My Families

My Sisters

Similarities between Rachel and Carmen…

1)      Intelligence!

Carmen studies every night, and her homework isn’t that simple for a 9 year old! She does math homework, writes about a topic nearly every night, and also memorizes long poems and passages. In addition, she is learning English, so she works hard on that. Like Rachel, she finishes her homework very quickly! Rachel works really hard at school, and she is good at it. She wants to be a nurse, and she also knows Spanish really well! Rachel and Carmen are two smart cookies!

2)      Musically Talented

Carmen plays the violin and piano, and loves to dance. Rachel also plays the piano well, knows how to play the flute, and has a beautiful singing voice.

3)      Confidence

Carmen is very sassy to her parents, and she is confident in her abilities. She isn’t afraid to show me her talents. Rachel is also very confident in her abilities! It’s a good thing; confidence (and a little bit of cockiness).

4)      Like to watch TV on the couch with me

Many times after dinner, Carmen and I return to the couch to watch Disney Channel some more. We share a blanket and put our feet up on a chair. Sisterly bonding. I am not the biggest “snuggler”, but times like this make me miss how Rachel and I like to sit next to each other and watch TV or a movie together.

5)      Daddy’s girl

Rachel and Carmen are daddy’s girls at heart! Check out this pic I snapped of Carmen and Javi. I thought it was so cute, and it reminded me of my dad and Rachel.

My Fathers

Similarities between Dad and Javi…

1)      Coffee!

When I first got here, Javi showed me where he keeps the pot of coffee and told me I could help myself. He says that he loves to drink coffee every morning, just like my dad!

2)      Like quiet nights and mornings

A couple times, María Jesús and Carmen have been gone at grandma’s house, so it has just been Javi and I at home. We both don’t mind spending time alone and doing our own thing. A couple nights, we have both been doing our own things and it has been very enjoyable. I don’t think Javi minds not having a lot of action, I actually think he enjoys it. One morning when it was just us two, I stopped by the kitchen to ask him how he was, and he said he was doing very well! He said it was a great day! I think he was enjoying the quiet morning.

This reminds me of my dad, because at nights, he enjoys returning to his man cave to read a book. He also loves a quiet morning, and wishes he could sit around and drink coffee and read for a couple hours each day. During the summers on weekends, he bikes to his favorite Dunn Bros in Excelsior, sits there and drinks a couple cups of coffee while reading his book, and then returns home. Quiet mornings is something Javi, dad and I all have in common.

3)      Very knowledgeable, cracks jokes, and a relaxed personality

 Javi is pretty relaxed most of the time, so is my dad. They are both very knowledgable –Javi works as a mechanic and my dad works as an insurance adjuster (although he knows a lot about civil engineering and handy man work). I think Javi and my dad would get along well if they met each other (and could understand each other with the language barrier).

My Mothers

Similarities between Mom and María Jesús…

1)      Daughter(s) come first!

María Jesús knows Carmen’s schedule down to a tee, and makes sure she gets from place to place on time. She is reminding Carmen to practice violin and piano, and knows when all of Carmen’s exams are so they can study. Mom always knew my schedule when I was little too, from volleyball practice to a school activity. All these activities and events keep us busy, but it is really the moms doing all the work to keep us on time.

2)      Doesn’t enjoy cooking so much, but still makes really good food!

María Jesús would rather have Javi cook, and Mom would rather have Dad cook. But they need to give themselves some credit – they both still make really good food!

3)      Talkative and have a great laugh

I think my mom enjoyed the night with my host family when she was here in Spain. We talked a lot and played games, and there was a lot of laughter that is for sure. I thought it was such a blessing how we could all still communicate despite the language barrier. Even though my mom knew no Spanish, she still talked, a lot. Most of the time my host family could understand what she was saying because they know some Spanish, but sometimes when my mom would ask a question to Carmen I would have to translate. My host mom María Jesús talked a lot, too (like always haha). It was a dinner filled with conversation and laughter, and my mom and María Jesús both definitely played a big part in making it that way!

Writing this blog made me think about how much I miss Mom, Dad and Rachel, and how much I am going to miss my Spanish family. Thanks to modern technology, I can still stay connected where ever I go. I am blessed for such a wonderful family back home, and the opportunity to get to know another family for these three months in Spain.

I could not have pursued this semester without my family, and my semester would not be as fulfilling as it has been without my Spanish family.