Jordan's Travel Log

Life is crazy, so I asked Jordan to write our year in review. Here's what we got:

Well well well so we finial see ourselves coming to the end of the year. There have been many things that have happened this year that were awesome and thing that were not so great and other things that were ok.... Basically is was a year like most people on planet earth. It passed by at the same relative rate that all years have passed. (thanks physics) 

For me this was another great year. I have a hard time saying that a year was bad. My life is very blessed and I have nothing really to complain about. my Year was great because I was able take on some new challenges and took them in stride to come out on top. Work was great this year. I was able to settle into my relatively new role at work and became really good at it. For those of you thatdon't  know I work for a gold mining company called Newmont in North Eastern Nevada. So any of you that are enchanted by the Wild West, just come out to Elko and you will find it. I am an engineer and currently working as a short range plan. Basically that means I make mine plans ranging from one week to six months in the future. I make sure that we mine in the most economical way possible. I plan the shot schedule and how and where we will mine and where the dirt goes after that. I was the planner for 5 pits for most of the year. I was a lot of fun. I got to play in the dirt with big toys and blow it up. Just this last week I have found out that I will be starting a new position as a maintenance planner for the next year. It will be a great chance to learn a new part of the business. So things are good at work.
This year I have been surrounded by wonderfully people. We were blessed to visit the promise land, Brazil. We went back to my mission and I was able to show Kelli off to family down there. We went for the World Cup and to visit people. It was a lot of fun and we had a great time. My favorite part of it was seeing old friends and family, the food, must mostly to see how everyone automatically loved Kelli the moment she walked into the room. Everyone wanted to show her how much they loved her at every moment in the trip. It was incredible. We also have been blessed with amazing people here in Elko. All of the friends that we have made here have become our family. Part is a survival part of being orphans out here not having any family or anything, but the other part is that we have learned to love each other. I know that I have friends here that I would help them out with anything and they would help me out as well.
Lastly the part that made this year great I have to blame Kelli. We have been in our house for a little over a year now. She has gone to great effort to make this place a home. Many of you that know me I have a hard time with empathy. I do not understand humans. I do not understand why people cry, feel bad, or anything else. I do not feel bad for people that are found themselves in a difficult position in life. Kelli on the other hand understand these human emotions very well. She is always willing to listen to people and their problems and offer/try to help them. I think we helped 12ish families move and offered to 20ish more families that we weren't able to help for whatever reason. Now, when I say we helped move I don't mean just load and unload a truck i mean help them set up beds, rooms, tables, clean, organize, and not stop until they are in and can sleep and live in the house. Most of that comes from Kelli, she takes time off of work to help those in need. She is amazing.
So basically our life is awesome and it doesn't have much to do with luck. We grab life by the horns stare it straight in the place and face "let's do this!" I decided a long time ago that every year will be better than last and so far it has. Here's to another great year and looking forward to an even better one in 2015.
Merry Christmas!

Videira

Videira was cold. So, so cold. But in all reality it only got down to 50 degrees--the problem was that we didn't have the coats to be comfortable! The apartment that we stayed in never got any sun to bake the bricks, so it was like staying in a fridge! Luckily, they had a couple amazing feather blankets on the bed, so we slept warm.

We stayed with Efegenia, Luciana, and Gabi, (grandma, mom, and daughter). Gabi is also working on her English, and was another god-send.  

First item of business was for Jordan to get a haircut. The salon was just down the road so we walked with Gabi and Jordan got himself a handsome high and tight.  

We walked back to the house and got the car to drive into the shops, and walked about, browsing to our hearts content.

After we'd shopped to our heart's content, we were only to mid-morning and decided to go visit Lu and Gabi's boyfriend Tiago at work. We ended up getting a tour of the car dealership, 3 free keychains, and a delicious mint chamomile tea and pinion. Lu's boss was a delightful, charismatic man who spoke very fast, but had a big heart. He was also prone to big hand gestures and sketching pointless marks to illustrate a point. Very cute. Very nice.

