My New Family

So I’ve finally met my new family! Mi madre is Gloria, she’s a single mom with an 11 year old little girl, Montserat, or Monce for short. We also live with their 19 year old nephew, Flavio, who attends University in Copiapo, but lives in Chanaral. They are all very nice and very welcoming. They don’t know English, but they are very patient with me when they speak, making sure to speak slowly and simply and using lots of gestures.
Whoever said communication is 50% body language was right! I couldn’t understand most of what they were saying in the beginning, but I got the gist of what was going on just by watching the way they expressed themselves. I still don’t know what they are saying half the time, but I think I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on. I learn a little more each day, although speaking for me is still really difficult because I’ve never been put in a situation where I’m the only one who understands English, and speaking in English doesn’t do any good to help me communicate what I’m trying to get across. In Rome, I could speak a little Italian and a little English and just about everyone would understand me. Here it’s a little different, but they are patient, which is really helpful!
I’ve met a few of my host mom’s friend’s who have babies, and I realized I have a lot in common with the babies! We’re both in the same situation where we can’t speak yet and I realized that the way they spoke to the baby was really easy for me to understand. I tell people now to speak to me like a 2 year old, I’m sure what comes out of my mouth half the time is gibberish and made up words anyway.