A wonderful lunch!

Several weekends ago, one of my favorite adult students named Hilda invited me to her house for a delicious and very special meal. Two months ago, when Hilda first started in my beginner English for women, she knew zero English and learning was really hard for her at first. Learning a new language is hard, especially for someone who is a older. However, her daughter Jaquelin is also in one of my adolescent English classes and has been helping her mother to learn too! I love Hilda because she always asks questions, laughs at her mistakes and works really hard in class! I really admire her for her perseverance and sense of humor. Anyways, I was talking with her one day about Peruvian food, a favorite topic of conversation because Peruvians are very proud of their cuisine! I told her I hadn't tried ceviche yet (raw fish with lime juice) because I was afraid to try it at a restaurant and get sick (that is the american whimp coming out in me because Peruvians literally eat it from food carts in the street. They have stomachs of steal). So Hilda then so kindly invited me to her house for lunch the next weekend and it was one of the most delicious meals I have had in Peru so far! It was so special to be in her home and see her preparing the meal. I helped to squeeze the limes and oranges for the ceviche and I got to watch Hilda while she cooked the tomatoes, carrots, chicken and spices to make a tallarin rojo sauce (red pasta sauce). Jaquelin showed me pictures of her when she was a baby and her school books. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to spend there because I had to teach another class in the afternoon but I really enjoyed the food and now I can say that I have eaten ceviche- the pride of Peru and I liked it! These kind of personal cultural experiences are what make this teaching experience so special and rewarding!