Hola de nuestra familia anfintriona

We asked our host brother Baukti (Juan Bautista Hernandez, a precocious 5 year-old who talks nonstop from dawn til dusk and sometimes in his sleep too, says his mama) to tell us what to write to the United States. Here is what he told us:

<<Tu haces mucho trabajos en la casita como naranjas tu y Lorena tiene miedo de los bichos en el rió y que Alej come todo lo que la mama cocina para los niños, un niño que se llama Juan Bautista Hernandez, y que Lorena come papas y aquí en la casa de Baukti hay papas y que Alejandro come yucas, un cuarto amarillo que le dieron a Alejandro y Alejandro toma foto y Lorena también toma foto. Los patos que tenemos en la casa (Mama lo interrumpio y mando que el persiguiera las gallinas, el las persigo del patio)... y la casa de la Mama de Baukti, también tienes que hacer el mapa TU, y Lorena y Alejendro comen tajadas y macarrones con pollo y chicha de pina y que Alejandro me enseno muchas canciones. Ahhhha yo se, ellos fueron a la Granja. Una paisana que tenemos en la casa de Juan Bautista Hernandez (salto de la mesa y casi se cayo, pero acabo de bañarse así este seria una cosa muy mala), Lorena casi se comió un pollo de Milton y que iba a comerla frito y que Lorena se duerme temprano porque Lorena tiene mucho miedo de los bichos. Mas nada. Que Maudy hace tembleques para ella que le hagan una pollera. Ya mas nada. Y que a Lorena no le gusta el ligado y que le encantan los macarrones. Quiero conocer a las amigas de Lorena. Y que también quiero conocer a sus padres. Y que mas? Que mas? Mas nada. Que mas? Que mas? Que mas? Y que Lorena come pipas y huevos y torta de huevo y le encanta toda la comida pero no come mucho, solo come un parte y Alejandro come el restado.>>

...which I will translate to English for you all, without correcting any grammar because this is how he actually talks, nonstop...

“You do lots of work at the little house like your oranges and Lorena is scared of the bugs in the river and that Alej eats all that the mother cooks for the kids, a kid named Juan Bautista Hernandez, and that Lorena eats potatoes and here in Baukti's house there are potatoes and that Alejandro eats yuca, a yellow room that they gave to Alejandro and Alejandro takes photo and Lorena also takes photo. The ducks that we have at the house (Mama interrupts him, which she often does because he talks nonstop, and tells him to chase the chickens, he chases them off the porch, returns, and resumes talking as if nothing happened)... and Baukti's mom's house, also you have to make the map YOU, and Lorena and Alejandro eat tajadas and spaghetti with chicken and pineapple juice and that Alejandro taught me lots of songs. Ahhhhha I know, they went to the Granja. A pheasant that we have at the house of Juan Bautista Hernandez (he jumps from the table and almost falls, but he just took a bath so this would be a very bad thing because there is a dirt floor), Lorena almost ate herself Milton's chicken and that she was going to eat it fried and that Lorena falls asleep early because Lorena is really scared of the bugs. That's it. (At this point we begin writing Maudy's part, see below, but Baukti cannot contain himself and sporadically asks to add more and more to his part, which I faithfully do). That Maudy makes tembleques for herself so that they make her a pollera. Okay, that's it. And that Lorena doesn't like liver and that she loves spaghetti. I want to meet Lorena's friends. And that I also want to meet your parents. And what else? What else? That's it. What else? What else? What else? And that Lorena eats fresh coconuts and eggs and omlettes and she loves all the food but doesn't eat much, she only eats a part and Alejandro eats the rest.”

Maudy our host sister (an elegant, bright-eyed 12 year-old who loves to swim and do crafts) saw that Baukti was writing to the United States and she decided she wanted to as well. Maudy says,

<<Alejandro le gusta jugar fútbol y es el arbitro (se rió). También juega béisbol con Baukti. Lorena le corta la barba de Alej. Y Alejandro le corta el cabello de Lorena. Que mas, que mas, que mas? Lorena es muy bonita. (Baukti dice, “Y Alejandro tiene mucho pelo”). Baukti y Alejandro tienen una banda. A Baukti le gustan mucho las canciones de Justin Bieber (Baukti dice, “También diga que no me gustan nada las canciones de Justin Bieber porque Maudy las llevo para la casa de Diana”). Esperamos a conocer a la familia de Alejandro y Lorena. Y que yo quiero conocer a la hermana de Lorena y la de Alejandro. Desde ya les queremos decir Feliz Navidad y que traigan dulces de Halloween. Ya chao!>>

...which translates to...

“Alejandro likes to play soccer and he is the referee (she laughs). Also, he plays baseball with Baukti. Lorena cuts Alejandro's beard. And Alejandro cuts Lorena's hair. What else, what else, what else? Lauren is very pretty. (Baukti says, “And Alejandro has a lot of hair”). Baukti and Alejandro have a band. Baukti really likes Justin Bieber songs (Baukti says, “Also say that I don't like Justin Bieber songs because Maudy took them back to Diana's house!”) We want to meet Alejandro and Lorena's family. And that I want to meet Lorena's sister and Alejandro's too. From here we want to tell them Merry Christmas and that they bring Halloween candy. That's all bye!”

Upon hearing how much fun all this is Irenes (our 31 year-old host mom, a wise and powerful young woman with a fierce kindness in her heart) flees to the kitchen and Maudy adds a message from her. Irenes says, through Maudy,

<<Alejandro y Lorena se portan muy bien y que han aprendido muy rápida en Panamá. Ella esta muy encantada que ustedes estén en la casa de ella.>>

...which means...

“Alejandro and Lorena behave very well and have learned very quickly in Panama. She is very pleased that you are in her house.”

Having fun bringing us messages, Maudy runs to her dad Jeronimo (our 32 year-old host dad, who has been playing accordion all afternoon in the living room) and delivers the following message from him, again through Maudy,

<<Dice que se siente contento de tenerlos aquí en la casa y entre ustedes y mi papa han compartido muchos momentos especiales y que entre Alejandro y Jeronimo (mi papa) han compartido canciones Panameñas y de los Estados Unidos y se siente muy contento de tener un amigo mas en Panamá.>>

...which means...

“He says that he feels happy to have them here in the house and you guys have shared many special moments and between Alejandro and Jeronimo (my dad) you have shared Panamanian songs and songs from the United States and he feels very happy to have another friend in Panama.”

Milton (our 14 year-old host brother, who is probably the most reserved young professional man we have ever met) politely declined to comment.

And that folks, is our lovely host family. Sorry if this post has been confusing, but there is SO MUCH in here that sums up our lives right now. You have no idea.