Fall Back.

Today I gained an hour. Unfortunately, my body is set to "teacher-time," and I didn't sleep an extra hour at all. Even though I wanted to--I even laid there in my bed and tried to force myself to go back to sleep...but it didn't work. Well, since I was up, I decided I might as well do some laundry. And for the first time since I moved here, I hung my laundry on the line to dry--and it didn't rain!!! Shocking!

It actually turned out to be quite a beautiful day...around 80 degrees and sunny. I'm a little jealous of all of you who are at home on the East coast. Alyssa wrote me a few days ago to tell me that she woke up to frost covered ground--and that she wore gloves! I want to wear gloves!! Summer weather is nice, don't get me wrong; but I'm craving some nice fall weather I guess.

Last night, Me, Ashley, Gina, Stefanie, Emily and Caroline all had a night out on the town. First, we went to the coast to watch the sun go down...I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing the sunsets here. It's just so very beautiful. Then we went to Ikea--not the smartest idea on Saturday night. Let me tell you, the Europeans love their Ikea!! After that, we went to Chili's! Since it's the very first one in Portugal, it's located in Lisbon, so we decided to make a night of it. Seriously, we left my apartment around 6 and didn't get back until about 1 am. Granted, about an hour and a half of that time was spent lost in Lisbon, but still we had a blast!

I went to church this morning, and now I'm just being lazy! I watched Grey's Anatomy on Surfthechannel.com (invaluable to an American overseas!), and then figured I had better update my blog.

Please keep ICSC in your prayers...there is all sorts of upheaval going on, and it's very easy for me to get frustrated by the way things are happening. So please, pray. Lots and lots and lots of prayers.

Odds and Ends...

Well it's the end of another week here. I can't believe how quickly time is passing...Gina and I just celebrated our 2 month mark with a Chai latte and some apple crisp on the 15th. It's odd. I feel like I have been here for a very long time--that I've been friends with and working with these people for forever! But at the same time, it's only been two months--which is hardly any time at all. I know that probably sounds weird...but you know what I mean!

Tonight, I went over to Ashley's apartment with three of my students--Gaby, Par and Keziah. The three girls are 14, 12, and 13, and they are all involved with Young Life here. We made some Spaghetti and watched "The Prince and Me"--basically just had a nice girly evening. I'm glad I get to establish relationships with the kids outside of school--just to love on them and be able to mentor them.

Tangent! I'm so grateful to be able to be involved with Young and Wyld Life here. The youth in Portugal would just scare you to pieces. It is entirely normal for an eleven or twelve year old to go out on the weekends to bars and clubs and get drunk. Some of the kids I'm working with through Wyld Life are already having sex, partying, and staying out until 4 am every Friday and Saturday--and they're only 12!!! I've just never seen this sort of behavior as something so completely acceptable at this age!

So, it's about 11:20 pm here, and I'm in my PJ's and ready for bed! It's been a long week, and I'm so exhausted. And there is so much more still to do! I was talking to my dad the other day and he mentioned that I didn't sound too homesick. The truth is, I don't have time to be homesick! My life is so, so busy right now--between teaching and Wyld Life and just meeting people here and learning about Portugal is absolutely consuming my time. I'm lucky to get to sleep at a reasonable hour.

That is something I'm definitely still adjusting to here...the idea of "Portuguese Time." Every Monday night, we have dinner with some other 20 somethings in the International community here--we get there at 7:30, eat around 10, and I don't get home until midnight!! Dinner is just a late affair here, and that takes some getting used to. And people don't even start to go out to cafes or anything until around midnight...which is when I'd be coming back home. I know, I'm a big wimp, but I'm learning! Just a few weeks ago, I managed to stay out with Ash, Stef and Angela until 3 am. Be proud! Granted, I was trying to make up for that for days...Guess I'm just not as young as I once was ;)

Speaking of which--I'll be 24 in just a month and a half! Crazy! For some reason, 24 seems so much older than 23. When I was a little girl--I thought that 23 would be the year that I'd have it all put together. I'd know what I was doing with my life, and I'd have everything all figured out...and well, I don't really have anything figured out! Still, though, I'm thoroughly enjoying 23, and I don't think I want to give it up. Perhaps I'll just stay 23 for one more year :)

Alright, well I'm beat and it's bedtime for this schoolmarm.

Love you all! Miss you tons!

Ariel

____ in Portugal.

The domed ceiling in the entry to the Cloisters in Belem
The Cloisters

I think this leaf looks like the Grinch's hand. And who doesn't love the Grinch?
Honestly, the pictures can't really do justice. So you should all just come visit!
This is a monument to remember the deaths of the members of a family who were murdered during a political upheaval.

The door at the Cathedral in Belem. I think that the panels look like a dinosaur is inside the church and is banging on the door trying to get out. Thanks, dad, for damaging me for life when it comes to dinosaurs!
Me and Gina
A Pastel de Belem. They are yummy cheese pastries in Filo dough with cinnamon and powdered sugar on top. I could eat them forever!
Love how very quaint this street is :)

___(insert emotion or state of being here)_____ in Portugal. This is something Gina and I just tend to joke about all the time. Tired in Portugal; Lost in Portugal; Confused in Portugal, etc. Well, today, it's Sick in Portugal. I'm just not feeling well! It was bound to happen--I'm surrounded by teenage germ carriers most of the time. But, what can you do? Anyway, here's a few more pictures I forgot to post the other day. Gina and I traveled back to Belem...here they are!

Also, can I request some prayers? There's a heck of a lot of drama going on at the school right now. I won't get into all the gory details, but there are issues between the director of the school, the school board and the church that operates the school. It has the potential to blow up into a really ugly mess....so please, pray that things will be worked out and will settle down.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned it on here yet, but I've started volunteering with Young Life while I'm here. Young Life is an outreach ministry to kids, and I'm working with the 11-14 year olds (called Wyld Life). I'm having a blast and getting to know the kids. We've got a camping trip coming up on Thanksgiving weekend (since they don't celebrate Thanksgiving here!), so please keep that in prayer as we got about planning it.

Also, if you will remember, I've spoken about Alexa, one of my students here. Her parents are divorcing, and she came in today to say that she's moving back to Georgia. She's falling apart a little, so please keep her in your prayers as well.

xoxo
Ariel

Kodak Moments :)

Gina in a tree :)
Gina, Stefanie, Ashley and Me at the Moorish Ruins in Sintra. We decided that the Moors must have been very short...
So this is a 9th century church near the Moorish ruins....look at all the "ghosts"! It was actually quite beautiful!
The top of the Moorish caste. We wanted to come up at sunset, only to find out that they closed at six and we couldn't get in. So this picture is taken from between the slats of the locked gate.
The view from the Moorish Castle ruins in Sintra. I live down in that valley.
Me and Ashley at a little pastelria in Sintra. She must have been moving while we were taking the picture!
A giant meringue pastry. And who doesn't like those?
Sintra. Such a fun place!
Ashley in her "Blossom" hat!
At the top of the Mountain there is the Moorish Ruins.
Colin, one of my students! We were celebrating "Hawaiian Day"
Elio did not want his photo taken :)
Sara-Lisa with her fruit!
Aris, no doubt studying for the Vocabulary Quiz he was about to have in my class!
Gina and Stefanie!
We were playing some sort of relay type game...I don't know!
The Relay!
In my classroom!
Hard little workers :)
Robb--the math and science teacher. He didn't want his picture taken either. Why do people run away when I pull the camera out???!!

xoxo
Ariel