Almost 2 months in!

Hello everyone!
Can you believe that Lee Ann, Katie, and I have been in Brasil for almost 2 months?!?!?
I still can´t believe it! It´s been such an amazing trip with so many adventures, I don´t even know where to start with an update for you.

1. Vacation- Our students have been on winter vacation for the past 4 weeks, so we have been off of our regular schedule. We take a bus or have friends drive us to the program every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for Capoeira and English class with the higher level students. It´s been nice to be able to bond with those few students, since normally we have around 35 students at a time and now we only have about 10. They are such amazing people! Unfortunately, no children came to the program today. (we missed the bus last Thursday and when we don´t show up, they forget to come!) We tried making the best of the situation, though, and visited the orphange to say hi and play some games with them. I think they really enjoyed seeing us and we loved playing with them. Thankfully school is back in session starting next Monday, so we´ll be back on our regular schedule with the program.

2. Sao Paulo Group- In our spare time during this vacation we were preparing for a group of teens from Sao Paulo to come to Telemaco to volunteer with children in the outlaying neighborhoods. They stayed in a camp of long houses, which we helped prepare for them. Once they arrived, we went with them on their ventures. They were a very fun and lively group to hang out with. We sang songs, danced, played Capoeira, made balloon animals, and put on plays. A fun time had by all. :)

3. Capoeira- We have been keeping up with Capoeira classes regularly and I think we are making great progress. Katie and I really enjoy trying new moves and practicing with our friends. Apparently we´ve been doing something right, because both of us have had to take pants to the seamstress and have her take them in! :) The instructor we´ve hired to teach our students has come to our house twice to teach us how to play the tamborine and berimbau. These instruments are very interesting and very complicated to play, but we really enjoy it!

4. Funny moments- Yesterday was Brasil´s Father´s Day and at the end of mass the priest asked for all of the fathers to raise their hands....Lee Ann raised her hand! She claimed that she thought the priest was asking us to raise our hands and pray over all of the fathers! :P
One thing that always happens between the three of us is our choices of clothing always clash....Today we were supposed to go to a birthday party and Lee Ann was wearing shorts and a tank top, I was wearing jeans and 80´s top, and Katie wore nice jeans and a teacher sweater! This is pretty common for us, we never consult each other about what to wear and by the time we realize that we all look like we are going to different events, it´s too late.
Another funny thing that we did recently was have t-shirts made for my birthday on the 28th. They are pink and have our new nicknames on them. Katie has been dubbed Snow White, because she has light skin and lots of little people always surrounding her (the children). Lee Ann is now known as Ariel from the Little Mermaid, because she loves to swim and sings more than any person I have ever met! I am now Sleeping Beauty, since I sleep all the time and take naps as often as possible. Also, I´m waiting for my prince to arrive...in November. :)

I think that sums up the past few weeks for us. We are very excited for Friday, because we have decided to have a mini retreat between the three of us. We want to reflect on our experience so far, have some team building time, and spiritual reflection. Very Exciting! And as always, we continue to pray for all of you at home. If you ever have an special intentions you would like us to pray for, please let us know!

God bless you,

Megan
"Every calling is great when greatly persued." Oliver Wendell Holmes