Things to ponder....

Today was school picture day and I think is went great. I can't wait to see all of the pictures. I took a picture with the 5th grade and the 6th grade. Then we took a joint one. Then there was the whole school picture and later the staff picture.
 After staff meeting Lauren and I went for a run and to do some exercise. When we were outside wrapping it up there was this little boy on a bicycle riding by. He said something and then I asked him if he spoke English and he kept going. Lauren and I were chatting and we saw him go over to the dumpsters and dig through it. Lauren wanted to go over and talk to him. (Really I did the talking since she doesn't speak Portuguese yet). We asked him what he was looking for and he told me toys and what not. I asked him where he lived and he pointed to this tree I know---it commonly has people living under it. He said that he lives there with his mom and 9 brothers and sisters! Woh! Lauren told him to please stop digging in the trash and that she wanted to give him some food. He said ok. We both went back to our apartments and came back with some things we had. He was grateful. He asked what religion we were. I told him that we are Christians and he said that he is too. That was great. We chatted with him for awhile and then Lauren said she wanted to pray for him. She prayed and then I told him what she said. One part in her prayer was about how this experience can help him to help others and tell them his story. He said, "Like a missonary?" I said, "Maybe." He said, "I want to be a missionary." Awww. He went to the tree where his family was. Lauren and I were saying goodbye when he came back with his puppy. It was a cute, energetic little dog, but it has a swollen belly and felt like it had something wrong with it's fur. Sad. He asked us if we could teach him English and we said yes. The words he did know in English were good, no strong accent. I felt bad for him. He said that he goes to school every once in awhile depending on where they live. Things like this break my heart.
  Please pray that I get more opportunities to talk to him, his name is Isaac. He is a sweet kid. My heart goes out to kids living in situations that they cannot control. I did not get to talk to or see the rest of his family tonight, but pray for them also.
  Por amor de ti, Brasil! (For the love of you, Brasil.) On Saturday I saw lots of people trying to sell candies and gum dragging their kids behind them. Help me be effective God.

Sooo bummed!

  So last night myself and another teacher, Lauren, were invited to have dinner at another teacher's house. They live kind of far and have this great big house. While taking a tour their teenagers asked us if we wanted to feed the monkeys. Monkeys? We went in their backyard and there were monkeys in their mango tree. One of the teenagers grabbed a banana and started to cut it up and asked if we wanted to try it. Lauren asked if they were going to bite. They told us no, but that they would grab your hand for the banana. Lauren tried it and I stood by to take pictures. As she was standing there a monkey came down and gently grabbed the banana out of her hand and ate it. It was soooo cute! These monkeys are called 'micu' and have a long furry tail and are small monkeys. I then started to feed the monkeys and it was the coolest experience ever! There were 3 bigger monkeys and a baby. We feed them for awhile and I took pictures and videos of the whole experience. One of the teenagers even got a monkey to lay on his arm for a banana. Then we are starfruit from another tree in their yard. I felt like I was living a cool Brazilian experience. This family has a great view of the famous JK Bridge here. I took lots of pictures. When we went into the house I wanted to see my videos and turn the sound on. I hit the menu button and was talking to someone and ERASED ALL OF THE PICTURES! AHHHH!!! I was sooooo depressed for the rest of the night. I found a couple of websites that allow you to recover deleted pictures and it cost $40. I am thinking it is worth it for those pictures...I just don't have an external card reader, which apparently I need. I want those pictures....so sad.
  In other news...working on my newsletter and my washing machine keeps leaking!

