only in brazil...

do i sweat while doing homework.
It makes me appreciate air condictioning SO much more.

as the end comes near...

With one week left in my first semester here in Brazil, it really has me thinking. Not only has this trip helped my portuguese so much, but has created an environment in which I have learned more about myself. Many times it can be easy to get into a routine with your friends, family, and coworkers in which you think you are doing things for yourself, but really are doing them because it is what other people want or what other people do. With basically nobody who speaks english in salvador (im not kidding guys...) it has been super easy to really think about who I am, and what I want to do. During our final reentry orientation today, one of my program directors told us to always remember to do what we want, do what makes US happy. Do not work or do things for other people. It will leave you miserable and wondering where you are when you are 35. You should be happy with your successful career and family. But your yearing for something else.
Personally this is something I have struggled with for all of my life. I wanted to see other people in my family happy, and in order to do that, I did what THEY wanted. NOT  what I wanted.

I shall leave yall with a song that I think is highly under-rated. Not necessarily for its musical quality, but I do think it is a good, but for the message it gives. Watch it several times. pay close attention to the words, the scenes, and actually digest them. It can be scary sometimes to step out of your safe zone. But I believe when you do, the results you find are much more rewarding.

"Firework" 
ACTUALLY, i am going to close out with this picture of me playing capoeira (brazilian style karate), since ive been doing a lot more ranting than Brazil telling lately. I am right by the beach in front of one of the famous lighthouses (not visable in this photo)

its raining, its pouring...everyone is snoring

So i might have mentioned it before, but i do not feel like looking back though all my posts to see. Plus this is something super true about brazil. When it rains, nobody goes ANYWHERE. It is basically an unplanned holiday. The only reason I left my house today was becasue I thought it was the last day of my class. Just my luck, I still have one more class thursday.

Dirty little secret.

My host mom just got back from a trip to Rio.

When I came in, she was fuming because her daughter had left all of the clean clothes out for 5 days hanging to dry. I decided not to tell her that a couple of days before I came home and half the clothes where on the ground drying becasue there was no more room on the line. I picked them up, washed them again, and folded the clothes that were dry on the line.

there are truly good people in this world...

Igreja do Bomfim (Church of the Good Ending)

Living in a place like Brazil where 9/10th of the guys whistle or hollar at you, or where rich people look down at you because your not rich and poor people hate you because you have money, it can be easy to loose faith in the pure goodness of a person. It is espically difficult for people to treat you as an equal as soon as they find out you are American- there are so many folks here that want to use you, because of the power of my citizenship (yes, I have been "proposed" to, a fake marriage so they can get the american citizenship, and money in exchange). That I felt it necessary to talk about two people. The first ones name is Thiago. That is all I know.

When my friend Jess was here in salvador visiting, we went to the most famous church here, the Church of Bomfim (literally, bomfim= good ending). After a 2 hour long bus ride (that took all of 45 min on the way back, gotta love Salvador traffic) as we were walking to the church, I stubbed my toe. Kinda bad. When I got a better change to look at it, all of the skin was gone. For those of you who know my, I brushed it off, and continued walking, blood gushing and in pain. I figured the sooner we saw the church the sooner I got home, and the quicker i could take care of my toe. Well as it turns out, I am NOT super-woman, and finally caved in to ask a man working at the church where the bathroom was. He told me there was not one (Yay hundreds of year old churchs!) but when I showed him my toe, he told me to wait.

 He ran and got me some water and alchool, and washed my foot off. He then told me and Jess that his shift was over and that if we could wait, he would go to the nearest drugstore to buy band-aids, medicine, ect. He refused to take our money, sawing we could pay him later. (note:this is very uncommon in brazil. generally if people go get you stuff, they want the money upfront. and you are always running the risk of them taking off with said money)
when he arrived, he told us it would be better if we went to his house, where he could wash off my foot and talk better care of it. I balked at that idea. I am no dum-dum. At this point he knew we were americans, AND more importantly, you dont go into strangers homes. He realized how this sounded, and explained as a functionary of the church, he lived in church property. He said he really only wanted to help, and could understand why we were hestitate to accept his help. He said we would only go in the first room, and he would leave both doors open.

When we walked in, he set up a mini doctors office, including gloves and sterile cloth. As he was cleaning my wound, he told us how he liked the outdoors, and therefore had taken several classes in first aid, triage, ect. We talked a little about how it was sad that Jess and I had to be so cautious about him helping us. After he bandaged me up, and told me what else I should buy and do to take care of my toe, he told us to come back whenever and visit him and his wife.

On top of that, the next day, a friend of mine on facebook commented on how beautiful I looked in a photo (note, beautiful not sexy). When I later was talking with him, I had to finally say that he wasn't gonna get anything, blah blah blah. And he said, no, he only wanted to be friends with me. He just thinks that people do not appericate beauty in life enough, and that when he think someone looks nice, he tells then.

