- When you enter or leave a room, you greet everyone with a hug and a one sided cheek hug/air kiss (with a nice loud smack), and everyone does it to you also (mostly ladies but some gentlemen also). It's really fun, makes you feel all warm and fuzzy and like you're part of things even when you aren't really.
- People leave their doors (without screens) open all day and shut them only in the evening when the bugs come out. There aren't many flies so even when you eat there's not really a bug problem. There's always lots of fresh air and it circulates throughout the house.
- The people are genuinely friendly and love to laugh. There's no arrogance if a gringa tries to say something in Portuguese and it doesn't work, just general good humor about the whole thing.
- The Brazilians love bathrooms (as do I) and there are many of them, with cool tile floors. In fact the tile usually goes all the way to the ceiling.
- The food is amazing: crispy water bread (kind of like French bread) with flaky outsides and soft insides, yummy guava (goiabada) jam and white Minas cheese that when eaten together is called Romeo (Ho-may-ooh) e Julieta (what a romantic culture), delicious desserts, fruits, vegetables, meats and oh my, the cheese! There is great danger that I will be huge the next time you see me!
- I LIKE hanging out the wash! It smells good, you get to go outside, feel the sun and fresh air, and the clothing feels good when you put it on.
- People work hard but they also know how to relax and have fun. Having fun doesn't depend on having something special to do, they just enjoy each other and the conversation (and ususally, eating)!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Things I Like About Brazil
Friday, August 22, 2008
Driving in Brasil - Part 1
I am not going to talk about my driving experience because I have not and will not, for awhile, drive in Brasil. But here are my observations about driving. I guess it is natural to contrast new things against what is familiar. The thing that is similar is that people use cars to go somewhere. The differences are:
• Most of the cars are small. But, there are also large trucks and buses sharing the road.
• The roads are narrow. What we would use as a single lane is a double, a street we would use as a double they squeeze in three. If someone has parked on the curb the traffic would go from three lanes to two lanes to three.
• Traffic signs, such as Para, (stop), are really just suggestions, especially after 7pm. It seems there are no rules after that.
• There are few patrol cars as we know them. In town, speed is controlled by large speed bumps. Large, bottom scraping speed bumps. On the highways speed is controlled by cameras that are hooked up to a radar gun. You go by too fast, it takes your picture as you drive down the road, and they mail you a ticket. Get too many tickets and you lose your license.
• Order of importance in the US is pedestrian, car, motorcycle. Here it is car, motorcycle, and then pedestrian. Here, cars are in control, well trucks, buses, then cars, then motorcycles, followed by the invisible pedestrian. There are many, many motorcycles and they just do their own thing, going between and around the cars. You don’t worry about the motorcycle, it worries about you. Pedestrians are invisible.
• Many roads here are made of rock. The rocks are small, about the size of a brick, but they are rocks, and are a little bumpy. Patches in the road are numerous and uneven. I think they are uneven or bumpy because the people who fix the roads are in a hurry because they are invisible.
I am still piecing together the theory of how to drive in Campinas. That will come later.
• Most of the cars are small. But, there are also large trucks and buses sharing the road.
• The roads are narrow. What we would use as a single lane is a double, a street we would use as a double they squeeze in three. If someone has parked on the curb the traffic would go from three lanes to two lanes to three.
• Traffic signs, such as Para, (stop), are really just suggestions, especially after 7pm. It seems there are no rules after that.
• There are few patrol cars as we know them. In town, speed is controlled by large speed bumps. Large, bottom scraping speed bumps. On the highways speed is controlled by cameras that are hooked up to a radar gun. You go by too fast, it takes your picture as you drive down the road, and they mail you a ticket. Get too many tickets and you lose your license.
• Order of importance in the US is pedestrian, car, motorcycle. Here it is car, motorcycle, and then pedestrian. Here, cars are in control, well trucks, buses, then cars, then motorcycles, followed by the invisible pedestrian. There are many, many motorcycles and they just do their own thing, going between and around the cars. You don’t worry about the motorcycle, it worries about you. Pedestrians are invisible.
