Good Rivers Make Good Neighbors

One day during my first three months in site when I was still living with my host family, I was walking home from the store in the late afternoon and I decided to take a long way back to the house (mostly to avoid the hissing and catcalls from the local bar).  Prima, her husband (Mariano), and her sister in law (Loli) were sitting on Loli's porch.  Prima teaches 2nd grade at school, so I'd seen her when I was observing English classes with my counterpart, Maria.  Not many people hang out on their porches in my site, but they seemed to be having a nice conversation with eachother, so I decided to try my hand at pasear-ing and say hello to them.  

They invited me to sit on Loli's porch and Prima gave me fruitcake and chicha (juice).  I sat and chatted with them for half an hour or so before I saw the time and wanted to be home by dark.  

I visited with Prima a few more times after that and we became sewing friends during the traditional sewing workshop at school.  When I was looking for a house she told me that her other sister in law was looking for a calm and responsible person to rent the house next door and I jumped at the opportunity.

Since I moved into my house in mid-August Prima and her family have pretty much adopted me as their 6th daughter (right in the middle between the oldest three and youngest two).  For Christmas this year she let me use her oven to bake cookies, which I then gave out to my host family, counterpart's family, and of course Prima's family as Christmas presents.  It was a solid cultural exchange win.

During the rainy season the strip of grass between the houses floods into a muddy mess, so I started calling it a "river" and Prima's husband started joking that he's going to build a "bridge" over the river.

Prima's spent her entire life living in my town (aside from when she was at University) and she's probably my closest adult friend (her 5 year old granddaughter is my closest kid friend).  

When we're not at school she spends most of her time cooking, cleaning, and visiting with family who live in the area (or entertaining family and friends who come to visit).  She's really good at traditional embroidery and I'm hoping she can help me design a dress for Fiestas Patrias (National Holidays) next November.  

Prima is amazing and always greets me with a smile (when she's not jokingly heckling me for walking around without shoes on).

Prima with her grandkids during Fiestas Patrias last year

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