Also- the fact that that tea was served in the cutest, tiniest silver cups, at the perfect temperature just accentuated the perfectness. Such a delightful afternoon.

We returned home and relaxed. We were so lucky to have wi-fi every place we stayed..! It made for a convenient and enjoyable spending of downtime.  That night we met Rodrigo, one of Jordan's momentary companions, and a wonderful, adorable human. We had "hot dogs" which they serve with crunchy fries and a tomato and peppers mixture! On a regular roll. So interesting...! But not disgusting.

The TV had a tendency to be on at the house, and thanks to that I got to witness some gems of Brazilian TV. This guy is singing, with scantily-clad, irrelevant dancers. I was dying.

 We were lucky enough to be invited into lots of homes, and had a churrasco (shoe-hahs-ko) with friends Hannfley and his family, and Rodrigo.

We had a meat pizza. Ribs, ham, cheese, all grilled. Plus rice and "salad" (full leaves with vinegar). I feel like Ron Swanson-- "You had me at meat tornado"

RIGHT??

The views in Videira are absolutely gorgeous. I am in love with the bright colored houses and green hills.

We went to a stake dance (again, a family affair), to celebrate Festa Junihna.. A harvest festival, where everyone dresses up like rednecks--or as they call them caipera. Hence the costumes. I didn't have much, so I threw on my plaid shirt.

 This is Hannfley. He also speaks a little English. And is a hilarious son of a gun.

 This kid had it right.

Then there was a giant line dance, and we were forced to join in. I had no idea what was going on, everyone was everywhere, and this guy (just below on the right in the gray) was shouting instructions and I was so confused. But we hopped and skipped and danced along anyway. I only hope my video conveys the hilarious, utterly enjoyable madness.

This. This picture came about in the oddest way. This girl had eyed me since we arrived. I smiled and nodded, as I did to everyone that I met, and muddled my way through greetings, and nice to meet you's. Then, an hour later, she comes up to me with her phone, and wiggles her finger at me looking commanding, I'm like..excuuse me...?? I stand up to see her and she says something about with I understand "picture" and "with me". Um....? So she wiggles her finger at me again and I follow her down the stairs to a landing, and she does her best selfie face and I don't know if I'm going to be mocked or ogled from this picture, so I don't know what to do, but I just smile. Then say "Eu tambem"..! Because if this girl is taking a picture of me, I'm going to take a picture of her..! If only to document the madness. 

Also note: Hannah's love note on my nose.  .....

Here's the family, sans Gabi-- far right is Efegenia, and on the left her daughters Luciana and Aline, and Aline's husband Luis.

Afterwards, we decided we were all starving and ordered a pizza! They laughed and accommodated all my picture taking. There was lots of laughter and lots of weird pizza trying. I continue to be amazed at the love and camaraderie that can be felt through language barriers. Human connection is a beautiful thing.

I believe it was 50 degree inside the house.. and I layered on every single longsleeved option I had, plus a borrowed homemade scarf, and wrapped my pajamas around myself zipped inside my jacket so that they weren't completely frigid when I put them on.

This is Rodrigo. He was living with his boyfriend before he met the missionaries. When he learned about the church, he kicked his boyfriend out, got baptized, and his greatest wish and goal is to have a family sealed in the temple. I cannot tell you how incredible his example is. Such a good, good man. Friendly, hospitable, and lovable. I'm so grateful for good friends.

Breakfast every morning at Efegenia's. That boxed milk, and her magic pot...? Made THE. BEST. Hot chocolate. Every morning. It was amazing. I miss that hot chocolate.  And that green thing? Avocado smoothie. Amaaaazing.

Rodrigo felt bad that he didn't get to feed us, so he asked to take us to lunch one day. We met him at work--he is currently a mailman--and walked across the street to a buffet-style restaurant, joined by his coworker. Such a sweetheart.

Afterwards, everyone was at work and Rodrigo offered us his apartment to hang out before we they got home. He took more time out of his lunch and walked us to his place to let us in. I enjoyed the view and took a nap while Jordan watched the current game.

