Mi Familia Tica

Mi familia tica is, to say the least, welcoming. My papa tico is Luis. Whenever I am sitting around in the living room, he comes around and teaches me something about the world or how to make something in origami. He loves to fold origami while he watches Big Bang Theory. He is from Spain and therefore has a lovely Spanish accent that, surprisingly, is really easy to understand. The best part of him being from Spain is that he understands what it is like to not be used to a tropical climate. He took me on a walk and showed me all of the plants that are normal for a tico but not for an extranjero (foreigner) like me. There is even a plant that moves when you touch it. So cool. It is very evident that he is curious about almost every part of life. He doesn't smile with just his mouth, he smiles with his whole face.

Marta, mi mama tica, is adorable, especially when she is excited or is talking to the pets. She always tells me about the different things that are happening in Costa Rica. Like any other tico, she loves to touch. She'll hold my hand when she is telling me something important or kiss my cheek when I leave the house. Everyday, she makes breakfast and dinner for my roommate, Devon, and me. I think she is testing the limits of my stomach with the amount of food on each plate. The food is incredible, especially the platanos maduros, but let's be honest, three plates of food is very hard to fit in one stomach. During the meal, she talks mainly at me and Devon about everything from education to laws to the flu season to prices of food. The best way to describe her is the name that they use at the University for the host moms, "Mamaticas". She for sure is treating us like her kids. For example, She told me that she was happy that I had such a good appetite because it meant I was healthy. She even put aloe on my shoulders and Devon's back when we both came back from the beach fried.

The twins, Lorna and Analia, crack me up. While Marta y Luis are talking, they jump in with comments that are very hard not to laugh at, and are usually when I am trying to listen politely. Lorna is super sarcastic and has no problem being herself. For example, for their birthday, they receive bikinis from someone. Lorna holds it up to herself and loudly proclaims in regards to how small it was, "uf, todo va a quemar." (Well, every things going to burn). Analia is sweet and is very helpful when explaining something. She is very patient especially when finding the right word takes a while for me. They are 26 now and are both looking for jobs. Lorna studied education and Analia studied international relations.

The dogs, Inca y Simba, are precious. They sleep on the couches, in the bed of the twins, under the piano keyboard that is in the kitchen, anywhere. They barely bark or make any sound except for the rattling of their tags. While I'm doing homework at the table, if no one else is eating, the dogs graciously occupy my free hand while I write with the other. As sweet as the dogs are, Dubhe, the cat, isn't. The family told me the first day that I came not to touch Dubhe because she'll bite and scratch. May or may not have found out that it is true when I was teasing her one time. Oops. Dubhe, though, is very good at killing bugs, for which I am grateful.

The family welcomed me literally with open arms. My mama tica told me to think of this place as my home. We can come and go as we please, watch TV, do homework in the living room, and use practically anything in the house. Even though they don't speak a lick of English, the family makes a wonderful effort to include me in the conversation because they know that I can understand a good amount of it. They have taken me on walks around the barrio (neighborhood) and to different stores and back. It seems like they get warmer and warmer each day that I am here, if that is even possible.