So here is the deal. The older you get (generally a few decades past teen-angst) you start to realize just who your parents are, what they have done for you, and how much of your life is due to their hard work instead of yours. In the realm of parents, Jake and I both recognize how fortunate we are, even if one of our dads thinks it’s ok to lay on the beach with white athletic socks under his Birkenstocks (yeah, look close- my siblings are not surprised).
They may not all be on the top of their fashion game, but all four of them are winning at generosity, gusto, and grandparenthood. In January, my parents came down to stay with us, and we did all the things. It was near the beginning of our time in Santiago so we were just starting to figure out this city, which meant we got to do it together. They are both fluent in Spanish, which was really helpful as we discovered our sense of place and how to use a subjunctive in Spanish (BTW, I think you need to explain it again Dad).
Grandpa was a coach for the National Baseball team of Honduras (way back in the day) so Latin American beísbol is kind of his jam. He wasn’t leaving without some serious time at the baseball stadium, which turned out was a stadium that he had played in decades ago. The local Aguilas did not disappoint, we certainly got our money’s worth as the team and the fans kept the party going into the 11th inning and beyond.
Nana has been frozen since mid-October in upstate NY, so she wasn’t leaving without some time on the coast. We did some more snorkeling, got a ride on a catamaran and saw a HUMPBACK WHALE as it breached the surface of the ocean. We have seen some things this year- THAT was a thing.
Jake’s parents made it down to see us last week. They too had been partly frozen in Wisconsin, so the beach was at the top of the agenda. (Is it cold up there in the States or something??) Grammy loves to walk along the beach, she got more than her daily steps in and we got some wonderful time with them.
Of course with the sea comes the seafood. We always eat well when Jake’s parents are around, this trip was no exception. When landlocked Wisconsiners get a chance to eat fresh seafood, no one orders the chicken strips.
Although this appears to be some ladies relaxing at a pedicure, it’s actually us waiting for the bus. Jake’s parents said they wanted to see the DR, so they did. Traveling by bus across an entire country that you don’t know, isn’t for the timid. This is one of my favorite qualities about them, if there is a chance to do something new, you can bet they have already signed up with an empanada in hand.
Oh and the Olympics! Even among the palm trees, we found ice hockey. Go USA!
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