Photo by LifeAbundantly
Many of you know through our tweets and our Facebook updates that my daughter and I are currently in El Salvador visiting the family for one whole month. It has been two years since the last time we were here and a trip was long overdue, especially for Camila.
My daughter, who just turned three, has a long-distance relationship with everyone in her family, except for mamá and papá. I always feel guilty that, not only will she be an only child, but she´ll also be deprived from knowing what it is to visit la casa de la abuela for lunch every Saturday; to have wild sleepovers with her primas; or to just have multiple hands on deck to lovingly care for her at a moment´s notice. This trip for us is not only an immersion in language, but an immersion in familia. In this case, one connects to the other.
We arrived to my mother´s house ten days ago and from day one Camila was putting to good use the new words in her vocabulary: Tía, prima, primo, abuelita, abuelito. All words she knew merely as concepts–not concepts I´m sure she could even grasp at her age. She had seen and met them all before–except for her one year old primito–but she was too young to retain the relationships from a distance. To my surprise, as soon as she saw them all again she immediately embraced each one with a joy that can only be bonded through blood. The next morning, the first words out of her mouth were: “¿Donde están mi tía y mis primos?” Just like that, she had a family. And they all speak the same language she speaks at home. The language she associates with warmth, safety and pure love.
This is not to say that English is not an integral part of who she is, it’s undeniable, but until now Spanish continues to be her strongest language and the one she hears coming out of the mouth of her family and caregivers.
I thought my initial post about this trip would be about my decision to enroll Camila in a local preschool during the four weeks we’ll be here. That has been a true experience and one I definitely want to share with you. But the most important aspect of all, so far, for me during this trip is my girl’s immersion into a world of family and seeing her become a prima, a sobrina and a nieta and fully embracing it. I can see her almost mature in preschool years in front of my eyes as she delves into the daily chaos of having so many people around; the back and forth between houses; the loud conversations; the long meals; the car trips to the beach and lake; the constant chatter; the fights with her prima over who’s turn it is to share. It’s all real and she needed it all.
Have you had this type of cultural/family immersion experience yourself or with your child, regardless of the language? What came out of it? What are your best memories of it?
I’m sooooo happy for Camila! As I’ve always said, language is more than just words and, in this case, it’s is soooo obvious!!
¡Qué bueno por Camila! It’s awesome to see the bonds of family in action, no? I absolutely loved this post and I can’t wait to read more about her experiences in preschool over there!
Thanks, my friend! We have definitely proven that language is more than just words with this experience.
Preschool adventures coming next week!!
I can’t wait to read your future posts, either, Ana Lilian! Sounds like you’re having a wonderful time–what a priceless experience for you and your entire family.
I love this post, because I relate 100%, everything you said, it’s like you are describing my experience. I made the same trip in April to the states after not seeing my family for one year. Beli was one year old when we moved. I have pictures of my parents and sisters and their children on the fridge door. And everyday I tell her that her abuelita loves her and I name all the family members. At first when she saw them all, she was shy around my family, speaking mainly Croatian and I had to translate to my family, My sister would tell me, I don’t understand your daughter, it was kinda a funny but after a few days she caught on and if she needed drink water she would say ‘voda’ pause, agua.
I’m happy your daughter is having a fun with her primos. And have a wonderful trip with your family and looking forward to reading more about your trip.
Glad you can relate, Elisa.
Camila was definitely shy, as she always is, when she first saw them. But, it took her much less than usual to open up, and, when she did, fue con todo!
Now I’m dreading going back home and having her ask me where her prima is!
You paint such a vivid picture of the familia – the bond that Camila never lost for that familia. What a wonderful gift you are giving her to allow the connection to deepen over the month you are there. I anticipate your future posts about it all – the flavors, the smells, the sounds, the love. ¡Qué suerte tienen!
Se me aguaron mucho los ojos cuando leí esto. I’m so happy that you guys got the time to go and get showered with family!! It goes very deep.I completely relate and understand word by word what you’re saying! When I took Adrian to Venezuela he was only 2 but he was happy to play with and greet anybody he met, it was such a joy how everybody embraced us and we enjoyed it big time! That’s when I decided to talk only in Spanish to him! I can’t believe I didn’t do tat before he was 2!! So many great things come out of those immersion trips! I still see the pictures and smile, it’s nice to have the pictures and then show her once you’re here so she doesn’t forget! Can’t wait to know more about it!
I had no idea you went the Spanish-only route with Adrian after a trip to Venezuela. Very interesting! Amazing how the family connection can motivate us.
I agree about the pictures. I haven’t been taking so many as I’d like because it’s been raining so much! I still have 2 weekends to make it happen.
Maybe I can put together a book of our trip so she’ll be connected to it for a while?
My wife has been in Ecuador with our nearly-two-year-old daughter for the past couple of months doing basically the same thing as you’re describing (I was there for almost 6 weeks of that). It’s huge, just essential, spending time with that family who at this point she actually knows much better than her American one, mine. She was Spanish-dominant before the trip but still somewhat capable in English. Who knows what her English is like at the moment, but her Spanish has absolutely exploded while in Ecuador. It’s really the product of the constant socialization of the language learning with all of the Ecuadorian relatives that she is constantly surrounded by and all of the new vocabulary she is intaking. There is also the aspect of being immersed in that culture, everything from the food to futbol mania. All of that is shaping who she is becoming as well as how she communicates. It goes beyond just ‘connecting with roots’; our daughter is also developing multiple cultural fluencies that will enable her to successfully navigate between the two cultures of her parents.
Beautifully put. It’s so refreshing to hear from a Dad who gets it. My husband has also sacrificed not seeing his daughter for a month so she can have this experience that is shaping who she is.
(He’s also having some fun and getting much-needed rest!)
Thanks for sharing this, Shaun. Can’t wait to hear more about your girl’s trip!
I love this post and I’m so glad you’re having a good time with your family. I know what you mean about that special family bond. The minute my kids see their cousins it’s like they’ve always been together.
Thanks, Yvonne. Glad you enjoyed it
I want her to have this bond so much, that I’ve even volunteered to take care of my niece during the summer so she can have the inverse immersion in English and American culture and the primas can spend more time together.
What a wonderful experience for both of you! These are memories you will both treasure. Be sure and take a ton of pictures…maybe you can make a librito in Spanish for her all about her adventure in El Salvador:)
Elsie, love your idea of the librito!
Now I just need to start taking the pictures!
Love this story! My Spanish speaking son is very excited because his cousins (who only speak English at this point) will be joining him for a Spanish class. I hope the family bond, and the amazing teacher, will make learning another language fun. Can’t wait to hear about the preschool experience. I hope to do the same next summer. Have a wonderful visit with your family!
Thanks, Susan! Let us know how that goes for your son. It’s a terrific idea for all of the primos involved.
So sweet. I’ve been so fixated on doing the same one day for Sabrina that I lost focus as to how important the family connection is going to be as well. Maybe I’m still hormonal after pregnancy but your post made me testy-eyed.
Sorry to stir up your post-pregnancy hormones!!
The family connection is just one more positive point to make you want to focus energy on making these trips happen. It will!!
Damn iPhone and it’s automatic spell check.. I meant to type teary eyed.
LOL! I was wondering what “testy-eyed” meant.
Love the El Salvador articles, wish I could have been there with my sobrina.
Wished you could have been there, too!!!
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