Well its been a while since I’ve written. I am getting more lazy week by week with writing in my blog… I feel like there has been so much that has gone on, but I don’t know how to put it in words, none the less words that people actually want to read. So here goes my attempt.
I am liking my host family a lot. Especially my two brothers. There is Lukas, who is 12, and Marcelo, who is 14. They are pretty down to earth and just really fun. I have a big connection with them. We played video games for hours the other day, they are teaching my how to play ping-pong (and I really am getting better!), and we had a huge water fight and all ended up soaking wet. I have laughed so hard with my bros! It has been great. My host mom is also really great. Her name is Patricia and she is very sweet. I already feel comfortable with asking her anything if I need something. I like my host dad Robson, although he is the only one in the family I don’t have a connection with. The only thing that is hard in this family is that they are much more strict then my other host family. This has been a really hard thing for me living here in Brasil. Even with my other family too. I was at a stage in life back home where I just wanted to live my own life and make my own decisions. I had so much more freedom the last year or two back in CO. Many times I wonder, “Why did I put myself under the authority of a family again?” I understand that my family here is responsible for me, and that Belo Horizonte is a big and can be very dangerous city. So they are not being unreasonable with their rules, its just that I don’t like them. It has been hard, but it also has been a good lesson to continue to humble myself and be ok with what my host parents say even if it is not what I want. God continuously has His ways of keeping me humble and selfless.
Friday November 21st was my last day of school at Frei Orlando. Yes, I am now in summer break! Right before I left, I was sitting with Jessica and she started crying and wrote me a really sweet note. Yes, I am going to miss not seeing them at school every day, but I reassured her that we will hang out. This is not the end of a friendship, we may not see each other as much, but that doesn’t make me love her any less. I never realized how much of an impact I had made on her life until she gave me that note, it really was a blessing for me. But I know that it was not what I did. Because there were so, so, so, many times where I messed up and where I was not a good example and where I did not shine for Christ. It was God that touched her through me, and I can give HIM all the praise and glory for that. Thank you Lord for using me as a vessel, even though I am completely messed up, to bless others with YOUR love and grace.
Well about Church, I was going to go last Saturday night, but there ended up having a wedding so they didn’t have church. And Sunday I went to Feira Hippie (this huge fair/market place. Its amazing. There are TONS and TONS of people…) in the morning with my host mom and brother. But this Friday night I am going to the Presbyterian church for the Youth worship night. So I’m pretty excited about that!
Today is my 120th day in Brasil! I cannot believe I have been here for 4 month already…I am almost half way through my year already. I will be here for about 6 months longer. Wow how fast the time has gone…November especially went really really fast. It feels like yesterday that it was the beginning of November. I think there are days missing...I just seems like its going so fast I cannot believe it. It makes me excited and so scared at the same time. I want to use my time here for the best, and sometimes I feel like I've wasted a lot of it. And that scares me. I know its not entirely true. While yes, there has been a lot of wasted time, there has also been a lot of time put to good use. I just pray that I would be able to use the time God has given me for His glory. I would appreciate prayers in that area. Thanks :-)
Well, that’s all for now folks, until next time
-Hope
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
House Swap
Well last night I moved houses. My old family actually threw a little surprise party for me which was really sweet. And when I left Iza started crying when I hugged her. I'm going to miss her. Well I'm at my new house now, and I don't know what to think yet. I am filled with a mixture of emotions. Excitement, nervousness, sadness, missing my old house and family (and my bed, this one is kinda hard and my back is hurting because of it...but my host parents are going to switch it, so its ok).
Well I've been learning that I am a person that needs change in life. Its hard for me to stay in one place for a long time. But at the same time, I was just getting used to everything back in my old house. And now I'm starting new again. I think it will be easier here, in a way, because I can communicate through Portuguese now. But its still hard. I especially miss Iza and my "Brother" Lorran (one of my best friends from school that lives two blocks from my old house). I am going to miss being able to just walk over to his house and watch a movie with a group of people from school. Well, I would appreciate prayer as I enter this new family, and this new side of the city.
I will write a little more later, but for now, this is all I have time for. Thank you all for your prayers it means so much to me.
-Hope
Well I've been learning that I am a person that needs change in life. Its hard for me to stay in one place for a long time. But at the same time, I was just getting used to everything back in my old house. And now I'm starting new again. I think it will be easier here, in a way, because I can communicate through Portuguese now. But its still hard. I especially miss Iza and my "Brother" Lorran (one of my best friends from school that lives two blocks from my old house). I am going to miss being able to just walk over to his house and watch a movie with a group of people from school. Well, I would appreciate prayer as I enter this new family, and this new side of the city.
I will write a little more later, but for now, this is all I have time for. Thank you all for your prayers it means so much to me.
-Hope
Monday, November 3, 2008
almost 100 days
Today is my 98th day in Brazil.
