On Living with a Host Family (again)

My street during sunset

One of the number one things I was concerned about, if not THE number one thing, was living with a host family. From my last two experiences, in Spain and in Germany, I had the idea that I just am not a good host-daughter. However, I’ve been here for almost two weeks and my experience is already exponentially better than Spain and Germany. My host family has welcomed me like their own daughter, and I already feel at home.

Rambutan!

After a week living out of two hotels, all the trainees (myself included) were eager to finally meet the families we were to live with for the next 10 weeks. What desa, or village will we be placed? What trainees will be close to us? What will our families be like? Questions like this were flooding my mind all of Saturday morning. On our last day at out hotel, Bukit Daun, in Kediri, we packed up our luggage, headed to training for the next several hours, then it was time for host family reveals.

Standing along the sides of the big hall where we met, each trainee was called according to their desa. I am in Manisrenggo, which literally translates to “sweet desire”. We met with our CL’s, or cultural liaisons, which are employees hired by Peace Corps to assist us with integration, and learned more about where we were living. We were also given a photo of our host families. By then I was ready to go, and get settled and finally meet them!

Writing this now, I should’ve been less worried about meeting my family. Immediately upon walking into their home, I felt welcome. Although we speak an entirely different language, it’s clear that we are able to communicate (and often miscommunicate) based on acts of services, and also literally acting things out (a lot of hand motions). After some coffee and selfies with random people I still don’t know, my bapak, or father, helped me with my mosquito net for my bed, I unpacked, hung photos, and was given a HUGE bowl of watermelon. Within the next few minutes, I was made aware that my fellow trainees that live never me are actually my host-cousins, and two of our homes are about a meter apart! I’m part of an enormous family, and it seems like everyday I’m meeting a new cousins or uncle and aunt. I’m happy I have a big family here, much like at home.

Settling into Kediri has become so much easier with them. My host sister speaks English very well, so she helps with the language barrier. They all are happy, personable people, and are genuinely curious about American culture, especially when I do things a little differently. Their home is also part of a boarding house, so there always is something going on, people coming in and out, and never a dull moment. I definitely am still adjusting to the squat toilet, bathing three times a day, hearing the call to prayer five times a day, and basic components of Indonesian life, but I’m learning day by day, especially with the help of my family.

Learning about bike safety!

View during our drive to Kediri