The People

The house I work on is a Queen Anne Victorian style house- complete with a turret, servant staircases, floors that creek, and cut up ceilings. It is the real deal.

My host family has been a pleasure. K is a civil engineer and a level two paint inspector. He’s a cyclist and makes art out of recycled bicycle parts. He knows the history of every bridge in the area and makes a killer vegetarian chili. 

M, K’s partner, is a social worker who works with teens with special needs. She takes pride in her New York upbringing, Latina roots, and color schemes. You can tell when she's made the coffee in the morning: extra strong. 

B, their son, is enthusiastic, friendly, and a part of an up and coming band in Philly’s music scene. I went with him to his high school's senior production of High School Musical.

Also living with us is another Workaway volunteer, E, who hails from the intersection of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It boggles my mind when she speaks of casual day trips from France to the Swiss Alps and back again. It’s her first time to the U.S. and is using this opportunity to practice her English.

Finally, Ginger and Barbara are the resident cats. Ginger is a large, orange guy with a distinct curly-Q tail. Barbara is a sphinx-y young tabby who enjoys terrorizing wildlife who, to her, belong in the house- whatever degree-of-alive.

I am happy to include such great human beings (and felines) in my account of this adventure. 

May 22nd, 2019