Christmas is closing in, and it truly is strange. I walk around in shorts and sandals while hearing Christmas songs and seeing big Christmas trees in the middle of roundabouts. Still, it’s comforting. I don’t experience any stress with buying presents, and it makes it easier to focus on the real meaning of Christmas: an action of divinity, which had unbelieveable (or believeable) consequences for all of mankind. Like a father who stretches down to help his child, God stretches down to us to help us.
Yesterday me and my host family travelled to Blumenau to celebrate an early Christmas with relatives. Among many of their Christmas traditions, one caught my attention; they had made paper hearts, on which every member of the family would write what they were thankful for. Then they would hang these hearts on the tree. A tree decorated with gratitude!
Once again I experienced the tremendous hospitality of Brazilians. The grandparents of my host family opened up their house to me, gave me presents and nothing but smiles and laughter. They had even rented a Santa Claus for the kids!
It was an amazing trip, and I also got to see more of the German influence on Brazilian culture, which is the subject of my first paper to Hald.
On Friday, my family will arrive here in Florianópolis. We will stay in Floripa one week, and then travel to Foz do Iguazu in Brazil, and also Paraguay and Argentina, before we spend some days in Rio de Janeiro. I think it will be great! Norwegian chocolate, hehe.
So, until next time, Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
December 28, 2009 at 7:40 am |
Vel overstått jul Magnus:-) Det var så godt å høre at mor, far, Martin og Maren hadde ankommet. Håper kofferten også er kommet tilrette. Mormor, Eyvind, Hogan & jeg har hatt 2 flotte dager i sammen med mormor på Ålgård, og nå når hun vet at alt er vel i Brasil så slapper hun av vet du. Du må hilse så mye til alle de andre – her hjemme går det i speilblank is på fortau og veier, og i dag morges snødde det tett da jeg kjørte på jobb. Solfaktor var ikke akkurat det som jeg tenkte mest på kan du si:-) Tenker på dere mange ganger i løpet av dagen! Kosa dere med “mykje lys & varme” – og hverandre! Klem fra tante
January 9, 2010 at 4:33 pm |
Hei igjen, Magnus!! Me kom heim te 17 minmusgradeer – og koselig kvelds i Hopeheimen!! Litt temperaturforskjell – då me sa hade t deg på flyplassen i Rio, va temperaturen + 35!!! Hb du æ komen væl fram t “familien” din….og atte du he sspanderrt norske sjokolade på Heiko og dei!!Snakkast på Skype!!
January 31, 2010 at 6:41 pm |
Ehhh…..hører rykter om at du har vært out of internet…. Gleder meg til du oppdaterer sida di + sender meg de bildene jeg mangler!!!