Living with a host family

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Day 1 with my host family, also Sunday in the village. Sunday’s in Samoa are spent eating, sleeping, and resting. All of which are unfamiliar territory for me when that’s all you do. I went to church with my family. We went to a Methodist church which was all in Samoan…interesting. My family woke me up bright and early for breakfast and services. This was tough within itself because the night before I didn’t sleep a wink. There was a horrible thunderstorm that woke me up. On top of that, the wild dogs were fighting, the pigs were screaming, and the roosters were crowing. I’m hoping tonight is a different story. I sleep under a mosquito net which is great because when the sun goes down, the creatures come out. I’m trying so hard to get used to the lizards, and bugs all over my walls. Living with a host family has always been my greatest fear of the whole Peace Corps experience, so now that it is here, I am struggling. I’m trying hard, but sometimes I just want to lock myself in my room, and not come out. Maybe that will change as time goes on, and maybe it won’t…who knows. During the weekdays I am in class from 8-430. I’m grateful for this because it allows me to be with people in my group and out of my house. I don’t mean that to sound bad, its just how I’m feeling at the moment. I was looking for comfort today and sought for it in a Cosmo magazine that I’ve been saving. Man, have I never felt farther away from America and its luxuries. I looked at the ads and models, and suddenly realized I haven’t seen what I look like in days-no mirrors. Which is probably a blessing disguise considering the following: The heat and humidity have me sweating more then I knew I could, the water I shower with has made my skin break out in rashes, I have bug bites all over, and my face probably looks like that of a middle schooler going through puberty. So seeing all those models in the magazine, and all the perfume/makeup ads made me realize what and where my life really is. Now don’t get me wrong, I realize I got myself here, and I am happy I did. But for now I feel like sulking. So I’m going to continue sulking, then when I’m done and over this emotion, I will move on.