NOSSA! It has already been over a month since my last update... Sorry! Time feels so much faster here. I can already see how this year is going to fly by. I mean, I have been here for two months, and now there are only 8 or 9 months left! That statement already makes me feel anxious... I can't image how I'll be at the 9 month check point.
So many things to catch everyone up on!
1. MARAGOGI!
At the end of August, all the exchange students in my district were piled into a bus to travel to a city called Maragogi. This part was fantastic. As each person entered the bus, we drilled the question, "Where are you from?" and with each response, there was a corresponding cheer from the people of the same country. As we drove over speed bumps and through the mountains, everyone was too excited to sit in any type of confined space, so we stood in the aisles, or sat on laps, or sat on the floor, or held onto anything in sight. Being that the buses here have no shocks whatsoever, we were thrown all over each other. At one point I went to wash my hands in the bathroom and I hit my head on the ceiling from such a big bump.
I had thought that Brazilians were outgoing and loud, but in a bus-full of exchange students you can't even hear anyone clap their hands. We just couldn't get enough of each other. We made the Europeans try peanut butter and laughed at the awkward stories of the struggles of learning a new language. The 6 hour bus ride down the coast felt like a short trip across town, and before we knew it, we had already arrived.
Well, being as amazing as Rotary is, we arrived in paradise. As we unloaded the bus, we walked into an area surrounded by palm trees, adorable little cottages (which ended up being our hotels), hammocks, and a beach more beautiful than any I have ever seen before. I don't know if this means I'm crazy, but it was so beautiful that I wanted to throw my hands in the air, run circles around the area, and scream how happy I was. So I only did what I thought was acceptable: scream and run circles around our little cottage.
Turns out, there are 10 people from the United States in our district! There was Florida, California,
Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Iowa, two from New York, and two
Minnesotans! By the end of the weekend we all struggled to remember each other's names because we had only called each other names like Mr. Colorado or Mrs. Minnesota.
I absolutely adored that weekend. THANK YOU ROTARY!
2. My Amazing Family
My love for Brazil is a definite reflection of my wonderful host family. I live with my host mom and host dad, but I also have a sister doing an exchange in Red Wing and two sisters that are married and out of the house. OH, and I cannot forget my ADORABLE nephews. I feel so blessed to have been given such an caring, fun, loving family.
My host mom does so much for me. Not only is she is always taking me wherever I'd like to go, at any time of day or night, but she is constantly trying to help me. She sits with me in the car before going inside until I figure out how to say a Portuguese sentence. She uses a Portuguese word in as many sentences as I need to figure out the translation. If I have things that I want to do on exchange, she is my number one supporter, and she helps me make things happen. When we drive to school, she teaches me "O Pai Nosso" or, the English name, "The Lords Prayer." Above all, she always listens to me. Her patience inspires me.
3. Skype Home
My host sister, Paula, is an exchange student in Red Wing which is about an hour from my house in the United States. A couple weeks ago, she was able to stay the weekend with my family. It's strange, but knowing this made me "morrer de felicidade!" She was able to see my town, my family, my room, my dog, my friends, and do our "typical family things" like playing spoons and taking the kayaks down the river. On her last day with my family, we were able to skype them. It was one of those moments when you feel like saying, "I love life." To have our families speak together in two different languages across the computer, to see both families happy with the well-being of those at home and those far away, to say the Lords Prayer together in two languages, and to witness the love shared by two families from two different parts of the world. In this moment I realized how lucky I am to be apart of the Rotary program. Our families would never have known each other if it weren't for Rotary, and now I believe that we will have connections together for a lifetime. There will always be a home for both families in the United States and Brazil, and for that I cannot thank Rotary enough.
Goals: Memorize "O Pai Nosso."
To see pictures of Maragogi, my family, school and much more, click on the "Pictures" tab.