• Many roads here are made of rock. The rocks are small, about the size of a brick, but they are rocks, and are a little bumpy. Patches in the road are numerous and uneven. I think they are uneven or bumpy because the people who fix the roads are in a hurry because they are invisible.
I am still piecing together the theory of how to drive in Campinas. That will come later.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Back to School
To find our way, BGC Missionary Steve Rowe is going to ride the bus with us to the language school. The school is around 10 to 15 miles from where we are living. That morning we find out Steve has never ridden the bus in Campinas. It was years ago when he lived in Sao Paulo that he last took the bus. Fortunately, a couple of nights earlier Rebecca and I spent some time with Alex & Krista, Steve & Debra’s daughter and son-in-law, going over the route and where and when to get on and off. Steve is grateful for the map, but has decided not to follow the instructions.
Monday morning, with Steve:
Like all missionaries, Steve is late. Sunday night he told us not to worry if he was late, but we did. We arrived at the bus stop bench to wait for the bus and met a nice fellow who we were to learn was an angel from God. We had to wait awhile for the bus, but it finally came. We got on a fairly empty bus and head out. Steve explained that at the end of the trip, we will be going downhill and then the bus turn right onto the major street. We wanted to get off there, before it turns right. As we went downhill we saw this ESSO gas station at the end and decided when we saw the gas station we would pull the cord that tells the driver we want off. It all worked well and we found our way to the school after a five to ten minute walk. After two hours of school we left to find the bus stop that we would use to return “home”. We finally found it after a 10 to 15 minute walk. This bus was really crowded, and we had to stand for the 25 minute trip. It is really a wild ride and you have to hold on for dear life. When Steve pulled the cord to stop at the next stop the driver stopped right away instead of going to the next stop. We got off anyway, and looked around and wondered where we were. We, (Steve), finally figured it out, and after a very long walk we got home. Missed lunch! But of course Silvia cooked another one.
Tuesday Morning, Solo:
Rebecca and I felt real good because we took off at the right time. Found the bus stop and said Bom Dia to our guardian angel. We tried to find out how to say receipt in Portuguese, but he couldn’t understand what we were saying. The bus came, but this time the bus was packed with people, and we had to stand once again. We have these large school binders on shoulder straps swinging from our shoulders, and as we go on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, they are swinging around hitting the people sitting. Rebecca can’t help herself and laughs about this and about almost falling over. I had to point out that no one else is laughing. But we’re going and we’re on the right bus. We find out that it is very hard to see where you’re going when you are standing up. You can’t crunch down to look because this bus is packed. But I thought it will be alright because I can still see around 30 yards in front of the bus looking for the ESSO gas station. Then we simply pull the cord to tell the bus driver we want to get off. We start going down the hill into the down town area and come up behind another bus. I can now only see the bus in front of us. How am I going to see the ESSO station? I start getting a little concerned. Then Rebecca informs me there is no cord to pull to alert the bus driver we want to get off. I start watching what the other people are doing. They’re doing nothing. Now I’m really concerned. We were down town, in a very busy down town I might add, and had no idea where we were. It must have been obvious because our Angel sort of asks or mimes if we know where we want to get off. We said yes because even if we couldn’t see it, we knew where to get off. After a couple of minutes of motioning to him that there is no cord to pull, he showed us the buttons on the rail poles to push. Rebecca now says she thinks she remembers that Honda dealership we just passed and we could be close. The bus came to a stop and the doors opened up. We were close to the doors and I just felt this incredible urge to jump, so I told Rebecca, “let’s get off now”. Well the bus drove away and there on the other side of the street was the ESSO station. Just like in a movie.
We got back with no problems, other than our binders swinging around. We went to the store to buy back packs to hold our binders. Rebecca said she didn’t want one and I had to remind her it was her binder doing the most damage. Now we’re back packed up and ready for day three.
