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