The first thought that pops into my head when I think of a host is a viral swarm of protein crushing the life out of a tiny organism just before apoptosis.
In microbiology this lysis, or splitting apart, is the ultimate fate of the once proud organism known as the cell. During Pre Service Training in the Peace Corps, the host family is another form of cell. It is an essential, a need and a privilege to have one.
Thankfully there are Chinese families in Chengdu who welcome the chance to ingest budding PCVs. It happened for two months during Pre Service Training, a critical time of development for our English teaching and Mandarin skills. I was especially lucky in that I was taken in by these folks. We did everything together.
from hopelessly tasty two hour long meals
to visiting the world’s creepiest panda
For nearly two months it was a maelstrom of Chinese everything. We spent a lot of time practicing Chinese, eating Chinese, watching Chinese television, celebrating Chinese holidays. I also got some great Chinese encouragement from time to time.
One night Kevin, my host brother, said “I think you will marry a Chinese girl.”
And I said, “Haaha… ehem.. will you please excuse me.”
Turns out I had just eaten a large clump of coagulated duck blood. Kevin said, “I didn’t want to tell you before you ate it LOL.”
That was the last we ever heard from Kevin.
Duck blood is actually quite tasty. Like many things in China, just add a little oil (or a shitload) and it transforms from gross to gucci.
My time with these lovely people was short, but sweet. Oftentimes I would come home from training and we would eat a meal together as a family. From my heavily sweat imbued stank to my not so infrequent bathroom scuffles adjusting to the food, I still had people who wanted me around. Talk about encouragement.
Chow Chow even stayed with us for most of the summer.
The relationship I had (and still have) with this family led us on many adventures. They had had five other Peace Corps Trainees stay with them in the past. They knew what they were doing.
My little brother David was definitely braver than I was when we rode our first rollercoaster together.
I was lucky to have such a welcoming host family. That is not the case for everyone. I am grateful to them for all that they did for me. Unfortunately our own cellular lysis came too soon. But the results?
Now that’s better than any viral infection. I hope to visit them as much as I can during my time in China. After all Chengdu is only a hop, skip, three-hour bus and seventeen hour train ride away!!
Originally posted on an old blog.
My Peace Corps timeline of service.
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