La Familia!

This is my lovely host family!

Auntie is a school teacher, uncle is a businessman and my host sister, Heya goes to pre-school. This has been the best host home experience so far and I love them very much! My auntie is a strong, caring woman with a big smile. She can't speak English and my Bangla, though improving, still poor but we communicate pretty well. When I feel broken, I put my head on her shoulder, she gives me a look and smiles which makes me feel better. Sometimes that's all I need. Auntie doesn't like skinny so she keeps on feeding me with too much rice and she isn't pleased when I leave it which I tend to do. Auntie has got countless of qualities but her charm is hidden in her magical voice. So beautiful and tender.. Some nights when we have power cut especially, she plays her 'harmonium' and sings in the candle lit room. I always think one day in the future I will reminiscence this moment, this voice, this tune which strangely makes me feel nostalgic.

My uncle's got a farm and has recently started a candle business. He is an active  member of a minor political party which surprised me so much when I first heard. Uncle can speak English a little bit and we have a good dialogue and nice conversations half Bangla half English. He was very concerned when I fell ill the other day and kept telling me to wear socks and a cardigan.

Yesterday he called me inside which worried me as I realised I wasn’t wearing my scarf in front of him and had thought he might warn me but he showed me the coconuts that were carefully hidden under the staircase and told me we would have them the next day. He asked me to keep this as a secret as there were too many family members but not enough coconut! He knows how much I love coconut. :)  For me, the most fascinating side of my uncle is his fathering. I love how much he loves Heya, how he interacts and takes care of her. Every day they study together and once he told me he wanted Heya to get good education and have a bright future. Their relationship warms my heart and I respect this man a lot! 

Auntie and Uncle doing Puja - Prayer

Lovely Heya 

And my little host sister... She is simply the best.. She calls me "didi" and gives me  the best cuddles. When she is happy, you feel it under your skin as her eyes shine, her smile broadens and her arms always end up in the air. The best best energiser ever. Some mornings when I wake up, she shouts "Tugba didi" and gives me a big cuddle which I appreciate so much as I need lots of cuddles! She sometimes sneaks in my room when I do yoga and joins my session ruining my concentration and making me laugh!

                        

In the mist of mornings, we sit in the garden looking over the vast, green rice field and do colouring together whist listening to Flatlands or Norah Jones.  This I find so therapeutic and blissful and appreciate those times with such a full heart.

Some days I watch Heya praying. She puts all those beautiful flowers from their garden neatly around their small temple, lights a candle, walks around the house with an incense and gives me a quick smile.

These days, after going through such hard times, I'm learning more and more to appreciate how much one genuine smile’s worth and at the end of the day the littlest things are the most precious moments of my life.