Quick update

  Well it has been a little while since I have posted....I just feel like there is sooo much going on around here! I wonder if I will ever have moments to breathe. Last week at staff devotions someone said 'we have more time here than we ever did in the states'....I was thinking, 'huh?' I feel so rushed all the time! Last Wednesday my doorman said to me, "You never stop do you?" It is true. I get up in the morning to catch the bus and then am at school all day and I run home and then run out again to either eat dinner at someone's house or something. So crazy. I do love life here, but I wish I had more time to explore the city.
  Last week I met some great teachers who teach at EAB, Escola Americano do Brasilia (The American School), at church. Get this! There is a couple who is from San Marcos, Ca (Vanessa) and Encinitas, Ca (Mark)! Such a small world! She went to Tri-City Christian and they met at Bible School. They married and lived in Columbia for 2 years. They have been in Brasilia since July. Nice couple. There is a growth group(Bible study) near my apartment that is great! It is sooo nice to have great fellowship and in English! Such sweet people. I am truly enjoying my time here.
   On Friday after school I went to get a manicure and pedicure with some other teachers. It was nice and dirt cheap. On Saturday we went to the Bridal shower of one of our coworkers. Here was an interesting thing--in Brazil at a shower, they ask you questions that they already asked your fiancee, and if you get them wrong they get to mark on you! It was crazy! Poor Raquel looked a mess!
  Well there is my quick update.....
Pictures:
My first Brazilian rainbow; some familiar items; the lake; "The signal of life"; Raquel at her Bridal Shower (great unibrow, eh?); manicures and pedicures; my pedicured feet with new sandals

Food and Fellowship

  Our two other teachers, Stephanie and Lauren, came on Wednesday. On Wednesday night we all went out to Pizza a Bessa, which is an all-you-can-eat pizza restaurant. They walk around with all different kinds and you say yes or no. It was good.
  On Friday night, we went out as staff with families to the Brazilian BBQ restaurant (Churrascaria). Talk about gluttony! It was soooo good! All the meat you can eat---all different kinds. Their garlic bread was out of this world! To get to the restuarant we took the subway and it was rush hour so we were packed in there like sardines! Kind of funny.
  School is going okay--the kids are trying to get away with all sorts of murder, but I squashed that quick. I am glad it is the weekend!
  I have a lot of planning to do for next week...plan plan plan....this is my life.

The above photos are: the gang at Pizza Bessa; dessert pizza (yum); Josh asking for yummy garlic bread and cheese at the Churrascaria, meat; a plate of meat; Maggie and the amazing pineapple; and me and my students

First Day of Teaching...

  Today was my first day and I got all cute in pink and black, but professional looking. I took a taxi with one of the other teachers this morning. I went to staff devos and it was about desiring to do God's Will.
  My students were a bit wild today, but are learning about my classroom management styles. I have some very cute and bright students. I have students from South Africa, England (I love his accent), Spain (another favorite), Kuwait, etc etc. What a mix! They were pretty good though. I have one that is going to be a pill to change...I guess I should start with changing where he sits...LOL. My students kept interrupting me today to ask me personal questions---a little annoying. At recess they all said that I look 15. Funny. Later they asked me to speak Japanese too.
  The shortest period of the day was lunch--it went by so fast. Standing all day was hard too....blame it on the cute shoes. After school I was taken to get some pictures taken for my Brazilian work card, etc. After that I was going to go shopping for an alarm clock and some other things. Travis and I were debriefing about our first day of teaching split classes in his classroom when I was summoned to leave for shopping. We get all the way to the parking lot of the store and I realize that I left my purse in Travis' classroom! Ahhhh! The people I was with, were gracious enough to buy all of my stuff and let me pay them later. I felt soooo dumb!
   After shopping us single teachers ate dinner and dessert at Maggie's, it was fun. I now need to shower and get ready for bed! Tchau!

A rainy Sunday!

When I think about today I smile because of the bizareness of it all. I got picked up to go to International Baptist Church of Brasilia. I first attended Sunday school and it was great! They just started the book of Luke. The way he led and laid out the foundations was amazing. It was very informative. Church was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. I have to admit that I had low expecations, but it was very well done. Great worship music, too. Here is my funny story...well I guess I have two. Towards the end of the service they asked in English, if there were any new visitors. I was sitting next to Travis, a teacher at my school, and it was our first time there. We started to argue about who was going to raise their hand first. Then the man asked the same question, but in Portuguese and we both raised our hands. In Portuguese he said, "We have one couple there." It can mean a couple of people or a married couple. I quickly yelled, "No, no, we're not." in Portuguese. Travis doesn't speak Portuguese so he was lost. I could not stop laughing and he was asking me what was going on. I told him, "Well now everyone thinks we are a married couple." He said, "What? Okay, we can stay married until I find someone else." Ouch. He doesn't want to be married to me. Laugh out loud. It was funny then the other teachers from the school started congratulating us on our marriage. One even went as far as to say it was 'prophetic'. Oh geez. As much as I liked the international church, I also would like to attend a Brazilian one. So far I have met lots of foreigners, but I want to meet Brazilians.


