Brazil: When, Where, Why, and How...

So I have succumbed to the blogging addiction via myspace and decided that I will attempt to keep a blog while I am in Brazil. Ironically enough, this might be the only post! Depending on internet availability in my spot I may not be able to post. But I am an avid journal-er so I will post when I get back--so either way those of you who have the desire, interest, or sheer boredom have something to read about!

SO, many people have said to me "Brazil?...huh?" So now it's T-minus one day and I thought I ought to explain the method to my madness because this was kind of a split decision for me, kind of not.

So, I am headed down to Cubatao, Brazil. My church has a mission down there and they are in need of help finishing some construction and repairs on the mission as well as in their English schools. They teach English for free down there in the 'favelas' or rural/poorer communities outside the city. Cubatao, used to be known as the 'valley of death' it was so polluted: www.fluoridealert.org/pollution/1252.html but it is also the poster child for environmental cleanup and reform so the mortality rate has gone down: http://forests.org/archive/brazil/brvallde.htm. I wanted to try and post a picture of Cubatao for you all but for some reason, the link to add an image does not want to work for me! Argh!

Anyway, I decided in church one day that I was going to go. When? Spring break...if that hasn't become obvious! Where: Cubatao, the once most polluted city in the world just south of the once murder capital of the world 'Rio'--although now it's some city in Jamaica that's the 'new' murder capital of the world! Woohoo... How: We fly out of Billings tomorrow (Saturday) and we get back the 20th-ish.

Why: I wanted a refocus. My whole existence I feel in Bozeman has been very 'me'-centered ever since I got here. And in fact it is my life so it should be 'me'-centered if that makes any sense...probably not but you'll have to indulge my psychoses if you plan on reading my blogs. It's been about my issues, my relationships, my thesis, my inability to get up a 5.9 (for all you climbers out there), my endeavors...in all honesty, I'm kinda sick of 'me' right now and wanted to focus on something other end of the spectrum that matters. Not that I don't think I matter but I want to walk away from the self-centeredness that I feel is creeping up on me...something I absolutely abhor. This is my 5th year, I'll be finishing up my thesis soon and moving on. While I've been in Bozeman I've had incredible highs and beyond crappy lows...I feel I've lost touch with apart of who I am by being here and focusing on things that have caused that part of me to fade. I think I'm kind of hoping to reclaim that, I'm hoping this recenters me on the part I thought or think I am losing. If anything, I will be of as much help as I can, leaving my past emotional and physical baggage here, dig apart of me out of the back of the closet and come back re-focused and hopefully whole.

Deep thoughts...I know! OK, so I don't want to end my first and possibly only blog on a downer note so check out some deep thoughts from SNL guru Jack Handey! http://farstrider.net/DeepThoughts/Handey.htm and I will hopefully be touch during my trip and if not, you'll hear about it after!