Bem Vindo (Welcome)

We arrived here on Saturday. Thankfully Sidney came to get us from the airport. After an hour bus then taxi drive, we came to a dark side street. The ‘door’ looked like the others, a steel store front or garage door. It was raining and the electricity was out. The staff and boys were on the roof, having a farewell BBQ for some of the staff. After they threw the keys down, we took our stuff to our rooms. My room is a shared room with 8 bunk beds in it. There was water seeping in from under the door onto the floor where I put my bag.
That night was the first one since leaving home that I did not sleep well. There is so much noise here. The next morning was the first one since leaving home that I felt homesick. It is claustrophobic here. No space in the room. No space in this building, that is all concrete, with its walls jutting up against every other building in this city, and which houses boys, staff, volunteers and students. No space in this city. The city’s name is Belo Horizonte, which means Beautiful Horizon. I can’t seem to find the horizon here. This must be what reverse culture shock is. Leaving the beauty, quiet and slow pace of Africa for the extremely extroverted culture of a city like Belo.
In the last few days though, we’ve begun adjusting again (incredible human adaptability). The girls I share a room with are great- tea drinkers and chocolate lovers. The school is interesting and lots of work. There is a supermarket around the corner with a choice of toothpaste. I have found a beautiful park with a pond and bamboo within walking distance. And, standing on a hill outside of the city in the middle of a favella (slum) of 70,000 people yesterday, I finally saw the Beautiful Horizon. I’m not so sure what this place will bring just yet, only that God has opened doors to allow me to be here. So, it will be ok....