I have been living with my second host family in Belo Horizonte, Brazil since the 28th of January. My host parent's names are Denise and Eugene. They have two sons named Phelipe' who is 13 years old and Marcos who is 17 years old. I have yet to meet Marcos since he is on his student exchange in Sequin, Texas but we have visited through the contact of the handy dandy internet and the use of skype. I will most likely continue to live with Denise and her family until I finish up my year here. Towards the end of my exchange I look forward to meeting Marcos when he returns to Brazil in the beginning part of July. I am very excited to find out how he likes my country and if he would like to live there when he is older. Passing a few weeks with him at home in Brazil will be a good pre-step in returning back to the United States especially because in the eyes of a foreigner everything is a whole lot more grand.
The home I am now living in is in a small neighborhood on the outskirts of the city and it has the warm feeling of a small community. I have been very welcomed in this neighborhood which helps me feel more at home. My neighbors are tremendous people. From every corner of the street, neighbors come to visit our home and are interested in meeting a student from the United States, let alone Alaska. What truly intrigues them is that I speak their language and can carry on a conversation. The people that have influenced me the most in this community are the little girls that live in front of our house. Their names are Isabella 8, Dislandia12, and Vao15 years old. Since the day I got here they have embraced me and welcomed me in all they do. They include me in all the games they play, conversations about their lives, including boys. But best of all, we have Portuguese lessons which include learning the slang language from the city. After six months in Brazil I have grown more and more accustomed to the language and life of the Brazilian people. I am beginning to feel less and less like a foreigner.
In the past two weeks I have visited multiple places of importance to my family. We have two more homes in other areas of the state of Minas Gerais. Due to this I have been traveling a lot throughout our state. My mother's home, where she grew up, is located on a hill over looking a valley in Piedade de Nossa Senhora (The City of the Virgin Mary). The town is very small and we spend most of our time in the valley below her home. In the valley there is a community of firm believers in Jesus Christ. Selling goods is prohibited but trading one product for another is the path preferred by the people. A keen ear and the will to hear our Lord's messages is the ticket to enter this sacred place. Doors are open for everyone who pass through. Appearances of the Virgin Mary and religious phenomenon that occur day after day are what bring people from all parts of Brazil together celebrating Christ and his glory. These people who pass out the words of Mary and give feedback to their communities concerning doubts of Jesus, life and our world are truly messengers of Christ! Piedade is incredibly a beautiful place. There is no way to enter there without the sense that God is with you. It is an indescribable sense of JOY!
I also visited my father's farm in Esmeraldas, (The Emerald City). The name describes the place magnificently. In every direction there is a forest of lush green plants, trees, grass, lakes with ducks, horses, cows and other farm animals. In the distance under the matting of the forest is a riverbed with a large waterfall. Depending on the season the lucky people that have discovered this mystical land can swim while listening to the sounds of monkeys playing in the trees and birds chirping and passing overhead.
Today it is sunny here. My mother is washing clothes, Phelipe my brother is playing video games (just like any other typical teenager in this day in age) and my father is cleaning grapes in the kitchen. If I am lucky I will go to the soccer game today, but this possibility is dim and I will settle to watching the game from TV. It's a normal typical day in my life here in Brazil and I love it.
