Well, I am finally in Brasil! I love it here. It is beautiful, warm, and full of people who don´t speak english! Wonderful.
This place is crazy though, Sao Paulo. I'm in a suburb right now, that I do not know the name of, but it is pretty dang poor. Like nothing I've ever seen before. It is crazy.
I have taught my first lesson, two actually. I felt okay, but that could be because I have no idea what anyone is saying. I c'an communicate what I want alright, but they have to speak pretty slow for me to understand. I'm excited that Im picking up the language. Just trying to be patient.
My companion, Elder Dos Reis, is Brazilian, which is sweet. He doesn´t speak english very well at all. But he asked me to teach him, so I do a little, but the focus is definitely on my learning Portuguese. It is nice not to be the only one asking questions though.
He is a great guy, and is the district leader. He has been on a mish for 6 months! He's got a great heart, and from what I can tell, he teaches really well. We communicate better every hour as I pick up more Portuguese, and that is good.
This morning during comp study, he just put his head down on the table mid-sentence. He said (in Portuguese) that is hard to be this new, be a district leader, and a trainer of someone who doesn't speak Portuguese! I believe him! But he seems to like me, and we are getting to the point where I dont have to ask him to repeat every sentence. We actually get along quite well.
Last night we got to the apartment at 11! So much for mission rules. Haha, I finally made it to bed at 12. We were so late because Elder Dos Reis left his cell at some meeting and the sisters had it. Then we had to take them to the bus stop because it was so late. It was a good day, I liked it.
Everyone tells me I have a really good accent, which is sweet. I hope it improves, along with the whole speaking/understanding bit.
This city is crazy. Everything is built right next to each other. Every building shares walls, and every thing is gated as well. The craziest thing is that kids fly kites in the middle of the freeway because of the wind the cars make. Pretty nuts. Also, people walk through the freeways and sell stuff. These people are crazy!
Also the air here. Iis horrible, I can feel years of life tricking out of my toxin-filled lungs. I do miss my Oregon air. I have had a headache all day from the carbon dioxide.
Everyone thinks I am super huge, which in comparision, is very true.
I have no idea how much time I have. Today is not my P-day, but my companion missed his Tuesday cause of me, I think, or something. Our next P-day is on christmas. Hopefully I can figure out that phone call thing from my comp. If not, my president is pretty cool, he can help me. He is a pretty large man, and is way nice. Seems excited to have me here.
9 horas de manha Eu acho por telefonar. Ta bom? This is the number you are supposed to call. I think it is easier if you call, ******** If you have questions, I would email my president, because I dont have answers!
I have a billion stories, that I can't write cause I got no time. But email me the SOP letters here, and anything else. I can print them off, and reply through snail mail, which I think takes a week give or take.
Então, Eu amo vocês! Ate Natal!
Elder Jake
