End of July-Start of August

Howdy Everyone!!!
I hope life is treating you incredibly, and that your closing in on your dreams.
Ok Brazil is still amazing and I'm starting to figure things out. I have Portuguese classes on Tuesday's through Fridays. Jujitsu classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. Youth group on Thursdays. Xic-Xou(the homeless lunch)on Fridays. I help teach an English conversation club on Saturdays. So those are most of my set responsibilities, while other things have come up. Like last week the local artist that Mark and Ali are friends with asked Mark and I if we could help him take some of his work to Sao Paulo. There we made friends with Robson Britto who is the brother of Romero Britto a huge artist from Brazil. So we connected with him and and showed him some of Rolando's work, which could be a great contact in the future. Then last weekend we had Eric (pronounced Ericy in Portuguese)back here in town, he is an amazing person and I have been really glad to have gotten to know him. But he left to go to seminary in another city here in Brazil, so we took him to the bus station in Campinas. Then earlier today Mark and I met with a man who is connected with the Brazilian political system in order to know what it would take to move the work with the homeless here in Itu into another level. I'm also getting the opportunity to cook a lot here in Brazil, because I don't mind doing it and I like to try really bold flavors so its fun (btw a kilo of chicken and a whole root of ginger goes a long way...amazing yayaya!)
Working with the homeless people here is really challenging me, one because language is difficult and it keeps me thinking about the good that I want to do. Patience is difficult because while there are days when I can understand everything in Portuguese and respond perfectly there are other times, especially late at night and early in the morning. But its coming along.
Brazilians like ham and cheese...alot, coffee, beens and rice, fruit and fruit juice.. Then there are all kinds of other things like sausages, parmesianos, olive oil, and churrascura... and I found jalepenos and Heinze mustard...so I'm set on food.
ok everybody
I'm out, but I'll write again soon
peace, paz
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Brandon