Becca's World Travels: Eat, drink, and find satisfaction in your work...

...has never meant so much to me as it did these past few days as I woke up to the roosters and the sunshine and watched my host dad, Angel begin to wheel barrow cement into the kitchen and my host mom, Susana washing the dishes in the sink outside preparing for breakfast. The whole day revolves around the 3 solid meals that Susana prepares and Angel stops his house work to join the family for food. The household consists of Angel and Susana, Alvaro (their 24 year old son), his wife Sheli, their baby, Said, and Alondra (10 year old daughter). Angel and Susana also have 3 other daughters that live in the area with their husbands and babies. The whole town seems to be related since everytime I'm introduced to someone, they are a primo or tio. Angel is one of 12 children, and I got to meet his mother who is now a proud great grandmother of who knows how many kids.

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil.

This beautiful family is filled with joy. As Angel said, "dondé hay niños, está Dios," - "where there are children, God is there." They are all hard workers, whether they were doing house work (renovating the kitchen) or working on their cars, they were busy at work. Of course they will always take a break to laugh at something funny or to make a joke on someone else's behalf. Living in the moment is an understatement. I began to feel a little useless yesterday when I had no work to do and everyone around me was busy with cooking or baby or building. I realized how much we find value in our work even if it's not the typical job that you and I would imagine.

I have learned so much more in the past few days than I could ever have imagined that I have no idea what the next 2 years will bring. I can only hope to be as kind and hospitable of a community member in Carboneras as this family has been to me.