HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

This Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be thankful for. I have to admit, I do feel very homesick for some of my mom’s wonderful Sweet Potato Casserole on this day!! And to see all of the familiar faces that I know and love, but I realized that I have familiar faces that I know and love here too now. I wish very much to there with you, my family., but just know that I love you very much and miss you tons! But, I am very excited and enthusiastic to share my cultural traditions and to learn new and different cultural traditions for the holidays.

First, thank-you Lord for all you have provided. This time last year, I was praying very hard for you to grant me this opportunity, and a short few weeks later, you answered my prayer. This year, I have been praying for your guidance on this exchange, which you have also granted. I have many friends here that have introduced me to more great people and have taken me on many ‘adventures’ here in Brasil, and I know that you are to thank for that. Thank-you for leading me to these wonderful people. I don’t think I could have made it this far on my exchange without them. You have blessed me with safety, food, great people, many opportunities, etc. I can not thank-you enough for your continuing love, guidance and protection.

Second, I’d like to thank Rotary, once again, for this amazing opportunity. Without you and your support, this wouldn’t be possible.

Third, I like to thank my family and friends back home in the United States. I know it took a lot of courage and love to let me go on this exchange, especially for my family, David and Tyler. You guys are sacrificing a year without me there, and I know it is very different and hard because to me, but it has also been very hard without you. But know that I love you and never stop thinking about you. I wish you all were here to share these experiences with me, but I know you will be there with open arms when I return home. Last, but certainly not least, thank you for your support while I am over here. I have truly appreciated all of it.


Fourth, I’d like to thank my new friends here. Without them, these first four months here would have seemed immensely more hard (I will have been here for four months on November 30!!). They have helped me create my home here, and I couldn’t be happier for that. They have helped me push through all of my many struggles here and have helped me when I make a complete idiot out of myself because of cultural differences. They are patient with me through my difficult times, and I couldn’t be happier that I was so lucky to find such great friends. Today, I finally get the opportunity to repay one of them by being there for her like she has been for me, and I couldn’t be happier that she has turned to me for her problem. I just hope that the Lord shows me the way to help her.


Now back to catching up to today, with the last entry, I had ended on September 26th:

On October 7th, I left my high school (Colegio Tiradentes) here to start at a local university (PUC). My class, Turma 303 made me a going away party. Everyone brought food, and they all made a toast and sang a song to me. At the end of the day, I made a speech in Portuguese for them, and I read it in the last 5 minutes of school that day. Many of them cried as I read about my first day there and all of our memories. This class meant a lot to me because they were my FIRST friends here in Brazil. They were the ones that were patient with me and my Portuguese. They were there when I was so frustrated that I wanted to scream and punch someone. They were there when I was so sad that I cried because I missed you guys. They were there for it all and did their best to help me.

That weekend, we had a holiday, so we had school off Monday. So, I went on a trip to Juiz de Fora with the Araujo family, a local Rotarian family. Juiz de Fora is a big city, so it was fun and interesting to me. I hope to go back there someday. It was very pretty.

October 17th, my friends and I organized a little hangout at Logan’s (the exchange student from Belgium) house. We all brought something to eat. We ate, swam, watched Sex in the City, sat in the sauna, etc. It was a lot of fun! Afterwards, many of us went over to Aloisio’s house for dinner and just to talk. It was good- pizza! haha.

October 23rd, Ludimilla had her sweet 15 party. It was fun! It was themed 1001 Arabian Nights. There were these dancers there. I now want to learn how to do this dance!

October 27th, my main group of friends and I celebrated Babita’s birthday at a restaurant called Habib’s. It is like a burger joint with milkshakes!

October 30th, after my Portuguese class in Belo Horizonte, my host dad allowed me to go out with a group of guy friends around the city! He wouldn’t let me go with any girls because he says it is “very dangerous”. So I went to Aloisio, Marco Tulio (aka Princess), and Celio! I love these boys! They are hilarious. In this photo, Princess fell asleep on the bus ride back to Betim from Belo Horizonte, and NOTHING wakes him up. So we were having fun with him on the bus. hahaha.

October 31st, Aloisio made a Halloween party. I went to help him, Princess and Celio set up for it. Aloisio’s mom got so into it! She made all of these Halloween decorations and foods! It was great! We watched Friday the 13th during the party.... Oh goodness, I HATE scary movies....

November 1st, I went to Sarah’s Grandpa’s farm with her and Logan. Her grandpa started Betim Rotary, so that was interesting to meet him. We rode horses, had a churasco (barbq), swam, talked, etc. It was a lot of fun!!! I STILL wish I had a horse!

November 7th, I went to my friend Arthur’s Birthday party. It was soooo much fun! I tried these weird pizzas that we should SO have in the USA. Both were desserts pizzas. One was chocolate brigadeiro pizza and the other one (mom, you would like this one) banana with like caramel pizza. It was so yummy! haha!

November 21st, I went to my friend Flavio’s birthday. We went to a pizza place, and I again had brigadeiro pizza. hehehe.

Reflections:
I’ve been living with my new host family for about a week now, and I have already seen how completely different they are from the first host family. For this exchange program. you really have to be an adaptable person or be able to become one. I used to hate change. I always ate the same foods at the same restaurants, went out with the same friends, the same everything. Here, I have been exposed to completely new and different people with different dislikes and likes that I have had to figure out. I have been exposed to foods I have never even heard of and ones that disgust me just when I hear their name, but I had to at least try them in order to not offend the people or the culture I am in. I even had to eat pig’s ears, which believe me, is more disgusting than it sounds. I had a burning, gross taste in my mouth for 2 days! I couldn’t get rid of it! I brushed my teeth probably once an hour and drank everything we had in the house to get rid of the taste, but it stayed in my mouth and I disdained it!!! This program really is about becoming independent too and with that, not spoiled. I have to admit that this is working too. I used to be one of the brattiest people out there, but now, I can’t be or I will be proving many American stereotypes right. I’ve learned how it isn’t socially acceptable and that you have to do things you don’t like most of the time. I’ve learned that I can’t have everything. “I can’t have my cake and eat it too,” as much as I would LOVE to. I still have a small spending problem, but that is getting better the longer I am here. I can honestly look around me and see who people are more clearly. I can see who I am more clearly as well. This has been an eye-opening experience to me. This really is the experience of a lifetime, and I really have made myself a new home in a new country like Rotary said...This is home...



“As the end of another holiday draws near, I’d like to take a moment to list all the things I’m thankful for: I’m thankful that no matter how dark things might get, old relationships can still be rekindled. I’m thankful for new relationships that help us realize how far we’ve come from who we were and how close we get when we can really be ourselves. I’m thankful to know that no matter what they say, you can go home again, whether it’s your home or not.” --Gossip Girl

Beijos e Abracos,
Hollie G. Harrison