Sintra Sights...and weekend happenings

Saturday my roommate Gina and I were taken on a tour of Sintra, Portugal! The Portuguese teacher along with his wife and daughter took us out for lunch - traditional chicken, salad, and french fries. The chicken was delicious and it was fun to experience some of the Portuguese culture. After lunch Danilo, Ava, and Sara took us through the center of Sintra. Sara is one of the students in my 8th grade class. There are a few pictures of from the town center. Lots of little shops were off the streets that twisted and turned around corners.

We got to walk through a fancy hotel that's part of the Tivoli chain. It was fun to see the ornate decorations and furniture. The walls were painted with different scenes and in some rooms the paintings went up onto the ceiling. There was a double staircase that reminded us all of a fairytale.

Our afternoon finished off with a drive over the mountains to the coast. Some of the roads were so narrow (they'd only pass for a one way road back home), but oncoming traffic would come barreling past us. Most Portuguese drivers are excellent at maneuvering in tight spots! The countryside was beautiful and fun to get some of the history from our tour guides. Two of the beaches were stopped at are considered some of the best for surfers. It was fun to see some surfers in the water catching waves in. At the last beach we drove by I saw some paragliders! That brought back fun memories of my paragliding experience in the Alps. It was fun to see more of Portugal and also get to know Danilo, Ava, and Sara better. Danilo and his wife don't speak much English so Sara was our translator and did a great job.

The sun shining on the water was beautiful and I snapped a few pictures along the road on our drive back.

Saturday night I got to babysit for Robb and Anna - the couple who teaches in the high school. They have 3 kids. The girls were so excited to have me come and didn't wan to go to bed. We were in the middle of a game so I let them stay up a few minutes later than their bedtime. It was fun to play with them and give their parents a chance to go out.

After church today the Pastor and his wife had lunch for some of us. It was a delicious traditional Portuguese dish with fish, potatoes, onions, and hard boiled eggs served over rice. I enjoyed the lunch and the fellowship too. It's been a busy weekend, but I've enjoyed having a chance to get out and see some more of this area and get to know people better.

January Happenings

Well...the time has slipped by and I've been bad about updating you on what's been going on. I've settled back into my routine at school. This past week the high school and middle school had midterm exams. I was busy getting those tests written and then graded this weekend. The tests are all graded and I'm just about finished with report cards! To celebrate the end of the 2nd quarter my class had a fun afternoon on Wednesday since Thursday and Friday were both half days with teacher in-service in the afternoons. I brought in some chocolate chip cookie dough and baked fresh chocolate chip cookies for my class. Some of my students had never had a chocolate chip cookie before! They were gobbled up quickly so I think they enjoyed them! My class also had a ping pong tournament (I came in 2nd place), played volleyball and the "bowl game", and enjoyed some time outside.

It seems we're getting a break from the cold, rainy winter season here. We went quite a few days without seeing much of the sun - but the weekend has been beautiful with lots of sunshine. When I'm out for a walk and end up taking off my coat - people just stare at me like I 'm crazy. I suppose the cold is relative. It still makes me smile to see people all bundled up in 50 degree temperatures!

Last night I enjoyed some time with the Santos family. Marcia made a delicious chili dinner. We had lots of fun playing some new games the boys had gotten for Christmas - Indiana Jones Life game and a Portuguese version of Monopoly with credit cards (much more high tech than what I grew up with!). Lucas and I were on a team for Monopoly and managed to beat the others!

My visa situation seems to be settled. I paid a visit to the SEF office again (on my birthday of all days!) and the lady we spoke with was very nice and helpful. She said there would be no problem to come back at the end of my 90 day tourist visa to get an extension till I leave at the end of June. I'll be able to keep using the tourist visa rather than apply for a long term visa between now and June. God is good and I'm thankful that that issue seems to be resolved.

There's No Place Like Home!

It's been a busy 2 weeks! I was so thankful for the opportunity to fly home during my Christmas break. My flight went smoothly and was not affected by the east coast snow storms since I flew in and out of Chicago. I left Rochester in the middle of a snow storm Sunday morning and am amazed at how the planes are able to cope with the snow, cold temps, and blizzard-like conditions. I arrived back in Portugal on Monday about noon without any problems. I still have to report in to the office in town and will get more information about the next steps to take with my visa.

My time in Rochester certainly went by quickly. What a blessing family and friends are. I had a great time celebrating Christmas with my family. We were ALL together including Grandma Managan from North Carolina. I enjoyed seeing my sister Kim and her husband Jason. I can't wait to meet my little nephew when he arrives in March. I was able to feel him moving and kicking - and can't wait to see pictures when he is born. Ellen and Allison made room for me at the apartment and it was great to be back with them. The string quartet played at Chapel Oaks, my grandparents senior living place and I also got the chance to play with the worship team at church. My mom outdid herself planning, preparing, and cooking for all of us. I enjoyed lots of favorite foods while I was home. Dad took me on a few tours to see the progress in the new worship center at church. It's exciting to see the progress since August and how it's all coming together! I was able to get together with many friends and catch up on what's been happening the past few months. I'm so thankful for friendships that bring me encouragement and those I was able to see! Another highlight of my visit home was getting to meet little Elijah VanHeukelum. He is the sweetest little baby and loved by his big brother and sister.

Spending time together with friends and family, laughing, and playing games were some of my highlights from the trip home. After looking through my pictures I realized that I didn't do a very good job of taking my camera everywhere I went - oops - Allison gets the credit for taking most of these (thanks Al)!

A new year has begun. God has seen me through many changes in 2009. I'm thankful for His faithfulness and strength each step of the way. I look forward to the new adventures that await in 2010. Happy New Year!