Me Llamo "No"

Almost one week survived! My Las Carretas family is super nice- and BIG. There's my Madre y Padre, and 5 kids- Brenda (26), Toni(21), Roni(19), Luis and Mauricio (both 14). Also Brenda's bebe Wilson who is about 3, and a Tia but she is out of town. Wilson is super shy, but he is warming up to me. Everyone in the family has been trying to get him to say my name, and all he says is "No". Last night at dinner, though, he just looked at me out of the blue and said "Ale" (that's what the call me here- I told them in the states I go by Lexi, and my madre just said "for us, that's very hard. You can be Ale). Wilson and I are gonna be buddies I think- we have that whole only child thing going.

Also, I think my casa is basically the center of the tiny (one street) pueblo- the police eat lunch here and they keep the patron saint of the town (San Luis) in the dining room. Speaking of, this week is the Festival for San Luis, so el santo was taken to the church yesterday (after Dona Susanna changed his clothes- they had to dress him up!). Then, next wednesday, they'll carry him throughout the town back to our house where there will be a big party. We started spanish "class" yesterday, which consisted of chatting/conversation, meeting everyone's host families (who all told us that their house is our house and to come visit whenever we want), and a field trip into Antigua to buy our celulares! Today is training at the center, and tomorrow we will start technical training and more with the Municipal Development program. From now on, every Tuesday will be common session at the center, and other than that it is spanish class in our pueblo and technical training. Plus, quality time with the family and, apparently, Santo Luis =)