The time is going by too fast! My second week is almost over :(

Most of the other volunteers here will be leaving this weekend, so there will just be four of us in the house until the new group of volunteers get here on the the 10th. This will make my placement tough because I will be the only one and will have to split my time between the elderly and the children. When there are no volunteers will the elderly than they have nothing to do, and when there are no volunteers with the children than the sisters can't get any cleaning done. So it will be tough.

But I love my placement so much! I am staring to get attached and I can tell it will be hard to leave.

We just got back form the beach, very beautiful here today!

I've been in Brazil for a week now and I can't describe how much I love it! Salvador is amazing. 

I am also loving my volunteer placement at Madre Teresa. The kids are so cute. They call me tia (chia) which means auntie. Today we painted pasta (macarrao) which was very messy! On monday we will make them into necklaces. I knew beforehand that I would enjoy working with the children, but I was surprised at how much I enjoy working with the elderly ladies. They are so sweet and are trying very hard to help me with my portuguese. The sisters that run Madre Teresa speak some english which has been very helpful!

I am leaving for Morro de Sao Paulo in the morning, which is an island off the coast. Its about a two hour ferry ride. Very excited!

This first week flew by, I'm hoping the next three weeks don't go by too fast!

 

Finally Here!

24 hours of traveling and lost luggage... but I am finally here! It is beautiful here and the staff is very friendly. Excited to start exploring!

Leaving in the Morning!

So excited to leave for Brazil in the morning! I am going with a company called Cross Cultural Solutions and will be volunteering there in Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. 

"The Missionaries of Charity is a Religious Congregation, founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1950. The sisters serve the poorest of the poor, the lowest of the low in 130 countries (676 houses). The Congregation has been in Brazil since 1979. 

Alagados was the first house in Brazil. Other house includes: Alto das Malvinas Day-care. At the Alagados’ house they receive elderly people, abandoned women and malnourished children. There is also a Day-care center for children from 1 to 3 years of age. Twice a week the sisters make home visits to the poorest families helping them materially and spiritually. In Alagados they give foodstuffs to about 200 families. They do not accept any government help.

 The Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics, homeless, and AIDS sufferers. The Missionaries of Charity try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charisma all over the world."

I will be volunteering there 5 days a week, but have my weekends free to explore the country :) I leave bright and early tomorrow morning. So excited!