Paz e Amor (Peace and Love)

Today there was a break through in my class at school.
I arrived late because I had gone to a Rotary meeting at 6:30 am in the morning (my Rotary club is full of early-riser people....me not quite being a morning person but I don't mind :)) and had also said Happy Birthday to my Second Host Mom Helena. This put me at school at around 8:30 am.
Class was going well, except the part where I layed my head on my desk and had a boy named Bernardo come and put many tiny pieces of paper all over my head, mainly in my ears. The other day he was throwing paper balls at my hood-covered head as I shivered away in my seat. Everyone refusing to close the outside door no matter how many times I persisted. I even came to school in four layers of clothing! They do think I am pathetic though, it was no less than +15 degrees. They don't understand how I can be cold and yet have been born in the land of ice and snow. I want to tell them that at least in Canada when it is winter people act like squirrels; collect nuts, keep the doors CLOSED, use inside heating, wear lots of proper warm clothing, drink lots of hot chocolate, and take hot baths. Or at least that is what this Canadian does. I was the kid whose mother bundled up so tightly in a snowsuit that when I fell over I couldn't get back up again. I even peed my pants once when I didn't manage to undo my gear fast enough. My point being that yes I am Canadian, but no, in Canada you will not survive wearing flipflops in the snow.
Anyway, so class was going fine. Minimal paper throwing from Bernardo and people seemed pretty happy. By the time Biology class rolled around my teacher got everyone to put their desks in a circle and began to talk about the last year of school and also what people wanted to do in their futures. My profession seemed to be the only one that you can't put a name too, because I want to make music but at the same time help with social causes around the world. I guess you could call it "Bono" or something like that. But I also said that I want to do everything. I do, I want to do as much as I can. For example, I want to write a book. Why can't I? there is no rule saying that people are only allowed to have one profession in their life. I just want to learn as much as I can. But I don't know how I could have really explained that I want to do that (especially in Portuguese) so whatever, they think I want to be "Bono-like".
Anyway, my professor got to talking about how everybody is never going to forget their classmates and they will always be in their memories and hearts. Then he said that he was aware of some conflicts between pupils. Some people had not spoken to some other people for four whole years! One person just always ignored the other person and vice versa. My professor asked if it was really worth it and that did they really want to graduate on a bad note.
So what happened next was really surprising. Isadora got up, walked across the classroom to where Andressa was sitting and shook her hand, saying the word "desculpe" (sorry). Andressa then stood in turn and offered her hand to Tunico who accepted it, and then to Carol. Nearly everyone went and shook the hand of their former enemy. There were alot of people too! Some of which I wasn't even aware had a problem with each other! Some of which "sorry" was the first word exchanged between them in years.
Finally I stood up and said that I wanted to say something. Before having said that though, Bernardo hid behind his book thinking that I was going to go and forge peace between us. He should know that it takes more than a few balls of paper to start a war with me, especially to make me STOP talking. I am always the one to try to communicate. He eventually came out from behind his book. I said that the ultimate goal of youth exchange was actually mundial peace, and now with all of their school mates they had made peace! Then I sat down, but got back up and went over to shake Tunico's hand, because nearly everyone else was and I also wanted to apologize for anything that could have offended him. Lets just say he is very sensitive and he gave me the silent treatment more than once. Like even today I had crumbs on my nose and he tried to wipe it off but couldn't so I wiped it off myself, which caused him to walk away in sad silence. These little things really aren't worth fighting about but they are the root of these tiny fights that turn into year-long grudges. It's really not worth it. And when you look at how long it lasted and then the small amount of time it took to resolve it, it really is just funny when you think about it. Ridiculous really.
That was my day of peace and love. I thought I'd just share that with you so you could be reminded of what is truly important. It is like what my professor said, you have little fights with your brothers and sisters, your parents, but that doesn't end the relationship. And when you leave them (like I have) all of those little things melt away, almost like they never existed. What you are left with is what's real. And saying sorry first starts with forgiving yourself.

Peace and love

Emily

P.S - sorry about writing such a sappy thing about "Peace" and "love" and "peace, especially if you are one of those people who like to be really serious and straight to the facts. Stop kidding yourself and go hug your teddy bear that I know you keep hiding under your bed. I know you have a soft spot too. Peace out. :)