So Far...

So Far...
Yesterday was an interesting day, it is really a whole new world down here...culture shock you might say, but so far not in a bad way. Where do I start...hmmmm. Well Sarah asked me some good questions in her email to me...So, I´ll answer those questions here too. The food:breakfast was simple tea and toast. When Wilma came home from work she thought that I ate bacon and eggs every morning at home, lol. I said I guess you could say that is traditional american, but most people don´t eat that every morning, maybe on weekends. And I especially have never been big on breakfast. I´m usually just not that hungry when I first wake up. Lunch Leis made two, things that are kind of like sheperds pie, but with different stuff inside. They were good. They both had potatoes, onions,and meat one with beef and the other chorizo. Meat is really big down here, ironically Wilma is a vegetarian. Oh, the family LOVED the american candy and sweets I brought. Especially, Jasmin (the 10 year old). She is very cute and shy at first. But after awhile she is bubbly and energetic like most 10 year olds. She also like to paint like her mom, and is very talented. She also doesn´t like salad which also came with our lunch lol. Siesta time is really, real here. Almost everyone comes home for luch and siesta time with their families, which I think is really nice. This ranges from 12 to 3ish and if they have work or school after they go back. Oh, I got the relationship with Leis totally wrong she is actually their maid I guess you could call it, she lives right off the house. She is 23, and funny and I would say a good part of the family. Julia the older woman is Carlos´s sister. She is loud and laughs a lot. She said I look like someone named Mae, I´m assuming thats a good thing. All of us had some good girl bonding time with Wilma´s other daughter Karmin, she´s 16 and really pretty with LONG curly hair which she straightened last night. Jasmin has long straight hair which she had curled before I came, lol. What do they say...the grass is always greener!haha Of course they all asked me if I have a novio (boyfriend) and I said no. Then Leis said they brother Juan Jose was looking for one...I made a funny face and we all laughed. I told them he was too joven(young for me) which they also found funny, because apparently Leis´s boyfriend is only 20! Juan Jose is 21...too young for me! Wilma drove me and Jasmin to visit him last night at the militaty academy. I have to say I was a little nervous of this, not meeting him but going to a forgien military place. Guns make me nervous I a guess. But everything was kosher. The only rifles I saw where at the entrance. I guess it was family visiting night, because in the center was a big open plaza with chairs and music, and all the army guys in uniforms sitting and talking with their loved ones. It was actually quite nice. Juan Jose is tall and slim, but I wouldn´t say very attractive in the face. He has strong features in face, which I guess could be attractive, but once again not my type. He was very welcoming though and asked me how far nyc was from Westpoint.His English is pretty poor though.His mom had to help translate a lot. We brought him the ´´I LOVE NY´´ shirts I brought for the family, but he couldn´t take it there. They are not supposed to take anything from the outside. But Jasmin snuck him some of the American candy I brought, she had packed up a bunch of it in a fuzzy pink purse :) There were some other cuties there though, there is just something about a man in uniform... Their uniforms are dark green, with gold buttons and labels. They where different shoes, belts, and uh these shoulder things depending on what their specialty is. Jaun Jose is in the artillery. He introduced us to a bunch of his friends. One of them was in the navy which I found to be odd,because they have no sea, ocean, or even big lake that I can think of...maybe they practice on the rivers. They do have those. Oh and I found out Carlos (Wilma´s husband) is in communications and technology in the armed forces.We a picture infront of the equestrian arms display. That is also apparently a speciality in military here. This I also found to be interesting. I think there are still real gauchos(cowboys) in the Chaco. In one part there were painted murals of the different specialities of the armed forces. They were very colorful and beautiful, and it turns out the students actually painted them. This was next the fallen soliders portraits which is always sad, because they are young men my age and younger. The military academy is about 30 to 45 minutes away from Wilma´s depending on traffic. The traffic there didn´t bother me though, I told her it reminded me of home lol. Plus I got to look around more. This may sound odd, but it kind of reminded me of Italy. The cars are small and there are a lot of motorcycles. The architecture is obviously different and everything is in Spanish.The climate is also warmer, but it was cool at night. Everything so far has been flat grasslands with palm trees and tropical flowers. Most of the buildings are small one, 2, or 3 stories a most. I got excited when I saw bigger buildings. Oh I tried yerba mate and terere yesterday, I liked both! The terere is nice cold and you drink it out of this metal straw that inside this cup out of some leather something. I forget the names of them, I´ll try and take a picture upload it.The yerba mate is hot and they usually put a little milk in it. Let´s see what else. Wima also took me to a market place where she bought her son shoes, that are like converses and they were $2! We also went grocery shopping and I took pictures of strange fruit I´ve never heard of, she thought that was funny and maybe not allowed but no one caught me. Carlos did not come home for lunch and seista but later on in the night. He is also very nice and affectionate towards his daughters and wife, which I found to be very sweet and refreshing. He gave them all hugs and kisses. I guess I haven´t seen that very often. He also very much liked the i love ny shirt i gave him. My presents were a big hit!Carlos does not speak much English, he also speaks fast so it was harder to understand him, but I´ll learn. Oh and one last thing they also have a cute little dog named Peco, he´s black and has curly hair. I have no idea what kinda dog he is. There are a good amount of stray dogs in the streets which is sad. At street lights there were also young boys trying to wash the car windows for money, which was also very sad to see. Wilma said she grew up poor too, and her and Carlos first lived with her mother in law with nothing but a mattress, table, and stove that was a wedding gift. But they worked hard and now have nice comfortable life.What else I woke up hot this morning, but the fan is loud, eh small annoyances I guess. I´m hungry and need to take a shower now...
paz