House Change

There are four exchange students in my club: Tjarko, Lara, Jessica, and me. For the switch, the two boys changed houses, and the two girls are going to change houses. There wasn't really a fixed date for us to change, so Tjarko and I just decided when to do it. We got back from the Amazon and decided to change that Friday, February 12. It was kind of abrupt because I had only mentioned to my family that we were going to change soon. Also, since everyone in that family works, I hardly saw anyone all day to tell them that I was leaving Friday. I told my host-mom in a text message (she couldn't pick up her cell phone when I called)! It now seems that it was so sudden.

I packed up all my things - I had a suitcase and a garbage bag of stuff that wouldn't fit in my original two suitcases and backpack! Que bestia! I don't know where all this extra junk came from. I went through my brothers' closets to look for my clothes. My old brother Juan Jose had quite a bit of things. He would wear my clothes, then I'd tell him, and he'd always say "Sorry, I thought it was Fernando's." When I talked with Fernando he said that he started sending his clothes to a laundromat because Juan Jose was taking all his clothes.

For the Amazon trip, I needed a long sleeve shirt. I didn't have any, so I asked Juan Jose to lend me one. He said he would, but I had to trade him some gym shorts. So after the Amazon, I put his shirt in the wash and told him I needed my shorts. He said not until his shirt was in his hands. One day I met up with Tjarko, and he brought me the shorts and some socks which weren't mine. We stopped by the radio office and talked with my old host-father Pepe, and Juan Jose. I asked Juan Jose if the socks were his, and he said they were. I wasn't too sure if they were his or Fernando's, so Pepe told me to go check with Fernando first, which I thought was funny. It turned out that they were Juan Jose's.

Back to the house swap. I finished packing, lugging my suitcases downstairs. Then I just pretty much waited for someone to come home to drive me to my new house. Like five came home at the same time, and I broke the news to those that didn't know. I threw my stuff in Andres' truck and he drove me to Las Brisas (the part of the city).

My new host-parents had a dinner for the goodbye of Tjarko and the welcome of me. They invited some of our friends over, too. That was just so nice of them! We had hawaiian ham, shrimp, wine, and a cake made by my new host-father. The party finished, and I was left in my new house with a new host-family!