Christmas in Guisquiliapa

Merry late Christmas everyone! Well, this past week marked my first Christmas and birthday away from home, and I'm happy to say that I couldn't have asked for anything more. I spent the week back in my training town with my host family, and loved every single second of it (as expected.)

On the 24th, we spent the entire day making nacatamales, a traditional Christmas food here. Basically, in part of a banana leaf, we put ground corn (masa), rice, seasoned pork (fresh from the newly killed Christmas pig) fresh cut veggies, potatoes, and raisins. Then the banana leaf got folded neatly, tied shut around it's contents, and thrown into a giant vat over the fire to boil for the rest of the day. We made about 230 of them! This means that I woke up at 6 to go to the market with my host sister to buy the veggies. By 9am I had already peeled a mountain of potatoes, and chopped up tons of onions, peppers, and tomatoes all with a knife the size of my forearm. Next, I moved on to tearing banana leaves as the women in my family started putting together all the nacatamales. It was so much fun!

Ooops, I forgot to mention that the night before, they killed the pig they had been feeding for Christmas. Therefore, every single part it was cleaned, chopped and prepared the night before – some parts for the nacatamales (delicioso), others for the chicharron (fried skin and intestines, mmm), others for the consumido (combination of the innards and brains?? I don't even know what was in that, but BLECK!)

That night, we stayed up until midnight, just hanging out with family and whatever friends happened to stop by the house. I also got invited to the celebration at Katie's host grandma's house, which was equally “alegre.” 

Back at home, at midnight, it all began. There were tons of fireworks in the street (many of which were being set off out front by my host brothers), and we placed the baby Jesus into the manger scene they already had set up. People from all over town came to sing to the baby Jesus, and on their way out, they received a delicious nacatamal! After all the craziness, my entire family sang “las mañanitas” (the traditional birthday song) to me! It was the best!

Then on the 25th, we headed out to where my family's farm is to attend another Purisima (celebration of Mary.) Afterwards, when we got home, my host sister-in-law had already begun cooking my birthday dinner. They invited Jessi and Katie over and the best part was that whole family sat together at the table to eat for my birthday! I lived there for 3 months and had NEVER seen them all sit together to eat. It was so so special, and the food was amazing!! They even bought me a cake and ice cream and they all had gifts for me! They sang again before the cake too. It was the perfect birthday!

Oh and to top it all off? There was a DJed party in the town that night, so Katie and I headed out to dance with our host brothers/friends all night. Sure I woke up with a terrible cough from all the dirt we kicked up while dancing, but it was way worth it. 

Thanks so much to those of you who called me on Christmas and for my birthday! It was awesome getting to talk to everyone and see that I wasn't completely forgotten about on Christmas. Can't wait to come home and celebrate with everyone next year! Love and miss my fam <3