Our Host Family is Amazing

The family we are staying with is so great. They have done everything they can to make us comfortable, and they have succeeded well. Jose and I have been getting long nights of sleep, eating good food, and having great company.

Ruben, the father, is a pastor. He picked us up at the airport, and was super friendly from the first second. His wife, Olivia, is really serious about not using any gluten in her cooking, and she hasnt yet. She is also serious about only giving us bottled water and juice. Amy, their 20 year old daughter, has been very friendly and has talked to us about what life is like in Ciudad Juarez for a teenager (it does not involve going out much). Amy is in college working on a degree in Social Welfare. Ruben and Olivia have a 1 year old son, named Ruben also. He is very cute, and very quiet. They also have a 22 year old daughter, named Rebecca, who lives in El Paso, Texas during the week with her grandmother. She is a graphic designer there. She is engaged to a man in Juarez, who she spends most of her time in Juarez with. She arrived last night, and seems to be very frienly.

Olivias food is wonderful. There is a lot of meat, but I have been eating it. I am really impressed with how well I am doing eating meat. I wouldnt be able to do it in the United States, but here it seems so trivial compared to everything else, that I can eat it. We have been eating well, and our trip here is much easier because we do not have to worry about finding food.

The other family that is here is also applying for U.S. residency. Evi, the wife, is a naturalized United States citizen. She is applying for her husband, Ociel, and his daughter from a previous relationship. The daughter has been living in Mexico with her grandmother. Ociel, Evi, and their one year old daughter, Abigail, live in Wisconson. Their 12 year old son did not want to miss any school, so he stayed in the U.S. with his grandmother. Abigail is an amazing baby. She is very curious and happy. She loves hearing English, and when Jose and I speak English to her she smiles the whole time. Jose was teaching her English last night, and now when he says "shoes", she looks down at her feet.

We are all very comfortable here, and we appreciate this family so much for taking care of us. Ruben knows everything about the immigration process, so he has been in charge of everything that needs to happen. I dont know how we would be doing down here if we were not staying with them, but because of them, things are going well!

Emma