After 4 weeks in Granada, my host family's apartment has begun to feel like home. And this sentiment felt most real when just last week, my host mom Lola told me that her home was my home now and that I didn't need to ask her for anything, that her home was open to me. At first, coming to Granada, I was very skeptical about living with a host family - more scared than nervous about being able to assimilate into the family life of a different culture. But my family - my 58 year old host mom Lola and her 29 year old daughter María - has made Granada feel a bit more like home every day I spend with them.
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| The entrance/sitting room |
My apartment in Granada is definitely different than my home in Knoxville, Tennessee. In Knoxville, 7 people share a 3 story suburban house, but here in Granada, 3 people share a small apartment on Calle Cruz 2. There are no lakes or mountains to look at, but there is an enchanting, historical city with rich culture that I cannot find outside my window in Tennessee. My apartment in Granada has 3 bedrooms, a small entrance sitting area, a study, a living room where we eat, and a conjoined room with a formal dining table. Most of my time is spent in the living room, watching TV shows such as "El Hormiguero" with Lola while we eat lunch/dinner, doing my homework as Lola knits, or talking to Lola's granddaughter and my new 10 year old BFF also named Lola (I am currently living in her room). At first, I stayed in my room to do my homework and just relax, but as the days passed I became more comfortable to come outside my room - and thus outside my comfort zone - to sit in the company of my family. Family is so important to me at home in Knoxville, just being around each other at home is enough, and here I realized that the same sentiment holds true, so I began to make myself more comfortable.
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| The living room where my family spends most of its time |
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| The kitchen |
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| My room |
When I come home from school or wake up from a siesta, I am sure to find Lola in the living room or cooking up a storm in the kitchen. To be completely honest, Lola is probably one of the best cooks I know, and I am so blessed to have her as my mother here. She has showed me so much love the past few days in little ways - reminding me to bring a sweater when I leave for tapas at night, or to hand me her umbrella if it might rain, or even just telling me I look "guapa" when I dress up and giving me a big hug and kiss. She is the BEST mother away from home!! Lola is also probably one of the hardest working people I know. Once when it was late at night and I was scrambling to finish some homework while sitting with Lola in the living room, she opened up to me about her life. Lola owns her own private clothing workshop called "El Taller de MamaLola," and she is constantly knitting or sewing clothing for her clients, staying up most nights until the early hours of the morning. Every morning too, she wakes up at 6 AM to go to her parents' house and help them with breakfast until their caregiver arrives. Lola also cooks and cleans for her family and is constantly busy. Her daughter at home, María, does not work and stays at home, but leaves her room usually only for meals. She does not help her mom out with most chores, and I feel bad that Lola does most of the household work herself. But Lola, as she announced to me one evening, is a mother, and she is constantly helping and taking care of everyone around her, paying little attention to taking care of herself - something I find strongly similar to my own mom in Knoxville. She does not think twice before waking up early on a Sunday to get me chocolate con churros from Café Fútbol or doing my laundry even when I only have a couple items of dirty clothing. She is truly a selfless woman.
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| My mom Lola |
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| Lola's supplies |
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| Chocolate con churros Sunday morning |
One of my favorite times with my family is when Lola's granddaughter Lola, whom we affectionally call Lolita, comes over. Often unannounced to me, my favorite surprise is when I walk into the apartment and see Lolita inside doing her homework or helping her abuela with her work. Me and Lolita have quickly become friends, and when she is home, I am unable to do any work, but don't regret any of it!! Lolita is probably the most chatty person in the family, and as Lola describes, she definitely "habla por los codos." One evening, Lolita brought me to her grandmother's room to show me her doll Mariquita Pérez and all her clothing, most of which her abuela had made. I've had some of my favorite moments in Spain just spending time with Lolita, playing with Mariquita, drinking Cola Cao, watching El Hormiguero, chatting about school (Lolita goes to a bilingual school so we try to practice both English and Spanish with each other), or eating meals together. I hope to take Lolita for ice cream one day when she is here and get her a stuffed animal or something!
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| Mi mejor amiga Lolita |
After living in Granada for almost a month, I can definitely say that I am in love with the city, my home, and my family. I have truly understood what it means to appreciate family because of how lucky I am with the family that I live with here. Apartment 4B feels like my home away from home, and I am so grateful for it!!
Besos,
Niyati
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