Allergic to England???!

Hello!
Since i've been back i've been joking with my mum that i think i am allergic to England, as i was ill before i went, and now i have a cold and have been sleeping a ridiculous amount! Losing 4 hours makes it really difficult to adjust to the times!
But i'm back well and truly, as is my luggage, which is good! Still had a delayed flight, and ended up flying into Gatwick! And they still presumed vegetarians dont eat cake - this time i got grapes. I think i preferred the oranges!
Its great the weather is nice - not so much of a rude awakening for me! Still think its hotter in Brazil, and definately more humid, though the majority of people here are browner than me, so you wouldnt tell!
I've already sampled the english delights of roast dinner, strawberries, tap water, baths, my car, and loo-paper-flushing-toilets! Its wierd adjusting to being able to do simple things like drinking tap water, and flushing loo paper! Great though!
As much as i love England though, i cant wait to go back!

Look out, I'm back!

I'm back! So watch out!

Things i am most looking forward to!

Things i am most looking forward to!

Seeing and speaking to family and friends!

Being able to text people again!

People speaking in English all the time, and being able to understand and communicate with people!

Flushing loo paper down the loo (here you have to put it in a seperate bin, which isnt particularly nice!)

Being able to drink water out of the tap, simple and convinient! (its not nice enough water here)

A bath - here its just showers

More varied food - roast dinner would be good, or anything that doesnt involve beans and rice, with the occasional dose of pasta! And something different from bread! Also decent hot chocolate and tea! And ENGLISH CHOCOLATE!!

My car! Though hopefully with less crazy drivers than Brazil, and better roads!

Lay ins

NO BITING ANTS!!! and hopefully less mosquitoes....

Watch out - I'm coming home!!

Things i will most miss about Brazil

Things i will most miss about Brazil:

The children and people, both the children from the communities that we've been working with, and Zak and Hannah.

Jo and Allan (though i will get to see them at Christmas in England with Zak and Hannah, which i'm already looking forward to!)

The monkeys playing around (not the children again!)

All the Lizards - theyre really funny to watch, and nod their heads a lot!

The heat - its great really, which means you never have to bother getting dressed in anything but a vest top and shorts, with flip flops for shoes, which is generally considered 'cant be bothered to properly get dressed clothing', though apparently its pretty hot in England, so i may have to keep this going!

The beaches - great in England, but really not like here!

The jungly noises at night, with all the insects and animals

Hammocks!

Fresh fruit juice! Mainly lemon juice, but also mango, watermelon, melon, papaya and guava - i also had caja today which was quite nice.

Brazillian cous cous for breakfast, though i have got some to take home.

The cake for breakfast, dinner and tea!

oops

oops, wrong order, but never mind! u got more photos!

Finally Relaxing!

Hello! Guess what?! Yet more photos are here! The sad news is though, that i think these will be the last photos of Brazil before i come home, as tomorrow we have a busy but relaxing day planned, Tuesday we will be busy, and busy packing, and by Wednesday i will be on a plane and home!
As well as a very busy activities week, we've also fitted in: going to the beach, Zak's school, Tots and Tales, Manah, Shopping Centre, and lazing around drinking coconut water and sitting in hammocks! Which actually isnt that bad fresh - its nothing like the English stuff which really isnt nice. The coconut flesh is all soft inside too! Wednesday was possibly the most manic - We were up at 6 (like every other day this week! Todays wake up at 8 was a very welcome lay in!), activities all morning, Zak's school in the afternoon, followed straight after by Justin's (Zak's friend) birthday party at the YWAM base, followed by Manah! We were in much need of Pizza and coca cola when we got back!
I've very much enjoyed my diet this week. I have decided i am on the cake diet. Our tea's have consisted of either pizza (which we had one day), or/and cake, with either coca cola or chocolate milk! They eat a lot of cake here, and its very good!
Today was cool, but pretty sad. Said goodbye to the children at Manah as it will be the last time i see them before i go home. They really make me laugh - now i understand a little (a very little!) portuguese, and say a few words, they presume i understand everything! So they constantly talk to me! They're such fantastic and crazy children, i will miss them so much! Most of them gave me a big hug before they left. Got a photo with them, so that will be much treasured :). I really hope i can come back and see them at some point in the future - and they said i could!
Tomorrow we have a really special day planned - Going to a posh hotel for a buffet breakfast, followed by going in the pool there, then on to the beach, then watching a film in the evening. It should be really good, and will be soooo good to have a relaxing day.
I cant remember anything else to say for now, but i will try to briefly update for the last time tomorrow before i go home.
Ciao!

