Day 1 Of First Home Stay In Heredia

     As we all gathered around to await our names to be called out so that we could be matched up with our first host family, I scanned the crowd of people...looking at all the faces and estimating which ones matched the description that I had received in the email that described my new family. It didn't take long for me to find Wagoner and Annabelle and as they stepped up in line, I immediately began walking toward them--before my name was called, I turned to Theresa and said:  "That's my family!"
     Wagoner is a big man, a former high school soccer goalie with a fast smile and a firm handshake.  There was always a little bit of sweat on his brow, as if he had just finished working really hard.  As I walked up to greet them both, he stepped in front of his wife and stuck out that big hand of his--a hand that I couldn't quite wrap my fingers around and it always seemed to swallow mine.  I was maybe 3 or 4 inches taller, but clearly outweighed by a good 50 pounds.  His smile disarmed me completely as he turned to introduce his wife; Annabelle.  She was equally charming and I knew immediately that any concerns or worries that I might have were unwarranted.  I tried to sit in the back seat, but Wagoner wouldn't have it.  I was their guest of honor and in the days to come I would come to find just how much they truly valued me as their guest.  During every meal only Wagoner and I sat at the dining table where mama always served me first as I sat at the head of the table.  The rest of the family took their meals at the kitchen table and only after Wagoner and I had finished.  The food was "muy que rico pero mucho!" Eventually I convinced mama to let me put my own portions on my plate and papa would happily eat the rest.  They are a modest family, and yet were willing to share all that they had with me.

My tico papa!

     Wagoner is taxi driver, but he might just as well be a racecar driver.  He maneuvers his car through the maze of traffic with such little effort, that it makes his riders relax and lose any worries. He drove us to the home--all the way talking and laughing, quite unaware of just how little language I understood as I strained to hear his words.  But words aren't the only part of communication, and the rest was quite clear to me.  I laughed too, and shared what little Spanish I knew and all the while felt at ease and comfortable.  This family would be a joy, I knew that immediately.
    In just a few short minutes we arrived at the house and were met with an iron gate that enclosed the entire home.  Before I could manage a word, Wagoner was out of the car and unlocking the gate...as he slid it back on its rails I looked into what appeared to be a patio of sorts with a tiled floor and long hallway filled with several chairs.  I would come to know the first door on the left as Rubein's room (a student who rents from the family and my new friend), the second door on the left as my room and the rest of the home followed that hallway as one door opened to Evelyn's room, another to the main dining area and the last one to the kitchen (cocinar en espanol).  Wagoner quickly drove us into the space and once again jumped out and closed the iron gate and locked it.  Within a few short minutes, I found myself escorted into the home, shown my quarters, and then immediately engaging with the entire family!

     The parents are:  Wagoner & Annabelle, they have 4 daughters and 1 son.  Children in chronological order are:  Elizabeth, Carlos, Evelyn, Mariella and Wendy.  Wendy is 19 and lives at home. Evelyn is in her 30's and married to Eduardo they also live in the home and have two children:  Fabian (12) and Sebastian (8).  However, Mama Anabelle watches all the grandchildren during the day, so everyday after school I would be greeted by as many as 16 family members who would all gather in the patio area to speak to me and each other! This was a new found joy for me and I quickly resolved to adopt this habit upon my return home.  Here, family was very important and respected deeply.  We rarely watched television (except for a little news), preferring to share with each other what we had experienced that day.