Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Today is our last day of school, so I am not sure how regularly we will have computer access. I thought I would go ahead and send my last group email from Brasil.
This past Sunday the truck came and loaded up all of our furniture. Wow, amazing how much crap one can accumulate after six years in one place (the longest ever for me!) Koa did not do too well with the emptying of our house. He sat on the bean bag chair, in the fetal position, watching home movies of when he was a baby over and over again while he sobbed. I had never seen him so sad, really. He did not want to eat or talk or even have one of us hold him. He finally cried himself to sleep.
I think we are all feeling a little bit like curling up in the fetal position in front of the TV. Personally, I am not sad about leaving the school so much, but the idea of leaving Salvador, our home, is very sad. Sure there is nothing to do when it rains and the idea of efficiency (in any form) is completely nonexistent… but the rest is really wonderful. We have made some really amazing friends and had our share of beautiful Bahia beach days.
But like everything, our needs have changed and so we are moving on…. To Nigeria ?? I know, I can’t really say it with a straight face either. A city even poorer and with less infrastructure than Salvador? Crazy, huh! But from the wonderful people we have been in contact with in Lagos, it seems that life is fine there after all. They even have a movie theater and a wine delivery service! We will be living on a closed compound and in the 8 flats where we will be living, there are 10 kids and a pool! Koa and Nai’a can walk to school and we will have a full time driver and a nanny. So, I think it will be all right!
Next week we leave to spend a week in Minas Gerais with my mom on her farm. She has given us one of the houses on the property so we will be setting up all of our furniture there. Kind of like a “home base” I guess you could say. It will also be a great opportunity for the kids to hang out with their great grandma Ilza.
Then we are going to Portland, Oregon to celebrate the 4th of July.
Last year my aunt Judith showed us the way “civilized” people watch fireworks. We sipped a nice red wine at a great restaurant right on the river in Portland. The kids ate $10 Mac and Cheese and had a blast. Needless to say, we are doing the same thing this year. And then one of our favorite Americana events, the 4th of July parade in Beaverton with our friends Holly and Robert.
On the 6th of July we are heading out to Hawaii. Ryder’s sister Zoe just had a baby girl last Friday and Koa and Nai’a can’t wait to meet their very first cousin! I also want to spend long afternoons at Hapuna Beach, my favorite beach in the world. It will be nice too because Ryder’s grandma Pat will finally get to meet Nai’a face to face!
Then back to Portland for some major shopping …. And then off on our next adventure!
Since there are no direct flights to Lagos, we will be going to Germany first. Too bad the World Cup will be over by then! Then, on August 13th we will land in Africa! Whew! Two months of living out of a suitcase is enough to make anyone crazy! I promise to send emails and pictures of our first days in a city of 17 million people and no stoplights!
Yesterday was the first Brasil World Cup game. We all got together and watched it on a big screen at our favorite bar (which of course, comes with a playground … gotta love Brasil). It was one of those surreal moments when you realize that at that exact second, your life is perfect. Great friends, your kids on you lap, cold beer and a whole country cheering for the same thing. Man, we are sure going to miss this place.
“Don’t be dismayed at goodbyes. Farewells are necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes is certain for those who are friends.”
R. Bach
Beijos,
c
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