Host families cook 3 meals a day, clean, do laundry and most importantly keep you up on all of the neighborhood gossip. Just kidding (not). They're actually a great resource for getting to know a community, finding out where to get things, how to get around and who to stay away from. Most importantly, they care for you as one of their own. I am referred to as "mija" or my daughter. When I'm sick, they take care of me (even if this means attempting to drown me in vick's vapor rub because, well, didn't you know it cures everything??!) and when I miss my real family they remind me that I have an amazing family here in the DR. A family that consists of two hundred something volunteers, staff, and of course, them.
I admire the Dominicans who take volunteers into their homes and treat them as a family member from the very start. I know that may sound easy, but I'm here to tell you it's not. Imagine yourself in your house or your parents in their house. They have their lives, diet, schedule etc. Then they decide to take in a complete stranger from another country. Someone who is unfamiliar with the culture, customs, food and in some cases speak none of the native language and probably do really weird shit. I'm guilty, Dominicans think my electric toothbrush is the most ridiculous thing ever and I'm pretty sure my first host mom thought it was a vibrator. I'm sure some of you reading this right now know someone who has taken in an exchange student or maybe have even had the experience in your own house. I commend you. However anyone reading this has much more than any of these Dominican families who take in volunteers. Imagínate, my family in Peralvillo didn't even know they were going to be compensated for my 5 week stay. My host mom moved out of her bedroom and into her 3 daughters bedroom so I could live with them. She has 3 kids attending the university and one at home and told me she didn't really know how she was going to afford to have a volunteer in the house but that she trusted that god gave her this opportunity for a reason. I'm sorry, if that were me and I did not have the financial means or the space to take someone in, there's no way in hell I would do it. Obviously when she found out she was being compensated she was relieved. For 5 weeks, I felt completely at home. Their house was my house and I was treated as one of the siblings. I had a curfew (lame but necessary), I was looked out for and I looked after my little sister. Sure, the first few days are a little awkward, especially because they've never had an American living with them and clearly I have my way of life and electric dental appliances. At the end of those 5 weeks I wiped tears (and sweat, obviously) from my face as I boarded the bus back to Santo Domingo.
For my host mom in Santo Domingo, I was her fourth volunteer. She is 78 years old and has 12 kids, none of which live with her but she is the strongest and wittiest 78 year old I have ever met. MOST importantly she never repeated meals (hallelujah) and was an absolute boss when it came to doing laundry. When I left her house yesterday and said my final goodbye, she cried in my arms.
In my site I am living with a lady named Maricusa. She does not have any children but has many brothers and sisters who live close by. As of right now I don't really know her that well and were still in that awkward stage... But I will be living with her for 3 months, and after that I will be getting my own place.
After living on my own since I was basically 18, it can be frustrating to have no control over my diet and to be held accountable for my whereabouts 24/7. In all honesty, sometimes I even forget that I need to let them know where I am. Whoops. Anyway, I just wanted to share my thoughts about these brave people who take in crazy peace corps volunteers. They are truly saints and I hope my experience with Maricusa is just as great as the others. To my family at home- y'all have not be replaced by any means. I have an arsenal of pictures that I show to everyone and constantly talk about you guys in my many hours spent on front porches drinking coffee and eating mangoes. That's part of my work here too; sharing American culture with Dominicans and I am a product of my American family, so you guys are just as much a part of it as I am. I shall take these last few lines to thank all of my families both Dominican and American for supporting me and spending lots of money on Skype credit and phone cards to keep in contact with me. It means the world. Also- mad props to the people who take in exchange students and foreigners in the US. You all rock!
The sign in the picture below hangs at the door of my house in Santo Domingo and I think it says everything I mean to say here: "God bless those who enter this house, protect those who leave and give peace to those who stay."
Un fuerte abrazo a todos, Kaley
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