My Bus Trip and My Evaluation Meeting

Hi everyone,
The missionaries want me to get used to riding the bus because that is going to be my main source of transportation here in Sao Paulo but also in Belem. My language helper and I thought I was ready to try it all by myself. I graduated to Pull Ups and solid food! I was thinking this will be a piece of cake, I have tried it dozens of times with my language helper. I told the bus driver where I was going and I had no major problems. That is until when I tried to do it by myself. The first problem was I was dropped at the wrong bus stop (ponto). I was dropped off at the one returning not the one going. Trust me that makes a difference. I was thinking I will just get the same bus that I take returning and I will be okay. The bus I needed was not on this particular bus stop. Yes, I can't find my way out of a wet paper bag! So I got on the bus and everything was fine. I attempted to tell the bus driver where I was going. He didn't seem all that concerned, so I sat down. Everything was great! Ta bom! For the first 15 minutes, I recognized the streets and it was okay. All of the sudden, I realized that I don't recognize any of these streets or stops. I am starting to think I am lost. (No, I am saved ) I said to myself this bus is supposed to circle around to my bus stop in front of the pousada, where I live. No, it continued downtown to another hospital and I was on the bus for about 45 minutes when I called the missionary and said I am lost. I saw the entire city. The Brazilians were helping me and I was communicating some in Portuguese. I found out that I had taken the wrong bus but it does circle around to my Pousada in about 2 or 3 hours. So I got at the bus stop at 12:30 and I didn't get home until 3:30pm. By the way, this bus goes on the hospital run. So there is a hospital in front of the Pousada but there are also several other hospitals. I found that out the hard way.

God is faithful. He knew that I needed to have this experience in order to strengthen my independence here and my ability to get around. I read in Romans 5 that I will have sufferings will produce proven character then to hope in the realization of God's love for us. He is growing me in ways that I can't express in words but it is for the better.

My meeting on my first month here was yesterday. It was good. One of the words they used was "overkill." Okay, if you know me that is true. I tend to over do it. Okay, Okay, a lot! I had memorized the first book. Well, it did help that I knew 60-80 percent of the vocabulary already. They said that I am doing well making new friends and using my Portuguese to speak to them. Overall, I am doing well. I just need to relax some! God is helping me to relax! Praise Him!

Tchau,
Nova