10 things

Some people have been getting quite depressing emails from me, so I have decided to write a list of things I am grateful for in Brazil, for them and also for me, to remind myself. So, i´m aiming for 10, here goes:

1. My host family! This kinda had to be number one. They are so loving and supportive and kind and work so hard at communicating with me and I would be a complete wreck without them. 
2. The weather. Yep, it's not deep and meaningful, but the weather is amazing. Like a series of perfect spring days. We get lots of rain, but it's pretty much all at night (also thunder and lightning most nights, which is fun). I'm pretty sure i'm in the perfect place weatherwise- any further north and it gets way hotter, so this is amazing. I appreciate still being able to wear jeans, but never being cold. 
3. People at school- they're way friendlier than in New Zealand (sorry, dear New Zealanders, don't be too offended). Everyone's a bit younger than me, but so far it hasn't mattered yet. They do this thing where they have a hurried conference, and then someone will turn to me and say something in english, which is really nice of them. (I have mixed feelings about being spoken english to, I feel like I shouldn't, but i have to remind myself that it's been less than a week, i'm allowed to not understand)
4. Art class. Which wasn't actually art, but art history, but it was awesome because the teacher had a powerpoint and pictures and they were talking about impressionism, so i understood most of it (not the actual words, but the the gist of what it was about)
5. All the people in New Zealand who listen to me being depressed and who love me a lot, and help to make it be okay. I love you guys!
6. Skype and facebook and email and all things like that. They make this bearable.
7. Knowing that if I decide to come home early, that's okay. It's not ideal, but it's okay. That's still a choice that I can make.
8. The english school that lent me books in english! I can't explain how good it feels to come home from a day of being overwhelmed and not understanding anything, and be able to read Jane Austen, who is just the same as always.
9. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to do this. So many people in the world don't get to, and it has the potential to be amazing (it also has the potential to be crap, but we're focussing on the positive here)
10. that God is not bound by time and space, so even when i feel alone, i can know that i am not.