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