It´s interesting being back in Brazil. This is my third trip but it has been 5 years since i was here last. So many things are different but familiar at the same time. Different from what i have been used to, but not completely new.
In the five days that I have been here I have got to see alot of freinds that I have not seen, many in 5 or 6 years, but the select few that i have seen in the US over the past few years. I have been welcomed warmly by my friends here. I am staying with my friend Lorena and her family. It´s her, her mom and her brother. They live in a 3 bedroom apartment and it´s so tiddy. They just have less stuff than I do. And that appelas to me…to live in a smaller place and to not have clutter and a bunch of junk. But they have been so good to me and I am thankful to have such a wonderful family to welcome me into their home and their lives. They are great! and I am happy to stay with them. Lorena is a little protective, which is nice to know that she cares, but I think she too is gaining more confidence in my ability to get around on my own and figure things out on my own.
Most of the weekend I spent with friends and have not had to do too much on my own thus far, but Monday everyone was at work and had classes, so I was on my own. I ventured out into the city on my own. I took the bus to a main street in the city called Avenida Paulista. This is close to where I stayed the last time I was in Brazil and so after walking around for a little bit I got my bearings and found lots of familiar things and places. It was nice, but at first it was a little overwhelming. It´s a really busy area and there were just tons of people. One of the first things I was struck with in Tanzania was the fact that there were people everywhere all the time. It´s not quite the same here, but today there were just tons of people. I took the bus into that part of town and the metro back home. I am reminded of how tiring it is to be in another country, espcially when you don’t speak the lanauge very well.
As I was out on my own and other times of just not being able to communicate with people very well, I felt quite vulnerable, but I am gaining confidence. I still do not have the confidence to speak Portuguese very much, but I am able to communicate when I need to and I understand much more than I am able to speak myself.
Being a little overwhelmed by the city on my own, I am all the more looking forward to spending 10 days in Minas Gerias on the farm. It will be a welcomed break from the hustle and bustele and traffic and driving involved here in the city. I still don’t really know what I will be doing on the farm and it’s hard to answer some of the questions about why I’m going there and what I will be doing, but I am really looking forward to it.
Overall I am happy to be back here in Brazil. Brazil will always hold a special place in my heart and the culture and warmth of the people here draws me in.
Following Iris 
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