2 months

I am sick again, the second time in two months. Which is how long I´ve been in Brasil. Besides being very disappointed in my immune system I am thrilled with my life here.

The update:

- This is my last week of classes, which I have been taking for a month. Today I learned composite forms of the subjunctive. What?!! I pretty much feel like I will never learn to speak Português, but that fluctuates daily so I´m learning not to take myself too seriously.

- I´m getting along very well with my aunt and her cats. My aunt is always very sweet and works incredibly hard, some days from 8 to 10pm. That, along with the fact that one of her cats (Olivivio) LOVES me, accounts for how well we get along.

- I love being around my family (grandma, aunts, cousins). Recent circumstances in my life and the lives of those around me have caused me to question what family means to me and who I consider my family. I consider family those people that I have a history - which (hopefully) includes shared memories of love and tenderness. As a result, people with whom I share no blood relation, like my pops, is one of the most important members of my family; at the same time there are several pepole with whom I am connected to by DNA who aren´t family to me. I´m always triggered by how so many people have an opinion of how I should live my life, of what is right and wrong. My aunt (the one I love living with) assured me yesterday that what is right for me, may be wrong for someone else, and vice versa. I live my life with the most honor, integrity, and compassion that I can - somedays that is a lot, others a little - but it is always the best that I have to give at that moment.

- My mom has always told me how important good health is, and I believed her but without giving it any thought. With my grandma Christina recently diagnosed with Parkinson´s (after surviving breast cancer and knee replacements) and others I distantly know struggling with different traumatic diagnoses, the truth of the statement struck me. Luckily, my cold will past - I pray for those afflicted with much greater trials and tribulations, whether they are family or not.

-I had a great time at Nossa Senhora Aparecida, especially in the car (3 hours each way) with my cousin Lu - he is hilarious! My only regret is that I forgot my camera. Ugh! But he said something that I hope to take with me - that each day he wakes up he doesn´t think about yesterday or tomorrow - he only thinks about how he can give his best today (especially in regards to his girlfriend). I thought that was beautiful and will hopefully be guided by that in my future relationships and in my life.

- Maria the maid and I have an uneasy truce. She doesn´t clean the kitchen while I am eating lunch and I say hello and goodbye. We don´t really talk besides that but I´m okay with that.

- I´ve started looking for jobs and places to live in Boston. AHHHH!!!! I´m not looking forward to writing cover letters or new craigslist roommates. I´ve had two good experiences and one crazy one - hoping for the former not the latter.

- I was working out everyday - for the past month- until this cold caught up with me. The past three days I´ve just sat around, staring into space (the tv was broken, I have no good books to read) and doing very easy crossword puzzles (anything above easy is too hard).

- I think my ex and I have successfully made the transition into friendship. At first that was INCREDIBLY depressing but now it is okay. Not great, not devastating, just okay. If you´ve be reading my blog you KNOW that this is quite the accomplishment. I´m not suffering over my ex or fretting about a future of spinsterhood. To which I say woohoo.

- I´m less obssessed with receiving mail and more obsessed with sending it - I´ve mailed 10 postcards the past week. teehee. hopefully you are one of the recipients.....teehee.....