Rosmil: Vamos a hacer un baby, ¿quieres venir?
Me: Whatwhatwhat? You’re going to make a baby!? And you want me to come?!!! (exasperated surprise) Or, do you mean you’re going to go with your mom to have a C-section and you’d like me to accompany you?
Rosmil: Yes. Do you want to come?
Me: Ummm, I’m not sure that I’m comfortable with that.
Rosmil: Well, you think about it and let us know. It’s going to be Wednesday at 5:00. And it’s a surprise.
Me: Are you sure she’s okay with this? This is quite a thing to spring on someone.
Rosmil: No, it’s customary here to hacer un baby. We’re going to do it in this house here (as we walk by).
Me: But, isn’t that real dangerous?! That only ever happens in hospitals in the US…
Rosmil: No, no, it’s fine. Let us know if you’re going to come.
…
The next day:
Okay, so, Rosmil, does “hacer un baby” mean she’s going to have the baby, or what?
She proceeded to explain in clearer detail that it meant they were having a Baby Shower. I mean, what was I supposed to think? Nevermind it sounding like some baby-making activities. I tried to move beyond that by guessing it meant they’d be getting that baby out, but man was I confused. A LOT gets lost in translation.
So Rosmil is the 17-year-old daughter of my host mom, Doña Sarita, who is going to give birth sometime this month to her second child. She and some ladies from their church threw a really nice baby shower for Sarita and I really loved it. We made blouses out of tissue paper, guessed the width of her stomach by tearing off pieces of toilet paper, and presented gifts one-by-one with some nice words. I said, “Púchica, ¡que emocionante!” This, I knew, would make her laugh since she thinks it’s hilarious that I’ve somewhat acostumbrarme’d to Guatemala and their sayings. It was wonderful, I am so sad I didn’t have my camera with me.
…
So I’ve decided to stay with my host family for another year, at least until M&M leave and I can have their little apartment. I’ve grown much more comfortable and finally feel like I’m at home all the way (besides missing all of you). I’ve been eating most of my meals with the host family and we spend a lot of time chatting, laughing, and eating chuchitos and paches (they’re both like tamales in the states… but paches are made with potato instead of cornmeal… what they call tamales here are made with mushy cornmeal and are bigger).
Anyway, I’m feeling like everything is finally starting to be the way I thought it would in the Peace Corps. I’m working (I’m actually working!), usually busy at work these days, feel much more at home around my counterpart and coworkers, and love that when I stop to think about it, I’m where I’ve wanted to be for a long, long time. I’m feeling like family with the Guatemalans I’ve become close to and I speak Spanish! It’s great.
I’ve also been becoming great friends with my fellow PCV’s and am looking forward to the two years we have together. Way too much fun, especially when you all are doing something this crazy together. It makes you feel closer. Plus, they're pretty amazing people.
…
So I can’t tell you how much I miss being there with all the things that are changing in all of your lives, how I miss running with Team in Training (it’s a little tough up in these mountains without those excellent people), how I miss just talking to my people daily and sharing with them the latest, how I miss bickering with my mom, going to happy hour with my favorites and drinking what I can only imagine is "hopsoup"…
I miss you all. And I appreciate SO MUCH the letters/packages/emails/facebook posts/thoughts. You are all thought of constantly. I long for the day I can come home and say “hi” in person.
…
Happy February! Love you.
