Friday, May 9, 2008

This Morning

The weather is really hot and humid here. It is winter here but it feels like the middle of summer in Utah. Crazy! The sun went down at 6pm and the streets were full of people still out buying things and working. The buses here are called chapas and people pay to ride them. They are not really buses but more like family vans. Yesterday we went downtown to exchange money and to buy some food. It was an adventurous trip. Many times I felt like we were going to run over pedestrians, but that's just the way people drive here. Here the pedestrian does not have the right of way. The little boys were asking me for money but we are not allowed to give them anything. I wish I could give them something. This morning I was eating a piece of bread when we were asked to step into a room to introduce ourselves. I was taken to the front of a room full of Mozambican people and I had to introduce myself in Portuguese. Yeah. It was stressful, but luckily Raquel went first and then I kind of copied her and let people know that I'm still learning Portuguese. Everyone smiled at me and I felt good. After the short introduction people left to go work in the fields. I wanted to go with them, but I guess we don't start work till Monday. I'm so excited to get out and meet the people. That's really what this trip is all about. Forget the fact that we have no running water and that my computer crashed. Yeah, that stinks, but the place and the people are beautiful and that's really why I'm here.

3 comments:

cutie pie said...

Girl...you are fearless!! I am so proud of you for communicating in Portugese. By the end of the trip you will be fluent, I know it. I am so sad to learn that your computer is out of order. :-( I hope you can still keep your blog up somehow. Good job at being optimistic and not letting the mouse droppings get to you. I'm thinking of you. Hope things go well on Monday when you start work.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are brave. It's hard enough introducing yourself to a large group in English! You're awesome!

Paula

Anonymous said...

Wow, Yode, I am impressed like crazy. you are on fire. You must have looked so cute trying to communicate. I impressed and priviledged to see how much into your trip you are letting us in on. thanks for the details.
Ruthie