Manah

This is Manah! The building, amazing wiring, and the kids! Its so different to England - it really wouldnt be allowed there! Its great though, and the kids are so funny. They love to sing and dance, and it really is a joy being with them! I will miss them lots!

ants in your pants

There is a phrase, about having 'ants in your pants' when you can't keep still. Here, it is quite possible (if that phrase is ever said round here - i dont know if it is, my portuguese understanding isn't that good!), that you do actually have ants in your pants. They are EVERYWHERE! Big ones, medium sized ones, and very tiny ones that are so tiny they are nearly not there - though they blatently are as they bite! And it hurts! The other day i had ants in my bed, and in my trousers, which technically means if i was American, i would have actually had ants in my pants! You can tell i've been contemplating this!

Activities week!

So, the madness (the chaos, not the band) has calmed! Activities week is over! It was a manic, but fantastic 5 days, and we're all exhausted now! We played games, danced, sang, had stories, painted, all sorts of arts, and did more sport! Today we presented the children who had attended every day - all 30 of them! with a certificate, signed by all of the team. They thought it was so good! The kids seemed to really enjoy it, and were sad to hear i was going home next week - well thats what they said anyway! Here are some photos!

The community

Here are some photos of the community that the children live in. Its made up of a lot of long narrow strips of houses, with narrow mud and sand streets, in poor condition. One 'road' had a big hole running through it from when the rains came and created a river, which would hurt if you fell due to the size of it. There is no running water here, but there is electricity from stolen electricity lines.
Most houses are made of brick, but there was a few that weren't, like one pictured - made out of old boxes and tins, a few planks of wood and anything they could find. The houses are really small, generally a room or 2, maybe 3 or 4 if they're lucky, and most have several adults and at least 3 children living in the house. One i went to has 6 children in the house, and 3 adults. The people were really welcoming though - we went into several of their houses to have a chat. The families pictured are Alexandra and family, and Idel, Cynthia, Lara, Roni, Larissa and family (this family now has one more added to it, as Larrissa's mum had a baby on Sunday!). The children have all been coming to our activities week.

The Madness!

So, a quick update - its now Tuesday night, the end of the first day of activities week! This time last night, we had no idea what was happening and how much help we had! We were up at 6am, and outside setting up by quarter to 7! If anyone knows me very well, they would know how difficult this was for me getting up so early and actually having to do something while being half asleep! At 8, some of the helpers still hadnt arrived. They did, and in the end we had enough, but its all complete madness! Nothing is ever vaguely certain here - people change their mind all the time and never know what is happening. Time is something that flies out the window most of the time here! Very different to the majority of the rest of the western world. The kids however knew, and were at the door waiting to come in at half past 7! It went really well, kids slightly manic and exciteable, but theyre great really! Went to visit the community that they live in this afternoon and go to some of their houses. Was pretty tough seeing it all, but im glad i went. Was an experience. One guy walked past us putting a big knife in his pocket! Will put up pics when i can.
The problem lies for the rest of the week with whether we'll have enough help and how the kids will be. Also its hot and tiring! The language is a problem for me too. So prayers for that would be muchly appreciated!
Obrigada!
Ciao,
Anna

rest, busy, busy!

Today is possibly the calm before the storm! Had a nice lazy morning and going to the beach this afternoon, having an early night, before having possibly 50 children arriving for the activities week at 8.30 tomorrow morning! There will be a mixture of Sport, Art, Dance, Games, and story, song and snack time! The kids seem really excited, and i bet they'll get here before 8! They're very enthusiastic about it all! In the art session i'm doing salt dough modelling, painting shells, junk modelling, kite making, and very large paintings on big sheets!
Went to a cool church yesterday and last sunday - it reminded me a lot of hillsong church! Its pretty posh, in the centre of Fortaleza which is a lot richer, and has very powerful air conditioning! Manah where we've been working is completely different - there isnt even running water! We had 40 children at Manah last night, all who were very excitable!
The bugs are still after me! I had over 20 bites the other night! I must be very tasty!
Right, its lunchtime, so i better go eat! More rice no doubt!
Sorry ive been a bit slack on updating - its a bit busy here!
Ciao!
Anna

more fun!

Still having a really good time! It's been a real mix of work and play, between doing children's work, and relaxing. We've had a few days off, going to a beach at Morro Branco yesterday, and to the swimming pool today. We're making the most of our time off, as next week we're doing an activities week and are expecting around 40 children, possibly more, so it will be a bit busy! The beach at Morro Branco is so beautiful. We got there early and took a picnic breakfast, went in the sea which was lovely and warm, collected loads of shells which were everywhere you looked, did some drawing, lunch on the beach, then the most amazing experience - going on a dune buggy! It went all the way along the beaches, and we stopped to take photos, and admire the amazing scenery, drink from the natural springs, have a shower under a waterfall, and to paddle in the lake! The trip was for 2 hours! Going over the massive sand dunes was sooooo fun! This pic was us stopped near a massive oasis, and the buggy we went on! I sat on the back with Allan, and hung on tightly!
I'm sure i have more to say, but i cant think what at the moment! Ciao for now!