Viçosa is nice. On Saturdays, there is some movement in the center, some people shopping for groceries, new shoes or just out to be in the crowd. There's sometimes a band playing the main square, too. Sundays, though, it's quiet. And the holidays, too. Only the bakeries are open. Oh and the churches. A couple of restaurants. Mondays at 8am there is traffic. And at noon. And then again at 2pm when people are returning from lunch. But the most traffic is at 6pm when everyone is out - leaving work or school and eager to get home. However, the most traffic on the running trail is at 7:30pm, as if everyone had planned that. Coming home at night, it is best at 10pm when people are getting out of their classes and you can walk home with a group of students. Biking in Viçosa doesn't have rules - just don't get hit. Playing soccer happens on Friday nights on that nice astro-turf, as long as it doesn't rain 3 hours before. How could I forget, for lunch on campus, there are two choices but at both of them you will eat rice and beans and salad and meat. There are all vegetarian options. Flowers bloom at different times and dusk brings a sound, smell and light across the campus lake.
Viçosa is a nice place to live, to study, to work, to have fun. But mostly, what gets me are the people. I think I could live anywhere in this world with some good people in my life. With that, I have been blessed. Good people hug away homesickness, funny people make you laugh at yourself, fun people get you to dance, determined people get you to study in the library, crazy people make you feel better about yourself, Hospitable people give you a comfortable bed and hot shower. Selfless people help you move apartments. Fit people share recipes with you. Loving people let you be yourself in whatever form. Faithful people get you to retreats. Understanding people listen without trying to solve. Needy people ask for help. And the best people make you food.
For me, people are what make a place and [X place] is nice, because indubitably there's one of these good people there, too.
Viçosa is a nice place to live, to study, to work, to have fun. But mostly, what gets me are the people. I think I could live anywhere in this world with some good people in my life. With that, I have been blessed. Good people hug away homesickness, funny people make you laugh at yourself, fun people get you to dance, determined people get you to study in the library, crazy people make you feel better about yourself, Hospitable people give you a comfortable bed and hot shower. Selfless people help you move apartments. Fit people share recipes with you. Loving people let you be yourself in whatever form. Faithful people get you to retreats. Understanding people listen without trying to solve. Needy people ask for help. And the best people make you food.
For me, people are what make a place and [X place] is nice, because indubitably there's one of these good people there, too.
