The Girls Who Have Won My Heart (6/20/06)

I know I’ve talked a ton about my sisters and cousins, but they really are a big part of me being happy here. So I’m going to talk some more about them. We spend our evenings playing basketball in our crappy little courtyard at our house, and I always win, despite their blatant disregard of some key rules such as “dribbling,” “passing” and the rule that says you’re not allowed to hang on your opponents arms like craps when he is trying to shoot. Despite their being all of 11 years and younger, it still feels good to swat their shots into the stands. And people tell me I’m not competitive enough.

It’s actually gotten to the point where they feel comfortable actually bothering me like little sisters do when they’re that age...they steal my stuff and don’t give it back...they play this “no hit backs” game where every time a truffi drives by they get to punch me in the arm...and they even start tickling me when I’m trying to do my homework. Sometimes I get stern and snap at them to leave me alone, which makes them stop but doesn’t scare them off.

On Friday night we were playing a silly game where we sit in a circle and sing a song and whoever messes up has to get in the middle and do a dance or something, and I got my videocamera out and they just had a field day. At first they were a little shy but soon warmed up to it and I even let them tape me doing a little dance. Sometimes I feel bad “showing off” the nice things I’ve got but it’s always worth it to see the smiles on their faces.

Whenever I have to walk to someone’s house to pick something up, they tag along like my little fan club, pushing and playing and sometimes I put the smaller ones on my shoulders for a bit, which makes them all laugh uncontrollably. And the other morning, they were sent to get chicken and asked me to accompany them...for whatever reason that morning the neighborhood dogs were more riled up than usual and barking at growling at each other...which made all the girls scared and start screaming as well as digging into my forearms with their fingernails, until I explained to them that dogs can sense fear and the more they do that, the more upset the dogs get, and the more band aids I have to use to stop the bleeding on my forearms...just kidding. It worked though, and now they don’t act so scared around dogs and the dogs are way more chill, and it’s a better situation for everyone.

But they did something the other night that took the cake. After a quick review of the numbers in English, I sat down to do some work and they continued playing with the dry erase board we use for “classes”...little did I realize they were writing a little poem for me...they presented it to me, proud as can be and read it aloud. Here’s what it was:

Para Ben

Buen Profe,
Eres Tú.
Nunca Te Olvidarémos.
Jamas Nos Olvides
A La Familia.
Mi unico amigo fuiste tú
Í Te llevarémos en nuestras corazones.
Nunca Te Olvidarémos, Ben.

I was kind of at a loss for words. They keep asking me when I’m leaving and whine every time I tell them that it’s in about a month...but I reassure them that I’ll come back to visit...perhaps when some of my family is in town or for a fiesta or two...the older sister is graduating from college next June, and I’d love to come back for that. Only time will tell I suppose, I can only hope there are some fun kids in my host family once I get out to my site.