So it’s been awhile since I last wrote, one would think I would be better at blogging in the US where I have constant internet access. Too bad I have zero free time now, lots of internet but no time to write, the opposite of Honduras where I had lots of time to write and no internet. I’ll try to get better…
So a lot has happened in the last month. We took Deyra to Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park to see the big trees”, aka the giant sequoias. For anyone who has never seen them (and even those who have), they are super impressive. They are the largest trees in the world by volume and are just huge. Deyra was really impressed and we walked through a trail and saw a lot of them. We stayed at Kevin’s parents’ cabin and it was a little chilly. Deyra asked us if that was what winter was like and when we said that winter is much colder she said, “Dios mío, me voy a morir!” We had a cold front come through a couple of weeks later and she told us that she was freezing (I was still wearing skirts) and that there is no place in her country where it gets that cold. Winter is going to be a challenge for her!
Deyra with a "big tree"
Deyra stayed home alone for the weekend while we went to Oregon. My sister and her boyfriend live next door so they checked on her and she could go to them if she had problems. Deyra did fine alone, the house was still in one piece when we returned. She talked on the phone a lot, (I looked at our phone log online and she literally spent an entire day talking on the phone!) and ate eggs since that is the only thing she knows how to cook. I keep telling her to come help me cook so she can learn but she almost always goes straight to her room when she comes home and shuts herself in with the TV (in the future I will not put a TV in the exchange student’s room).
While we were gone, the SEED students had a carwash fundraiser. Laurie took Derya and was one of the first people to get their car washed. She said that it was kind of comical and obvious that the students did not know what they were doing. According to Laurie, they just got soapy sponges and started washing a car without wetting it first. The owner of the car gave them a lesson and told them that washing a car without getting it wet first was like rubbing sandpaper on the paint. Deyra said that she had fun and was happy because she sold all five of her tickets.
The SEED students had a cultural day a couple of weeks ago where they showcased traditional dances from their countries. They had spent months practicing and some were amazing. The students from the Dominican Republic did a fabulous meringue number. The students had two performances, a practice for the host families, and a performance the next day for the entire college. The day of their practice run, many of the second year students found an extra credit English opportunity and were not present at the performance. As a result, some of the remaining students learned the dances that day and stood in. One student was in at least four dances and was amazing! Due to the restructuring and learning the dances in a day, the performances were a little shaky but it was really fun. Many of the students dressed in traditional attire and it was interesting to see clothes from the different countries. Deyra was upset because a couple of weeks before the performance they found out that a couple of the other groups were doing the same moves as them. They made up a new dance even though they had been practicing for weeks. Luckily it went well.
The Nicaraguan Group dancing
Deyra also participated in a parade a couple of weeks ago. Every year Reedley has a big celebration called the “Fiesta” with food booths, games, and a parade. The SEED students had a float with a Wizzard of Oz theme. Deyra kept telling us she was going to be a duende or dwarf/elf. I tried explaining the movie to her and what a munchkin is, but unfortunately we didn’t have time to watch the movie before the parade so she was a little confused. We were once again out of town, (I know, we’re terrible parents) for our anniversary this time, (five years, time flies!) so we missed the parade. She said that she ended up being a person from Emerald City and just wore jeans and a green shirt. Deyra said that they had a lot of fun and their float won first place! I wish we could have seen it.
Deyra seems to be adjusting to life in the US. When she first arrived she was very careful not to waste any water when washing dishes. She would put a little bit in a bowl and then transfer it from dish to dish to rinse them (much like we did in Honduras when our water went out and we had to bring buckets in). I noticed the other day that she now lets the water run full blast the whole time without trying to conserve it. She is now a wasteful American like the rest of us! She also spends hours in front of the TV in her room which is funny because she did not even have electricity before coming to the US. How quickly we adapt!
I am uncertain how much English Deyra has learned. She pretty much refuses to talk to us in English. When I ask her questions in English she either gives me a blank stare or answers in Spanish. I keep telling her that she needs to practice and come out of her room and talk to us more but it doesn’t seem to be sinking in. Hopefully she starts practicing more, I guess I can always refuse to speak in Spanish and see what happens!
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