home sweet home

i don't always LOVE everywhere i travel/live but i was thrilled to call this "home" for a few weeks! :)

this was my house... my room's the one with the little giant window

my room

it was just 5 minutes or so from my school, a turn off the main road

into a "callejon"... a little maze of backroads. i quite liked it. a little off the beaten path of tourist hostels and hotels to homes where people really live :)

the view from my door

and the view from the little window above my bed!

i'd always wake up in the morning and pop up to my knees in bed to take a peek out the window. how can you NOT have a fabulous day when it starts like this! (click to see the picture bigger)

 

the view was spectacular. BUT, more importantly, so was my family! :) i stayed with a home-stay, figuring that was the best way to get to know people, the culture and practice more Spanish. and i was right :)

this was my "Mama Maria" - a very sweet lady and the mom of 3 fabulous kids

Adamary and Anderson, my little host sister and brother who drew me pictures while i was at school! :)

these two were a hoot. here's them singing Feliz Navidad (Merry Christmas) one day while washing dishes and discovering the fun of soap-foam beards

(well, i can't seem to get the video up, but i'll add it later!)

my host dad Manuel works at a local radio station

roasting some chicken for dinner :)

chocolate mudmasks that i'd brought with me. adamary was curious and i got my mom to try it too :)

adamary, being adamary :)