The Fish Bowl

 

This is the front of our house.  There is about a 3 foot deep "patio" between the gate and the entrance to the living room.  The only natural light in the living room comes in thru the window and door when we keep the door open, which we like to do often. 

The kids love to play out here, and we can lock the gate so I feel safe with them playing there if I'm doing the dishes.  It also keeps a safer distance between Maria and Orfito if either of them are in a biting mood.

Sunday's and Thursday's are market days, as I have mentioned before, and we live pretty much in the middle of it all.  

There is a little step from our front gate down to the road, and if there is no booth set up in front of our house people make themselves at home on that little step.  

If we decide to keep our door and window open, then we, more often than not, become the fish in the fish bowl.  People have no qualms whatsoever about staring at us.  

I am VERY grateful for the front gate and lock.... if it wasn't there then a bunch of the neighborhood kids (and a few of the adults) would feel free to come and go as they please.  

Maybe it's because I have two small children....

Maybe it's because I don't want to have the stress of having to keep a vigilant eye out for my kids every second of every minute....

Maybe I'm just not that cool neighborhood mom....

but I don't want people in my house, in my space all the time.

So, again, VERY grateful for the gate.

The fish bowl is getting old.

We still have people who come up who are strangers who want to see the us, people who stop and stare for several very long minutes.  

It's worse when we go out.... which I've kind of been avoiding lately.  I prefer to go to the backyard to play with the kids.... away from prying eyes.  If we need something from the store I'll see if Marco wants to go get it.

When my parents were visiting the staring was a.maz.ing.  We went to buy vegetables up the hill and EVERYONE was staring at my Dad.  Eyes would follow him wherever he moved.  People would follow him around (some wanting money, some just wanting to look).  He was Mr. Popular.  I don't think a lot of these people had ever seen a man so big and tall.  Once my Mom, Marco, Cooper, and I went down the hill to see about buying an horno pot and this lady was maybe 3 feet away, staring at us.

Those are just the blatant ones.  Every single time we go out we get comments or looks.  

-oh look at their eyes-

-look at the little girls blond curls-

-oh they've got the pair (meaning we have both a girl and a boy)-

and if I venture out using the stroller there are always comments on that.

I have never been a person that sought the spotlight.... I could never handle being a famous movie star and having people follow your every move.  So.incredibly.annoying.  

Now, for the most part we just live in a fish bowl.... wherever we go people want to look at us.  They, for the most part, keep their distance.  More often than I'd like (I'd really prefer NEVER) people will pet Maria's hair, or squeeze Cooper's cheeks or tweek his nose..... that bothers me.  Unless I know you, don't touch my kids.  People have offered to help me with the kids when I have ended up carrying them both, I always politely decline unless I know their names.  People, for the most part, are very respectful.  Only once have I ever had a problem.  

It was a Sunday after the market was all done.  Marco had gone to his uncle's house to visit while the kids were napping.  After the kids woke up they  NEEDED to get out of the house so we took a little walk down to the pulperia to get something.... I don't even remember what for now.  There were a few other people ahead of us.  A man came up to us... he was a little intoxicated.... and wanted to hold Cooper.  I said no, and he actually tried to take Cooper out of my arms.  I said no and switched Coop to my other arm.  The man then proceeded to go around to the other side of me and try to pick up Maria.  I picked her up and left.  The shopkeeper did try to tell the man to leave us alone, but he was just too persistent for me.

This whole fish bowl/petting zoo is definitely NOT on my list of good things about being here, but it is part of being here... and I am trying to document our experience as a whole here.