When is Close really CLOSE?


So.. The good news that we've all been waiting for (excepting of course the actual Good News) is that I managed to have some face time at the embassy, and I took all of my papers with me, and then some ( I'm pretty sure that I had a card I made for my mother in Kindergarden with me, just in case they needed some proof that I have enough creative talent). Luckily for me (or perhaps not?) I got a lady who spoke Finnish, because the amount of technical speech that came from her barely made sense in Finnish and I definately would not have followed in Portugese. But turned out that I hadn't quite got everything, but ALMOST, I am currently only missing One Document, and I am assured that it is on its way. *sigh or relief* Almost there. It's kike a weight lifted off my shoulders. I am very happy to be going through this process in Helsinki, because of the small population everything is very easily accessible. And once the last document is handed over, and the fee paid, it should take all of 5 working days to have the visa finished! That's right 5 days (not the 8 weeks the London embassy suggested to me!).


Otherwise I am working hard to be able to save up some more funds. But God in His good graces has provided me with a job that is perfect for me at the moment. After the chaos that was my last restaurant, the one that I am currently in requires me to serve coffee and drinks in a small add on Bar that has a grand total of 8 customers a day (5 of which are friends and family of mine) which gives me time to read books, to learn portugese, to write funding pleas and to try my hand at the hard sudokus. Contrary to common belief, the day whistles by. I now have 10 more days at work until Im off to Barcelona to have a week long training holiday with Dion. I'm hoping he can teach me good ways to teach children in Brazil, as the children have always loved his classes, and Judith and Adrian seemed very keen for me to do something similar in Brazil.


Finland is cooling down quick, everyone seems to still be in summer spirits though, which is a blessing. Working in the restaurant has its downsides when you act as a laymans psychiatrist to the people looking for someone to talk too, but I can definately tell the difference in disposition of the average Finn between winter and summer, in winter life is awful and there is no way up, in summer life is awful, but perhaps there is a better life around the corner. Am able to connect better with summer Finns as they are more willing to be open to new ideas, evangelism doesn't seem like a threat so much in the summer.


Hope everyone is well.

God Bless.

Ems

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