Its crazy to think that I have spent one third of my time here already! It is exciting, sad, scary, all sorts of things. I can see so much progress in the these first months, but I also see how much father I have to go. I am about the change host families which is also very exciting, but at the same time not. I like my family here a lot. They are so great. I know how they work, I know the area around here, and what busses to take. Its like I’m going to start all over again at my next house. The neighborhood that I am in now is called Caiçara and is a ways away from my next host home in the neighborhood Sion. However, Sion is very close to the center of the city, which is where everyone meets and goes out. Down Town here is great. It’s a lot richer and safer, much more clean and has tons of places to go to with friends. That is where all the shopping is, where the huge Sports Club called Minas Tênis Clube is, really where all the cool places are. It is also a lot closer to some good churches! This is great because I hopefully can start worshiping with a church that I know is truly sound and based on the Word. The only hard thing is that I am living with Brasilian Family. I am like a part of their family while I live with them. So at times we go traveling on the weekends or are doing things that I am involved in and so I cannot be as involved in church as I want. But I am hoping with my next family I will have lots of time for Church. I will try to make it clear that it is a very important thing for me. From what I know of them so far, I think it will all be ok.
Well, I have been learning more and more about the cultural differences between Brazilians and Americans. Brazilians are known for their welcoming, always friendly and happy personalities. However, I have seen how this results in very clingy and more selfish centered friendships. For example, when people here have a friend that has a opportunity to move to another country, or go to a better school, instead of being happy for them, they get depressed and wonder why that friend would be so horrible to leave them like alone. I cannot say this for all Brazilians but I have seen in a bit during my time here. For example, right now I am going to a local highschool, it is very boring and honestly a big waste of time for me. I am only now starting to understand the teachers and even then, I don’t have any of the books, I don’t take the tests. I spend lots of time just sitting or sometimes sleeping. I have been reading some and writing some but I can only do that for so much time before I get bored. I love my friends at school, and that’s one of the only profitable things there for me. Well, I have been talking with Rotary about changing schools, about trying to maybe do culinary school or go to university and actually study something that interests me. Just recently I was accepted to a University here to study some courses in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. I am very excited about this opportunity for next year! (here the school year goes from end of Feb to end of Nov. so I will be starting at the beginning of the school year). Well I told me friend at my highschool about it and instead of being happy that I have this opportunity she said how sad she was and that she thought my host mom wanted to ruin our relationship etc. Its something I don’t understand. I will still spent time with her, its not like I am leaving for ever. Ya, I won’t see her in school and that is sad, I will miss that, but she didn’t need to tell me that I should stay in highschool and not embrace this great opportunity because she is very sad about it. These are the small things that make it hard for me to understand this culture and its people.
Well I had another experience at a Brazilian party. It made me never want to go to one again. It was a costume party. I dressed up like a doll with a big dress and pig tails. When I got there I felt quite out of place with the skin tight witch outfits and revealing cat costumes. There were a good 700-800 people there. Everyone was drinking and smoking. The music was blasting. I think I danced for 10 minutes and then left to go sit when the “Funky” came on. (It is repulsive music in my opinion. And it comes along with repulsive dancing). My shoes stuck to the floor because of all the spilled alcohol on it. I had beer down my arm and some vodka drink in my skirt. Me and my friend Verena were the only two people not drinking and some of the only ones not smoking. People were making out and more. I had some good times actually talking with people, although I got asked several times by guys if I had a boyfriend and if they could kiss me. I never got to scared the whole time. I know how to put a guy in his place. But all the guys wanted Verena because she is a tall beautiful blue-eyed short light colored hair German girl. She is a little more timid and doesn’t know how to just say no and walk away from a guy, so the whole time I was rescuing her from drunk Brazilians trying to hit on her. It was an interesting experience, but at least I now feel comfortable with how to handle situations like that. None the less, that was my first and most likely last Brazilian costume party. My type of party is a having 3 friends over, making dinner and watching a movie. A little different then the Brazilian way…
Well on a good note, I have started to become good friends with another exchange student, Morgan, from Alaska. I have had the opportunity to share the gospel with her and talk to her about Christ and how its all about a relationship with Christ not just a list of things to do and not do. She is super open to the Gospel and I think super close to accepting Christ. I would appreciate it if you could keep her in your prayers. Pray that Christ would draw her heart towards Him and that He would give me the words to say to her, because I know it is Him and not me that will draw her into the kingdom.
