There's no place like home

While times are getting better here, it still doesn’t feel like home. At times I feel like this whole adventure isn’t a section of my life, but rather a stop in my life until I return home. At times I feel like an astronaut, the world keeps turning and the people keep living, but I’m just looking on through a window in outer space. Its not like that always, only sometimes, but its hard to find my life here, where I belong, where I fit in.

The days go so slow, dragging on from one hour to the next, but the months pass by so fast like the cold days here in Brasil. I have already met my knew host family and I am going to change in a couple weeks now. Wow, come the 26th of October, I will have been here for three months! To think I only have 7 or 8 more is just ridiculous! I think back to what I have gotten accomplished here. I have learned so much, but I want to start getting into action more! I want to get really involved in a church, but I need to find one that I can trust. This is something for sure to be praying for. I want to get involved in some kind of ministry. All of the opportunities I have had are on days that are not available for me. I think the best thing is to get connected with a church and then help with some ministries within that church. That is probably my biggest prayer request right now. I think if I can do this, I can truly start finding my place in this huge city, in this strange country.

I have been learning a lot about Brazilian culture, Brazilian people, and Brazilian salaries. The people here are so very friendly and always have a good face on. They are very hospitable with their friends and to guests. They never leave you outside the group. But on the other extreme, there really is no sense of service when it comes to jobs. You have to push and push to get anyone to help you. Its really interesting to see the great extremes between different parts of life. Lots of times I feel a big fakeness about it all. Its easy to make friends here in Brazil, but its hard to get to know people for who they really are. People would love to have thousands of friends and go out to clubs and dance all night, but when it comes to truly knowing the heart of something, Brazilians for the most part are very blocked off. I have made two good friends here, and still I don’t know how well I really know them. Another thing about Brazilians is that there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor, and the rich like to make sure everyone knows they are rich. Its so sad because there are a few with tons of money that keep it all for themselves. Then there are the many many poor people. The gap is like the Grand Canyon. Securing the rich with a sense of comfort on one side and dooming the poor with hopelessness on the other. I want to help. It is all so different here then in America. All the families that have any money have both parents working full time jobs. My host mom has three jobs and works all the time! My host dad is gone every other week traveling and when he is home is works every day all day long. Minimum wage is something ridiculously small. I made more money in one week working at Wild Horse Gourmet, then the maid does at my house in one month who cleans and cooks every single week day from 6:30 am until sometimes 9 or 10 pm. Yes she lives in this house for free and she gets a month of vacation, but it still is such a small amount. Its truly humbling.

Well, this post is a little shorter. I will post again soon, I am going to a big party this weekend, so I am sure I will have lots to say about that. Well it will give you something to look forward too. Until then my friends,

-Hope