So it turns out that my host family is 95% organically self-sufficient in terms of agriculture/food. Very cool! Here is the breakdown of the food we grow and eat:

• Fruits: mango, papaya, orange, banana all grow on trees in the yard
• Vegetables: peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, onion, lettuce, avocado from the garden
• Carbs: yucca, plantains (and locally made cassava bread) from the fields
• Protein: chicken, peanuts, pork, eggs from the household animals

Cow products including milk and cheese are purchased from nearby neighbors. Honey and coffee is also available via neighbors.

Basically I eat like a queen (and will be eating organic)!

Other Updates:

• My host mother already suggested I live in the vacant house behind theirs in case I can’t find other housing after 3 months; what a relief to know we are on the same page!
• My 23 year old neighbor (the only male in the community to be attending the university) also offered to give me a free ride into Santiago Rodriguez (nearest city) on the weekends when he goes to class. Awesome! Hopefully kind offers like this will help offset my costs of traveling from El Guayabo (which is expensive).
• I’ve noticed that everyone here has very neat, clean sanitary houses. All the kitchens are well-kept. This is very different from Las Tablas.