It's my last night in São Paulo. The summer has flown by, of course! It's been a great one, that's for sure. I guess I've been pretty focused on things here - and I've finally realized that I have to switch back into a different disposition. I just remembered I am going to be a senior in college, and I will have to go to class, work, and study. Huh.
Brasil is truly a great country. I love it here! It's not what I thought it would be. It's an beautiful contradiction. It's noisy, graffittied, smoggy and dirty- yet the sunsets are amazing, early Sunday mornings are peaceful, and the sidewalks and campus buildings are cleaned continuously. São Paulo itself is HUGE- especially when you're trying to leave the city- yet the cars are compact, the beds are small and the elevators are tiny. The food is wonderful- America has nothing on Brasilian desserts! I've had some of the best and worst food ever here (thumbs up on the maracujá and brigaderos - thumbs down on the chicken hearts).
I'm excited to go home. I want to see friends, family, and be able to throw my toilet paper in the TOILET. Anyway, it was hard to say good-bye to the Brasilians I've met, but honestly I will be back some day. I could spend a week/month/year here ... right now I need to focus on things at home because thinking about my future might drive me crazy. And I like to joke around about things concerning my future and crusade, and one things I'm learning this summer is I need to lighten up sometimes, but I take any committment's I make to be pretty serious. So I don't want to joke about STINTing here or coming here next summer again. But it's on my mind.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
nice girls.
tonight we had the chance to listen to a recording from henry cloud on dating and relationships. i had the intention of going, but didn't as i was doing some other things before campus tomorrow. Kiki came to our room to talk about it afterwards. we started talking about how women need to put themselves out there more, which I remember posting about a few months ago. we also got to talking about why we haven't dated guys - because we haven't really been pursued.
we came to the conclusion that guys don't want funny girls, they want nice girls. so we took a poll of the guys on project that are dating people, and they all said they are dating nice girls. Granted, of course they are going to say they are dating a nice girl (I would hope). They said they are funny, but they are more nice than anything else. And I think I'm more funny and odd than nice, which is ok with me. we had a lot of other thoughts on this but it's late and i need to get to bed. maybe more later.
we came to the conclusion that guys don't want funny girls, they want nice girls. so we took a poll of the guys on project that are dating people, and they all said they are dating nice girls. Granted, of course they are going to say they are dating a nice girl (I would hope). They said they are funny, but they are more nice than anything else. And I think I'm more funny and odd than nice, which is ok with me. we had a lot of other thoughts on this but it's late and i need to get to bed. maybe more later.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
a million.
that's the number of thoughts running through my head right now. i don't really know what i'm posting as of yet, so bear with me...
My summer in Brasil is almost over. A few nights ago someone said regarding missions work- 'don't go when God says yes, go until he says no.' Holy cow. Definitely not my perception of missions work up until this summer. It's cool to see God changing my heart over missions, and how I can serve him, and what that might look like in the future? ... like the Campus Crusade regional office after graduation. I can't believe I put it in writing - no turning back now! haha...
I need to become better at confronting people when I have an issue or concern or whatever. I do not like drama and try to do anything I can to not have it in my life (usually). Unfortunately that means sacrificing things that I really need to do that are hard but essential for mending relationships, and also making sure my head doesn't explode.
We learned about 'kindred spirits' today - I thought it was kind of corny but I realized that I do have 'em, which is good because I want them very much. It's fun to have both peer relationships that are based on the same thing and working for the same purpose. But I have those mentor relationships, too, where I can be coached and taught and admonished and encouraged. All of which is necessary for my growth as a Christian.
I feel like sometimes I kind of state the obvious...especially on my blog...oh well.
I already said I don't like drama...sometimes I try to just be patient and not let it bug me, but it does and then I get frustrated and don't talk about it until someone else brings it up because I lie to myself that it isn't a big deal. I think situations that suck and are sometimes handled in dramatic ways that just bring attention to the hurting person are not good. It's interesting to see how people react to things when they are outside the situation as opposed to deep in the middle of the situation.
I think that's enough random blogging for one night. one roommie went to bed, the other is not here, so my thoughts are posted as a reminder to me to talk about them later. but if you want to read them, go ahead. :]
My summer in Brasil is almost over. A few nights ago someone said regarding missions work- 'don't go when God says yes, go until he says no.' Holy cow. Definitely not my perception of missions work up until this summer. It's cool to see God changing my heart over missions, and how I can serve him, and what that might look like in the future? ... like the Campus Crusade regional office after graduation. I can't believe I put it in writing - no turning back now! haha...
I need to become better at confronting people when I have an issue or concern or whatever. I do not like drama and try to do anything I can to not have it in my life (usually). Unfortunately that means sacrificing things that I really need to do that are hard but essential for mending relationships, and also making sure my head doesn't explode.
We learned about 'kindred spirits' today - I thought it was kind of corny but I realized that I do have 'em, which is good because I want them very much. It's fun to have both peer relationships that are based on the same thing and working for the same purpose. But I have those mentor relationships, too, where I can be coached and taught and admonished and encouraged. All of which is necessary for my growth as a Christian.
I feel like sometimes I kind of state the obvious...especially on my blog...oh well.
