Experiencing Leon, Nicaragua with our home stay family, the Ruizs, was both a challenging and beautiful immersion into traditional Nicaraguan culture. Before this part of our trip, we made an effort to have an open mind about the situation and were excited to be exposed to a new way of life and connect with the family. Despite our attempts to not have unrealistic expectations for this experience, our first day staying with the Ruiz family overwhelmed us more than we anticipated. The discrepancy between the living conditions and familial dynamics in their household and our own was shocking and stressful. Being placed in such a new environment in which we were unsure of the boundaries and our position within the household was humbling.
Although we thought we were fully prepared for an introduction to an unfamiliar situation, by the first night we discovered that a larger language barrier existed between us than we had anticipated. A different sleeping situation and relying on a limited vocabulary and nonverbal communication made us fear we wouldn’t make an emotional connection with the family. After the first night, however, we realized that we could form a bond by trusting in ourselves and the Ruiz family. We also discovered a newfound confidence that allowed us to truly connect with our host mother and some of the children that night. We learned about the importance of community to the family through their interactions with their neighbors and each other. Doña Cristina, our host mother, inspired us through her quiet strength and dedication that helped her maintain a store in the home and care for her large family. Through the remaining time on our trip, we continued to make connections with Dona Cristina and her family members on our final night at their home. We enjoyed dancing with Cristina and her nine year old son, Octavio, at the final gathering of all of the participants of the home stay program. At this fiesta, we had the opportunity to truly express our gratitude towards the family with the help of Ana, our translator. It was amazing to finally be able to say what we had been trying to express the past few days and this conversation reinforced the authenticity of our relationship.
The instant kindness and generosity that the Ruiz family expressed to us, two people that they hardly knew, transformed our uncertainty into complete gratitude. Not only were Dona Cristina and her family members giving and patient, but they were also willing to share pieces of their personal lives with us through photographs and stories. Staying with the Ruiz family was the ultimate learning experience: we discovered the limits of our ability to communicate in Spanish, the importance of the willingness to trust in and depend on other individuals and the many difficulties but greater benefits of adapting to a completely different environment than the one from which we came. Most importantly, the loving and giving spirit of the Ruiz family will stay with us forever.
Kelly Haller and Olivia Fitzpatrick
Us with our host brother, Octavio