Family, Adjustments, and Family

So, two days ago I moved in with my host family: a mother and two daughters, both older than me--one studies and one works at a hotel. Oh, and a parrot and a cat (who doesn't yet trust me but she only really trusts the younger sister, so we'll see). The oldest son is married with a wonderfully sweet 2-year-old girl who brightens up the whole house when they visit. I have the son's old room, which is slightly embarrassing because it's the nicest bedroom and the only one that's not shared and has its own bathroom.

Most of them speak at least a little English--the daughters the best--though I try to use my Arabic when I can. I ended up in some long conversations I barely understood when the mother's two brothers visited, though. Other than language differences, it's probably family rhythms that I'll most have to adjust to. Namely and in no particular order: the TV and the maid (I know, she should've been included up there with the other denizens of the house, but for the sake of surprising everyone I waited until here, at which point you'll have to wait because I'm going to discuss the TV first).

Anyone who doesn't already know won't be surprised that I don't watch much TV. Partly because of that, the TV always distracts me when it's on, because the only times I have the TV on, that's what I intend to concentrate on. Well, here I'm not sure I've seen a time it hasn't been on, though if I get up early enough maybe. My host mother has bad knees, so she's in the living room (also a connector between the hall and the kitchen) almost all day. I've been trying to be in there to be sociable, but it's hard to concentrate on that sometimes, or the articles I need to read for class, even when the tube's on mute. So dealing with that'll be interesting.

The other strange thing is the maid, a Sri Lankan who speaks neither Arabic nor English and has apparently been here only 4-5 days now to help out because the oldest daughter has to work. The closest things I've ever had to maids before are janitors and Mom. Janitors you can't really boss around, and their job only goes so far. Mom I can't boss around at all--I have to ask--and she can boss me around as much as she likes. (Love you, Mom!) So, having a maid in the first place is interesting--and it got more interesting yesterday.

Yesterday, our maid fainted while picking something up, and when we got her onto a couch and she woke up, she was crying and her stomach hurt. So Mama called the... I think person whose business is 'importing' maids and finding them jobs, and his translator. They came by a few hours later and when the whole thing was mostly sorted out (I barely understood more than something about 25 maybe days and 3500 maybe dinars), I think it turns out she wasn't sick at all, but wanted more calls to her husband in Sri Lanka. It had originally been once a month; she wanted once a day (but that costs enough it wasn't an option as Mama pays the phone bill); and it was settled on once a week.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about the whole thing. I'm really unused to having someone non-family non-friend in the house 24/7, and I'm still not entirely sure how much of that was real and how much was faking. If it's real I'm worried; if it's fake I feel used. Even so... I understand a bit of what it's like being so far from home in a place where people speak a different language (though most speak a bit of English here). And I can't help but wonder how a family like that survives....

On a lighter note, some friends at home alerted me to a good friend here and we met for lunch today and ended up having tea, making a short shopping trip (I got a fan for when it gets warm), and going out with our family after. It was wonderful to get out a bit after being cooped up with schoolwork and the TV, awesome to have a good friend already, and refreshing to spend time with family. We sang a few songs as a family, and while I didn't know more than a few words or phrases, I knew two of the tunes. Biggest smiles I've had since I got here, and of course I plan to go back. I think, too, they've been needing more older sisters for the younger girls.

I've heard a few hints on places to teach English during the summer, so I'm excited that could lead to something. Also, I start school tomorrow! In other words, I'm aiming for 15 minutes email/facebook/goofing off, and bed afterwards. I've actually been sleeping pretty well and for decent hours. I'm not sure what effect my pillows have in that; they remind me of Jacob's pillow in Genesis 28:11.

Ma'asalaama!

Edit: 7 minutes email/etc. now... taking bets on when I actually get to bed.