Brazil post 5

We've only got eight days left.
So far this week I've been helping in the 1st and 2nd grade class and painting the middle boys' dorm.  Keith is working on a remodeling project in one of the guest houses. 

Before we came here I asked about the dress code for the school, and when I got the answer I thought part of it was interesting.  Everyone seems to change clothes after lunch.  For example the women teachers wear dresses or skirts to school in the morning, but change after lunch.  I didn't really understand why before I got here.  But I understand a bit more now.  Before I thought, "Wow, that sure makes a lot more laundry to do" and usually I'm all about less laundry.  Well, here you just get so hot and sweaty so quickly that a you need or want to change clothes.  Sometimes all you need is a cold shower after lunch and a quick change into some fresh clothes.  So this morning I wore my school clothes to help in the classroom.  Then I changed into some painting clothes.  Then after lunch I got my refreshingly cold shower and changed into more painting clothes and finally one more shower and change before dinner.  It's a matter of managing the heat.

As for laundry, I just load up all the dirties, or whatever will fit into the machine and let it soak overnight (to try to get rid of the sweat stink).  Then I run it in the morning as soon as the electricity comes back on.  By the time we're done with breakfast I have just enough time to get it out on the clothesline before school starts.  It's a great system. 

Megan and I walked around campus a little bit this evening scouting great places for a little photo shoot.  She wasn't the most cooperative (Imagine that).  But we did have fun and found an interesting plant we hadn't seen before.

Brazil post 4

Still cranking out those very creative blog post titles.

Here are some pictures from this Saturday.
Keith and Seth went on over an hour long hike through the jungle at 5:30 in the morning with Joel, Summer, and Josiah to a great fishing spot.  Keith got a 2.35 kg (5.18 lb) peacock bass. He can mark that off his bucket list now.  Here he is with his pride and joy.

 

Maracuja, or passionfruit

 

These flowers are growing in our backyard by the clothesline.

 

Going down to the dock to swim.

 

I was surprised that Megan went in.  Later on she even jumped off by herself.  I'm so thankful we brought her puddle jumper.

 

 

Brazil post 3

Brilliant post names, I know it.

Ok, I haven't had a whole lot of time to take photos or post on my blog.  Sorry about that.  Life takes a lot of work here.  I'm so impressed by all the missionaries here (not that I didn't expect to feel that way).  They all work so hard and they all have to work so closely together.  They all pitch in to help and cover for eachother when needed.  They are like an extended family here.

One of the Brazilian ladies here who doesn't speak very good English really went out of her way to talk to me in English last night.  She told me I remind her of an English teacher she had for six months at the university.  The middle school dorm parents, Jeremy and Macy, hosted a fish fry (or grill, really) for their dorm, another missionary family, us, and several of the Brazilian women (a couple of them are cooks in the dining hall among other things) who work here. 

Ok, if you know me well, you should know I don't like fish, but I had some of this fish...not sure what it was, last night and it really didn't taste fishy, but there was also sausage and chicken and pineapple grilled and rice and beans and this really yummy stuff like pico de gallo and we brought candy for dessert. 

Here are some pics.  Last Saturday after the fishing tournament we headed down river to a little community called San Lazaro. The high school boys and girls and the middle schoolers played soccer against their teams.

 

 Some of us coming up from the launch.

 

 

Seth playing in the white shirt right in front of the goal.

 

 

Some chickens running around down by the far goal.

 

 

Megan not sharing the umbrella.  Do you think she got in trouble for this?

 

 

Me and Todd getting ready to watch the soccer game.

 

 

Some of the kids were digging tunnel in the dirt. 

 

 

Todd's rear got just a little dirty.

 

 

Playing on the hammocks on the way back to PQQ.

 

 

Bom Dia, Boa Tarde, Boa Noite, or whatever works for you. -Holly





Brazil post 2

Ok, so I had a little time today while Megan napped...boy she needed it and I didn't have any classes this afternoon. 
These are all from Saturday morning.




River Dolphins!




During the fishing contest.  Todd didn't want to fish so he slept in.




Megan tried to fish too.  No luck. 
 




Keith is the only one of us who caught anything.  The bait is interesting, it's made from ground manioc and they make little dough balls out of it and use that as bait.




Seth playing with a little fish someone gave him.

Brazil post 1

Life is so busy here and sometimes there's no internet.  But life is rich.  The guys at this school work really hard to teach, train, and take care of their students in all areas of life.

Here are a few pictures from our first week here.  Thanks for praying.  Love ya, Holly



Waiting at the Miami Airport




Megan on the boat



Everyone using a device at the airport

 Arriving at PQQ

 During science class, one of the students wanted to take pictures with my camera

  Seth making his chromatography shirt in science class

 

 A cashew tree grows right behind our apartment. 

 We thought this was a dangerous centipede at first, turns out that it is just a seed.

 Chromatography fun

 This is day one in Manaus in the truck in town

 Catchup for sale in Manaus.

 On the boat

 

Amazon rain

The rain from our apartment

Megan playing in the rain

 

These are all out of chronological order and that drives me a little bit crazy, but I don't have time or energy to try and fix this...so enjoy anyway.

 

gooey gummies

Nana went down the candy aisle with one thought.  What candy would Holly NEVER buy her children.  She found it and bought it for them.  She guessed correctly.  I would never, EVER buy gummy spiders, worms, and lizards in little jars filled with syrup.  They look like specimens in from a laboratory and they are supremely gross, but my kids think they are awesome.

Thumbs up!
 

So sticky hands!

By the time we got to Todd, he was ready to have it and whomped his right down so fast I hardly had time to take pictures. 

Another thumbs up!