Japan vs. Brazil

          Naturally, I find myself comparing our experiences here with the time I spent in Japan since that is the first foreign country that I could call home.  My journeys in Japan allowed me to be immersed in the local culture and language through home stays, all-Japanese work environments, and the challenges of living alone in a rural community.  Here in Brazil, we are immersed instead in a unique school culture of many nationalities.  Even though Brazilians are most well-represented among us, English is our lingua franca, and for me, this means that I work in the identity of my home culture most of the time.  They moved away recently, but our next-door neighbors were from India, allowing for a very satisfying, yet, nonetheless, non-Brazilian relationship.  Our church community is also international, with English as our shared language.  We feel like we are in a bubble here, perhaps by circumstance, perhaps by choice.  Since the school is right next to our condominium, we are not required to interact with many people outside our work environment, except when we go grocery shopping or out into the city. 



With some of our 12th graders, whom we both teach.



            Z and I have also agreed that, while Brazilian culture is unique, it is not nearly as shocking as living in Japan was for us.  Even though there are more inconveniences here, we are not as challenged on a daily basis to carry out regular activities as we were in Japan.  Compared to our experience in Japan, we do not stand out as obviously here as foreigners.  In Japan, I had near-celebrity status in my small community, which worked to my advantage for making friends and getting involved in events and activities.  Here, however, outside our school and its community, I am not known other than by my condominium's friendly security guards.  Getting involved in the community outside of school requires more effort, which I have generally not put forth.  I was tentative to get involved, not knowing if I would be able to stay as long as I hoped due to the visa situation, and once we did have the visa, I knew we would be leaving soon, so I thought, Why bother?  (In retrospect, I think it is best to settle in, even if you are staying for a short time.) 

            I feel that our marriage relationship has a huge role in how we have been involved in the local culture.  In Japan, we were single people seeking friendship and companionship, eager to be part of the action; here in Brazil, we are often satisfied to spend time with each other, which prevents us from getting involved with others as extensively.  This is not necessarily a negative point, but it has colored our experience here.

            So, how will we approach our integration into the local culture of Lugano, Switzerland?  Working and living at an international boarding school will present many of the same challenges we have had here in Brazil.  Z and I have discussed this, and he made a valuable point.  In San Diego, it was not until our third year there that we felt integrated in our community.  For me, it took a year in rural Japan before I felt comfortable taking risks to get more involved.  As we transition to life in Switzerland, I am prepared to be patient with our progress and simply take advantage of the encounters we do have with the local culture and people. 

           Since Ecclesiastes is fresh in my mind from studying it with the soon-to-graduate 12th graders, let me quote Solomon, the wisest man of his time who wrote this toward the end of his full, rich life:

¹⁸ "Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. ¹⁹ And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God. ²⁰ God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past" (5:18-20).

Let us, then, all of us, enjoy our lot in life, since every good thing comes from God, and God can make good of all things, no matter what our limited human perspective may be.  I look forward to hearing how you are using and enjoying your time on earth.  Write soon!

Moving On

I find the big, white, blank screen intimidating.  So many times I feel inspired to write about something I have been learning, yet feel overwhelmed by the blank screen.  I know that if I could share my thoughts with you by pen and paper, you would likely read a different story (or at least you would read some story, rather than none at all).  It's been months since I've posted anything to this space.  I apologize for not sharing our journey with you recently.  Much has transpired since we returned to Brazil with our work visas.

            One bit of news that I have been keeping silent from the public is that we have decided to leave Brazil at the end of this school year, now three weeks away.            

           When we returned to the U.S. in February, Z started looking for work in other places.  One reason was that we were unsure whether the visas would actually come through, considering we had been waiting for almost a year already.  Another was that the workload at the school has been overwhelming to Z, and he has found that he has not enjoyed teaching as much when he needs to prepare for five different content-heavy courses.  We all know that Z likes to work hard, but this has been too much.       

            So, Z was asked by a friend who directs a school in L.A. to write his ideal job description.  Z wrote that he would like to teach social studies and coordinate a program for global service learning.  Soon after, he found out about an opening with exactly this job description at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS), a school that he has been interested in for some time.  To make a long story short, he turned down an extremely generous offer in L.A. so that we could both accept jobs in Switzerland instead!  We have decided to exchange our doce de leite for chocolate bars, our rice and beans for fondue, our sea views for lake views, and our palm trees and mountains for--oh, but wait!  There are actually palm trees in this part of Switzerland!  So, we should feel right at home there.  TASIS kindly offered me a place to teach EAL (English as an additional language), focusing on academic reading and writing at the upper intermediate level, so we will both be able to contribute our talents to the community.

            Now that I have shared that, I also want to share how much I have enjoyed experiencing Brazil.  Just when I think I have a grasp of what this country represents, I meet people from a different background or visit a different region, and my equilibrium is thrown off.  I think, These people also call themselves brasileiro?  What a diverse nation in its peoples, cultures, and environments!  How much there is yet to explore!  I am sorry to be leaving so soon.

A rookery at sunset in the Amazon

            Perhaps the most rewarding accomplishment as we wrap up our time here is how our characters have been shaped by our experiences here.  When we meet again, we will tell you some of what we have learned about humility, love, and priorities.  Some people back home tell me that they notice a change in me.  One Biblical metaphor is that those who remain in Christ will produce fruit, like a tree that is healthy.  Jesus said:

 "I am the true vine and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he trims clean so that it will be even more fruitful….No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me" (John 15:1, 2, 4)    

Paul wrote to the Galatians that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (5:22).  And I am actually bearing fruit!  This is proof that Christ lives in me and that the Spirit of God is teaching me and using me.  This gives me peace and makes all the trials of this past year worth it.  On the flip side, I am aware of my weaknesses and where I need to keep growing.  Even though it hurts when my Father trims off the fruitless branches, I will suffer the pain.  I know that He will not give up on growing me into a beautiful tree that produces fruit bearing His name, so juicy and sweet that others will eat it and maybe even desire to grow God's fruit, too!  You never know where a little bird will deposit the seeds from the fruit he has eaten, but if the conditions are right, another tree will grow.

            This little bird is taking her Brazilian passion fruit to Switzerland!