The Trip Here

The trip here was SO exhausting! And LONG. Though I suppose it is all worth it....I really hate how long the flight is! Anyway, we started off in Belo Horizonte (actually we started off on the drive there...but I'm skipping the death highway stories).

Saying Goodbye...never easy to do. 

I took a plane from BH to Rio. I never expected the plane to ACTUALLY be a Rio plane! Take a look!!

From the movie Rio! Cute right?? 

Flying above the rain...I think it's so interesting that under all those clouds is a rainy, ugly day. A good thing for me to remeber when I'm having a rainy day!!

When I arrived in Rio it was sooooo weird!! Everyone was speaking in English. The Gringos were in full force! It made me laugh a little bit! Anyway, while waiting in the airport, I had the good fortune of meeting a great couple named Bob and Alice! How I met them was interesting. I was sitting, playing Sudoku, dying of the sheer boredom of waiting, when Bob came and sat across from me. Being the curious people watcher that I am, I watched him take off his shoes and try to change his socks into circulation socks for the impending airplane ride. I watched him struggle for a good two minutes, while I internally struggled with going over to help him or not. I mean who is going to let a weird girl they don't know put on their socks? Well Bob apparently! I worked up quite a sweat helping him put those things on, but it was worth it! Bob and Alice are a really interesting couple! They have been travelling the world and had just finished a really interesting trip that I believe started in Spain and ended in Brazil! They spent the day in Rio, tromping all over Sugarloaf in torrential downpours before ending their journey with me in the Rio airport! There was another guy sitting close to us named Bruno. Of course after watching the weird girl put on Bob's socks, he wanted in on the conversation too. So the next hour or so we spent getting to know one another and it was a lot of fun! Here we are before boarding:

Of course when I boarded the plane, guess who I was sitting beside?? BOB! I know, right?!? We were destined to be friends! Thank you Bob and Alice for making my journey a little sweeter! I had a great time!!

I arrived in Charlotte the next morning, spent my time making phone calls to everyone to let them know I landed safely! 

While waiting a few minutes to board my plane to Richmond, I saw my luggage!! In reality I saw only 1 suitcase! Which of course I was like ummmm, hello! Where is the other one. On this tiny plane, we went out to the tarmac, so I stopped the girl who was loading baggage and told her they were missing one! And she was like oh, yeah! I know, what's your name? We lost it! Which I thought ironic since I had just re-checked both of them an hour ago. I thought if they were going to be lost it would be in Brazil where chaos reigns supreme. See what you get for judging a book? 

Anyway I landed safely in Richmond. Met another Brazilian who was going as an exchange program, talked to him until my feet hit the floor in the airport and took off to find my Momma! I spotted her and took off running! It was so wonderful to hug her...makes me cry even thinking about it. And of course she cried and then we laughed and spent the rest of the day happily ever after :) You know where she made me all my favorite foods! Starting of course, with Biscuits and Gravy. YUM. 

Stay tuned! More adventures to come! 

My beautiful Momma, her baby Molly, and Christmas lights!!

PS- It's cold here. I knew that. I just forgot what cold meant. My fingers have yet to warm up! :)

Bittersweet

Today I fly out for the United States. I will be there tomorrow morning (or Brazil's afternoon). It all feels so surreal. It's hard to believe that I'm going to be back with my parent's for the first time in 2 years, 6 months and 2 weeks.  How does time pass so slowly and so quickly all at the same time? I can hardly believe I have been here so long.

I am so excited to see my family. To hug them, to play with them, to just be with them. My sister is coming from Ireland too, so I will be able to see her as well (and finally meet that husband of hers)!

However with all the happiness comes an exception. Today truly is bittersweet. The sad truth about my situation is that no matter where I go, everyone I love can not be together. To be here, I hurt my family. To be there, I hurt my husband. It's days like today that make me sad. My heart squeezes in joy and pain all at the same time. And I just wonder, will it always be like this? Is there a light at the end of this tunnel that I am desperately searching for?

I know I am going to go and have a wonderful time. I am going to be so happy to be with my family, to see missed friends, to celebrate the holidays with all the force of U.S. commercialism that I love, to overindulge in food and shopping. I also know, when the day comes to come home, I am going to feel that familiar squeeze of joy and pain.

I know in this life, there are rarely those who experience complete happiness. Happiness is generally bittersweet as life is a series of choices we must make, rarely black and white, but always in the hazy gray. Please don't confuse this as unhappiness. I am not unhappy, in fact quite the opposite. However, I will always continue to hope that things will change for us.

Keep my in your thoughts and prayers in all my travels. I have missed participating in this online blog world. I have lots of stories and things to say. Hopefully I can carve some time out and share! Lots of fun adventures to share as I adjust back to the U.S.! Stay tuned!