Monday morning, with Steve:
Like all missionaries, Steve is late. Sunday night he told us not to worry if he was late, but we did. We arrived at the bus stop bench to wait for the bus and met a nice fellow who we were to learn was an angel from God. We had to wait awhile for the bus, but it finally came. We got on a fairly empty bus and head out. Steve explained that at the end of the trip, we will be going downhill and then the bus turn right onto the major street. We wanted to get off there, before it turns right. As we went downhill we saw this ESSO gas station at the end and decided when we saw the gas station we would pull the cord that tells the driver we want off. It all worked well and we found our way to the school after a five to ten minute walk. After two hours of school we left to find the bus stop that we would use to return “home”. We finally found it after a 10 to 15 minute walk. This bus was really crowded, and we had to stand for the 25 minute trip. It is really a wild ride and you have to hold on for dear life. When Steve pulled the cord to stop at the next stop the driver stopped right away instead of going to the next stop. We got off anyway, and looked around and wondered where we were. We, (Steve), finally figured it out, and after a very long walk we got home. Missed lunch! But of course Silvia cooked another one.
Tuesday Morning, Solo:
Rebecca and I felt real good because we took off at the right time. Found the bus stop and said Bom Dia to our guardian angel. We tried to find out how to say receipt in Portuguese, but he couldn’t understand what we were saying. The bus came, but this time the bus was packed with people, and we had to stand once again. We have these large school binders on shoulder straps swinging from our shoulders, and as we go on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, they are swinging around hitting the people sitting. Rebecca can’t help herself and laughs about this and about almost falling over. I had to point out that no one else is laughing. But we’re going and we’re on the right bus. We find out that it is very hard to see where you’re going when you are standing up. You can’t crunch down to look because this bus is packed. But I thought it will be alright because I can still see around 30 yards in front of the bus looking for the ESSO gas station. Then we simply pull the cord to tell the bus driver we want to get off. We start going down the hill into the down town area and come up behind another bus. I can now only see the bus in front of us. How am I going to see the ESSO station? I start getting a little concerned. Then Rebecca informs me there is no cord to pull to alert the bus driver we want to get off. I start watching what the other people are doing. They’re doing nothing. Now I’m really concerned. We were down town, in a very busy down town I might add, and had no idea where we were. It must have been obvious because our Angel sort of asks or mimes if we know where we want to get off. We said yes because even if we couldn’t see it, we knew where to get off. After a couple of minutes of motioning to him that there is no cord to pull, he showed us the buttons on the rail poles to push. Rebecca now says she thinks she remembers that Honda dealership we just passed and we could be close. The bus came to a stop and the doors opened up. We were close to the doors and I just felt this incredible urge to jump, so I told Rebecca, “let’s get off now”. Well the bus drove away and there on the other side of the street was the ESSO station. Just like in a movie.
We got back with no problems, other than our binders swinging around. We went to the store to buy back packs to hold our binders. Rebecca said she didn’t want one and I had to remind her it was her binder doing the most damage. Now we’re back packed up and ready for day three.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Balance
We have been here 3 days now. I wish I could say I feel at home. I just don't feel balanced here. I just read in my devotions that God takes pleasure in Himself and enjoys His own perfection. (Attributes of God; Tozer). If this is where God wants me it is the perfect place for Rebecca and me. Perfect but unbalanced. Is that possible? Things are the same and things are different here:
- There are cars But they are all small
- There are roads But they are narrow and bumpy
- There are birds But they sing jungle songs
- There is electricity But it comes from a different jack
- There is speaking But I don’t understand it
- There are toilets But don’t put the paper down it
- There is water But you don’t drink it out of the tap
- There is money But it’s not easily recognizable
- There are homes But they are all behind walls and gates
- There are beds But they are not king size
- There are stores But I don’t know what’s in the packages
- There are floors But they are all tile
- There are stop signs But they are more of a suggestion
- There is milk But it comes in a unrefrigerated box
- There is fruit But the flavor is explosive
- There is God And He is loved and worshipped
I guess I need to focus on the unchanging God of the universe. The One who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The One who is the same in Kingsburg and Campinas. The One who is perfect here and there. The One who wants me here. I can find my balance there, with Him.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Dawn
August 8th and 9th, Friday and Saturday.
