Bienvenido

I’m not sure what the custom for baby showers is in Central American countries. But next week I (with the help of my neighbors) will be showing two young women from Guatemala and El Salvador how we do it here. I’ve never given a baby shower, so it will be a learning experience for me too!

I had toyed with the idea of having a shower for Glenda, the recipient of the RAK sewing machine. But I pictured her by herself in the midst of a bunch of gringos all older than her grandmother and decided she needed to bring along a friend. So the shower will be for Glenda and Lorena, due on January 19th and 15th respectively. They are both having little girls.

When I mentioned the idea of a shower and asked if they needed anything, they initially both said no and seemed very shy. But as we talked about it and they talked to each other, I could see they were warming up to the idea. So we agreed on a date and I asked them to think about what they might need.

Will we play those stupid games? I don’t think an American baby shower would be complete without at least one game. We will have to find one that can be explained in a way they can understand.

We will need a cake with at least “Bienvenido” on top. Maybe two little angels. Lots of pink gooey frosting. Perhaps some decorated sugar cookies. And punch – that kind with the ginger ale and sherbet.

We must get the invitations out quickly since the shower is only 5 days away. Time is of the essence since their babies will be arriving in just a couple of weeks.

I invited Angelina, the 20-something woman from Guatemala who cleans our house. She will bring her adorable 6-year-old daughter as well. I hope she can become a mentor for these two girls as they embark on this new phase of their life in their recently adopted country. She has first-hand knowledge of what they are going through and has proven that immigrants can be successful with hard work.

What to get them for gifts? Not even looking at their list, I’m sure they could use clothes, blankets, diapers, books in both languages, toys, and so much other baby periphernalia.

This may not be the model baby shower, but it will undoubtedly be the only one given by Americans in honor of their daughters! It will be a cross-cultural experience.