People often ask me what has changed since I've moved to Brazil. There are things that I notice, things maybe others notice more than me. I'm not sure. But here are some basics: My most intense conversations are with bugs. For example:... Continue Reading →
After turning Ry's brain to mush through a carefully calculated package plan of sun, drinks, sand, and a diet consisting solely of meat/cheese/starch, and no hurries, no worries here in Rio, we boarded a plane to Buenos Aires. Fun fact... Continue Reading →
My first visitor! I think a place truly starts to feel like "home" when you have someone visit and you get to play tour guide. I'm fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine to be one of those "Jungle Cruise" guides... Continue Reading →
1: Describe your year in one word - hella 2: Describe your year in three words - moving challenging surprising 3: Describe your year in one sentence - is this the real life? 4: Describe your year with song lyrics - is this just... Continue Reading →
In some ways, it doesn’t feel anything like Christmas. It’s certainly not cold. I'm sitting on an ice pack, drinking a sweating margarita, directly in front of a fan on a setting so high my eyelids feel like they're peeling off my skull. I haven’t seen or smelled a single Christmasy smell (I’d settle for a tiny pine tree swinging from a rear view mirror).
The other night our neighbor came over to say the water in the building was out. Which was a bummer because I was disgusting and needed a shower. But a few hours later our sink was still working, so I... Continue Reading →
Wednesdays are hard, man. Even spelling the word is hard. (Am I the only person who still has to go "Wed-nes-day" in her head when writing that one out? Along with "def-in-ite-ly be-a-u-ti-ful." Every time. And I'm 30. And teach... Continue Reading →
This weekend I went on my first backpacking trip in Brazil. It was something I had signed up for in September, when everything sounds like a good idea. The trip was postponed, and rescheduled, and then it was rainy season,... Continue Reading →
maybe the best part about any job are the unspoken parts. the bits that aren't explicitly written into your contract. the subtext you create. for me - I am thankful for the many times each day I am reminded what... Continue Reading →
I'm sharing in Chapel next week. Our theme is "Missionaries" and mission trips have completely shaped my life for the last seventeen years. In case some of you don't know the story, I thought I'd practice my chapel share a bit here.... Continue Reading →
I look forward to Mondays. I look forward to the challenges I will face with my students. To the words I will discover they don't know and figuring out a meaningful way to act them out and a poster I... Continue Reading →
Think of Brasil and what comes to mind? Quick word association: beaches, waxing, caipirinhas, bottoms, futbol, bikinis, Carnaval, Big Jesus. <-- those were the super scientific results gleaned from my roommates. I don't think it's a coincidence that many of... Continue Reading →
Sunglasses Always Fit 