slowly so that I can understand. Sometimes it does get frustrating because we don’t understand each other entirely. I have been using google translate on my phone, but sometimes the literal translations do not make sense. Also, the joke isn’t as funny when you don’t understand it the first time around. However, we have been able to make several jokes and enjoy each other’s company. I love them so much even though I have only lived with them for the past four days. They have already made such a huge impact on my life through their actions and their kind words.
There have been some miscommunications that have been comical. For example, my host sister, Cesia, asked me how long I was staying with her family. I thought she had asked me how long I was going to be in Mexico City. I enthusiastically answered, “dos años”, which means two years. She was shocked because I am initially staying with Cesia’s family for only cinco meses (5 months). Hehe.
Sometimes, I am just rolling with the punches because I have no idea what the schedule is like. The culture is very lax! It’s a nice change from the fast pace life of Southern California.
Although it is fun at times, i’m hoping that this game of charades will slowly come to an end. I start my Spanish classes hopefully next week! I’m hoping that with a lot of practice, immersion, and studying, I will at least have the ability to converse easily in Spanish.
Supporters, friends, family, and even strangers. If you can, please keep me in your prayers! Pray that I will be able to learn Spanish quickly and that the frustration of not knowing will not hinder me from persevering!
Thank you for reading!! I am now headed off to church!
Besos! 3