Developing a daily routine

I'm still adjusting to mealtimes which revolve around school times and host mom's tutoring schedule.

I wake up around 6:30 but around 7:30 I can hear hMom putting on water for tea while hDad and children still sleep. That gives me time to make my bed, use the bathroom and get dressed. The teaching materials I prepared the day before are in my bag and ready for me to carry to school.

By 8AM their 9 year-old son Layig has come back from purchasing fresh bread and there may be jam, cheese, hard boiled eggs, peanut butter and tea waiting on the table. I've learned where this bread shop is, so sometimes I go down to buy the bread for family breakfast. We usually eat together but always watch the clock above the piano so that everyone is ready to leave by 8:20 for their nearby school which starts at 8:30. This photo shows coffee, but more often I have tea for breakfast.

My school is farther away and starts at 9 AM, so my hdad has been driving me to school. My classes end at different times each day, so usually I walk home about 1.5 miles for a meal prepared by hMom, who also teaches. This is not the main meal of the day, but often consists of a hearty bowl of soup with more bread, followed by tea.

Then the dining table is cleared so that hMom has a place for the English language learners she tutors in the afternoon as late as 6 PM. Peace Corps has okayed her serving as my tutor also, since my AZ language is pretty abysmal.

Hmom begins preparing dinner after 7PM for an 8PM dinner. This meal is the largest of the day and often has rice or potatoes or pasta plus chicken or ground beef. And always bread. Fresh fruit such as oranges, apples, kiwi or bananas are sometimes cut up and served at the end of a large meal. More tea. This photo is from a special birthday dinner of plov and roast chicken plus salads.

To me, 8PM is really late to be eating, but I manage. I say goodnight around 10PM but the children are often still up past 11 PM watching stupid movies - IMHO. Some educational TV here including cultural music.

I think that I've mentioned that my host family lives on the 4th floor of an apartment building, but I think I forgot to mention that there is no elevator. I go up and down 6 flights of stairs - 10 steps each - at least once every day! In the 2 months I've lived here, I hardly notice all the walking I do. I just do it!