So these two events have really made me feel better as a person in genearal, and have renewed my faith in mankind. so to speak. I know this was a very long post, but i felt it important to share. I also feel that one of the best ways to thank people like these two is to not thank them, but got out of your way to help another. It is like that movie, Pay it Forward, which is really the first time this idea came into my head.

So, as we get into the Christmas season, do me a favor. Pass it on. Pay it forward. Give a random act of kindness.

fail of a day

I was supposted to go to my friends craft sale. fail
I was supposted to go talk with the director of my program. fail.
I got second-hand sprayed by pepper spray. MAJOR FAIL
I was supposted to chill with Cristal tonight, instead shes not speaking to me know. FML

And now Ive got a bad tummy ache. Guys, I am so ready to go back to the states for a break.

end of semester-itis

Its here.
totally done with all of my papers, just two more easy presentations to go.
YES, i shall be hitting up the clubs this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!
:)

New Week

Gente,
I am feeling awesome today. I woke up early, even before my 8:30 alarm. I have a brazilian breakfast- a small coffee, butter on toast and a banana- and then went on a run from basically campo grande to farol da barra, or for my american friends, I ran about an hour. I believe it is because I finally finished one of my projects for this week. It can seem so daunting when you have all of these projects, and although your working on them, until you complete something, you feel like your getting no where. So one presentation down, one more to go, 3 more papers to write and then I am DONE with this semester!!!! (I gave up on actually reading the Jorge Armado book, it is just to difficult for my level of Portuguese, because it is written in colloquial early 20th century portuguese. To give yall an example, it would be a book that is on the AP Lit test. I saw the movie, and read a 1/4 of the book, so I am gonna spark note it and go from there. I really wanted to read the book correctly, but I just have not had enough time. Meanwhile, its only THREE weeks until I leave. I can not believe it. although I am loving Brazil, I cannot wait to go home and take a break. However I know I will be itching to come back by the end of my break there. Wow. Sorry guys, didnt mean to make this so long. Hopefully today I will finish 3 of my papers (all 3 of which I have already started, yay!) and do some more research for my other presentation.
Remember, nothing is too daunting if you break it up into pieces and put your mind to it! lol, I sound like a self-help book. but its true!

This popped up on my google home page today, I thought it was very fitting. :)

http://www.thedontquitpoem.com/

Soo its the end of the semester...

And everythings adding up. Lots of papers and presentations. But its super weird not being able to go to the school library or sit in my dorm with other studnets who are all in the same boat........

I am thankful for...

In lieu of eating til I am sick with my family, I am going to write down who I am thankful for. I find this may be easier working from today back to one year ago. Don´t feel like you have to read it all. It might get boring.

I am thankful for being able to live and study here in Brazil. Not eveyone has this opportunity. I am thankful that my host family is so amazing, and I cannot wait to live another 6 months with them.

I am thankful for old friends, always, but for new friends I have made here, esp. Brazilian friends. And my new best friend, Cristal (who cant speak english...but ya know its the thought that counts.) então vou dizer que menina, tô com muito sorte porque você é minha melhora amiga.

I am thankful for the CIEE staff, who have become my new family and friends here- Flavia, Matteus, Jeferson, Luize and yes even that argentine kid, Rodrigue (i know, killed the spelling. what can i say, its spanish.)

I am thankful that even through my some of my worst experiences here (getting mugged....) I can always look left or right and remember just how much I have.

I am thankful for my loving grandparents, parents, brothers (yes ALL 4 of you) and other relatives. No matter what, I can always look to yall, and know I will have someone to go to.

I am thankful for my health, and that God giving I shall be this healthy to the end of my days.

I am thankful for all of my (old) friends from columbus. It has been dificult living so far apart, but not even time or distance can make us forget how lucky were are to have each other.

I am thankful for all of my tulane/NOLA friends. Yall have only made me grow to love this incredible city even more.

I am thankful for all of our military service men who cannot be their families today. I only know a little bit of that feeling, but trust me, yall are prayed for and loved beyond all you believe. Yall have my utmost respect.

I am thankful for my Roots of Music kids, whom have no idea how inspired they, allison, derrick, or any of the other volunteers have inspired me.

Let me not forget the importants. Dear Lord, I am beyond grateful to have a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in EVERY day of my life.

Mom and Dad, i don´t think I can express enough just what yall mean to me. You are two of the best parents any kid could have every asked for. I love yall very much, and am SO thankful and grateful. I miss yall every day of my life, and no matter where I go or do, I always shall.

there you have it. kinda a tearjerker at some points, at least it was for me. I LOVE YALL!!!
te amo e feliz dia de agradecimentos.