I arrived yesterday morning (Wednesday) and I've been enjoying my time here since. The Brazil team meetings are currently going on here at the Sede (the MCC headquarters) and so I have had the lovely experience of meeting the entire team all at once. This includes the people I will work with in Monteiro. We've been having meetings, and also having fun together. Tonight we went to a farm project in Olinda, and then went to a free music festival, where musicians play in all the old churches of Olinda. Tonight we heard a guitar with 14 strings. He (the man playing the guitar, not the guitar) was really really good. Afterwards we had tapioca pastries and hung around downtown Olinda. I had my first actual conversation in Portuguese with Marcelo who works in Monteiro. It was slow and very broken, but we took our time, and used my phrase book, and eventually figured out what we were saying to each other.
I think that language will be a huge challenge for me in the beginning. I feel like nobody knows who I am, and without being able to be understood and to understand, it will be difficult for people to really know me, and for me to know them. Tonight's conversation gave me lots of hope that I can get across my personality without necessarily speaking fluent Portuguese. I will try to post pictures soon when I can.
Thank you all for reading! Please pray that the Portuguese learning goes well for me, and that these days will not get too frustrating!
Peace,
Annie (now Ana Maria :-)
Hey, so glad you made it! We're thankful for how good your time in Akron was, but also excited for you to be in Brazil. Peace, Jeffrey
ReplyDeleteYeah! Welcome to Brasil! It sounds like you have had many adventures already! I hope you enjoy your time well I know you will have a geat time. Say hello to Brasil for me :)You are in our prayers.
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