Una Casa Nueva

Big news here in Poroto. I am officially living with a new host family. The host family experience is one of the most important aspects of the Peace Corps and essential for integrating into the community and making meaningful relationships with the town. Although my previous host family tried to make me comfortable and involve me in their lives, they were extremely busy with their store and restaurant. The environment was chaotic and there was little space and time for sharing experiences or spending time together. It was an incredibly difficult decision to switch houses, but I think the new situation will be much better. I am so grateful for my first host family and the generous welcome they’ve given me to Peru, but I am excited to live in a more family-oriented house. My regional coordinator came by yesterday and spoke with first host family as well as the new family, and I moved today. It was definitely stressful to explain the situation not only to my family, but to the entire town. In a community of 1200 everyone knows everyone else’s business and in a culture of “chisme” (gossip) I was concerned about the repercussions of switiching. However, so far everyone seems to be understanding of the situation. It will be a bit of a readjustment phase, but I am excited to get to know a new family and feel at home.

My new home is located only about 100 yards from my previous house. I’m still incredibly close to the plaza, but some of the craziness and noise should now be muffled. I have an incredible view from my bedroom- I can see the school as well as the beautiful green mountains in the background. Its amazing how happy a window can make you; I seriously can’t stop smiling when I’m sitting in my room. My new host mom, Senora Pascuala, works in a kiosk in town where she sells snacks and baked goods. My host dad, Senor Maximo, works in the chacra and harvests pineapple, corn, and other fruits and vegetables. I also have two host siblings; Joselyn (Joshy), who is 16 and about to graduate from high school, and Max, who is 20 and studying agricultural engineering in Trujillo.

In a wonderful welcome to my new situation and family, Joshy and two other teenage girls took me for a beautiful hike through the river in town. We left Poroto around 2:00 and were walking for a solid 3 hours through the rocky river bed. Sugar cane, steep cerros, and surrounding fields provided an amazing backdrop for our river walk. As we were hopping between giant rocks we ran into little kids bathing in the river and soaking up the sun who happily yelled “Senorita Kelsi” when they saw me. The surroundings in Poroto are so beautiful, and it’s a constant reminder of the blessings I have here. This little adventure was a great way to bond with my new host sister and provided me with yet another reason to be excited for the upcoming two years.