A Lesson In Hospitality

 "The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land." ~ G.K. Chesterton

Over the past weeks, we have been visiting many friends here in Canada which is something quite new to us. When we lived here we had no reason to stay with friends but now that we've made Central America our home, we are visitors in our old town.

This puts a completely different spin on things. Instead of spending an hour or two at a friend's house for tea and leaving when we are tired and cranky, we've been fully immersed in our friends' lives and homes. There is nowhere to go when you get tired and cranky, you are forced to make the best of it. It's amazing how well we can get along with others when we have no choice!

We're all learning about what it means to be hospitable. Whether it has been a bed, a favorite television programs or yes, even a hairbrush, our awesome hosts have all given up something at one point or another to accommodate us. It's been a great experience for the kids so far and has impressed upon them the importance of respect for others' space, time and property.

What not to do when borrowing an 18 yr old girl's shower! (This didn't end well...)

These might seem like basic things but until now, we haven't been guests very often. With my past work schedule there was never time to go visiting. Since I've changed direction with my career and lowered our cost of living by moving to Central America, we now have the luxury of slowing down and taking the time to experience life's simple pleasures.

This trip started out with them sort of demanding the things that were routine to them and then slowly I've seen them get it. They are no longer questioning why we must be quieter at times that may not jive with our own schedules or why we are to graciously accept the meals which are offered to us. They've adjusted better than expected to the differences that are found in each of our friends' homes. Once again, a simple life experience has enriched our family incredibly.

I have to admit I was a little worried about how this whole trip would go. You know, always expecting a disaster because this is how we roll but so far so good. We haven't burned anyone's house down yet!