There is a house behind my host family´s house that is totally out of place here in Xela. In a neighborhood of single story cement buildings attached to one another is an ornate white wood mansion that takes up about half the block and is surrounded by a large fence. It has a huge For Sale sign on the front and appears to be abandoned. I wondered about it, but never remembered to ask anyone.
Last night as we were walking home from going out to dinner, my host mom headed towards the gates of that house. I asked her what she was doing, and she said we were going to go to Socrates and Pelusa´s house (those are the names of her two dogs). I laughed thinking it was a cute joke because there were two similar sized dogs barking from behind the gates, but she pulled her keys out of her pocket and opened the gate! We walked in and were greeted by her dogs. She explained that her husband´s family owns the house, but is trying to sell it. I was really shocked, but to her it was no big deal and she didn´t say much else and we just cut through the mansion grounds back to our house.
I told my teacher about it at school today, and she said it´s pretty well known that the family has been trying to sell the place for a long time. She also said the inside is totally furnished with colonial antiques. She suggested I ask my mom for a tour. Hopefully, I´ll get the guts to ask and will see the inside!
