The following are the top 10 reasons why I love my host parents, and why my mother may have a hard time getting me to come home:
1) Their 50th wedding anniversary is in March and they are renewing their vows. And they invited me! This will be my first wedding that I will actually remember attending.
2) My host dad’s name is Santiago, which for some reason I find AMAZING.
3) Manuela, mi madre, has chosen “Apple Bottom Jeans” as her ringtone.
4) Santiago used to be a cook and he has taken it upon himself to teach me to make different dishes and also to buy me foods that I haven’t had since I was in Chile, like manquaquis, or persimmons.
5) Neither can pronounce my name, so Santiago just calls me chati, which is essentially like calling me cutey-pie or something along those lines. I think I like it better, because it simply demonstrates their willingness to make me a part of la familia.
6) Manuela, like my own mother, can’t sleep easily until she hears my key turn in the door, and has taken it upon herself to warn me about piropos and a certain barrio in which I got lost.
7) Manuela insists that I go to the beach with them during Semana Santa, and that I wear the traditional flamenco dress during Feria de Abril, a festival native to Andalucía.
8) While Santiago, not Manuela, does the cooking, Manuela and I sit and laugh about how he talks to his amigo imaginario.
9) Manuela comes into my room in the morning before I wake up and makes sure I have lowered the metal frame on my window that blocks out the cold air.
10) They live in Triana. And Triana is the best neighborhood of Sevilla.
Now, I am going to return to watching telenovelas with them, because it is Sunday and at least in my opinion, a day to finally rest. Hasta luego!
2 Comments to "Mi familia sevillana"
Studied abroad in Sevilla ten years ago– you’re in for a real treat. I also lived w/ a host family in Triana; it was literally one of the best experiences of my life. Sevilla had such an effect on me that I’ve returned three times since I studied abroad– including this past October when I reunited w/ my host family.
Stop by the “De Triana” shop on Calle Pureza and get some gear; then you can truly represent the 41010…
-SFS ’01
I studied in Sevilla in 1995- lived in Triana as well- you’re never going to find people as proud of their barrio as Trianeros! Try to learn some Sevillanas- you’ll need them at the feria- how wonderful that your family is so warm and welcoming! Mine was too- 15 years later, I am still in touch with them!
Liz