First Day in Brazil....Back track

Jan. 22nd Thursday- Jan 23rd. Friday(Day of Traveling and Arrival)

I was gonna blog on the website and this is just a copy pasted from word because Atlanta international airport charges $8 to use WiFi…lame! Anyway, I woke up at six this morning to get all my things ready to go to LAX. It was kinda weird but it was really hard for me to get sad about leaving. I haven’t really cried at all to be honest which is quite rare considering I’m quite emotional. haha I guess I just have had a lot going on preparing to leave and haven’t really thought too much about it. Also, how are you suppose to measure five months. In my mind I’m gonna see everyone tomorrow. So my plane rides went wonderful. On the plane from Atlanta to Recife I sat next to a girl who was from Brazil but had gone to school in the US for the last year. We became good friends in such a short time. She translated for me while people tried to tell me things. One thing about Brazilians I find is amazing is there openness and friendly domineer all the time. Just being on the plane three different people handed me there business cards and asked to keep in touch during the months I will be in Brazil. Getting off the plane was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. The leader from my YWAM base had forgotten to pick me up so when I got off the plane there was no one there. I sat down for awhile thinking they could just be late, but then realized I should probably call someone. My cell phone didn’t work nor did my WiFi on my computer. So I walked up and down the terminal trying to read signs in Portugese forever till finally I decided to find a currency exchange and just use a pay phone. I had to get a calling card to use a pay phone so I bought one and then coordinated through calling my mom in tears of frustration and hearing a familiar voice speaking English to me and called my base to figure out what was going on. There ended up being a miscommunication, as I have heard is very common in YWAM, and someone was on there way to pick me up.

As I rode in the car on the way to my base from the airport I watched a crazy chaotic city go by me which reminded me soooo much of mexico but more crowded if that even possible. When I got to my base I was introduced to tons of people and only one was from the US and only spoke English. It was quite intimidating walking into a room full of people and only two speaking the same language. At first I felt I made a huge mistake coming here. It was very hard to not want to take the easy road and go to an English speaking base. When I am open to learn people will be open to teach me and that is exactly what has happened. Brazilians are such friendly people and so open to help in whatever way possible. I room with four Brazilian girls and none speak English just a few words here and there. its very difficult to communicate the tiniest phrases such as “ leave the lights on” etc.. but we make do and try to understand each other. I have had everyone from my DTS personally introduce themselves and genuinely interested in my life. I am super home sick but its really awesome being in a place that is so warm. The people are just like the weather J