Carnival Weekend

Well, just a bit of cultural news this time. The famous Carnaval celebrations have started this weekend all across the country of Brazil with costumes, parades, music, street parties, drinking, dancing, and lots of other things not to be written here… it’s something like Mardi Gras in New Orleans from what I’ve heard. However, here at the mission school where I’m living, Carnaval is NOT celebrated and not much has changed, although sometimes the “party” noise from the city of Manaus reaches all the way to our remote jungle location, which can only mean the music is extremely loud. There are quite a few extra missionaries who have come to stay at the school for the weekend in an attempt to find relief from the crazy noise and crowds in the city, and they are eating in the dining hall so that does make my job extra busy. Many of the Brazilian churches also schedule church camps out of the city during this weekend to help their people avoid Carnaval as well. The only way Carnaval has affected me directly though, is my travel plans… Natasha, my Brazilian housemate, is leaving to return to her home and college that starts a new school year on March 14 after their summer break (yes, we’re below the equator here). So she invited me to go with her and visit her family in the city of Boa Vista located in the very northwest corner of Brazil, a 12-13 hour overnight bus ride from here due to bad roads. Between both of us being needed in the dining hall over Carnaval weekend, and the busses either overcrowded or not running at all certain days during the festivities, Wednesday, March 9 was the soonest we could get away. So we’re going to leave then and spend a few days together around her home before her classes start. I’m excited for the chance to meet Natasha’s family, see a different part of Brazil, and leave the school campus and jungle for the first time since arriving in January. I’m planning to stay for about a week and may even be able to visit the bordering country of Venezuela, which could help with the Brazil visa extension I need. The only part of the trip that makes me kind of nervous is returning alone by bus with a very limited knowledge of Portuguese… So I would appreciate your prayers, first for everyone’s safety during Carnival, then for the only two dining hall cooks the week I’m gone, and finally for my safe travels to Boa Vista and back again, specifically all the way back to the mission school… thanks!