The funniest part of my first week with my Mexican host family was the conversation about my type of vegetarianism. One day I came home and cooked broccoli and rice, but only under the supervision of my host grandmother. She made sure I used the right cup and kept checking to make sure I wasn’t burning the food. In the end, she watched how I set my plate with the rice and broccoli separate from each other and chiles on top. In unison, my host grandmother and mom said, “Awww,” acknowledging that they were starting to understanding how and what I eat. Food in my new home is a conversation starter that leads me and my host family towards learning new things about each other.

The biggest task I’ve had during my homestay is managing exception with reality. My host family is vegetarian for me, they love Louis Armstrong, and my host father likes rap music from Compton. My host family consists of my mom, dad, fifteen-year-old sister, two uncles, six cousins and spunky grandmother.

Before I arrived at their house they probably ate lots of meat but because of me, they are vegetarian for every meal I am a part of. They also go out of their way to make sure that I feel welcomed and involved in the family.  When my extended family is present, they also make an effort to make sure I understand the conversation and feel welcome to contribute. Going into the homestay I didn’t have any set expectations for my family, but I did anticipate that it would be very awkward for a long time. However the second day that I was there, my host cousins and father began to play me their favorite types of music. For the very little Spanish I knew, this type of show-and-tell relieved some pressure for me because I could contribute to the conversation. With all nerves aside, my homestay has been above and beyond anything I could have expected.