My Host Family

This weekend in Tinum, we stayed with Mayan host families. By the way, despite what some people think, the Mayan culture is still alive, and there is a large population of Mayans living in the Yucatan. Many of them still wear traditional clothing and live in traditional houses. Some people think the Maya died out during the Conquest, but that's incorrect.

My family consisted of Doña Berto and her sister Rosita. They owned a little store, a tendejon, along with her sister-in-law and her family. The two families live next door to each other, and the store is in between the two houses.

Rosita was the lady who spent the most time with me. She was an amazing cook and made sure that I was well fed the whole weekend. We were told that our families probably wouldn't eat with us- it's simply a respect part of their culture. However, Rosita sat down and ate with me each meal. That made me feel extremely welcome!

I was supposed to be staying with Sara in the house, but a few minutes before we left to meet Doña Berto and Rosita, Sara informed us that she was feeling sick. So she decided to stay with our director Valerie, and I was left alone. I was a little freaked out at that point, but I had no other option. So I just sucked it up and stayed alone with the host family. It ended up being alright, even though I was a little nervous. Rosita and Doña Berto were very nice ladies. When I met them, I felt very tall because these little ladies were several inches shorter than me! Can you believe that?! :) Feeling tall was a very odd experience for me!

My host family's house was made of 2 different parts. The part on the street was a cement block (I think) house, which are growing in popularity here. Inside were several hammocks hooks, a sewing machine, a treadmill, an alter, and stuff for the store next door. Behind that room was the kitchen. It was a traditional Mayan kitchen, made of a thatched palm roof and walls made of sticks and stone. I could see through the walls, which was intentional. It allows air into the kitchen. Inside the kitchen is the fireplace and grate, where the food is made. Many Maya still rely upon wood for their fuel. It was definitely different than any kitchen in the US, but it was comfortable and great for the environment. The bathroom was a little room disconnected from the house, and there was a washroom also disconnected from the home.

Behind the house was a huge yard full of beautiful trees, flowers, and plants. Farther back was a chicken and turkey pen. The turkey was a little noisy, and the rooster LOVED to make noise early in the morning!

I really enjoyed seeing how Mayans live, and to see how much of Mexico lives. It was very different than Merida, and it was very important for us to see how people in a developing country live. Life is hard, and there's not really a chance to escape the hard life. But seeing the happiness in Tinum made me realize that a hard life doesn't mean it's a bad life.