#1

I'm here.  

And I can't say 'finally' because this was an adventure that I can honestly say I did not have enough time to mentally prepare for.  Which I have realized in retrospect is the perfect way to do things.  It didn't even really settle in that I would be living in Portugal until I was at the Vodofone booth waiting for Joao to pick me up.  'Finally' would imply that I have been waiting for this moment and counting down the hours, and although I am so excited to be here now, I was so busy making sure everything was in perfect condition with work and family and friends that I didn't have time to settle in the thought that I was leaving in 4 days...1 day....16 hours...

On my way over here, I began to slow my mind down and start to internalize some feelings.

 

 .easy to think under these conditions.

First realization since I have begun this journey:

• The best way to get ready for a trip, adventure, journey, and life, is to not think about it too much. 

My entire life, I plan. I am a planner.  Type A...all the way. But I have noticed recently that planning certain things are so unnecessary.  Sometimes planning ruins plans yea?  I've noticed that in my own life at least.  At the end of the day, whatever is going to happen, will inevitably find a way to happen.  And if it doesn't happen today, it will happen tomorrow. I believe in fate.  God's fate.  Strongly. 

The Surfcastle is beautiful.  It is my second day here, and I have met people from Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, and Greece.  Within two days.  If this isn't living my life the way I always dreamed of then I don't know what is.  Immersing myself in a culture different from my own is one of my many fates.  I think thats why I love San Francisco.  It is one of the few cities in the US that is so culturally diverse.  It is so naive for us to think that life is only to be lived in one place for our entire lives.  The only way we get through life is to live life. Everyone's definition of that is different...but we can't be afraid to take a risk every once in a while. 

Today we had our first staff meeting.  Its so interesting to see how different cultures conduct their business and how they find different things effective.  Joao and Ginges would randomly go at it in Portugese debating how things should be run.  Its such a passionate culture.  From a business standpoint, I have some ideas of how business could run a little bit smoother.  They get very easily stressed out so my goal this summer is to help out as much as I can and prevent this from happening...

.yes...that is a beer on the table at 11 in the morning.

The sun is shining, we just opened up the bar and im jiving to the beats of some Portugese house music while smelling the hint of mint and lime:  an essential for the mojitos that Joao is preparing for us.  

... Je ne sais pas!  I could get used to this.  

.xx.