After church I went out with 2 families to an all you can eat Brazilian restaurant where you pay by how much your plate weighs. It was good, but it was in a make-shift building...it didn't have real walls and it started to pour sheets and sheets! The wind picked up too and the next thing we know we are trying to eat in the rain! It was nuts and funny! One of the families was supposed to take me shopping, but the rain was too crazy so we postponed it. They did take me to the grocery store though.

The rest of the evening I spent with Maggie, the teacher who fractured her ankle yesterday. We watched movies and chatted. The admin from our school brought her over dinner and DVD's. That was nice of them.

I had a milestone today! I walked from Maggie's apartment to mine, by myself at midnight! I have to admit I was a bit scared, but I found my way! I now feel like I can take on the city...well at least a little section of it.

Tonight I was hit by the awesomeness of God. I always knew that, but to look at my life and where I have been and where I am going, I am truly amazed and overwhelmed. I pray that He will always been glorified in my life.

Tomorrow is Brazil's Independence Day and I was invited to hike with a family from the school...we will see about the weather. I need to do more lesson planning too.

The above photos are: The church; the married couple; the roof with the rain at the restaurant; and Jill and I hiding from the rain....

I have arrived!

  Yes, I am in Brasilia, Brasil...when I arrived it felt like a dream and that it wasn't real. I needed a BIG pinch. You see, this has been a LONG time coming...and the fact that I am actually here is a testimony to God's greatness and plan. I serve a GREAT GOD.
  I caught all of my flights just fine with no long layovers. By the time I got to Sao Paulo I was starting to get a bit crabby from the lack of sleep and good food. Once I reached Brasilia I was running on pure adrenaline! I was so excited and taking pictures of everything. I was taken to the school after being picked up from the airport. I took a tour of the school and my new students were very happy to meet me. As I met the other students in the school, they were also happy to meet me. It felt like coming home.
     After hanging out at the school I was taken to my apartment. The apartment that I am living in was originally saved for a family that is coming, but since they are still waiting on some paperwork I am the new tenant until they come. It is a very big apartment, with 3 bedrooms. It is near some stores and a major road. Speaking of major roads--the driving her perplexes me. It looks like organized chaos! It would be ideal to have a car, but I am not sure I would be able to catch on so quickly. They have a lot of roundabouts here.
  After freshening up I went out to dinner with some folks. We went to this great all you can eat chicken restaurant. There was also rice, potato salad, polenta fries, salad, etc. Yum! The desserts were really good too.
  Today I went to the school to discuss where the current teacher was in curriculum. I got right down to business with lesson planning. I am so excited to start teaching. Can't wait! After planning I was supposed to get together with another teacher, but she fractured her ankle today. Yikes. I ended up walking down towards the shops on my street. Unfortunately pretty much everything was closed. I did eat at this nice restaurant by myself. I had a piece of steak, rice, a fried egg, beans, and a salad plus a drink for about $10 USD. It was pretty good. The meat didn't quite have the flavor I was looking for, but was okay.
  Random things--I managed to lock myself in the bathroom yesterday--fun. I also had a hard time unlocking my house and using the elevator..so random. On the flight from Sao Paulo to Brasilia I was given this snack and I assumed it was strawberry cookies and I opened one to lick the cream out....and it was a ham paste! Talk about shocking your taste buds! Yikes! Never again. I have also been eaten by some bugs already--not looking forward to that. It has been raining too and it is rare for this time of the year is what I have been told.
  I am really enjoying life here--it just feels so right. Tomorrow I will be going to the international church with everyone and then someone is taking me shopping at Walmart and Sam's Club. I need to go make my list...tchau tchau...
  Contending for the faith!