Living and loving in Natal, Brazil

Question: How do you clean up a bottle of waterproof sunscreen that busts in your suitcase? Can't use wet rags. This, my friends, is why you pack things in plastic bags. At least it smells like coconut!

This morning the sun woke me up at 5:30. I could already hear the hustle and bustle of the city outside and happily fell back asleep. When I got up a few hours later, the breeze was blowing through the open windows and I sat down to eat breakfast in the kitchen. (In Brazil, breakfast ties with lunch and dinner for best meal of the day. I can't choose!) As I was pouring my coffee, the Brazilian national anthem began to play from some place close by, drifting in through the open window. It felt ceremonious, like it was blessing my first meal. I laughed long and hard, then took a picture to send to my family.


This is what I see when I look out the balcony window of Roberto and Marisa's apartment, and I kind of don't believe it, so I keep looking again and again. Maybe I should just go sit out on the balcony for a while and soak it all up. Today I had lunch with the Signorettis and Bragas, and tonight I am going to a movie with the girls from church. I am so excited to see everyone again! I am trying as much as I can to practice my Portuguese, but the more I try and speak it the more I realize how terrible it really is! I'm excited to learn, and I hope they are excited to teach me. Time to go sit outside...

(Justin, if you look at the top picture you will see a large grove of trees in the center. Under those trees is where I scouted your soccer players. As you can tell, I am currently living in close proximity, so I will keep a close watch for you.)