I already said I don't like drama...sometimes I try to just be patient and not let it bug me, but it does and then I get frustrated and don't talk about it until someone else brings it up because I lie to myself that it isn't a big deal. I think situations that suck and are sometimes handled in dramatic ways that just bring attention to the hurting person are not good. It's interesting to see how people react to things when they are outside the situation as opposed to deep in the middle of the situation.
I think that's enough random blogging for one night. one roommie went to bed, the other is not here, so my thoughts are posted as a reminder to me to talk about them later. but if you want to read them, go ahead. :]
Sunday, June 24, 2007
a day around town
Yesterday was pretty great. Megan and I had lunch and a good talk about brasil, leaving here, and the rest of our lives. You know, unimportant stuff. :] After lunch Gustavo and Ian picked up Andy, Trevor and I with the promise of taking us to some sweet souvenior shopping spots. After a 20 minute car ride, we ended up down the street from our hotel! I got some jewelry and the guys got some havienas and t-shirts. Then they took us to a hotel about 1/2 hour away - finally found some green havianas. For supper we went to a sweet Mexican pub down the street from our hotel. It was kind of expensive, but so nice to go somewhere that didn't serve fries, rice and beans (just refried).
This is our last week at USP. We're leaving Sunday at 9am for Rio de Janiero where we will spend a few days relaxing and sight-seeing. We fly out of Rio on July 4th at 11pm and will get back to MN at 1130 am on the 5th. The first thing I am going to do when I get home is have a glass of milk and take my car for a drive.
This is our last week at USP. We're leaving Sunday at 9am for Rio de Janiero where we will spend a few days relaxing and sight-seeing. We fly out of Rio on July 4th at 11pm and will get back to MN at 1130 am on the 5th. The first thing I am going to do when I get home is have a glass of milk and take my car for a drive.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
São Paulo and SoDak
Right now, I am sitting on my bed, eating chocolate and watching the movie 'Mozart and the Whale.' Joy, Lys and I watched it during finals week I think it was- a totally random rental, but a good movie.
Anyway ... despite the fact that i'm doing something exactly the way I would in america on a saturday ... this city is about the farthest thing from my life in the midwest. the smog - not liking it. had a cold the first few days we were here, then i was fine for a few days, and now my throat has been scratchy for the past few days. i think it's due to the pollution in the air because i've been taking a few meds and it hasn't cleared up- plus others on the team have it. weird. at least i feel fine otherwise!
at school i live in a farmhouse a half mile from the neighbors and 5 minutes from a town. peaceful. here, we have to run the air conditioner at night to drown out the street noise - and we live on a quiet street. i guess that's what you get when you live in a city of 18 million, or however many people live here.
last night we ate at applebees - i had chicken fingers, fries and corn on the cob and it was amazing! (save the corn. can't beat sweet corn grown in your own back yard, for sure). the ketchup here is worse, but the ranch is better. the food is good, tho - the fruit is wonderful and therefore the juice is wonderful as well. Maracujá is my new favorite (passion fruit). I didn't even know that was a fruit.
today we spent the afternoon in a totally different part of brasil - photos may follow (my camera battery died right away). Great architecture, a lot more homeless people, (and prostitutes), tons of people in general. The metro (subway) is the cleanest thing I've seen in this city. Sao Paulo is ironic - smog, noise, grafitti, litter EVERYWHERE-- yet the subway was immaculete, and the broken cobblestone sidewalks are washed daily with hoses by the respective shop owners.
Anyway ... despite the fact that i'm doing something exactly the way I would in america on a saturday ... this city is about the farthest thing from my life in the midwest. the smog - not liking it. had a cold the first few days we were here, then i was fine for a few days, and now my throat has been scratchy for the past few days. i think it's due to the pollution in the air because i've been taking a few meds and it hasn't cleared up- plus others on the team have it. weird. at least i feel fine otherwise!
at school i live in a farmhouse a half mile from the neighbors and 5 minutes from a town. peaceful. here, we have to run the air conditioner at night to drown out the street noise - and we live on a quiet street. i guess that's what you get when you live in a city of 18 million, or however many people live here.
last night we ate at applebees - i had chicken fingers, fries and corn on the cob and it was amazing! (save the corn. can't beat sweet corn grown in your own back yard, for sure). the ketchup here is worse, but the ranch is better. the food is good, tho - the fruit is wonderful and therefore the juice is wonderful as well. Maracujá is my new favorite (passion fruit). I didn't even know that was a fruit.
today we spent the afternoon in a totally different part of brasil - photos may follow (my camera battery died right away). Great architecture, a lot more homeless people, (and prostitutes), tons of people in general. The metro (subway) is the cleanest thing I've seen in this city. Sao Paulo is ironic - smog, noise, grafitti, litter EVERYWHERE-- yet the subway was immaculete, and the broken cobblestone sidewalks are washed daily with hoses by the respective shop owners.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
brasil.
so....brasil is amazing. love it! i will probably post a lot of after-the-project stuff. things i'm continuing to learn and all. i like splitting up my posts by topic, not really by 'hey this is what i did today' so when i have TIME to do it, posting will come.
until then, brasil rocks!
until then, brasil rocks!