The day we left and the day we arrived. They are really one day to us if you look at a day as you're up then you sleep. The most painful day in our lives. So much emotion. The more exhausted you are the more your emotions have their way:
Sunday.
This is really the Dawn. Got a full nights rest, something I haven't had in at least a month. (I had been waking up at 3 or 4 every morning for quite a while. I felt it was Gods way of getting me ready for the time change, it worked). Keeping with Dorothy, "we're not in Kansas anymore". Little things remind you it's different. The birds singing in the back ground sound more like jungle birds, the paper towels are only around 8 by 8, everything is tile. And it is good.
I am grateful to God for showing me my limits. Reminding me of how I would have done things before He started working in my life. When things would start pressing in on me, I would have lashed out in anger and do something that would get me in trouble because that was what I did growing up. I would rather suffer the punishment than live the stress. I knew I could handle the punishment. Now, up to my limits, I look for Gods leading in the stress. God is faithful.
The day we left and the day we arrived. They are really one day to us if you look at a day as you're up then you sleep. The most painful day in our lives. So much emotion. The more exhausted you are the more your emotions have their way:
- Holding on to my family in big hugs to say good-bye. These hugs were too long and not near long enough.
- The flight. Spending 12 hours in a space that was created to cramp a person who is 5' 10" when your 6' 5".
- Worrying about if my "stuff" was going to arrive with me in Brazil. God was gracious to let my plans succeed just as I planned them.
Sunday.
This is really the Dawn. Got a full nights rest, something I haven't had in at least a month. (I had been waking up at 3 or 4 every morning for quite a while. I felt it was Gods way of getting me ready for the time change, it worked). Keeping with Dorothy, "we're not in Kansas anymore". Little things remind you it's different. The birds singing in the back ground sound more like jungle birds, the paper towels are only around 8 by 8, everything is tile. And it is good.
I am grateful to God for showing me my limits. Reminding me of how I would have done things before He started working in my life. When things would start pressing in on me, I would have lashed out in anger and do something that would get me in trouble because that was what I did growing up. I would rather suffer the punishment than live the stress. I knew I could handle the punishment. Now, up to my limits, I look for Gods leading in the stress. God is faithful.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Dusk
Wednesday morning around 5:00 am.
Today we move our things out of the house to the various places we have assigned our stuff. So much stuff. Sunday night at our prayer meeting we sent out a global request for help for today to move and tomorrow to clean. (I need to get my deposit back).
It really starts today. Last night was the last night we slept in our own bed. Tonight and tomorrow night we'll stay with our son and his family. We've rented a van, to haul all our stuff we're taking, to drive to Los Angeles for our flight. We'll say good bye here in Kingsburg then cry all the way to LA. Hopefully we'll get it all out in private before we get on the plane.
God seems to be moving in the shadows. Just there. Out there close. Waiting to see if I break. Ready to step in, but letting me stretch.
Today we move our things out of the house to the various places we have assigned our stuff. So much stuff. Sunday night at our prayer meeting we sent out a global request for help for today to move and tomorrow to clean. (I need to get my deposit back).
It really starts today. Last night was the last night we slept in our own bed. Tonight and tomorrow night we'll stay with our son and his family. We've rented a van, to haul all our stuff we're taking, to drive to Los Angeles for our flight. We'll say good bye here in Kingsburg then cry all the way to LA. Hopefully we'll get it all out in private before we get on the plane.
God seems to be moving in the shadows. Just there. Out there close. Waiting to see if I break. Ready to step in, but letting me stretch.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Twilight
It's Tuesday morning. Three days until we leave for Brazil. We have been working hard to get our home ready to rent. Repairing, painting, packing & moving, and cleaning. It has been overwhelming for me, more than I thought. We took last Sunday off from the work and because we were still anxious, we realized the stress we are experiencing is more from the loss of moving than the work. I have been trying to give the Lord the wrong burden.
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