Monday?? Tuesday???

I cant tell what day it is anymore... they are all starting to feel like Mondays.  I need more kisses and hugs. 

October June Bugs & Too Much Cerveja

Last night was so funny.  I was having drinks with my new friend and I noticed he had a spider landing in his hair.  It was a florescent green in color and I froze. 

Ok side note; you know those flying beetles?  Well, they are out right now.  We call them June bugs in the USA.  I get so scared of them because they are so heavy and when they fly around lights they are so crazy they just bounce off of the walls.  They make that tink, tink, clink sound as they are crazily trying to fly close to the light.  Well when I was little playing softball, I was always under those huge lights at the park and the bugs would hit me in the head and get caught in my hair and I would scream and jump while I tried to get the big hard bug out of my hair.  It was so traumatic. 

So, they are out here in Brasil and I just freeze.  “Get it, get it, it is going to hit me in the head”, l turn into a little kid.  So, when I saw the fluorescent green Spider in my friend’s hair I guess I did the same.  I just pointed at him and said the weirdest things, but I also did the craziest thing.  I was trying to get his hand and tell him to turn around so that I could hit the spider away with his own hand.  He was so confused at one point he turned around and waved at the waiter.  He had no clue what I was trying to do, I was saying bug and since he speaks Portuguese and he only knew spider in English.  It was so funny actually this was the first time we hung out having beers, so now he thinks I’m crazy.  Or really he is just starting to get to know me. 

Twas a great night, then Rodrigo & Tony showed up and a couple of Elian’s other friends but by that time, it was lights out for me.   

Clockwise!

One thing that I think is so crazy here in school is that I can’t do Counter clockwise... When we do a reading at school, it is so natural for my students to read in a counter clockwise circle. It drives me crazy, I only have one way to go and it is clockwise. Am I getting old or did we do this as students? I have no clue. Another thing we had to contemplate today was the Standard of living. The question was...What countries have a higher standard of living? What was interesting was that it made me think that most of the things that I miss most are associated with my standards of living that I completely took for granted in the States.  You know, like hot water at the sink, clothes dryer, dish washer and the almighty Bath Tub.  I don’t complain too loud because I know that these are luxury items here and I don’t want to sound too spoiled. But, damn I miss them!
Actually I am ready to go home. I need to desperately take a break, think, ponder and make some decisions. I just need to process this past year of my life and take it all in.  It has been so Amazing, Fun, Difficult and Crazy all at the same time. 
I have said it before but my first steps on American soil will look something like this; first I will go to eat breakfast, followed by a hot bath and a nap in my king sized bed and then when I get up, I am headed out for Mexican food with a huge side of Sour Cream.  Of course, I will be with my beloved family & friends…with the first hug going to little Jaxon.  I can’t wait to spoil him and introduce him again to his cousins.  I miss my home & I miss my Family & I miss my Homies. 

A Note from Mom... my hero!

Dear Jill. Your blog is coming from a pure heart with no judgment. Your writing fills me with emotion and I see the world as ONE. I am hearing your new and gentle attitude and so proud of you for having the courage to learn a new language and new culture. Again you are learning that we are different but still the same. I am very proud of you and even though you think that you have not changed, it is so obvious from your writings that you have!Love, mom

Response to American Momma

When you wrote that daydreaming sometimes takes you back to a memory from your childhood, it made me think of something I have often thought about. Why is it that I lived with my parents for 18 years and I've lived with Spike for almost 43... years...but the first 18 years seem so much more memorable or important to me? I don't think I'm using the right words to describe what I want to say, but when you voiced that you thought your childhood took you back to time of less worry I thought....maybe that's it. No huge responsibilities, not many worries (although I did have a few worries....that my parents would get divorced or die, that we wouldn't have enough money, that there would be a war, a tornado would hit NP....to name a few). Someone said maybe it's because the earlier years were my formidable years...maybe that's it. Though I feel like I'm still learning, and having my girls was one of the most important things I've ever done...I more often think about the period when I lived with my parents, brother, and sister as being the time that was most influencial. Tell me your thoughts!

It is an Interesting idea to ponder Cindy.  They say the time that you learn the most or really develop your personality is until you are 3 years old.  Maybe the world is still so pure in our eyes when we are kids that we are only worried about the crazy and unlikely scenarios.  This was the time when we grew the fastest but the world was still so new that learning was fun and we dreamed about being adults and there were no limits to the possibilities.  I don’t know about you but the things that I have had to learn as an adult have been nothing but psychological growth experiences in heartache, money, love and patients.   Don’t get me wrong, of course there are the greatest moments too that you can only experience as an adult like travel, love, children & freedom.  But as an adult there comes so much responsibility and soon you are creating the fun that once came so naturally as a child.  What do you think?