a different mentality.

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.