So, here's my life as I know at at this point in time:
I am studying at the local university in my city--UNIFEMM, in the course of "Direito," or Law. It has been a really great experience so far, and a much welcomed change from my previous school where I spent most of my time playing games on my iPod and nodding off in day dreams. Now that I am understanding and speaking Portuguese proficiently I can participate in class more. I am studying things such as philosophy, sociology, political science, Portuguese literature, history of Law, and Constitutional Law. I quite enjoy it! Plus, the other students are my age, which makes it easier to make friends.
I have about three months left of exchange. My return date is set, which means it's now real. I really am going back. I will not get into all the feelings I have about this--the strongest being mixtures of sadness, excitement, and a little bit of fear, to be honest. I don't know if I am ready to get back to reality. Brazil has become my reality--My life, my home. I love my family here, I love my friends. I love the food, I love the warmth, I love the sun, I love the stray dogs on the streets, I love catching buses across the city, I love the flowers. I love my afternoon naps, I love doing Pilates with my mom, I love Galo, I love Cruzeiro, and I love fighting about the two teams. I love the smell of churrascos, I love the fresh fruit juices every day, I love Pao de Queijo, I love the "abracos e beijos", and the "jeito brasileiro". And more than everything, I love being happy. Because that is my reality at this point in time--I am happy. Really happy. I don't have the same stresses here as I did in the United States, and the ones I do have are small and I have learned how to manage it better than ever. I find joy in the littlest of things here, and can hold onto that feeling for hours.
Brazil is joy. Brazil is happiness. Brazil is love....That pretty much sums up my feelings at this point. Obviously, not everything is as shiny as this all the time. But, honestly, life has been pretty good to me here. It's hard to dwell too long on the crappy things when you are surrounded by all this good.
Until next time, gente (which may in fact be in June...), BEIJOS DO BRASIL!
