So, I hate uploading pictures.  It takes forever.  But since that's probably why most people check blogs (assuming someone does actually read these...), and my laziness isn't actually that great of an excuse, here ya go:  a glimpse into my life :)

 So, I'm still a little vague on a few things that we've seen so far (my own fault I don't speak enough Portuguese yet to follow all the instructions/explanations haha) but this picture was taken a few days ago during our field trip to visit this group of people who basically create things out of recycled materials.  They reach out to a lot of youth, and it's really amazing to see all that they have been able to do.  I love how easy it is for us to recycle in the US, but I wish more people would do stuff like this and actually REUSE it to create something beautiful.

 Me being me and Tawnya being...Tawnya.  haha, just kidding :)
Tawnya is awesome.  (With a face like that could you think anything else?)
She was basically my first friend in this program.  This picture is to prove that I do in fact have friends here :)

 Danny, this is for you.
They have whole walls here full of this stuff; you'd love it.  Instead of going to Mexico to join a mariachi band like you joke about, why don't you come here and do stuff like this?  It'd be sweet, right?

 I ate this for lunch today.  Well, dessert.  It was delicious.
Imagine chocolate-flavored sweetened condensed milk.
"What's not to like?" :)

The rest of these pictures are from our trip to Olinda today:

(Note: I take no responsibility for factual errors.  But I think that it's at least mostly accurate :)

 Me and Natalia standing outside the first house in Olinda.  We're actually standing next to a window; the foundations have gradually sunk over time so this is where it stands now.  Crazy.
Makes you want to have a firm foundation, doesn't it?
(Yeah, I came up with that right now....I know you're impressed.)

 This church made me miss Tonga.  I don't remember which village or even island it's on, but there's a chapel in Vava'u, and if you sit on the stand you can look straight out the chapel doors to the beach and ocean.  Can I just say that sitting there was probably the best fireside ever?
Seriously though, I loved this building.  It was so pretty inside.  Sadly, I couldn't understand anything he said (it may or may not be the case that I actually ignored him --just for a few minutes-- so I could just enjoy the serenity...)
I think all church buildings should have surroundings like these :)

 Super creepy dolls.  Okay; so they're actually pretty cool.  They're super huge (taller than me), and used during Carnaval.
Random fact: my camera only auto face-detected the guy with a blue and white face. Weird.

 Some door we walked past in Olinda.  I'm pretty sure it was just on a house.
Zero historical significance (or at least none that the guide shared), but I loved it.  I love how beautiful these people try to make things.
It reminds me of Tonga, how so many people would line their yards with those "angel wings" shells, to add some beauty to their simple homes and lifestyles.
I love how much they work to add beauty everywhere.

 Again, proof I'm actually here :)

And to end, some pretty pictures of churches and city/landscapes.

I'm not sure what I did to get such an awesome life, but it must have been something pretty amazing because....

I'm here!

And I love it.  So much. :)