Big Island and Big Dreams

To get away from things for a few days, we took a trip to Ilha Grande (EEL-ya GRUN-jee) for a few days.  Ilha Grande, which translates to "Big Island," has made it onto the list of places I have visited that I could envision myself living in.  There are not too many places on this list, you should know.  (The only one I can think of right now is the town of Annecy in the French Alps.)  And truthfully, we have both been able to live in some beautiful places.  Still, there is always room to dream, right?  Well, we stayed on Ilha Grande in the town of Abraão.  The town has only a few packed-dirt streets lined with pousadas, or inns, restaurants, and tour companies offering boat excursions for divers and sightseers.  Yes, it is indeed a town that depends heavily on tourism, but it is a cute town.  There are so many birds singing and flitting about in the early morning, you would think they owned the place. 



View of Abraao from our hike.


 One of my favorite parts about this island, besides the mountainous rainforest that comes down to the beach, the lapping waves, the fruit juices on the beach, and the monkeys with striped squirrelly tails, is that there is not a single car around.  People get around by boat, bicycle, or on foot.  Thus, there are footpaths you can take to get to other parts of the island.  One day, Z, our friend A, and I hiked three hours to a beach on the other side.  Every so often, we would come to a beautiful, serene, beach, thinking we had arrived.  Then, we would realize that this couldn't be the place because none of the other tourist hikers whom had passed us were there.  Z and A seemed somewhat content to stay at those beaches, but I urged them to continue so we could reach our destination.  So, we trudged on.  When we finally reached Lopes Mendes beach, we knew we were there:  there must have been fifty to a hundred people all along the two-kilometer stretch of sand.  Being on the Atlantic side of the island, roaring waves crashed on shore, creating a playground for surfers.  I was unable to relax with the wind and noise of the waves, so I was ready to head back to one of the quieter beaches.  (I know, even after pushing the others to move on-- am I ever satisfied?)  After eating a high-priced but delicious tuna salad sandwich we bought from a man who had carried them from Abraao, we decided to start hiking back.  A stayed behind, planning to take a boat back, while Z and I put one foot in front of the other to get back to Abraão. 



Walking through the gate of the Ilha Inn, our pousada.



I admit my mind started getting carried away with dreams.  I started picturing myself on the island.  I could work at the local school, plant a church, or work in a restaurant.  Maybe I could have an eco-tour company to teach tourists about the local plants and animals.  We could raise our children up to be island people who walk barefoot through the forest and take a canoe to school!  Z, however, was not on board with the idea.  "It's too far away for me to go see a professional soccer game," he lamented.  "I will go stir-crazy on this island."  My island bubble burst before me.  But, but…how will I ever realize my dream? I thought.  (By the way, we would need a work visa to do any of these things, too, may I remind myself.)  It took a couple days, but I finally came back to reality and the understanding that my marriage is much more important to me than living in a coastal rainforest.  Besides, we do have a sweet compromise in Rio de Janeiro, living next to a nature preserve and a boat ride from the beach, yet in a large metropolis to fulfill Z's craving for action.  Thank you, Lord, for providing us everything we need here in Rio, and for a loving husband who planned a vacation to Ilha Grande, a place he knew I would love for its rustic, natural beauty.  I am content.          

Our own home!

The past couple weeks have been eventful in that we finally moved into our very own apartment.  We are so thankful to be living within three minutes of the school on foot, next to a nature preserve, and overlooking a park.  Despite being very close to a hectic avenue and gigantic modern shopping mall, our condominium is serene.  All I can hear as I write is the whir of my running computer and the twittering of birds outside our third-story window. 

Our apartment is the most spacious one we have ever had!  We have three bedrooms with built-in closets, cabinets, and desks.  Our kitchen is very clean and cute, as you can see from the picture.  The only thing missing right now is chairs to sit on.  The apartment came furnished, including four cute chairs reminiscent of those in a Parisian café.  However, when we went to sit on them, we fell right through the seats.  We'll need to get them re-caned this week so we can sit at the table to eat.

We are one of two apartments on our floor.  Our next-door neighbors happen to be a family of three from India.  They have been here for three years for work, and they have been so welcoming to us.  Yesterday they invited us over for chai and snacks, and we brought over a pizza Z had just taken out of the oven.  Last week, I invited S (the mother of the family) to speak in my Bible class about Hinduism since we are learning about different world views.  I never thought I would be learning so much about India in Brazil!

Some friends have been asking to share about Brazilian life, but truthfully, we feel somewhat sheltered from it due to where we live in a very modern neighborhood, and also because we are teaching at a school where we are required to speak English all day.  Occasionally, we are in situations in which we feel the discomfort and excitement of being in a foreign country, such as this morning when we visited a local church.  What we need to do is find some Brazilian friends who will show us the way so we can become part of the local community here.

This week was a challenge emotionally.  At the beginning of the week, I was feeling overwhelmed from teaching full-time.  I am so exhausted at the end of the day that all I can do is sit on the couch and stare for a few hours.  My voice is often tired out and this causes me to feel tired overall.  By Thursday, I started to feel refreshed again because I had a slower work day.  Then, Z seemed to catch what I had and was feeling like he could not go on any longer.  (I have never seen Z quite like this before.)  He is preparing five different courses, which according to Z, is not possible to do without compromising some of the content or activities.  He is still trying to figure out a way to teach to the best of his ability while also managing his health and stress level better.  Please pray that we may soon find answers to our prayers and be able to better discern the Lord's will for us.

On the brighter side, we have reached a rather important decision in regards to our visa status.  After much thought and prayer, we have decided to work as volunteers (that is to say, foregoing our salaries) at the school until we get our work visas (or until our tourist visas give out and we have to leave).  We agreed that it is better to follow the law and keep a clear conscience.  It is indeed a leap of faith, but with the school providing housing for us, we are confident that Lord will find other ways to provide us with food and other comforts.

We also made it to Ipanema Beach and Leblon this weekend for the first time.  The bus ride there was a very scenic route with ocean views.  I do prefer our local beach better because it’s quieter, but how exciting to be where the “Girl from Ipanema”originated!

We look forward to hearing from you all.  Please let us know how we can encourage you and pray for you.  Until next time…