As I'm sitting here watching my Brazilian soap operas (it helps with my listening comprehension), I thought I would give an update. I forgot to email about something that happened several weeks ago. I was walking down one of the main streets in Copacabana and I'm waiting for the green light to walk across the street, I start hearing shrieks and screams behind me.
I turn around and I see this big rat running right down the middle of the sidewalk and people are dodging right and left like they're avoiding a locomotive. He's hoofing it and takes a right turn into this women's clothing store that had its door open. I see all these people almost immediately jump onto chairs and tables. He was in there for about a minute and I guess he didn't see anything that would fit so he came back out and went back in the direction where he came from. It was like his sole purpose was to go into that store. That was so funny! It made my day.
This past weekend Hillsong came to Rio and the church where I attend sponsored it. It was Darlene Zschech and her band from Australia. There was 4 different acts before them. It was supposed to start at 4 so I get there a little early. I should have factored Brazil time into the equation because it started close to 5.
Hillsong actually started around 8 and went until close to 10. Then our pastor came out and I guess he was giving an altar call. He can be really long winded and I wasn't exactly sure if the concert was over or not because a lot of people were leaving so I left too. It wasn't exactly in the best part of town so I didn't want to stay really late. As I was outside the stadium I heard them playing again. It was a very worshipful experience and did me so much good. I'm not good with numbers but there was probably 20,000 or more there.
I've had a lot of students on vacation or canceling classes lately so I've had a lot of free time. I've been walking or running by the beach a lot. Well, Monday as I'm running I have on my Alabama shirt and then I hear this family that is going the opposite way yell "Roll Tide!". I thought "Hallelujah, country folk!" and almost thought I heard angels sing. I yelled "Roll Tide" back and had a huge smile on my face the rest of the day. A couple of weeks ago I saw a guy on the metro with a University of Alabama ball cap on. We're international baby!
I've had some nice comments on my last post and I appreciate them. In case anyone is interested here's the link to the free 8 day email course on changing your thoughts and focusing on what is going right in your life - http://www.the48principle.com/toolbox.php. It's called the 8 day challenge.
Oh yeah, last night I was coming back from one of my classes and took this little van. The cost was $R2.30 and I gave him a $R5. He gave me some change and I started to look at it pretty closely, which I don't always do. He only gave me .70 back. I almost didn't say anything but I thought, "No. I can't let these people walk over me just because I'm a foreigner." I was trying to figure out how to say it but I told him "You gave me..." and then pointed at the change. He was like, Oh, I'm sorry (in Portuguese of course) and kind of smiled. He knew what he was doing.
Some of the people in the van started saying something to him and I heard United States and English with my translating skills. The guy who shortchanged me was saying something and making a face like "I didn't do it on purpose" or that's the feeling I got. It seemed like those people were taking up for me. Regardless if they did or not, that's the way I choose to think about it. I was still nice to the guy and slapped on the back and said "Obrigado amigo" when I left.
