Twilight

I’ve always known it’s a special time, but there have been times when I’ve gotten caught up in other things and forgotten to notice. My life has been a lot slower here, and I’ve had time to notice again. Plus, there’s an advantage to living on the East side of Cordoba and having a West-facing window: I get to watch the sun set over the old city every night. It’s kind of incredible if you think about it – sunsets are as ancient as time and yet every single one is new – different from every preceding sunset in history. Their vastness is uncontainable. Their beauty is indescribable. I realized that I take a lot for granted and that sometimes I forget to appreciate the little (or big) things in life. As much as I enjoy the efficiency of the American lifestyle, there’s definitely something to be said for taking a deep breath and going more slowly. After all, it’s caused me to notice the sunset.

A Taste of Home

I’ve made a few different “American” foods for my family, and they always declare whatever it is to be “rica” and “ooh” and “ahh” at the right moments. The thing is: I never really know if they seriously like what I’ve made, if they’re just being polite, or if they find it an interesting experience to try something exotic. So when I made my Great Aunt Grace’s banana bread (my favorite) the other day, I wasn’t sure if they sincerely liked it or if they thought it was strange and foreign. I suppose I should have known when it was gone within a short time, but I really received the answer when Antonio came home the next day with two more bananas asking me to make it again! My family has been uncharacteristically adventurous in trying my American cooking and I’m proud of them for it. I really appreciate their enthusiasm to know more about my culture and to understand me better.