We returned to Efegenia's, and decided to go for a walk with Gabi. We were originally going to go running, but then by the end of the day, she felt sick and I was too tired. Not to mention that I hate running. Jordan, his unwearying self, still wanted a run, and I felt up to walking, so we set off for a "nearby" park (30 minute walk), uphill, and I loved the views. We were greeting with a most amazing sunset. And Gabi and I bonded while Jordan got some exercise.

Tell me this view isn't breathtaking.

It was an uncharacteristically warm day for June! We enjoyed it greatly.

Gabi and I walked and explored the park--I helped her practice her English. There was not much Portuguese.. Because her English is waaay better than my Portuguese. And the view on the walk home did not disappoint. Seriously. Look at that.

Here's how their showers look. Another thing I will never take for granted again? Showering in a warm house with enveloping warm water. The difference between a warming, relaxing shower and stripping down in a frigid bathroom and getting a small stream of hot water, only to have to shut it off and towel dry in the same frigid air. ...I love my heated home and shower.

The night of the stake dance, we visited with Marcos (the man leading the line dance in the gray shirt), a wonderful man and fluent English speaker (!), who had access to horses which was the last thing on my wishlist for our Brazil visit. So after waking early to make the drive to Fraiburgo (little German town 40 minutes away) and eating breakfast on the way, we made it! Bell and Marcos welcomed us to breakfast, and minutes after sitting to eat, my anxiety kicked in full force. Gladly, I had foreseen this and slipped a Klonopin in my pocket, so I took it, and excused myself to the couch to sleep off the sickness. Marcos and Bell's son climbed up on my lap to snuggle me. The added warmth was welcome, and a good snuggle will always make me feel better. We napped in the warm sun and eventually I felt well enough to stand, although getting to the car was a struggle, not without a couple trips to the bathroom, although my scant breakfast never did resurface.

Regardless, once we got to the car and on our way, and once I was able to climb on the horse and the cool air on my face with the pill kicking in, I was able to bask in the beauty of the landscape and the day. 

We got schnazzy riding hats, and were free to follow the trails where we'd like.

Seriously. Does this not look like a dream? Those trees are from a movie. It was part of my personal heaven.

It was such an enjoyable morning, spent with good, sweet friends.

That evening we drove to Ipomeia so Jordan could take me to a significant place from his mission. The spirit was so strong, and don't tell me that the landscape isn't gorgeous. I believe that God dwells in nature.

Efegenia came along, and was kind enough to take our picture, after giving us time to talk, and embrace the spirit of the land.

I was surprised by the amount of popcorn we ate! It's a common snack to throw on the stove. They made two bowls this size. And split the other between 4 of them. SO. MUCH. POPCORN.

This was the tastiest meal we had here--tortellini-like pasta soup with cooked chicken and rolls. Efegenia and her family were not as well off as our family in Joinville. But they were so sweet to give us the best of everything they had. It was wonderful and so appreciated.

Doesn't Lu look so young?? I'm wearing the earrings sweet Romislane gifted me. And we sat jammed in the backseat of our tiny rental car on the way to church, sharing love and smiles. I love these women.

We decided to stay for the second sacrament meeting after the original one we went for, to see the other half of the ward that got split, and I got to play the piano for the meeting. It was a partial guessing game to know when I should go up to play. Jordan helped a little. But I was mostly able to figure it out. Also, we got handed this baby from the row behind us. He was the cutest little guy. And yes. All this bundled just to not freeze in church.

Loved this city sign. Grapes everywhere. And these larger-than life on the border sign, were too great.

Our drive back to Florianopolis was gorgeous. behind the blurry rail and trees you can catch a glimpse of the green rolling hills--it was just that for an hour. Breathtaking.
Then the sun set, and we had another 6 hours of our 8 hour drive ahead of us. But with our trusty audio book and Jordan's stalwart driving, we made it! ...super late. But we made it to Florianopolis.