Please continue to pray that I will be able to find my nitch, the place where I belong in this city. I think it will be easier when I am fluent in Portuguese. I am getting there, but still have a little ways to go. Please pray that I would seize every opportunity to glorify God in my life here and be a light to those around me. Thank you for your prayers, it means so much. God bless,
Ate proximo vez, (until next time)
-Hope
Its crazy to think that I have spent one third of my time here already! It is exciting, sad, scary, all sorts of things. I can see so much progress in the these first months, but I also see how much father I have to go. I am about the change host families which is also very exciting, but at the same time not. I like my family here a lot. They are so great. I know how they work, I know the area around here, and what busses to take. Its like I’m going to start all over again at my next house. The neighborhood that I am in now is called Caiçara and is a ways away from my next host home in the neighborhood Sion. However, Sion is very close to the center of the city, which is where everyone meets and goes out. Down Town here is great. It’s a lot richer and safer, much more clean and has tons of places to go to with friends. That is where all the shopping is, where the huge Sports Club called Minas Tênis Clube is, really where all the cool places are. It is also a lot closer to some good churches! This is great because I hopefully can start worshiping with a church that I know is truly sound and based on the Word. The only hard thing is that I am living with Brasilian Family. I am like a part of their family while I live with them. So at times we go traveling on the weekends or are doing things that I am involved in and so I cannot be as involved in church as I want. But I am hoping with my next family I will have lots of time for Church. I will try to make it clear that it is a very important thing for me. From what I know of them so far, I think it will all be ok.
Well, I have been learning more and more about the cultural differences between Brazilians and Americans. Brazilians are known for their welcoming, always friendly and happy personalities. However, I have seen how this results in very clingy and more selfish centered friendships. For example, when people here have a friend that has a opportunity to move to another country, or go to a better school, instead of being happy for them, they get depressed and wonder why that friend would be so horrible to leave them like alone. I cannot say this for all Brazilians but I have seen in a bit during my time here. For example, right now I am going to a local highschool, it is very boring and honestly a big waste of time for me. I am only now starting to understand the teachers and even then, I don’t have any of the books, I don’t take the tests. I spend lots of time just sitting or sometimes sleeping. I have been reading some and writing some but I can only do that for so much time before I get bored. I love my friends at school, and that’s one of the only profitable things there for me. Well, I have been talking with Rotary about changing schools, about trying to maybe do culinary school or go to university and actually study something that interests me. Just recently I was accepted to a University here to study some courses in Nutrition and Culinary Arts. I am very excited about this opportunity for next year! (here the school year goes from end of Feb to end of Nov. so I will be starting at the beginning of the school year). Well I told me friend at my highschool about it and instead of being happy that I have this opportunity she said how sad she was and that she thought my host mom wanted to ruin our relationship etc. Its something I don’t understand. I will still spent time with her, its not like I am leaving for ever. Ya, I won’t see her in school and that is sad, I will miss that, but she didn’t need to tell me that I should stay in highschool and not embrace this great opportunity because she is very sad about it. These are the small things that make it hard for me to understand this culture and its people.
Well I had another experience at a Brazilian party. It made me never want to go to one again. It was a costume party. I dressed up like a doll with a big dress and pig tails. When I got there I felt quite out of place with the skin tight witch outfits and revealing cat costumes. There were a good 700-800 people there. Everyone was drinking and smoking. The music was blasting. I think I danced for 10 minutes and then left to go sit when the “Funky” came on. (It is repulsive music in my opinion. And it comes along with repulsive dancing). My shoes stuck to the floor because of all the spilled alcohol on it. I had beer down my arm and some vodka drink in my skirt. Me and my friend Verena were the only two people not drinking and some of the only ones not smoking. People were making out and more. I had some good times actually talking with people, although I got asked several times by guys if I had a boyfriend and if they could kiss me. I never got to scared the whole time. I know how to put a guy in his place. But all the guys wanted Verena because she is a tall beautiful blue-eyed short light colored hair German girl. She is a little more timid and doesn’t know how to just say no and walk away from a guy, so the whole time I was rescuing her from drunk Brazilians trying to hit on her. It was an interesting experience, but at least I now feel comfortable with how to handle situations like that. None the less, that was my first and most likely last Brazilian costume party. My type of party is a having 3 friends over, making dinner and watching a movie. A little different then the Brazilian way…
Well on a good note, I have started to become good friends with another exchange student, Morgan, from Alaska. I have had the opportunity to share the gospel with her and talk to her about Christ and how its all about a relationship with Christ not just a list of things to do and not do. She is super open to the Gospel and I think super close to accepting Christ. I would appreciate it if you could keep her in your prayers. Pray that Christ would draw her heart towards Him and that He would give me the words to say to her, because I know it is Him and not me that will draw her into the kingdom.
Please continue to pray that I will be able to find my nitch, the place where I belong in this city. I think it will be easier when I am fluent in Portuguese. I am getting there, but still have a little ways to go. Please pray that I would seize every opportunity to glorify God in my life here and be a light to those around me. Thank you for your prayers, it means so much. God bless,
Ate proximo vez, (until next time)
-Hope
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